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Zocelot
2008-01-13, 09:34 PM
Can anyone tell me why monsters don't get their first HD maxed?
It doesn't really matter at high levels, but at low lvls, it's a huge percentage.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2008-01-13, 09:35 PM
Because otherwise they will kill PC's to fast at low levels.

Button Jockey
2008-01-13, 09:44 PM
I generally max them.

tyckspoon
2008-01-14, 01:17 AM
Because they're Not PCs. NPCs (well, NPC classes, anyway) don't get the first HD maximum. It's a benefit extended to the players specifically so they'll be a little more resilient at first level; monsters are supposed to die, so they don't get it. 'course, if you want your monsters to be tougher, there's no reason you can't max their first (and second, and third, and however many more) HD if you want.

Fiery Diamond
2008-01-14, 01:27 AM
Because they're Not PCs. NPCs (well, NPC classes, anyway) don't get the first HD maximum. It's a benefit extended to the players specifically so they'll be a little more resilient at first level; monsters are supposed to die, so they don't get it. 'course, if you want your monsters to be tougher, there's no reason you can't max their first (and second, and third, and however many more) HD if you want.

What he said.

-Fiery Diamond

Voyager_I
2008-01-14, 05:58 AM
As said above, PC's get a maximized first hit die so they can survive low-level combat. Wizards don't have a whole lot of hit points to spare to start with, and rolling a one would absolutely ruin any build that might see combat. How exactly are you supposed to be a tank when most of your hit points come from your +3 Constitution bonus, exactly?

NPC's, on the other hand, aren't nearly as vital, and the average low-level monster isn't expected to survive their first encounter with the PCs. Plot critical NPCs should either have PC levels or a loving sibling who went through the same training they did and would eagerly pick up whatever mantle their late relative was bearing.

Also, as previously mentioned, the strength and weakness of your monsters is entirely at your discretion. There's no immutable law of gaming stating that all Orcs must have 4 HP and no ability bonuses before racial modifiers.

(I did the math in another thread, and a Level 1 PC Fighter with average rolls is a bit more powerful than a Level 3 NPC Warrior with the nonelite array)