D&D 5E Custom Monster HPs

[Gnarl45]

Hi guys,

I was wondering, did anyone tinker with the custom monster rules in the DMG? I'm looking at the HPs and they seem much higher than in the monster manual. For example, using that table the ogre has a defensive CR of 1/4 and an offensive CR of 2. So using the rules, that would mean a CR closer to 1 than 2.

Anyways, has anyone tinkered with those? Are there things I need to look out for before I kill my PCs with under rated monsters?

Thanks for your help,

Gnarl

 

[pming]

Hiya!

They're different. MM came out first, then DMG. Suspicions are that the guidelines they were using when making the MM monsters got changed a bit by the time it came to putting them in the DMG.

You're best bet is to do what DM's from time immemorial have been doing...eyeball it. If you make a CR3 creature and you're thinking Hmmm...sure does have a rather large bonus to-hit..., then you change it to a point where you feel comfy with it. Unlike 3.x/4e/PF, the rules of 5e are definitely closer to the Pirates Code than anything else. (re: they're more of a set of 'guidelines', than actual 'rules'). Before long you will have your own internal "guidelines" for creating monsters and whatnot.

Me? I don't even use them. I just make it all up based on what I want the monster to do and go with it. If it's too tough for my players PC's, they can always run, retreat, surrender, or (more likely) do something completely unexpected and win the day anyway. Players are crafty...especially when you force them to be. So don't sweat it if some monster starts to kick their collective butts. It happens and it keeps them on their toes.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Zaran]

You might also consider that the DMG was rushed out. Do you think an Ogre would be ok for a Level 1 group? They may have made it CR 2 because it can slay a level 1 character with one hit.

I know that I miss 4e in regards to making my own monsters and figuring out challenging encounters for mid level characters.

 

[Aribar]

Gradenko2000 and Sanglorian from the Something Awful forms both made attempts to make nice, standardized, easy-to-understand monster creation rules and tables. Personally, I really like Gradenko's table; if I recall correctly, he made the stats under the assumption that a PC can solo something with a CR of Level-4. It really is a shame that Wizards couldn't give us nice monster creation rules after how easy and powerful they were in 4E...

http://i.imgur.com/nJaw5dZ.png

And here are his notes on what he did. I could try copying/pasting into a google word document if their paywall's up:
http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...=168081&perpage=40&pagenumber=9#post441620637
http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...168081&perpage=40&pagenumber=10#post441631025

I haven't tried Sanglorian's, but it looks neat: http://fossilbank.wdfiles.com/local--files/source:chris-sakkas/Microlite5E.pdf

 

[Gnarl45]

So compare your custom monsters to existing ones like 2e is the proper method .

Thanks guys!

 

[DaveDash]

I use 80% custom monsters from the DMG.

They feel like they work better than the MM. Especially the higher CR stuff.

 

[jamesjhaeck]

This disparity is most noticeable at LOW levels. It's because a CR X monster doesn't have Offensive CR X and Defensive CR X. They tend to be either especially offensive (O-CR X+3 and D-CR X-3) or vice-versa. Low level enemies are intended to hit hard and die fast. Their Offensive CR is much higher than their Defensive CR. There aren't really any tanky low-level monsters, which might be skewing your perception.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

Hi guys,

I was wondering, did anyone tinker with the custom monster rules in the DMG? I'm looking at the HPs and they seem much higher than in the monster manual. For example, using that table the ogre has a defensive CR of 1/4 and an offensive CR of 2. So using the rules, that would mean a CR closer to 1 than 2.

Round pegs and square holes can be an issue. Ogre hits hard enough were it really won't be a good for for CR 1 since he's likely to live long enough to SPLAT. Also at the lower levels ever point to hit matters more, even though it's 2/1 in the monster rules. Notice how several monsters at cr 1/4 are at the +4 to hit while most of the CR 1/8th mooks generally have a +3 to hit.

Good to hear ogres have some wiggle room for a little better AC in their CR though.