D&D 5E What’s the highest CR critter you’ve actually used in your game?
- Thread starter Morrus
- Start date
Tiamat at end of Tyranny of Dragons. She was nerfed a little due to things the party did before the encounter.
End of combat came down to the entire party down and bleeding out except our Paladin with a Vorpal Sword, single digit HP left, critting the final two heads of Tiamat in succession.
End of combat came down to the entire party down and bleeding out except our Paladin with a Vorpal Sword, single digit HP left, critting the final two heads of Tiamat in succession.
Lolth at the end of Queen of the Demonweb Pits, which I'd made around CR 26 IIRC. The party was 4 level 17 PCs, and 2 level 17 NPCs. The party faced her a total of 4 times if you include a Simulacrum, as the adventure is designed for her to fight the party, then withdraw while they have to deal with her minions. They eventually faced her with 4 Iron Golems, forcing her to abandoning the Demonweb Pits, greatly reducing her power and influence, especially in their Mortal Realm (which she was attempting to absorb).
Bacon Bits
Legend
CR 26 Demogorgon from OotA.
CR 10.
The UA article with new CR guidelines suggested a CR 10 creature would be a Deadly encounter for 6 level 5 PCs.
It was a solo fight vs. the BBEG and the only fight of the day. The guidelines were very good. Three PCs dropped. Maybe four. It was quite exciting.
The creature was home brew but I spent a lot of time measuring it against CR 10 creatures in the MM. Turns out it ended up being a lot like a smaller kraken.
The UA article with new CR guidelines suggested a CR 10 creature would be a Deadly encounter for 6 level 5 PCs.
It was a solo fight vs. the BBEG and the only fight of the day. The guidelines were very good. Three PCs dropped. Maybe four. It was quite exciting.
The creature was home brew but I spent a lot of time measuring it against CR 10 creatures in the MM. Turns out it ended up being a lot like a smaller kraken.
Bitbrain
Lost in Dark Sun
In one of the later one-on-one sessions, my dad's characters (6th level, operating as the leaders of their village) made an alliance with one of the great merchant houses.
The two groups would work together to collect volcanic ash and soil from near an active volcano, then split the cargo between their two groups.
The villager would use the stuff to fertilize their farmlands, and the merchant house would sell their portion in the big city to the Mage-King for a MASSIVE profit.
The problem: the volcano was home to an Efreeti Noble (referred to in-campaign as the "spirit king" of the volcano) known for refusing to allow people to collect "the riches of his kingdom" unless they first proved themselves in combat.
There were three combat encounters, and the last one was against this guy:
DRAGON, CHAMPION OF AGNI
Large dragon
------------------------------------------------------------
Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 172 (15d10 + 90)
Speed: 60 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
------------------------------------------------------------
STR 22 (+6) DEX 14 (+2)
CON 22 (+6) INT 12 (+1)
WIS 18 (+4) CHA 18 (+4)
------------------------------------------------------------
Saving Throws Constitution +19, Charisma +8
Skills Athletics +10, Insight +8, Perception +12
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Conditional Immunities frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Truesight 15 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
------------------------------------------------------------
Acidic Blood. Whenever the dragon takes damage of any type except psychic, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) acid damage.
Magic Weapons. All of the dragon's weapon attacks are magical.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, identify, major image
1/day each: dispel magic, fear, locate object
------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks; two with its claws, and one with its bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.
Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage, and if the target is of Large size or smaller, it is grappled and restrained (escape DC 18). While the target is grappled in this way, the dragon can automatically deal 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage to the target on each of its subsequent turns, and it cannot use its bite against another creature.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.
Hit: 12 (1d12 + 6) slashing damage, and the target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away and knocked prone.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.
Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Breath Weapon (1d6 recharge, 5--6). The dragon exhales a 60-foot cone of destructive energy. Each creature within the area takes 22 (4d10) fire damage, and must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 15 (6d4) acid damage on a failure, or half as much on a success (37 failure, 30 success).
At the start of their next turn, each creature that was within the area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of their following turn.
------------------------------------------------------------
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The dragon has 3 legendary actions (1/round each), which it can only use at the end of another creature's turn.
Spell. The dragon casts a spell.
Wings.. The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Tail Sweep.. The dragon makes one tail attack.
By the end of the conflict, the Druid's face was burned to a crisp and he was on the floor making death saving throws, and the other three (evocation wizard, arcane trickster rogue, storm herald [fire] barbarian) were all down to 10 hit points or lower.
The two groups would work together to collect volcanic ash and soil from near an active volcano, then split the cargo between their two groups.
The villager would use the stuff to fertilize their farmlands, and the merchant house would sell their portion in the big city to the Mage-King for a MASSIVE profit.
The problem: the volcano was home to an Efreeti Noble (referred to in-campaign as the "spirit king" of the volcano) known for refusing to allow people to collect "the riches of his kingdom" unless they first proved themselves in combat.
There were three combat encounters, and the last one was against this guy:
DRAGON, CHAMPION OF AGNI
Large dragon
------------------------------------------------------------
Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 172 (15d10 + 90)
Speed: 60 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
------------------------------------------------------------
STR 22 (+6) DEX 14 (+2)
CON 22 (+6) INT 12 (+1)
WIS 18 (+4) CHA 18 (+4)
------------------------------------------------------------
Saving Throws Constitution +19, Charisma +8
Skills Athletics +10, Insight +8, Perception +12
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Conditional Immunities frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Truesight 15 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
------------------------------------------------------------
Acidic Blood. Whenever the dragon takes damage of any type except psychic, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) acid damage.
Magic Weapons. All of the dragon's weapon attacks are magical.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, identify, major image
1/day each: dispel magic, fear, locate object
------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks; two with its claws, and one with its bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.
Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage, and if the target is of Large size or smaller, it is grappled and restrained (escape DC 18). While the target is grappled in this way, the dragon can automatically deal 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage to the target on each of its subsequent turns, and it cannot use its bite against another creature.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.
Hit: 12 (1d12 + 6) slashing damage, and the target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away and knocked prone.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.
Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Breath Weapon (1d6 recharge, 5--6). The dragon exhales a 60-foot cone of destructive energy. Each creature within the area takes 22 (4d10) fire damage, and must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 15 (6d4) acid damage on a failure, or half as much on a success (37 failure, 30 success).
At the start of their next turn, each creature that was within the area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of their following turn.
------------------------------------------------------------
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The dragon has 3 legendary actions (1/round each), which it can only use at the end of another creature's turn.
Spell. The dragon casts a spell.
Wings.. The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Tail Sweep.. The dragon makes one tail attack.
By the end of the conflict, the Druid's face was burned to a crisp and he was on the floor making death saving throws, and the other three (evocation wizard, arcane trickster rogue, storm herald [fire] barbarian) were all down to 10 hit points or lower.
Mr. Wilson
Explorer
Pit Fiend, so CR 20 at level 11. They killed it in 2 1/2 rounds, although they did have help from a pair of NPCs (the Pit Fiend was gated into their midst by the BBEG, who used the opportunity to flee).
The next highest was a Blue Dracolich upgraded to a full caster with access to level 8 spells. That one they killed in 3 rounds, but it did put one party member down and 1 into single digits. It's not really dead though, since the couldn't find it's phylactery.
My party just hit level 13, so I get to start playing with the bigger stuff now.
Raging/Reckless/GWM Barbarians are a wrecking ball, especially with hot dice.
The next highest was a Blue Dracolich upgraded to a full caster with access to level 8 spells. That one they killed in 3 rounds, but it did put one party member down and 1 into single digits. It's not really dead though, since the couldn't find it's phylactery.
My party just hit level 13, so I get to start playing with the bigger stuff now.
Raging/Reckless/GWM Barbarians are a wrecking ball, especially with hot dice.
Flexor the Mighty!
18/100 Strength!
Demogorgon CR26. A party of 4 L11 and 2 L10 PC smoked him pretty quick. 4 rounds I think. Not sure how he became prince of demons, maybe it tricked the other demon lords into thinking he was actually powerful.
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