Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rechan" data-source="post: 4516882" data-attributes="member: 54846">Yes, a standard party is assumed to be 5 pcs. Before 4e was published, folks were using the D&D Experience characters vs. monsters people had taken pictures of in the MM. One gentleman who ran a group of 5 or 6 1st level PCs against two 6th level monsters (gnolls of some stripe), a supposedly balanced encounter. The PCs managed to kill the gnolls, but had one or two character deaths. IIRC, the stats for those gnolls have changed since D&D XP (more HP, do less damage).  Another experiment had 5 1st level PCs vs. a 7th level elite (an Orc Blood Rager); two fatalities in that group, but they prevailed. It's worth noting that a level equivalent encounter in 4E is similar to a level appropriate CR encounter in 3e; the encounter i a minimal threat to the players. So yes. Parties can definitely take on monsters well above their level. (The encounter should just be with less). When I get access to my books this evening, I'll draw some more concrete examples in theory.  I fully believe a 3rd level party could take on a single troll (level 9). Naturally the system requires some playtesting however, to see how much a beating those low level characters can take from bigger monsters.</blockquote>