D&D 5E (2024) Better Monster Design. 6E/BG3 Ideas

[Zardnaar]

Probably the same as in 5e. Though internet wasn’t as widespread then so maybe to less effect.

Yeah. A lot of tge problems with 3.5 I think were theorycraft. Even Druid with natural spell level 6 wasn't tgat bad. At least game warping bad.

3.0 not so much some of those PrCs were a problem early on. 3.5 mostly nuked that.

Free metamagic was a big thing to watch out for back then. If casuals like 4E it wouldn't have gone out with a whimper.

The problem (of its an actual problem) is the user base. No modern version of D&D has actually got encounter design right.

Its a fooks errand because its impossible to account fir how people actually play and casuals vs veterans vs powergamers.

Sone peopke actually like what's on offer. Even without various OSRisms conceptually would the be fine with a crit reducing them to 0 HP.

Because if people are doing 4 round work days (4RWD) thats what needs to happen. Or you just go with it and whatever.

 

[AnotherGuy]

@Stalker0 the escalating damage is a nice touch.
I usually have monsters (the larger types) do more than just damage
i.e. shove, push, grab fly and drop, create difficult terrain especially on misses, create damage yielding terrain (ongoing fire/cold damage from a breath weapon)...etc

I have been exploring the idea that monsters 2x larger than the PC require the PC attacked to have 5 feet of movement available to attempt to avoid their melee attacks, otherwise the monsters gain ADV on their attacks. If you have the 5 feet of movement you move 5 feet and they make their attack roll. It feels like it ensures the participants are always moving, and the terrain becomes more important.

Auras are great.
Threatening Reach (3.x style)
Bloodied Abilities - abilities that come online when a monster is bloodied
Mythic Monster template
Touch attacks for incorporeal creatures
Inflicting exhaustion should be limited to few specific creatures
Swarms should provide more than +3 to hit, with x damage - they should rather auto inflict a condition in their space

 

[Chaltab]

I've literally never had a problem challenging my players in 4E or 5E and I don't have a particularly high opinion of Mearls' game design chops.

The problem we're dealing with is fundamentally a player problem: players that want to optimize any fun or tension out of the game make the game worse for everyone else. If you can't get them to cut that crap out then you just have to choose not to play with them.

 

[Zardnaar]

I've literally never had a problem challenging my players in 4E or 5E and I don't have a particularly high opinion of Mearls' game design chops.

The problem we're dealing with is fundamentally a player problem: players that want to optimize any fun or tension out of the game make the game worse for everyone else. If you can't get them to cut that crap out then you just have to choose not to play with them.

Maybe but 90% of the player base may play that way.

My newbies tend to adapt to more veterans players. I tend to run living world with consequences.

Imagine D-Day Omaha beach. Burger and coke time we'll come back tomorrow. What happens if you give the enemies 12 hours to prepare? Human.

Adventures dont tend to do that though. Its usually static clear 1 room at a time wash rinse repeat. Very video gamey tbh.

Mearls is just the messenger maybe slightly exaggerating.