5e CR

if CR > average party level, then it is very challenging
if CR = average part level, then it is an average challenge
if CR < average party level, then it will be an easy challenge

this assumes a single monster, facing a party of 4-5
a larger party diminishes challenge , more monsters increases the challenge

>>51609464
Yea but if you have a standard party of 4 adventures and you throw them them 8 goblins the party will own them. On the other hand 6 wolves can shit on that party all day.

>>51609443
In all honesty it doesn't.

I'd go as far to say it can be detrimental. I've watched my players chewing through cr lvl10+ then I thrown a CRlvl with an odd rule or resistance at them and they're fucked.

My biggest peeve with DnD is how there's nothing that's good at hitting that doesn't hit for huge damage.
One of my players is running around with an AC of 23 buffed and all attackers get disadvantage on him. Only things that can realistically hit him are CR lvl 15+ and if they do hit him they will kill him in one.

File: 1457512303314.png (752KB, 700x840px) Image search: [Google]

752KB, 700x840px

How did we go from 4e's encounter building rules (worked like a charm post-MM3) to 5e's basically useless encounter building rules?

>>51609798
When they decided to bring back 3e logic, one of them being CR makes absolutely no sense because there is no stable math anywhere in regards to npcs/pcs.

>>51609708
Same here. Any suggestions on how to get around that or just throw shit at the player until either you get it or they die?
>>51609798
Well 4e was too balanced and I would guess that when they tried to move away from it it screwed the entire CR system

>>51609443
>>51609464
If you want a more accurate idea of how CR works, the party in mind consists of the following:
>Noble Human Chamion Fighter
>Acolyte Hill Dwarf Life Cleric
>Scholar High Elf Wizard (probably evoker)
>Criminal Halfling Thief Rogue
Keep in mind that these characters are not "optimised" but more like pre-generated characters that you would get as examples in the starter set.

I don't have a source for this, but it seems to make the most sense.

>>51609516
>Yea but if you have a standard party of 4 adventures and you throw them them 8 goblins the party will own them
The gobbos can get some painful hits in though. If they're lucky, the gobbos may even crit or focus-fire down one of these adventurers.
>On the other hand 6 wolves can shit on that party all day.
Due exclusively to their pack tactics advantage. Six wolves fought one by one would be trivial.


In general I find 5E's CR to be pretty accurate, with only a few things being wildly out of place (a CR1 Bugbear can easily kill level 1 adventurers with one blow, a CR14 Death Tyrant remains a threat even to level 20 characters due to its overpowered rays, etc.).

>>51609708
So one of your players built someone who's essentially unhittable. Great. Let him. He can still be challenged and overwhelmed in other ways.

This seems like a reverse case of "if it has a stat block, we can and we will kill it".

>>51609443
It really doesn't just ignore it for the most part
It's only ever a rule of thumb and works best when the monsters in question are actually really really ordinary like orcs or soldiers or something
Like I mean look at Shadows. CR 1/2 but damned if they aren't dangerous as fuck. Spectres are the same, CR 1 but arguably more dangerous than ogres.

>>51609708
>>51609867
Let your twinks be twinks.
If you want to put them in danger, toss damage at them that doesn't contest where they twinked. Area of effect attacks are typically DEX save for half and AC does not help at all.