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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dave2008" data-source="post: 9016890" data-attributes="member: 83242">Great - let's do that!Your math is a bit odd here, 408/4 = 102 (4 rounds not standard, but let's run with it) per round. 102/18 = 5.666 PCs? I don't know where the mistake is so I will run the numbers with 5 & 6 PCs to cover my bases.For 6 PCs @ 5th lvl that would be 6,600 XP for a "deadly" encounter. Really the floor for a challenge* in 5e. And the group can handle 21,000 XP per day or just over 3 of these.For 5 PCs @ 5th lvl that would be 5,500 XP and 17,500 XP per day (also just over 3 encounters per day).I feel it is important to point out. You (a group of PCs) are expected to be able to handle 3 "deadly" encounters per day without a TPK and really only a "chance" of having a PC dropping. So this is hardly a meat grinder. Anyway, let's continue with the numbers.Seems about right, though that damage feels low. Let's look at some monsters that meet our XP threshold.  A CR 10 monsters is worth 5,900 XP. That is a little low for a 6 PC group and almost spot on for a 5 PC group. So let's go with that. Here are a few CR 10 monsters:<a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2560816-froghemoth" target="_blank">Froghemoth</a><a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2560931-stone-giant-dreamwalker" target="_blank">Stone Giant Dreamweaver</a><a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/17074-young-red-dragon" target="_blank">Young Red Dragon</a>Not Sure where you are getting those numbers.  The CR 10 monsters I picked:Froghemoth: AC 14; HP 161; Attack +10; Damage 22 (+10)/19/19Stone Giant: AC 18; HP 161; Attack +10; Damage 24/24Young Red Dragon: AC 18; HP 178; Attack +10; Damage 13/13/20So all of these hit your PCs AC a bit over 50% of the time and in theory could knock a PC down in one round if they focus. Where did you get your +3 to hit and 4 damage from? That doesn't seem to be RAW at all.Except you seem to have used some completely wrong numbers when looking at 5e.Anyway let's continue the theory crafting a bit.  I don't know how you developed your PC numbers, so I will use them, and the monsters, straight up (no adjust damage by to hit %). I will assume all PCs win initiative.Round 1:PCS do 102 damage to the young red dragon (178 - 102 = 76 HP)Dragon does 56 fire damage to 2 PCs (2 down)Round 2: PCs kill the dragon.The dragon took out 2 PCs, slightly more than is to be expected of a "deadly" encounter.  Seems like it encounter builder and CR worked here.To be clear, I realize this is incredibly simplified. Among other things hit % and saving throws were not considered.  However, that would likely simply extend the length of the fight and not change the result much (maybe only one PC goes down as suggested by the encounter builder). What really makes the difference here is how the PCs and monster are run by the players and DM respectively. That can have a dramatic effect on the encounter.*[spoiler=deadly]Deadly. A deadly encounter could be lethal for one or more player characters. Survival often requires good tactics and quick thinking, and the party risks defeat.[/spoiler]</blockquote>

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