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It doesn't matter when she dies in three rounds. She's still not going to challenge the party.

As more players become experts, I think this edition will have more trouble challenging PCs. 5E is still fairly early in its run. Optimizers see the problems more quickly because they're looking for ways to break the game, but eventually these problems start showing up community wide and require...

The answer to your question is no. They are not novaing. They are using certain feat, power, and class combinations that are enormously effective over a nearly indefinite period. I've pointed these combinations out, but you don't believe me. I cannot force you to believe something you don't want...

Sorry, Capn. I don't want monsters that are so easily beaten they should be running from the PCs (unless they're designed to be that way like kobolds or goblins of course). I just don't. Right now, that is the case in my experience. When our group destroyed an adult green dragon in its lair...

The players are supposed to be facing fearsome monsters. I will state it this way: a marilith that has survived for likely thousands of years fighting her way up the ranks of demonkind should not be a melee only monster. When the game designs monsters in such an inappropriate manner that they...

This is a really strange question. I will answer it, but I always assume this is obvious. Because RPGs are math-based. If you don't understand how the math works, then you will have a very hard time modifying in a useful fashion. You also have to let players figure out optimized tactics, so you...

Modification is not unique to 5E. As Flamestrike stated, DM modification has been a part of the game since 1E. DM Empowerment has been a part of every edition. But 5E is fairly new. Some of us were running the game as is until we got a feel for it. When we ran the game out of the box, we...

Not allowed for this experiment. In general, we're assuming things out of the Monster Manual. The focus is on 5E out of the box. I modify encounters to suit the capabilities of my players. I've been DMing long enough to know that modification is required. The criticisms of 5E aren't concerned...

No, it is not ridiculous. It is empirically provable that you can build a far more powerful character in 3E/Pathfinder without spells than you can in 5E. Barbarian rage powers could be quite potent for offense and defense. Fighters could deal absolutely insane damage and get an insane AC without...

I have changed my opinion several times due to Internet debate on this forum. Sometimes it works out. I changed my opinion on healing word and in combat healing in 5E after debate here. I changed my opinion in this thread on how much impact the Winter Wolves had on the Frost Giant combat. I...

I did show it. Got told I was doing it wrong. No wish to have that discussion again.

True. Most of your party is optimized. Do you have a Sharpshooter and Lore Bard? Those are the two classes that are cornerstones of 5E optimization. I'll have to take a look at your party again. I remember your wizard and paladin were well built.

It's very hard to optimize in 5E without spellcasting. That is disappointing. In 3E/Pathfinder you could make powerful non-spellcasting characters, but not so much in 5E. A spellcaster or hybrid-spellcaster is going to have more power than a non-caster by quite a margin.

Magic in 5E is fairly easy to compensate for. The hardest part of magic item compensation in Pathfinder/3E was stat boosting combined with other magic items and easy customization of magic items. You almost always ended up with players boosting nearly every statistic as well as stacking every...

I'm left wondering if anyone recalls the original test was based on the 6 to 8 encounter day versus an optimized group, not a standard play group. It has become less of a test and more of a chance for some people to play some D&D. Which is fine, but defeated the purpose of the test long ago...

A return to simplicity.

True. Melee is inherently more dangerous due to enemy proximity and mobility issues can slow melee damage down. And Great Weapon Fighting does nothing else but allow you to add damage with the occasional bonus action attack. We will the trade off of having to be in melee and dealing with closing...

We're leaving Great Weapon Master alone because the user has to enter melee and take hits. They can't use a shield. They have to contend with mobility issues We've decided to do the following with Sharpshooter. We feel it provides too many benefits at once. We have decided to limit the benefits...

I had to beef the xp substantially. I boosted the xp during travel with much more dangerous encounters. I increased the enemy experience substantially in Mantol-Derith by adding more Zhentarim enemies with the beholder. I decided to have the PCs meet the drow hunting party in Mantol-Derith as an...

Travel to the Labyrinth Continuation of travel to the Labyrinth: Day 15: No encounter. Boneyard. This is the lair of the lich Anaxis that wields a staff of the magi. He was a human mage sent to look into the disturbances with a party of adventurers leading an army. They ran into Orcus and he...