D&D 5E 5e EPIC MONSTER UPDATES

[dave2008]

I have updated the Lesser and Greater Draedens in the Monstrosities category. There is not much different between these two monsters other than the adjustments needed to scale the CR. They are really just two different sizes of the same monster. I did this because the original BECMI version gave a range of size and power levels (100-200HD). Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improvements.

 

[MReav]

Just a note... unless the Archangle is meant to be something in the service of Primus, I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be "Archangel".

 

[dave2008]

Just a note... unless the Archangle is meant to be something in the service of Primus, I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be "Archangel".

Yes, in the service of Primus - totally what I intended. . No, I'm an architect by profession - so I guess it was a little Freudian slip. Thank you for catching that, I'll get it corrected post haste

 

[dave2008]

I have posted the kraken update. The kraken is one of my favorite 5e monsters from the MM, but I couldn't resist giving it a little power boost. That completes the monstrosities category for now. If anyone wants to contribute some more i will gladly add them. That is probably the last post of 2015. I hope to complete this project in 2016.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Shouldn't grapple escape DC be 21? It has 32 str.

 

[dave2008]

Based on a conversation about dragons on another thread I decided to revise my ancient red dragon slightly. It is posted now. I reduced the potential # of attacks, but increased the damage. I also revised some attack bonuses, spells, and skills. I think it hits the mark for what I want out of my red dragons now. I think I will stat the rest of the chromatics to start 2016.

 

[dave2008]

Shouldn't grapple escape DC be 21? It has 32 str.

+11 Str, +1 epic bonus, +8 for DC = 20? Isn't that correct? I haven't looked at it in a while, so I could have that wrong, but I thought you added 8 in 5e when when figuring DCs. I know it works that way for spells, is grappling different?

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Pretty sure it's str (athletics) vs str (athletics)

 

[dave2008]

Pretty sure it's str (athletics) vs str (athletics)

That is correct if you are doing a contested check, but most monsters seem to use a DC instead. The MM kraken has a DC 18 to escape (revised to 17 in the MM errata), but they didn't have list a DC at all. The default is to use the grapple rules (contested check), but the designers decided to, in general, use a DC in the stat block for escaping a grapple . I think the thought is it is easier to run if only one person is rolling? Anyway, I followed the same philosophy in my redesign.

Please note that I don't have my books with me, so that is simply from memory and I could be mistaken.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Without checking the books, didn't they just go for 'take 10' for the DC?