I've been struggling with this for a while now, but how do you know when it is appropriate to use the average damage when a monster is attacking an NPC?.
The MM and DMG only say you can use either. Is there a good time to use the average rather than rolling the damage?
Using the average damage lets you KNOW when something will die. "The bear guardian is being attacked by the Red Ninja Twins, if you don't get there in time, he will go down to their... oh nevermind he's dead."
Using the average damage lets you avoid that and know that the victim will last XX number of hits.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Average damage is useful when you have ten guards/giant wolf spiders/insert fodder here and really can’t be bothered rolling that many damage dice. It just speeds the game up.
Average damage is also useful when starting a game with new players. By using average damage for the monsters and not using critical hits it helps the players understand how dangerous each monster is and reduces the risk of a creature one shoting a first level character. When the players reach level 2 (or 3) you can start rolling for monsters and introduce the concept of critical hits.
I find that by simplifying the gameplay and introducing complexity in stages help with players who have never played role playing games or the equivalent video games.
I've been struggling with this for a while now, but how do you know when it is appropriate to use the average damage when a monster is attacking an NPC?.
The MM and DMG only say you can use either. Is there a good time to use the average rather than rolling the damage?
Using the average damage lets you KNOW when something will die. "The bear guardian is being attacked by the Red Ninja Twins, if you don't get there in time, he will go down to their... oh nevermind he's dead."
Using the average damage lets you avoid that and know that the victim will last XX number of hits.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Average damage is useful when you have ten guards/giant wolf spiders/insert fodder here and really can’t be bothered rolling that many damage dice. It just speeds the game up.
Average damage is also useful when starting a game with new players. By using average damage for the monsters and not using critical hits it helps the players understand how dangerous each monster is and reduces the risk of a creature one shoting a first level character. When the players reach level 2 (or 3) you can start rolling for monsters and introduce the concept of critical hits.
I find that by simplifying the gameplay and introducing complexity in stages help with players who have never played role playing games or the equivalent video games.
My GM for w game Used Average Damage for 1st lvl.
This was amazing because it meant her didn't have to worry about is getting onshotted by a cultist.