

To build on the idea, I was already able to previously figure out that 5E still uses the same “players have a 60% chance to hit a same-level monster, while monsters have a 40% chance to hit a same-level player” paradigm that existed in 4th Edition (and possibly 3rd, though I didn’t check that far back). I thought “if that’s the baseline, then shouldn’t it be possible to restructure their stats so that a single monster of CR x-4 will be an appropriate challenge for a single player-character of level x?” This would have the advantage of greatly simplifying encounter building: If you have three characters at level 5, then a Medium encounter would simply be three monsters at level 5 The basic idea for 5E’s CR system is: A single monster of CR x should be an appropriate challenge for 4 player-characters of level x Use minions (MMO “boss adds”) to virtually spread out the damage, use telegraphed attacks that the players can avoid, such as novas and line-attacks with warnings, use AOEs, use spells and abilities that can be countered/interrupted, and so on and so forth. The idea is that it’s going to absorb the attacks of the entire party, so it has to have the hit points to match.įor DPR, it should in theory also be multiplied by the number of players, but the full damage cannot be dealt against individual players, or else it’s going to one-shot them. If you have four players, the boss should have 4x the HP, or ~120 HP for a level 2 monster.


Stats can also be adjusted by 25% up or down.įor bosses, a solo boss monster would still have the AC, attack bonus and saving throws of a same-level monster, but multiply the HP against the number of players. To make the difficulty steps more granular, use lower-level monsters, or “Minion”-type monsters that go down in one hit no matter what and deal half the damage of the “base” monster. For harder fights, make the players outnumbered. For easier fights, make the monsters outnumbered. If you have three level 4 players, create three level 4 monsters. You should get a “Medium” difficulty fight if you create as many monsters as there are player-characters, of the same level.

The final improved Monster Quick Stats Table, if you want to skip the rest of the math and reasoning behind it.
