D&D 5E [DM problem] Is the group I am leading too strong? Is the 5E system unbalanced?

[DaveDash]

I used to judge pretty regularly in living campaigns and the same mod for different tables could have greatly different outcomes. For tough groups I would focus fire on the squishiest character first (depending on options/weaknesses) and for weaker groups I'd spread out damage and so on.

I think some of the simplest suggestions on this thread that other people have pointed out for published adventures to make them more difficult
- Add +n to attack modifiers (in most cases even a +2 from an averaged off-screen Bless spell would be enough).
- Increase damage. An easy way would be to add n% or max out the variable portion of the damage. Be careful though with the big hitters like breath weapons, you don't want to accidentally TPK.
- Max out hit points of the monsters.
- Limit rest options.
- Ignore the numerical limits on number of monsters. If the mod says there are 5 ogres, make it 10. If the group wipes out all the monsters in round 1, have reinforcements drawn to the sound of battle show up in round 2 or 3. Have them show up behind the party so they attack the wizard that always hides in the back first.
- Add ambushes and traps.

Mix and match the above so you have a variety of types of fights.

I ran a city of the spider queen conversion that went to level 18.

Using the DMG rules to create monsters is really all you need to do. The DMG created monsters tend to be vastly more challenging than stock creatures in the monsters manual. My players in that game constantly commented on how hard it was.

 

[Eltab]

You don't do spells for the NPCs?

Pick two or three DPR spells to study. Then consider Illusion. If your PCs are noisy, have the caster cast an illusion of a wall inside the room and capital-H Hide everybody behind it. (Be stealthy and quiet too.) When the PCs come in, instant Surprise Round for Team Monster when they fire arrows / bolts / darts through the illusion.

Look through the spell list for something that does not require a DEX Save; the Rogue's Evasion ability doesn't apply.

Also think about adding traps in the rooms. Fall into a pit trap that is filling with water - can you swim in Full Plate? The drowning rules don't care about HP.

Place Alarm spells on the entrance, set to wake up the guards. The guards are trained to listen at the door to their room, not barge right out. They can work together to trap the PCs between two strong forces.

Once the PCs bust into a Temple and leave, you can have the leader turn into a military genius and plan to really mess up any return expedition.

 

[cmad1977]

Pick a few spells to use on em.
Give them the same save D.C. So you don't have to think about that.
-fireball
-counterspell
-hold person
For example.


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[Gwarok]

The good Captain and I don't agree too often on these forums, but he is absolutely on the money with his assessment here.

The CR system is completely borked - please see my post directly above on how I have to houserule to ensure challenge remains appropriate once high levels and magical items drop into the mix...

It is borked, and Captain does have a point, but as the DM you can do anything you want. So my unasked for free advice is to do that. The players have a pretty well defined set of rules and limitations their characters are built around to interact with the world, and they will push those mechanics as far as they can. It's actually one of the more fun aspects of the game if you ask me, within reason. They are like small children or prisoners in jail, they have nothing but time to figure out how to work the system to get what they want, to work around the rules that confine them, so they will do so. The DM doesn't have these limitations, and so it should be upon the DM to make things interesting and challenging in ways that don't ruin anyone's good time. My left eye always goes into a spasm when I read some DM's suggestion to a problem is to take something a character has built their character around and nerf it to make their job easier.

 

[Nebulous]

Oh yeah, the party in my (nearly finished) Princes campaign are crazy strong at 12th and 13th level. I had to give monsters extra feats to keep up, and nearly every single encounter is custom made. Fights are tough, but even now they rarely drop. I had the rogue trapped in a 5 foot corridor, no escape, and an 8th level incendiary cloud explodes on him - no damage. It just defies all logic.

 

[Ovarwa]

Oh yeah, the party in my (nearly finished) Princes campaign are crazy strong at 12th and 13th level. I had to give monsters extra feats to keep up, and nearly every single encounter is custom made. Fights are tough, but even now they rarely drop. I had the rogue trapped in a 5 foot corridor, no escape, and an 8th level incendiary cloud explodes on him - no damage. It just defies all logic.

He evaded by stepping out of the frame. Works in movies all the time.

 

[Dausuul]

The first rule of encounter balancing: PLAYER SKILL MATTERS.

The same encounter, against the same number of PCs playing the same level characters, can be a TPK or a speed bump depending on how skilled the players are and how well their characters are optimized. This is not a bad thing! But it means you have to adjust. If "hard" isn't enough, go up to "deadly." If that isn't enough, go up to "deadly" x1.5 or x2. Keep going till you get a good challenge level.

The DMG really, really needs to spell this out. Repeatedly. In bold face and big red letters.

 

[lkwpeter]

I always recommend tweaking encounter design first (before changing number/composition of monster or customizing stat blocks) to increase the challenge. A few thoughts for your party. Use at your discretion...
[...]
What if an enemy caster debuffs the rogue's Dexterity saving throw (e.g. hex or restraining spells)? Might that discourage self-targeting?
[/list]

Just wanted to let you know that HEX is not affecting saving throws, but ability checks (including what was calles "skills" in older editions).

PHB 173: The three main rolls of the game - the ability check, the saving throw, and the attack roll - rely on the six ability scores. [...] Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll.

Apart from that, your post has a lot of very nice suggestions, I will use for my games. Thanks for that!

 

[Quickleaf]

Just wanted to let you know that HEX is not affecting saving throws, but ability checks (including what was calles "skills" in older editions).

PHB 173: The three main rolls of the game - the ability check, the saving throw, and the attack roll - rely on the six ability scores. [...] Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll.

Apart from that, your post has a lot of very nice suggestions, I will use for my games. Thanks for that!

Sorry I meant bane.