noob questions about monsters

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gorrrak
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noob questions about monsters

Post by gorrrak »

My understanding of hit dice is that they generate a monsters HP and that they are roughly considered the monster's "level"

Do you roll the hit dice for every individual monster in an encounter to generate each individual a max HP even if they are the same kind of monster?

Also do monsters ever get + to hit PCs? Might have missed this in the rules.

Thanks a lot.
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Hywaywolf
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Hywaywolf »

Yes roll hp for every monster.

monsters get their attack bonus of course, as shown on the attack bonus table on page 46. They will also get a bonus if they are using a magical weapon.
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Daucuscarota
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Daucuscarota »

I usually don't roll for monsters' hp because it takes a little time, I assign an arbitrary value (each HD gives either 3, 4, 5 or 6 hp). In a trio of monsters of the same type, one is weak, ones is average and one is strong.

If you need monsters for the PCs to fight but don't want to cause them damage, make them with 3 hp per HD.
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Hywaywolf
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Hywaywolf »

True. I should have said to vary hp instead of roll. Either is fine
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Metroknight
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Metroknight »

As I use the max hp at first level house rule, I apply that to the monsters also. Any 1hd or less monster gets max hp while those of higher HD get theirs rolled just like the PCs, but that is my way.
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Clever_Munkey
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Clever_Munkey »

Whenever I have large numbers of similar opponents, I create a roster with a designation number and HP before hand. I usually just use a digital dice roller or the checkbox generator below to generate the HP values. Remember that the average of a d4 is 2.5, d6 is 3.5, and d8 is 4.5, so if nothing else you can also alternate between +/- 0.5 of the average.

https://www.basicfantasy.org/checkboxer.html
Call me Joe. Mr. Munkey is my father.
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borgar
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by borgar »

Clever_Munkey wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 4:43 pm Whenever I have large numbers of similar opponents, I create a roster with a designation number and HP before hand. I usually just use a digital dice roller or the checkbox generator below to generate the HP values. Remember that the average of a d4 is 2.5, d6 is 3.5, and d8 is 4.5, so if nothing else you can also alternate between +/- 0.5 of the average.

https://www.basicfantasy.org/checkboxer.html
I also have good experience doing this for monster the players will encounter in greater quantities (like orcs). I like the true (or pseudo) randomess compared to just using a fixed hp value sine it prevents players from knowing exactly what is required to kill a monster.

BTW, that doesn't prevent me from tweaking hp values during play. And I often add a few "upgraded" monsters (warleader, chieftan, shaman, bodyguard etc.) into the mix as well.

The last year I have had more time to prepare than to actaully play so I have made "monster sheets" during preparation with the general stats on top and a sequence of rolled or generated hp values in the lower half. If the random list is of a decent size it can just be reused. Using it backwards or start at a random point in the list if I need to vary the list from session to session.
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Longman
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Longman »

If you are going to roll, do it beforehand. If you are doing it on the fly, assign standard values (5 for an 8-sided die, for example).

In my experience, the thing you want to avoid is setting up the ogre as the BBEG and then rolling the lamest hp ever.
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Hywaywolf
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Hywaywolf »

whats interesting is that monsters never use healing potions during a battle. Its odd because sometimes you find the dang things when you looting the bodies.

Having wide ranging HP for monsters is fun. Its a riot to roll a 1 and you are cursing the dice when the GM says "The goblin squeals and drops dead (he only had 1 hp)" or you roll a nat 20 and 6 +1 damage and the GM says "14 damage. You swing a mighty blow that splits the orcs armor. He's hurt bad, but he screams with rage and spits blood in your face. He attacks with his ax. (2nd level)"
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Solomoriah
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Re: noob questions about monsters

Post by Solomoriah »

I roll for most monsters; sometimes I use the average method. Someday I dream of getting my Wandering Monsters supplement done and then I'll have checkboxes for all...
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
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