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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AnotherGuy" data-source="post: 8957970" data-attributes="member: 7029930">[USER=42040]@Retreater[/USER] I do not have the module you're using so I cannot offer you advice on that.And I'm assuming restarting is out of the question, but my gut feeling is you'll end up in the same situation soon enough.What you have to do is Hardcore your Monsters, and I'm not JUST talking about maximising hit points, adding an extra damage die or increasing the attack bonus by +1.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Touch Attacks for ethereal Undead like ghosts, wraiths, spectres and shadows flat out ignore basic armour. Wearing plate armour, carrying a shield means nothing to ethereal opponents, unless there is a + bonus and then you ONLY take the + into account. It makes Mage Armour so much more valuable since that is force, like the spell Shield.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Knockdown prone or push 5-10 feet is automatically added to every monster melee attack from a monster of large or greater size that hits successfully. The DC is 10 + monster STR</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do not be afraid to increase monster movement by 5-10 feet. They are far too slow in the MM.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Give opponents Class Features - metamagic, combat manuevers, channel divinities, second story work, invocations, feats, fighting style...etc</li> </ul>Imagine the Ogre Magic Twinning Spells or the Centaur having Polearm Mastery, Greater Weapon Mastery and the appropriate fighting style.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Upgrade Resistance. So resistance to x means the monsters takes 1 damage per damage die. Skeletons now only suffer 1 hit point from non-magical piercing. While magical piercing does half damage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Give spell-using demons/devils and other supernaturals the rechargeable ability to cast one of their spells as a Bonus Action while they engage in melee. Often as DM you're forced to choose in combat and before you know it the combat is over and you didn't even get a chance to showcase the monster. So this way, you get to use their cool spells such as Darkness, Stinking Cloud or whatever while also attacking.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Give creatures Skills and Expertise on certain skills you feel they should have. i.e. Canines or birds of prey having Expertise on their perception skill...etc</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Use Antimagic Zones, Unhallow Ground which may give undead Advantage on saves, Everchanging Terrain due to the monsters i.e. Green dragons could create floating poison clouds, red dragons create scorched earth or set things alight, giants create pockets of difficult terrain on their misses, spectres leave a necrotic energy in their wake, mummies defile the area around them..etc</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Realistic Concentration. Areas/monsters which force concentration checks due to piercing noises, incessant mind-burrowing sounds, violent movement, illusionary distractions, fear/horror...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Give opponents Additional Abilities i.e. lycanthropes that emit fear inducing howls as a bonus action (save once successfully, and you're immune for 24 hours) or Shambling Mounds whose roots burrow into the mouths of their engulfed victims, cutting down the Suffocation time to just mere rounds instead of minutes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Have opponents Steal (via grapple check) the Items (necklaces, amulets, wands...etc) in combat. Why would they not?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Have monsters Sunder Items, such a foci or holy symbols, even shields and weapons - depending on size of monster. Perhaps in this setting the breath of adult dragons and older have the ability to destroy magical items, saves are needed.</li> </ul>And so much more...there is use of Cover and the complications of Firing into Melee, Environmental Obstacles, the use of Madness for things alien or first-time encounters with the weird and wonderful, effects/attacks that create Exhaustion, Bleeding Wounds, Gritty Rests, PCs being set alight from fire attacks...etc But whatever you do, do not EVER line-up your bad guys for easy Fireballs. As a DM you should be lining them up during combat for that surprise Lightningbolt. Good luck! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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