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Revising Epic Monster Damage (4E) | blessings

Revised Epic Monster Damage (4E)

Bane (4th Edition)

Cloverfield Monster

Table 4: Expanded Damage (Levels 31-75)

Conversion Table 3: 3rd to 4th Edition

Hecatonchiere

Throne of Orcus (pt. 2)

Orcus

Throne of Orcus (pt.1)

Epic Adventure Design

Known Old Ones

Galactus

New Special Materials

Demogorgon

Various Monsters

Clay Colossus

Revising Epic Feats

Weapons (Final Fantasy)

New Feats (and Spell System)

Crown Naga

Revising Salient Divine Abilities

Talos

Epic Tarrasque

King Ghidorah

Godzilla

Conversion Table 2: Divine Rank by HD/Levels

Conversion Table 1: Divine Rank by Comparisons

Updated 16th March: So far below I have the first forty Monster Manual Epic (21+) Tier monsters (up to Gibbering Orb) covered. I'll update more periodically, including epic monsters from other books. I also need to check the errata as I have an early printing of the 4E Monster Manual and I know there were a few damage changes to some monsters.

Revising Epic Monster Damage (4E)

Okay, so why bother revising the damages? Well, in the epic tier, many gaming groups report that monsters are not threatening enough. One of the major issues with this that they don't deal enough damage. Investigation shows that while the math is solid enough, that WotC themselves seem to be straying from their own guidelines (as shown in the Dungeon Masters Guide pgs 184-185). The thread here on ENWorld discusses the matter further.

The following is a list of Monster attacks in 4E, showing which are underpowered with the suggested damage in the Dungeon Masters Guide. Its not strictly errata, but in a roundabout way it is.

The Damage is whats listed in the official source, the Revised Damage is whats suggested for that attack in the Dungeon Masters Guide. The Net Difference tells us at a glance if the revision is greater or weaker. Note that even if weaker in most of the cases the damage would still be higher for the purpose of critical hits. While many suggested revisions are only a few points different in 4th Edition a few points can be quite a lot.

Monster Manual

Monster
Attack
Damage
Errata?
Revised Damage (from DMG)
Net Difference
 Astral Stalker
 Claw
 2d6+8
 
3d6+8
+3.5
 
 Throat Dart
1d10+8
 
2d6+7
+0.5
Atropal 
Necrotizing Touch 
2d10+10
 
3d8+10
+2.5
 
Atropos Burst 
 4d8+5
 
5d10+9
+13.5
 Blood Fiend
Claws
2d8+10
 
3d6+8
-0.5
 
Bloodthirsty Bite 
1d10+8
 
3d6+8
+5
 Phane
Temporal Touch 
2d8+10
 
3d8+9
+3.5
 
Wizening Ray 
2d6+9
 
2d8+9
+2
 
 Wizening Tempest
2d6+10
 
3d8+9
+5.5
 Tarrasque
Bite
1d12+16 
 
4d8+10
+6
Fury of the Tarrasque
3d12+16
5d10+9
+1
Trample
1d12+16
4d8+10
+1
Earthrage Battlebriar
Claw
2d12+11
4d8+10
+4
Trample
1d12+22
3d8+10
-5
Chuul Juggernaut
Claw
2d8+8
3d6+8
+1.5
Psychic Lure
2d10+3
2d6+8
+1
Godforged Colossus
Force Weapon
4d12+15
4d8+10
-9
Defensive Strike
4d12+15
4d8+10
-9
Force Missile
3d8+11
5d12+9
+17
Death Knight (Dragonborn Paladin)
Soulsword
1d8+16
3d8+9
+2
Valiant Strike
2d8+16
3d8+9
-2.5
Terrifying Smite
3d8+16
5d12+9
+12
Unholy Flames
6d8+14
5d10+9
-4.5
Balor
Lightning Sword
2d10+10
4d6+9
+2
Flame Whip
3d8+5
4d6+9
+5.5
Death Burst
7d10
5d12+9
+3
Glabrezu
Pincer Claw
2d8+8
4d6+8
+5
Abyssal Bolt
3d4+7
2d6+8
+0.5
Blasphemous Word
1d12+7
2d6+8
+1.5
Chaos Word
1d12+7
2d6+8
+1.5
Hezrou
Slam
2d10+9
4d6+8
+2
Bite
2d8+9
4d6+8
+4
Marilith
Scimitar
2d10+9
3d6+8
-1.5
Pit Fiend
Flametouched Mace
2d10+11
3d8+9
+0.5
Tail Sting
1d6+11
3d8+9
+8
Irresistible Command
2d10+5
2d8+9
+2
War Devil
Claw
1d6+8
4d6+8
+10.5
Trident
4d4+8
4d6+8
+4
Blackfire Dracolich
Bite
2d10+9
3d6+8
-1.5
Blackfire
2d8+8
4d8+8
+9
Breath Weapon
2d12+8
4d12+8
+13
Runescribed Dracolich
Bite
2d10+10
3d8+10
+2.5
Blackfire
2d12+8
4d10+9
+10
Breath Weapon
3d12+8
5d10+9
+9
Ancient Black Dragon
Bite
2d8+8
4d6+9
+6
Claw
1d10+8
4d6+9
+9.5
Tail Slash
1d10+12
4d6+9
+5.5
Breath Weapon
4d8+6
5d10+9
+12.5
Vitriolic Acid
2d10+6
5d12+9
+22.5
Ancient Blue Dragon
Gore
2d8+10
2d8+10
+/-0
Claw
2d6+10
2d8+10
+2
Wingclap
3d10+8
5d10+9
+12
Breath Weapon
3d12+22
5d10+9
-5
Thunderclap
2d10+8
2d8+10
-2
Lightning Burst
5d6+8
2d8+10
-6.5
Ancient Green Dragon
Bite
1d12+10
3d8+9
+6
Claw
1d10+10
3d8+9
+7
Tail Sweep
2d12+10
3d8+9
-0.5
Breath Weapon
3d10+8
5d10+9
+12
Elder Red Dragon
Bite
2d10+9
3d6+8
-1.5
Claw
2d10+9
3d6+8
-1.5
Tail Strike
3d10+9
3d6+8
-7
Immolate Foe
3d10+8
4d12+8
+9.5
Breath Weapon
3d12+8
4d12+8
+6.5
Ancient Red Dragon
Bite
2d12+12
3d8+10
-1.5
Claw
2d12+12
3d8+10
-1.5
Tail Strike
4d10+12
3d8+10
-9.5
Immolate Foe
4d10+10
5d10+9
+4.5
Breath Weapon
4d12+12
5d10+9
-1.5
Ancient White Dragon
Bite
2d12+7
4d6+8
+2
Claw
2d12+7
4d6+8
+2
Icy Tomb
4d12+9
4d12+8
-1
Breath Weapon
8d6+9
4d12+8
-3
Dragonborn Champion
Bastard Sword
2d10+9
3d8+9
+3.5
Furious Blade
2d10+9
5d12+9
+21.5
Dragon Breath
2d6+6
5d12+9
+28.5
Bluespawn Godslayer
Greatsword
4d6+9
4d6+8
-1
Bite
1d10+7
4d6+8
+9.5
Efreet Fireblade
Scimitar
2d10+7
3d6+8
+0.5
Hurl Scimitar
2d10+7
3d6+8
+0.5
Whirling Firesteel Strike
2d10+7
4d12+8
+16
Efreet Cinderlord
Scimitar
2d10+7
3d6+8
+0.5
Fire Bolt
2d6+8
2d6+8
+/-0
Curse of the Efreet
1d6+8
5d10+8
+24
Efreet Flamestrider
Scimitar
2d10+8
3d6+8
-0.5
Fiery Grasp
1d6+8
2d6+8
+3.5
Efreet Pyresinger
Scimitar
2d10+9
3d8+9
-0.5
Fire Bolt
3d6+8
2d8+9
-0.5
Fiery Chains
2d8+7
4d10+9
+15
Efreet Karadjin
Scimitar of Horrendous Flame
2d10+9
3d8+10
+3.5
Ghaele of Winter
Winter's Touch
2d8+9
2d6+7
-4
Freezing Ray
2d8+9
3d6+8
+0.5
Earthwind Ravager
Slam
2d8+10
3d6+8
-0.5
Wind Devil
4d8
2d6+8
-2
Whirlwind
1d8+10
2d6+8
+0.5
Buffeting Blast
4d8+8
4d12+8
+8
Thunderblast Cyclone
Lightning Arc
2d8+11
2d8+9
-2
Lightning Bolt
2d8+11
3d8+9
+1.5
Thunderclap
2d10+9
2d8+9
-2
Charged Mist
1d10+9
5d10+9
+22
Lightning Storm
6d8+9
5d10+9
+4
Great Flameskull
Fiery Bite
1d4
2d6+8
+12.5
Flame Ray
2d8+10
3d6+8
-0.5
Firestorm
3d6+10
5d10+8
+15
Tormenting Ghost
Spirit Touch
2d8+9
3d6+8
+0.5
Burst of Terror
1d8+9
4d10+7
+15.5
Death Giant
Greataxe
2d6+9
4d6+8
+6
Soulfire Burst
2d8+5
3d6+8
+4.5
Death Titan
Greataxe
2d8+10
4d6+9
+4
Soulfire Burst
2d12+6
3d8+9
+3.5
Fire Titan
Fireraging Greatsword
2d6+9
3d6+8
+2.5
Hurl Lava
4d6+6
4d10+7
+9
Burning Wave
2d10
2d6+7
+3
Storm Giant
Crackling Greatsword
1d12+10
3d6+8
+2
Sweeping Sword
2d8+10
5d10+8
+16.5
Hurl Thunderbolt
2d6+6
2d6+8
+2
Howling Winds
1d12+6
4d12+8
+21.5
Storm Titan
Roaring Greatsword
2d6+11
3d8+9
+4.5
Hurl Thunderbolt
3d6+6
2d8+9
+1.5
Howling Winds
2d12+6
4d10+9
+12

 

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