D&D 5E I think I am going to stop using solo monsters.

[Tony Vargas]

I don't think solo creatures work with 5E at all. Every time I use a boss critter, even one with lair and legendary actions, the large party just runs over them, no matter how outmatched they are by the math. The action economy just does not work at that scale.

Numbers tell heavily in 5e due to bounded accuracy, whether that's working for the party (vs a solo monster) or against them (vs a horde). IMHO, you can run a more enjoyable game letting it 'not work' in the former way, with maybe a little fudging to make the monster scary the first round, and survive long enough for everyone to take a good whack at it.

I am also throwing out the CR system for 5E completely: it just does not work any better than simply eyeballing it, IMO.

Good call.

 

[iserith]

It is a halfling farmstead. They met some of the farmers previously and helped them by getting the halflings herd of sheep back from some rustlers (long story; the PCs are "sheriff" types) and will be returning the sheep to them farmstead. In the intervening days, the pod of IDs came in and took over.

Will all 12 attack at once or will it be like a couple in the barn, some in the farmhouse, etc.? Smaller groups naturally will make things easier. All at once should bring it in at expected difficulty. How will the PCs do with the Intelligence checks and saves?

I'd have one of the devoured halflings invite the PCs to join them for elevensies as thanks for returning the sheep. Then after some weird social interaction with some seriously quirky halflings, they serve up the family sheep dog. Raw.

 

[robus]

Will all 12 attack at once or will it be like a couple in the barn, some in the farmhouse, etc.? Smaller groups naturally will make things easier. All at once should bring it in at expected difficulty. How will the PCs do with the Intelligence checks and saves?

I'd have one of the devoured halflings invite the PCs to join them for elevensies as thanks for returning the sheep. Then after some weird social interaction with some seriously quirky halflings, they serve up the family sheep dog. Raw.

You have a dark imagination!

 

[Valdier]

I ran a solo encounter in my last weekly game.

3 11th level pc's
1 10th's level
1 9th level.

The monster was a single CR 14 Demonic minotaur in it's maze.

The minotaur could cast fireball 5x a day, wall of fire, chain lightning (as a fire spell), swung a flail made of shortswords, etc.

Additionally it had true sight. This encounter could have easily seen a near TPK because the creature was smart and using terrain to its advantage and not just blindly engaging. When time was running low for the session and the monster did engage, it went down in 2 rounds (because it was overwhelmed with attacks).

Solo encounters need to play smarter, not just bigger stats.

 

[iserith]

You have a dark imagination!

It's a good (read: cheap) storytelling trick to make a bad guy bad - kick or kill a dog.

 

[Yunru]

It's a good (read: cheap) storytelling trick to make a bad guy bad - kick or kill a dog.

I'm afraid you got it wrong then. They should of served the dog restrained and still whining. Their imaginations will fill in the rest. Or you will, if they don't do anything

 

[Corwin]

It's a good (read: cheap) storytelling trick to make a bad guy bad - kick or kill a dog.

Yeah. I mean, look how glad we all were when John Wick finally got that guy for killing his puppy!

 

[CapnZapp]

I don't think solo creatures work with 5E at all. Every time I use a boss critter, even one with lair and legendary actions, the large party just runs over them, no matter how outmatched they are by the math. The action economy just does not work at that scale.

I think, therefore, I am going to adjust my encounter philosophy: bigger, more diverse groups where the "boss" critters aren't necessarily simply tougher but are the ones capable of wrangling such groups. I am also throwing out the CR system for 5E completely: it just does not work any better than simply eyeballing it, IMO.

You are completely correct.

However, having eight PCs is simply not supported, like at all.

But plenty of people are using your large party size to divert from your true findings (above). Don't let yourself get distracted... and maybe use a 4-5 party next time so you don't leave such an easy target for those who prefer to not have to acknowledge you are right.

 

[Valdier]

You are completely correct.

However, having eight PCs is simply not supported, like at all.

But plenty of people are using your large party size to divert from your true findings (above). Don't let yourself get distracted... and maybe use a 4-5 party next time so you don't leave such an easy target for those who prefer to not have to acknowledge you are right.

Solo encounters work fine, but you have to run them differently... less as dumb meat boxes and more as thinking bad guys. They don't make it to where they are by being meat shields, they obviously have developed some sort of capabilities and tactics. Play them that way

 

[MechaTarrasque]

A party of 8 PC's is sleeping one night, and they leave all their gear 100 feet from where they are sleeping (why? No white room works without someone being a complete idiot). The marilith teleports in and activates her Magguffin of antimagic field. All 8 PC's throw rocks, which the Marilith parries each time. The Marilith kills the PC's from squishiest to least squishy over a couple of rounds.

Conclusion: solo encounters are totally broken.