Here's the Abyssal Sibriex From Mordenkainen's Tome

This....thing...is....AWESOME!

 

[darjr]

Without it coming across as petty, metagaming or cheating?

Do you really consider exploiting what you know about the PCs to be completely wrong? I mean aren’t you already adjusting things based on their level? I mean it shouldn’t be a contest and a DM shouldn’t try to win, but a smart bad guy would try and figure out things and case the players, through Sherlock like intellect sometimes. I can’t do that, but as DM we can simulate that, because we already know things.

What level do you assume this is solo for?

Higher than 13 or so he’s probably not boss fight but a lackey. Still I do say he needs support. Probably exhausted drained PCs at the end of the day and terrain and even lackeys.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Without it coming across as petty, metagaming or cheating?

Thinking about how a monster or NPC would act based on its character is in fact the opposite of metagaming.

It's literally thinking in character.

 

[jgsugden]

Sooooo cute. Are you a good Sibriex? Yes you are! You are such a good Sibriex!

 

[MechaTarrasque]

To be clear I am an advocate for more HP, because I like certain monsters to have lots of HP (heck I have 2 threads of beefed up monsters in this forum), and I am a lazy DM sometimes. However, with the group I am DMing at the moment it would be overkill. They are actually challenged by the MM monsters as is. If I throw monsters with 2x the HP at them I would have TPKs all over the place. That is the difficult thing, the same monster can be easy for one party and a TPK for another. There is just a huge range of possibilities with PCs (and DMs) that the outcomes can very wildly.

Now, I don't know which group is more common, but I'm guessing WotC does.

I do think that hps should have been one of those "dials" that they were talking about in the playtest, possibly via templates (to avoid the "it's too much like 4e" complaint where the monster gets more powerful just because it is fighting 8 PCs with 24 magic items) --something like horde breaker--add 100 hps to a large-size giant* who can do horde breakers stuff (sorry I haven't seen one in a while so I forgot the specifics of what they do) to PCs for X estimated damage (consult DMG p for new CR) or Helllinked Wyrm--add 500 hps to an ancient dragon, plus breath weapon adds X psychic damage on a hit and targets are stunned for 1 round (half on a miss with no stun) as the PC's are subjected to visions of the 9 Hells (consult DMG p. for new CR).

* There would be a different horde breaker for huge giants.....or maybe elemental titan that makes the gargantuan (among other things).

Edit: one more thought. I know that the whole minions vs. regular monsters thing is controversial, but there are a fair amount of monsters across the CR-range that could have been standard (just like the in MM) for summoned or part of a group vs. having a champion version (and not just things like orcs). Not optimized groups need never encounter champions and heavily optimized groups need never encounter a standard (at least solo).

 

[jadrax]

I do think that hps should have been one of those "dials" that they were talking about in the playtest,

They already are on a dial; any monster can have anywhere between its minimum and maximum HP. This thing can have anything from 84 to 216 without having to alter its stat block.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I could see an encounter with several lesser Sibriex with 84 Hp. A a battle with a Master Sibriex with Max HP.

 

[dave2008]

They already are on a dial; any monster can have anywhere between its minimum and maximum HP. This thing can have anything from 84 to 216 without having to alter its stat block.

Not entirely true. Having more or less HP does affect the CR (per the DMG), and thus the stat block. Now, what they should have done (could do) is explain how different groups abilities change the CR calculus and how you can adjust for that by modifying the HP within the range.

Thus, for groups who are chewing through Deadly encounters like no tomorrow; adjust the HP to the maximum, but leave the CR and XP the same.

 

[dave2008]

I do think that hps should have been one of those "dials" that they were talking about in the playtest, possibly via templates (to avoid the "it's too much like 4e" complaint where the monster gets more powerful just because it is fighting 8 PCs with 24 magic items) --something like horde breaker--add 100 hps to a large-size giant* who can do horde breakers stuff (sorry I haven't seen one in a while so I forgot the specifics of what they do) to PCs for X estimated damage (consult DMG p for new CR) or Helllinked Wyrm--add 500 hps to an ancient dragon, plus breath weapon adds X psychic damage on a hit and targets are stunned for 1 round (half on a miss with no stun) as the PC's are subjected to visions of the 9 Hells (consult DMG p. for new CR).

* There would be a different horde breaker for huge giants.....or maybe elemental titan that makes the gargantuan (among other things).

Yes, the design space is already there (HP are an average after all), we just need a little explanation of how to adjust the HP for certain groups without adjusting the XP/CR/ encounter building rules. I think this would be relatively easy with the right amount of data. I'm guessing the reason they don't want to do that is to avoid a basic vs. advanced divide. If that is the case, I think they are mistaken.

Edit: one more thought. I know that the whole minions vs. regular monsters thing is controversial, but there are a fair amount of monsters across the CR-range that could have been standard (just like the in MM) for summoned or part of a group vs. having a champion version (and not just things like orcs). Not optimized groups need never encounter champions and heavily optimized groups need never encounter a standard (at least solo).

Yep, I'm trying to bring back "elites" with my Hardcore 5e Hardcore monsters.

 

[CapnZapp]

Yeah, except pretty much everything in 5E is a "lurker"

Hah

Well put!

 

[CapnZapp]

Plus it's not like I'm magically smarter than 5 of my friends combined after I've been mentally drained from running all night just because the monster has a 20 in it's Int stat block.

That's what irks me the most.

I'm supposed to come up with this brilliant plan... Based on what? Seeing the number 20 in a particular ability field in the stat block!? Come on!