D&D 5E [+] How do you make 5E more challenging?

[Distracted DM]

Something that would DEFINITELY make the game more difficult, which I have not implemented, is using Inspiration as written rather than how most tables use it.
As written, inspiration needs to be used BEFORE a roll is made. Most tables, including mine, use it as a reroll. I like it as a reroll- but it'd be harder if we stuck to RAW.

Another thing that can help with difficulty- limit characters helping with skill checks. Either the helping character needs the skill, or to have a better relevant stat than the character that's rolling.

Speaking of skills, I generally rule that characters need proficiency in a skill to make the roll- with obvious exceptions like Perception.

 

[GrimCo]

Damage that drops you below your CON is insta kill.

 

[clearstream]

The plus [+] is to prevent arguments about whether 5E is challenging enough RAW. This thread is about discussing ways to make 5E more challenging for the PCs. Arguing that it's challenging enough by default is off topic.

Okay, so 5E isn't challenging enough and you want to make it more challenging for the PCs. What do you do?

The low-hanging fruit is 1) raise the DCs for checks, and; 2) throw more monsters at the PCs.

Cool. Got it. What else?

Some common advice is to not play the monsters as dumb and actually use tactics in fights against the PCs. There's a blog that became a series of books about just that, The Monsters Know What They're Doing. It's specifically written with 5E in mind. It talks about small unit tactics and the various monsters of 5E.

Great. So what else?

Make healing word a 2nd-level spell.

Use mostly deadly encounters.

If you are running an open world campaign (so a longer time scale than a dungeon) make rests 1-day for short, 3-days for long.

 

[Distracted DM]

1. House-rule it to Hell.

Done.

Ok, ok, a bit more I guess...

1a. Non-proficiency is disadvantage (this is for everything in which proficiency could be applied, inlcuding SAVES). Expertise (and other double your proficiency bonus) is advantage.
1b. Roll ability scores in order. Or use the standard array if you don't like the results. The array can be arranged to taste.
1c. Remove racial ASI traits completely.
1d. Cap ability scores at 18.
1e. Instead of adding CON mod to HP at every level, you add ALL your ability modifiers at 1st level. You add nothing at later levels. If an ability modifier increases/decreases (permanently, attuned items do not count), adjust HP as well.
1f. Remove darkvision from over half (or more!) the races that get it.
1g. Make rests longer (minimum 24 hours for long, 3 hours for short).
1h. Long rests do not restore hit points, you must spend Hit Dice (apply Con modifier!).
1i. You gain a level of exhaustion at 0 hit points.
1j. Each round at 0 hit points you make a death save until stable or dead: DC 15 CON check. Roll 20+ (include modifiers) and you are stable, fail and you die, natural 20 includes conscious and you can spend HD to gain temporary hp (adrenaline rush baby!).
1k. Reduce spell casting progression and number of spell slots. Full casters max out at 6th level spells, about 3 levels per spell level increase. Adjust half- and third-casters appropriately.
1l. Remove spell cantrip damage scaling.
1m. Healing spells and features provide temporary hit points. Actual hit points are only restored by rest. Heal is the only exception.
1n. Remove multiclassing and feats.
1o. oh, I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting....

Of course then there are the other elements to encounters that make them more challenging, like putting them on the clock, hazardous terrain, foes that harass the PCs instead of front on fights all the time, etc.

I guess that is good for a start.

I'm very curious about 1l- removing cantrip damage scaling. I think the "light" version of it would be to make it class-level dependent, not character-level. Incentivize single-classing (although as per 1n you removed MCing).

How do your players feel about these house rules? How often do you run sessions? Capping scores at 18 instead of 20 is pretty interesting as well.

 

[Distracted DM]

I've stopped dropping characters unconscious at 0HP and instead give them the dazed condition (1 action or bonus action, no reaction, can't concentrate). Condition remains until you have 1 or More HP and pass a DC19 Con Save at the start of your turn (lesser restoration or a short rest also removes the condition if above 0HP). Implemented about a year ago and it's made combat more tense (w/o leading to death spiral) and challenging, and also leads to rounds where dealing with dazed party members becomes a huge priority.

Interesting! How do you deal with character death here?

 

[GuardianLurker]

I've generally found that the problem with the 5e monsters is that they aren't durable enough. So let's not forget the trivial"make the monsters" tougher hacks: a) give them more HP (usually the HP of a monster CR 2 higher - and only the HP). b) Increase the AC.

Also, give boss monsters one or two legendary actions. Ones that boost their minions work well. For example: "Give a minion a dash bonus action.", "Give a minion an attack action.". Or if you need more offensive actions, debuffs are a good choice: "... target PC(s) suffer a -1 to their attack rolls until the end of ...". Also, use and abuse lair actions - including on non-standard initiatives. For example, if fighting on a rope bridge: "20: High Winds...", "10: Strand breaks..."

 

[OB1]

Interesting! How do you deal with character death here?

All the rules for death saves remain the same. While at 0HP, you make a death saving throw at the end of your turn, and taking damage while at 0HP leads to an auto fail (2 if a melee attack). Once you're above 0HP death saves all reset. And since you're not unconscious, enemies have no excuse not to target PCs when they are at 0HP. I've found my players work very hard now not to drop to 0, both because of the death saves and also because of the extended period of Dazed even after they heal (though it's always a great moment when a character makes that DC19 save on their first try after being healed).

 

[Oofta]

I make very few rule changes, although I do usually use the gritty rest rules depending on the group.

I nerf a couple of spells a little bit. Heat metal is the main target here - I vacillate between it not being able to target armor at all (it's not one piece of metal), to the target gets a con save at the start of their round to ignore the disadvantage. For tiny hut, you can't attack anything outside of the hut from the inside.

The main design changes I make are on the monster side of things. I've always tweaked monsters if I want something unique or I think they're just underpowered.

1. if I want to raise or lower CR or just create a custom monster I use monster design on a page document I wish I could attribute back to it's source as a guideline (see attached). I redo a fair number of monsters from the MM using it. Never assume a goblin is just a goblin in my game.
2. If I want a lot of monsters I sometimes increase their attack bonuses and damage while leaving everything else the same. They're sort-of-minions, especially when I have 1 big bad. Sometimes I just give the monsters advantage and max damage.
3. I regularly give monsters, especially humanoids, weapons I think they would have for the scenario.
4. Monsters that use weapons almost always have a backup weapon that a dice size smaller in case someone disarms them somehow.
5. I redo NPC caster and monster spells. Archmages and liches in particular get a greatly revised list.
6. Give the monsters nasty weapons that for some reason the PCs can't use. Either because the weapons are turning people into monsters, you need to make a pact with a dark force, etc..
7. Legendary saves and actions are the number of PCs -1.

Next? Encounter design. This is a big topic and I set things up that make sense for the scenario but some random things.

1. Set up the environment to favor the monsters.
2. Have some archers that fire at the party and then back up behind total cover.
3. Have that black dragon in a swamp with channels of water deep enough of them to swim through.
4. Have a roper in an area with fog so dense you have a hard time seeing more than 5 feet and then just grab the PCs as they walk by and reel them up.
5. Set an encounter with zombies in murky swamp water so they can't see or hear the cleric and then have them rise up in waves.
6. Have giants smash through walls or destroy buildings the PC is hiding in.
7. Have small monsters set up areas with tiny tunnels they can squeeze through. Heck, just have a tunnel medium creatures need to crawl through and attack them as they emerge and are still prone (something real world fortifications have done).

Of course sometimes this goes the other way as well, especially if it's the PCs who are fighting off an invading force.

Anyway those are some thoughts off the top of my head.

 

[Mistwell]

Running clocks and disincentive to short rest is very helpful with this. It hurts Warlocks and Monks more, but in general I find it's more challenging than any other tweaks.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

Something that would DEFINITELY make the game more difficult, which I have not implemented, is using Inspiration as written rather than how most tables use it.
As written, inspiration needs to be used BEFORE a roll is made. Most tables, including mine, use it as a reroll. I like it as a reroll- but it'd be harder if we stuck to RAW.

as someone whose 5e groups completely forget inspiration exists 99% of the time, this wouldn't even make the game harder, it'd just ensure we forget about it 100% of the time instead.