D&D 5E Adventuring Day XP - asking for an opinion

[Delazar]

I was (finally) reading a bit on adventuring day and XP in the DMG, and I decided to prepare a few encounters for my party

Do you think this would be too challenging?

PS: I ignored the multiplier based on the number of monsters for each encounters, since it gives me a big headache ...

Party: 6 x lvl 12
total XP needed to pass the level = 120,000 xp

Day 1
10 x CR 4 = 12,000 xp (draconian dreadnought) = 10% of the total needed
short rest
5 x CR 5 = 18,000 xp (gloamwing) = 15% of the total needed
short rest
3 x CR 12 = 24,000 xp (arclight phoenix) = 20% of the total needed

Day 2
2 x CR 16 (steel predator) = 25% of the total needed
short rest
1 x CR 21 (ancient amethyst dragon) = 30% of the total needed

 

[Lyxen]

PS: I ignored the multiplier based on the number of monsters for each encounters, since it gives me a big headache ...

Didn't have time to read in details, but that multiplier is critical, action economy is at the core of the 5e "balance" and ignoring it will lead to catastrophy for large groups of monsters (this is because of bounded accuracy and the fact that, contrary to previous editions, small CR monsters still are efficient against higher level adventurers). Don't ignore it, it will lead to TPK.

 

[Delazar]

@Lyxen noted! That table is only needed to calculate the encounter difficulty, right? It does not change the amount of XP earned by the PCs?

 

[Lyxen]

@Lyxen noted! That table is only needed to calculate the encounter difficulty, right? It does not change the amount of XP earned by the PCs?

The DMG says explicitly: "This adjusted value is not what the monsters are worth in terms of XP; the adjusted value’s only purpose is to help you accurately assess the encounter’s difficulty."

 

[GMMichael]

Do you think this would be too challenging?

That depends on A) how well your PCs use their assets, and B) how well you use your monsters. Not to mention the environment, other characters, and dice rolls.

Don't ignore it, it will lead to TPK.

Nothing leads to a TPK besides suicidal PCs. Heck, the ancient amethyst dragon could come to the rescue of the PCs if the earlier encounters are too hard...

"Hey! Don't kill those heroes. They're MY TOYS!"