A bugbear making a successful surprise attack with a morning star is capable of dealing up to 38 hit points of damage on a single attack. It could be even higher on a critical hit.

To put that into perspective, a 1st level barbarian with an 18 constitution and max hit points can sustain up to 31 hit points of massive damage without being subject to instant death.

The lesson here is Klarg can really mess up someone’s day and, as a DM, you need to have that top of mind when characters enter the Cragmaw Hideout. There are other bugbears in Lost Mine of Phandelver, but the characters are unlikely to encounter them before 2nd level, when they’ll have a little more padding against attacks that deal massive damage.

So what to do if there’s an attack that deals out massive damage that would instantly kill a 1st level character?

I have a saying that goes something like this: Save a hero. Break their stuff.

If a monster deals massive damage that would instantly kill a 1st level character, target their stuff instead. Let your narration reveal how the attack that smashed their weapon or shield to bits would have killed them instantly otherwise. Add drama to your battle and adaptation to your game as the character is placed in the position of trying to compensate for whatever item they have lost as a result.

There’s no need to figure out a weapon’s armor class and hit points using the Statistics For Objects charts (although I think that’s a fun exercise). Instead, simply use the stats for monsters like a Flying Sword (MM, 20), Animated Knife (EGtW, 248), or Animated Halberd (CoS, 59) for what it takes to strike and damage a weapon. For a shield, use your best judgement for whichever category you think the character’s shield fits into on the Objects Hit Points chart (Example: size small + resilient integrity = 18 hit points).

When the weapon or shield is reduced to 0 HP, it is destroyed. Weapons shatter. Shields are smashed to kindling. The character lives to fight another round. It’s a simple but dramatic way to nerf a deadly blow while making the scene more cinematic and ratcheting up the tension in the midst of a battle.

A couple of things to consider when deploying this tactic in your game:

1. Don’t destroy magic items or mundane items precious to the character’s story. It has the potential to create resentment.
2. If it’s a difficult player, consider allowing them some agency by including them in the decision. Before rolling the damage dice for Klarg’s successful surprise attack, ask the player if they’d like their weapon in hand or their shield to take the blow instead. Some players may want to take their chances with the damage dice rather than deal with the inconvenience of a lower armor class or the loss of their primary weapon, regardless of the potential of a killing blow.
3. If you want to blunt massive damage without giving the character plot armor, any remaining damage after destroying the item carries over to the character. Example: Klarg rolls 30 hit points of damage on his successful sneak attack aimed at the aforementioned barbarian. The attack shatters his sword (17 hit points), with the remaining 13 hit points of damage dealt to the barbarian as the morning star finds flesh and bone on the follow-through. It’s the difference between an unconscious 1st level barbarian and a dead 1st level barbarian.

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