Minion

Minion

This monster seems completely uncaring about its survival, as long as it carries out the goals of its masters.

• Minions count as 0.25 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure.
• Minions have just a single hit point.
• Minions get a +1 adjustment to their initiative.
• Minions inflict half damage with their attacks, by way of reduced damage and reduced number of attacks.
• Minions get 0 action point(s).

• Minions have the following special abilities:

Packed Like Sardines (Ex; Minion Role) Always On

Minions are able to fight effectively in close quarters with one another. As a result, up to two minions may occupy the same space without penalty as long as they are both the same size.

Buffs and Heals (Ex; Minion Role) Always On

Minions never gain temp hit points or healing, although both count as a buff. If a minion receives any buff, at all, it gains a +2 untyped bonus to their Armor Class and a +2 untyped bonus on all saving throws. This is instead of the normal effects of the buff. Buffs on minions never stack. The duration of any buff is equal to the normal duration of the buff. Any buff on a Minion is treated as a Condition, and can be overwritten by any other condition in the rare case where applying that condition doesn't kill the minion.

One Hit Point (Ex; Minion Role) Always On

Minions only have 1 hit point, but it is special. Killing a minion requires either the attacker to succeed on a to-hit roll, or the minion to fail on a saving throw roll. Even then, if the minion is able to successfully mitigate all of the damage with its defenses (such as DR or ER), they live anyway. Minions NEVER take damage from misses or from a successful saving throw against a spell or effect, even of that spell or effect would normally deal partial damage on a successful save. Always-hit spells (which have no to-hit roll, and no save, such as Magic Missile or the Fog spells) are counted as spells which allow a save. If the save is failed, the minion dies. If the save is successful, the minion lives. Unless the spell or effect specifies otherwise, the saving throw is resolved against the minion's strongest save. Note that making a caster level check to overcome a Minion's SR (if any) is NOT counted as a successful roll against a minion and can never kill it.

Caution: Minions are extremely deadly to inexperienced players and low-level characters. Minions effectively double the amount of damage in an encounter until they are reduced in numbers.