D&D 5E Customize and design monsters in 5e, what would you like?

[Sekhmet]

One of my biggest problems with 3.x were the CR1/2 creatures that "advance by character level". They were always statted in the book as an NPC class, and if you wanted to use them for anything at all, you had to rewrite their entire stat block for every individual encounter.
It shouldn't be necessary to spend five extra minutes preparing an Orc or Goblin because the writers were too lazy to give an average stat block.

 

[SkidAce]

Hiya.

I'm of the "just make s#!t up" category of DM. That said, I have no problem with there being rules for more "crunchy" stuff. If there were such things, I'd like to see the 'rules' be less absolute and more 'range-y'. So, I'd rather see "+2d8hp" over "+10hp".

My main reasoning is simple; no rules can predict the *actual* power level and capability of a PC group. You can slap a "CR" on a creature all you want, but if that creature has an ability that nobody in the PC group can defend against, the CR is going to be off. If the PC's all possess resistances or immunities to a creatures main attack or special ability, the CR is going to be off. If the group consists of damage-dealing monstrosities, the creatures CR is going to be off. So...better to not try and base the system around some fictional "power level" when there is no such thing as a definitive power level.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

You are 100% correct, "but" , starting with a baseline at least gets you in the ballpark.

And then you can adjust based on DM skill and PC makeup.



It's like war, "No plan survives contact with the enemy" yet "Going into battle without a plan is doomed to failure".