D&D 5E What's the average enemy AC?

[faria]

Has anyone added up all the enemies in the Monster Manual to find an average AC? It'd be very helpful for this optimization forum to know the average enemy AC. We could calculate builds around Sharpshooter or Great Weapon Master, decide on different races and plan around ASI availability.

It'd be easy if someone already made an excel of the Monster Manual. Anyone know if this exists?

If not...I guess I'll do it...

 

[mellored]

There was a list on the WotC site, but i don't know if it was saved....

Here.
https://web.archive.org/web/2015011...wizards.com/forum/player-help/threads/4162596

The average AC is 14.25458716

You might want to copy it.

 

[faria]

That was fast. Thanks!

Seems kinda low though, no? I guess there are a lot more low level monsters out there than high level ones?

I mean, if that's the average, then it's still a useful number for calculations. I'm just surprised that the average is so low.

The breakdown by type is even more useful. For example, in HotDQ, if you know you're gonna be facing a lot dragons in the campaign, well now you know what AC to aim for: 18.

 

[Illithidbix]

Thing is though, Average AC of all the monsters in the game is dubiously helpful.

Because you'll probably fight lots more goblins than empyreans, and they both take up one "entry" for the average AC.
(Technically there are two stat blocks for goblins: the goblin and the goblin boss but the point still stands)

Aiming for AC: 14/15 and then be ready to change it when a bunch of Hobgoblins and similar high AC monsters walk in would still probably be pretty sensible.

Alot of monsters have lower AC than you expect from earlier editions, e.g the Wyvern had AC: 18 in 3E but only AC: 13 in 5E

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Has anyone added up all the enemies in the Monster Manual to find an average AC? It'd be very helpful for this optimization forum to know the average enemy AC. We could calculate builds around Sharpshooter or Great Weapon Master, decide on different races and plan around ASI availability.

It'd be easy if someone already made an excel of the Monster Manual. Anyone know if this exists?

If not...I guess I'll do it...

What you actually want is the weighted average of all of the monsters that your DM uses at your table. This must be done on an individual, table by table basis. It's actually completely useless to optimize on strict average of the MM unless your DM creates encounters by literally flipping to a random page in the MM and using whatever is on it.

 

[mellored]

What you actually want is the weighted average of all of the monsters that your DM uses at your table. This must be done on an individual, table by table basis. It's actually completely useless to optimize on strict average of the MM unless your DM creates encounters by literally flipping to a random page in the MM and using whatever is on it.

What you actually want is to know the exact die rolls everyone will get ahead of time.

But since you can't get that, knowing an average is still helpful.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

What you actually want is to know the exact die rolls everyone will get ahead of time.

But since you can't get that, knowing an average is still helpful.

Is it more helpful than the DMG table for AC by CR? At least that one is both broken down by level AND is the source for the MM statistics.

 

[mellored]

Is it more helpful than the DMG table for AC by CR? At least that one is both broken down by leveling AND is the source for the MM statistics.

the tables is probably more helpfull.

But knowing both is even better.