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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bgbarcus" data-source="post: 6692156" data-attributes="member: 6784891">Feats and multiclassing are definitely optional this they are not considered for MM CR. Otherwise, games without those would be penalized.  Player's should be able to only use the free PDF which doesn't include those optional rules while the only book purchased is the DM's copy of the Monster Manual.5e is supposed to be a low magic system. Look at the random treasure tables in the DMG and you'll see the assumption that characters have very few magic items. A game run that way will make resistance to non-magical weapons a serious problem.  If your game has lots of magic weapons, that resistance shouldn't be considered in the CR calculations.I agree that the CR's be MM are not well matched to any party that does not meet those limitations above. More than four characters means the number of actions focused on the monster are overwhelming. Even legendary actions barely keep up.  A "normal" supply of magic items makes the party way more capable than MM CR anticipated. My group of six PC's and up to three henchmen with at least one magic weapon each completely breaks the MM.  That's OK, I simply adjusted the monsters to match my game.  Most of them got a significant HP boost. Others got better AC.  Some legendary features were slightly boosted.  But what really makes the biggest difference is playing the monsters smarter.  In their lair they have home field advantage in the form of supporting monsters, modified terrain, traps, knowledge of positions with tactical benefits, etc.  It doesn't bother me that the MM durante fit my game perfectly. No published material ever has, and I couldn't care less about balance. Fairness is for kindergarten. Adventurers are out to beat the odds, run away when they're overmatched, or get a fun turkey shoot out of the occasional easy encounter.Even if you don't like the idea of the. MM not being a perfect document you should consider personalizing the monsters anyway. Meeting the same thing you already know how to beat is OK for the minor encounters but the big battles should always give the players a delightful surprise.  That's how the game starts fresh after decades of play.Ignore CR, use the book as a spark to your imagination.  Give the balor guaranteed summoning of two other fiends (it is a ruler) for support and let at least one of those summon further support and that encounter turns nasty.  No reason PC's should be the only entities that get to summon helpers.</blockquote>

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