EN World member dave2008 maintains what is, in my opinion, one of the most useful, fun, and interesting threads on the whole forum. His 5E Epic Monster Updates thread contains dozens of gods (of the greater, intermediate, lesser, and demi flavours), primordials, demon princes, archdevils, dukes of hell, aberrations, abominations, constructs, dragons, elemental lords, arch-fey, monstrosities, and undead. While the thread is great to read at any time, he's just added a beefed-up CR17 version of Strahd von Zarovich (he's CR15 in Curse of Strahd). You can see it below, but click on the image and check out all of his epic monsters, as well as his 5E Epic Characters thread.
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Check Out This Beefed-Up CR17 Strahd!
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EN World member dave2008 maintains what is, in my opinion, one of the most useful, fun, and interesting threads on the whole forum. His 5E Epic Monster Updates thread contains dozens of gods (of the greater, intermediate, lesser, and demi flavours), primordials, demon princes, archdevils, dukes of hell, aberrations, abominations, constructs, dragons, elemental lords, arch-fey, monstrosities, and undead. While the thread is great to read at any time, he's just added a beefed-up CR17 version of Strahd von Zarovich (he's CR15 in Curse of Strahd). You can see it below, but click on the image and check out all of his epic monsters, as well as his 5E Epic Characters thread.
dave2008
Legend
Celtavian, I know your an optimizer. Do you have 4 10-12th level optimized characters/ group that I could throw at Strahd here. I would love to test him out, but I am not much of a PC optimizer, but I don want to provide challenges for optimized parties.
hawkeyefan
Legend
[MENTION=83242]dave2008[/MENTION] This is really cool, thanks for posting this. And for the other high level baddies you've posted in that thread...I recently used Tharizdun against my PCs, although I softened him up a bit. But I bookmarked that page and plan on using it again for my high level characters.
If you check out the Design Debate thread, you'll find several 13th level characters, most of which are optimized. I think Celtavian created 4 or 5 of them.
Only issue is that, as I said, they're level 13. Not sure if they'd be just a little too tough for this version of Strahd.
I think the biggest factor would be the location of the battle and how the DM plays Strahd.
If you check out the Design Debate thread, you'll find several 13th level characters, most of which are optimized. I think Celtavian created 4 or 5 of them.
Only issue is that, as I said, they're level 13. Not sure if they'd be just a little too tough for this version of Strahd.
I think the biggest factor would be the location of the battle and how the DM plays Strahd.
dave2008
Legend
Thanks hawkeye fan! I will check that out. Though I would like to get an optimized party and I'm not sure how to assembled that from a random group of PCs. Of course, it would be good to test it both ways.
Not right now. I have 6 9th level characters doing Out of the Abyss. They are built for legendary heroic campaigning with magic items all of artifact or legendary intelligent weapon equivalency. That would be a bad test against Strahd.
18 AC just isn't high enough. Even a +1 weapon at 9th level with bless you'll have a +10 +1d4 to hit often with advantage from Special Abilities like Vow of Enmity or Reckless or darkness with Devilsight. Rolling two dice with +10 +1d4 will eat through Strahd. Couple that with an entire group hammering away, it's a problem if he is alone. I hope they didn't put him alone. If he even has a handful of vampire spawn and some swarms or wolves, then you have something to work with. And hopefully an advantageous environment and some cool Castle Ravenloft lair actions.
The ones I posted are fairly optimized. Reduce them to 9th level and run them with similar magic items, you should get a good view of how it works.
Regeneration is defeated by the chill touch cantrip or radiant damage, two very common forms of damage. When you see Regeneration, don't even consider it unless you're party has created characters with no radiant damage ability or chill touch. I was disappointed that 5E like 3E/Pathfinder made regeneration pointless. In 3E/Pathfinder it was too low as well as being too easy to beat and in 5E it's too easy to negate. Regeneration is useless against all but the most rare of PC parties.
dave2008
Legend
I assume you mean vampire regeneration not regeneration in general? However, all he has to do is step through the wall, floor, or ceiling regenerate to full and step back in.
FYI [sblock] Strahd has a magical gem which absorbs 50 hp, giving him 221 effective HP without the regeneration, and one of his lair actions allows him to move through walls, floors, & ceilings [/sblock]
dave2008
Legend
I see bless lasting for 1 round at best and with all his movement options he is very hard to pin down. I don't see a group hammering away at him either, especially after they lost one (72 HP damage) the first round and he's charmed another
Not sure if he is alone in the adventure but he can summon shadows and specters (lair actions) and swarms. Personally I would have a swarm waiting for the PCs when they arrive.
hawkeyefan
Legend
Strahd's variety of abilities make him potent. He can get away from the party so easily, and regenerate 20 points per round, and throw some minions at them, then jump back into the fray.
Even the standard version would pose a serious threat to a strong party, as long as he's played well by the DM.
Even the standard version would pose a serious threat to a strong party, as long as he's played well by the DM.
dave2008
Legend
My thought as well.
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