With 5th edition, I have taken to making it so that only one side of most resolution mechanics involve randomness - i.e. just like how you roll an attack roll but don't roll AC, the players roll damage and I don't roll hit points (and vice versa; the players roll their hit points, and I don't roll monster damage).
With other game systems that isn't the case, such as with HackMaster where I roll everything than I can, or with AD&D 2nd edition where I roll monster hit points because nostalgia, and because the average isn't written down for me so why not roll instead of just doing math.
(and vice versa; the players roll their hit points, and I don't roll monster damage).
At the risk of going very far off topic, I prefer to do it the other way around. I always roll damage, and I always recommend taking the average HP if asked (half a point per level higher on average).
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
I usually just take the average that's in the book most of the time unless it's a "boss monster" and I might adjust that for excitement, tension, or situation.
I like to roll for HP, especially if there are multiple of the same monster. They might have killed goblin 1 with hit that did 4 damage, but the next gobiln they do 6 damage to and he's still standing makes it a bit more interesting to me. I will also describe the monsters slightly differently then. A monster whom I rolled very bad HP for, i'll describe as looking "much more frail" than the rest, or likewise a monster I roll very high for I'll say "stands a bit taller than the rest".
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How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
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Just wondering if you guys actually roll for each monsters HP or just use the average number each time?
I usually use the average. But I adjust the HP (before the combat) if the encounter is too easy or too difficult.
I use the average. It's easier that way, and the CR is more likely to be accurate.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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With 5th edition, I have taken to making it so that only one side of most resolution mechanics involve randomness - i.e. just like how you roll an attack roll but don't roll AC, the players roll damage and I don't roll hit points (and vice versa; the players roll their hit points, and I don't roll monster damage).
With other game systems that isn't the case, such as with HackMaster where I roll everything than I can, or with AD&D 2nd edition where I roll monster hit points because nostalgia, and because the average isn't written down for me so why not roll instead of just doing math.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
I usually just take the average that's in the book most of the time unless it's a "boss monster" and I might adjust that for excitement, tension, or situation.
I like to roll for HP, especially if there are multiple of the same monster. They might have killed goblin 1 with hit that did 4 damage, but the next gobiln they do 6 damage to and he's still standing makes it a bit more interesting to me. I will also describe the monsters slightly differently then. A monster whom I rolled very bad HP for, i'll describe as looking "much more frail" than the rest, or likewise a monster I roll very high for I'll say "stands a bit taller than the rest".
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!