Monster HD and damage by level?

[fireinthedust]

I've tried my hand at monster creation, but before I try to publish anything I'd really like some feedback on what works for you, what has been too much to handle, and what just wasn't enough... in terms of specifically monster toughness. What do you expect a 5th level group could handle?


I guess the question is: how tough is a 5th level party? Without Wizards going Nova, what could a party with Warriors and Rogues accomplish on their own?

I know circumstance helps: a kobold hiding in tunnels setting off traps can obviously challenge a higher level party that can slay giants, yadda yadda... but how much damage can a fighting man put out? A halfling?

[Raven_Crowking]

Well, imagine that the halfling has average Strength, that's probably 2d6 damage on a good round. The warrior at 5th level has a weapon that does 1d8 or more, and has a d7 Deed Die, and probably has a +1 or +2 bonus due to Strength. The thief isn't really all that much better than he was at 1st level, unless he manages a Backstab, in which case his automatic critical is a really big deal.

Now, the AC of opponents matters as well. If the opponents can be hit, you have to imagine that this threesome is going to do 7 points for the halfling (0-12), 11 points for the warrior (0-17), and 5 points for the thief (assuming he is using a longsword; 0-8); or about 23 points of damage on a round when everyone hits with all attacks. Damage could range from 0 to 37 with these folks, assuming no criticals, which can vastly increase damage.

DCC can be swingy. I have run games where the PCs have triumphed over tough foes with relative ease, or where the same foes have wiped similar PCs across the floor, because the dice rolled that way. A critical at the right time, a fumble at the wrong time, or your opponent getting a critical....all can change expectations of how a combat will turn out.

I would build the monster based on how it should appear to you against the "average man". If the "average man" is that poor schmoe you were at 0-level, how much tougher is it? Its AC can be based on the armour types listed - as tough to hurt as a warrior in plate mail? Equivalent to leather? It doesn't hurt to check what monsters appear in similar-level modules, and examine their stats.

One of the coolest things about DCC is "Make Monsters Mysterious", because that means that the players don't know the stats of the thing they are facing. They know what it looks like, smells like, sounds like, and acts like. And then they have to guess. If a monster falls faster than expected, it is lucky. If it is stronger than expected, it is scary.

Send me an email at my hotmail address and let me know whereabouts you work during the day. I am near College Park. We might be able to meet and lunch and hammer some of this out one day next week or the week after.