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In today’s preview, R&D’s Stephen Schubert guides us through the development of 4E’s minions. Although they may not stay in the fight for long, they now have a more useful role than ever!
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The evil baron calls for his guards, the orc chieftain leads a screaming horde in a terrible charge, the necromancer animates a dozen skeletons that rise to fight the PCs. The D&D game is full exciting scenes and encounters where the PCs must face a potentially overwhelming number of foes. In previous editions of the game, these encounters might have been filled with low-level “mooks” who would be promptly ignored by the PCs, since the PCs usually possessed sufficient AC or saving throws that they could ignore attacks from dozens of CR1 goblins or skeletons.
In the 4th Edition of D&D, we wanted to capture the concept of those creatures, but provide a rules framework that let them be a relevant part of the encounter. To this end, we created the minion role as a rules construct to allow a DM to more easily include such monster hordes.
Goals of the minion:
Drop in one hit: the minion essentially does his job if it can keep a PC occupied for a turn. Depending on its level and role, a typical monster might take four to six basic attacks to knock out. To provide the same amount of challenge, a group of four to six minions should take about the same number of actions. For a while, we considered giving minions some small amount of hit points, a small enough number that they would drop in one hit. But then we ran into a few situations where the minion would take only a few points of damage, forcing the DM to track minion hit points anyway. Eventually, we realized that the best way to make sure they go down in one hit is by giving them a single hit point. (You could think of it as if you are always doing enough damage to kill it.)
Have sufficient defenses: A PC should hit a minion at about the same rate as that PC would hit a typical monster of the same level. If the PC only misses on a natural 1, then that part of the fight becomes trivial. Thus, the minion’s defenses are set using the same scale as other monsters of its level. Similarly, while minions are meant to be easily dispatched, we didn’t want it to be too easy, so we decided that minions shouldn’t die when missed by an attack roll, even if that attack would normally deal damage on a hit. Of course, they might still die if they take damage from other sources, like walking through a wall of fire or getting hit by a Cleave from a fighter.
Have a meaningful attack: Minions shouldn’t automatically fail at their attacks, or always be hoping for a natural 20. Their attack bonus should be similar to monsters of their level, though their damage is a fraction of other monsters. One minion attacking a PC is more of a nuisance, but a group of them can be as dangerous as any monster. The damage for minions is always flat instead of rolled, which again helps speed up play as the DM only needs to roll one die for each minion.
Using Minions
A cool aspect of the minion idea is the way that you can scale your encounters as PCs progress through the Heroic, Paragon, and Epic tiers, while still using similar creature types throughout the campaign. An 8th level encounter might involve battling ogres, but later in that campaign you might have an earth titan that has enslaved an ogre tribe, and thus create a 16th level encounter with an elite earth titan and a bunch of ogre bludgeoneer minions. You can create fun Paragon-level encounters using abyssal ghouls (16th level skirmishers with 156 hp), then a few levels later stock your Epic-level encounter with abyssal ghoul myrmidons (23rd level minions).
When you use minions, you should use those of a level appropriate to the encounter you’re building. The concept of minions is to provide fun filler for encounters, not to provide a way for a 1st level character to gain 1,000+ XP for defeating a 23rd-level abyssal ghoul minion by rolling a natural 20. Minions are a rules abstraction, and one of the many tools a DM has to build exciting encounters.
Also keep your party makeup in mind when using minions, as well. PCs with attacks that target more than one enemy or that target an area will love fights against minions, and it provides a nice contrast with, say, a solo monster fight where those abilities are less useful.
--Stephen Schubert
From the Monster Manual Glossary:
Minion: Minions are designed to serve as shock troops and cannon fodder for other monsters (standard, elite, or solo). Four minions are considered to be about the same as a standard monster of their level. Minions are designed to help fill out an encounter, but they go down quickly.
A minion is destroyed when it takes any amount of damage. Damage from an attack or from a source that doesn’t require an attack roll (such as the paladin’s divine challenge or the fighter’s cleave) also destroys a minion. However, if a minion is missed by an attack that normally deals damage on a miss, it takes no damage.
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This one is very intriguing from a DM standpoint. I really like the concept. Making a "horde" of opponents interesting at higher levels has always been a challenge and I believe this solves it in an elegant fashion. Having the minions AC and attack bonus be at the appropriate level actually makes a gaggle of them challenging. I like it and look forward to using it.
I believe the same concept would also would work in 3.5/Pathfinder games as well. For example I'm planning to run "D3:The Demon Within" soon and having a passel of demon minions will add to the "oh crap" factor.
Pete
I think the only two things you have to worry about.
1. Figuring out the proper AC/Defenses/Attack bonus/Damage for the level range the players are at. This may be somewhat tricky as if you have characters with different levels of optimization, you might have problems. Be akin to try and set a skill DC for the entire party
I think Monte Cook wrote a dungeoncraft article on the subject a few years ago. There's a pretty simple formula to estimate an appropriate attack bonus and AC for characters depending on their level, which off the top of my head, is somewhere between level * 1.2 and level *1.5, depending on damage reduction (for AC) and secondary damage (of attack bonus)
2. How much your players expect you to follow the monster guidelines. I do know unfortunately some players who feel the DM isn't playing fair if the monster isn't *LEGIT*
What the players don't know won't hurt them, now will it. Bwuhahahah
Seriously, the article says it's an abstraction and a GM tool to build interesting encounters. Just make sure your players understand that and you should be OK.
Alright; I can see that this minions idea is 'cinematic'.
It seems to me that if there are any powers which deal damage to multiple targets, with a chance of hitting which scales in proportion to character level, then any encounter involving minions could get very swingy in terms of ease depending on if the PCs win initiative.
Yes, you are absolutely right. But this is the beauty about it. If a PC uses a power to do area damage, he will be able to incapacitate multiple opponents. But, this may be effective once or twice.
In addition, the DM can easily introduce more minions in the battle without becoming an overwhelming battle.
For me minions seem to be the best concept about 4ed.
I have these visions of Weird Al as Rambo in UHF. I'm not sure if I like it or not yet, but it is thought provoking.
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Just thought I'd post this here for those who have yet to see it
LEGION DEVIL
THE ARMIES OF THE NINE HELLS are largely made up of legion
devils—cruel, pitiless warriors that gather in countless numbers
from the scorched plains of Avernus to the deepest
chasms of Nessus. Brutally disciplined, legion devils haven’t
the slightest regard for their own existence and live to crush
their masters’ foes beneath their iron-shod heels.
Legion Devil Grunt Level 6 Minion
Medium immortal humanoid (devil) XP 63
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +4; darkvision
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 22; Fortitude 18, Refl ex 17, Will 17; see also squad defense
Resist 5 fi re
Speed 6, teleport 3
m Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 5 damage.
Squad Defense
The legion devil grunt gains a +2 bonus to its defenses when
adjacent to at least one other legion devil.
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Str 14 (+5) Dex 12 (+4) Wis 12 (+4)
Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 12 (+4)
Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword
Legion Devil Hellguard Level 11 Minion
Medium immortal humanoid (devil) XP 150
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +6; darkvision
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 27; Fortitude 23, Refl ex 22, Will 22; see also squad defense
Resist 10 fi re
Speed 6, teleport 3
mLongsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+16 vs. AC; 6 damage.
Squad Defense
The legion devil hellguard gains a +2 bonus to its defenses when
adjacent to at least one other legion devil.
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Str 14 (+7) Dex 12 (+6) Wis 12 (+6)
Con 14 (+7) Int 10 (+5) Cha 12 (+6)
Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword
Legion Devil Veteran Level 16 Minion
Medium immortal humanoid (devil) XP 350
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +9; darkvision
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 32; Fortitude 28, Refl ex 27, Will 27; see also squad defense
Resist 10 fi re
Speed 7, teleport 3
m Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+21 vs. AC; 7 damage.
Squad Defense
The legion devil veteran gains a +2 bonus to its defenses when
adjacent to at least one other legion devil.
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Str 14 (+10) Dex 12 (+9) Wis 12 (+9)
Con 14 (+10) Int 10 (+8) Cha 12 (+9)
Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword
Legion Devil Legionnaire Level 21 Minion
Medium immortal humanoid (devil) XP 800
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +11; darkvision
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 37; Fortitude 33, Refl ex 32, Will 32; see also squad defense
Resist 15 fi re
Speed 7, teleport 3
mLongsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+26 vs. AC; 8 damage.
Squad Defense
The legion devil legionnaire gains a +2 bonus to its defenses
when adjacent to at least one other legion devil.
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Str 14 (+12) Dex 12 (+11) Wis 12 (+11)
Con 14 (+12) Int 10 (+10) Cha 12 (+11)
Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword
Legion Devil Tactics
Legion devils are regimented soldiers that work together to
overwhelm foes. They can teleport short distances to gain
flanking or position itself adjacent to an ally in order to gain
the squad defense benefit.
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I believe the same concept would also would work in 3.5/Pathfinder games as well. For example I'm planning to run "D3:The Demon Within" soon and having a passel of demon minions will add to the "oh crap" factor.
Well, instead of using the average HP allocation for Monsters you can use the minimal HPs - 1HP per HD or Class Level + Con Bonus.
For Monsters with an average to medium Constitution Score (from 10- 15) this should genenerate cool Minions.Though a high Constitution Score can still generate high HP scores.
For this I suggest to leave out Con. Bonus to HPs (so a 10 HD Con 20 Monster still has 10HP).
To align the CR I think you can drop the CR by 2. For Monsters with a "Death Attack" I would drop CR only by 1.
Yes, you are absolutely right. But this is the beauty about it. If a PC uses a power to do area damage, he will be able to incapacitate multiple opponents. But, this may be effective once or twice.In addition, the DM can easily introduce more minions in the battle without becoming an overwhelming battle.
For me minions seem to be the best concept about 4ed.
And you can create 2 front battles too...the controllers guards the rear entrance where wave of minion pour out, while the strikers try to finish the solo "boss" before they are overwhelmed.
That is something I always wanted to do and never could...
Big thumbs up for me.
And you can create 2 front battles too...the controllers guards the rear entrance where wave of minion pour out, while the strikers try to finish the solo "boss" before they are overwhelmed.That is something I always wanted to do and never could...
Big thumbs up for me.
Exactly, that is what I like, more creativity for the DM.