D&D 5E (2024) Forge of Fury in 5E 2024

[Plaguescarred]

5.5E Monsters tend to deal more damage so i'd increase damage of some 5E monsters like Duergars.

 

[Remathilis]

5.5E Monsters tend to deal more damage so i'd increase damage of some 5E monsters like Duergars.

The replacement for the duergar is a spy. The 5.5 spy has AC 12, 27 HP, and does 12 damage per round. The 2014 duergar has AC 16, 26 HP, and does 11 damage per round (when enlarged). The latter has invisibility and poison resistance as well, while the spy has a rogue's cunning action. They are pretty much a wash unless the duergar doesn't use its enlarge ability, then it's damage is too low.

 

[Zardnaar]

It will be fine. The difference is tiny until you get to high levels.

Its not. Low level monsters and encounters are way scarier than 2014.

A low encounter at lvl 1 is something like 2 goblins per PC. CR 5s can turn up at 3 and I've seen CR3s at level 2 in official adventures. Critted for 2d12+6d6+4 damage. Only survived due to Dwarf plus toughness feat.

Basically you have to redo the encounters. Add 50%-100% hp to 2014 monsters if they dont exist in 2024.

When I use 2014 material I use it as is except the encounters that get redone to 2024 guidelines.

Some 2014 adventures are way off. Forgevof Fury would be one of them. 2 orcs at lvl 4 are a complete joke.

They did nerf damage of low CR critters with 3 attacks. Most seem to get 2 now.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Its not. Low level monsters and encounters are way scarier than 2014.

Do you want your low level encounters to be way scarier? I would suggest that how dangerous an adventure is is part of the adventure. Make Forge of Fury a deadly kill-fest and it’s no longer the same adventure.

If you run Forge of Fury with the listed monsters, using 5.0 statblocks where there is no direct 5.5 replacement, you will have a fun adventure for characters of the listed level. One thing that is potentially more deadly in FoF are striges (blood drain does more damage per round). There are a couple of places where I would use a swarm of stirges stat block instead of 4+ individual stirges. It's tougher on paper, but the practicality of trying to remove a large number of individual stirges means it's likely to be less deadly, as well as easier to run.

It’s important to understand that CR is just guidelines, and a good DM needs to learn when to ignore them.

 

[Zardnaar]

Do you want your low level encounters to be way scarier? I would suggest that how dangerous an adventure is is part of the adventure. Make Forge of Fury a deadly kill-fest and it’s no longer the same adventure.

If you run Forge of Fury with the listed monsters, using 5.0 statblocks where there is no direct 5.5 replacement, you will have a fun adventure for characters of the listed level. One thing that is potentially more deadly in FoF are striges (blood drain does more damage per round). There are a couple of places where I would use a swarm of stirges stat block instead of 4+ individual stirges. It's tougher on paper, but the practicality of trying to remove a large number of individual stirges means it's likely to be less deadly, as well as easier to run.

It’s important to understand that CR is just guidelines, and a good DM needs to learn when to ignore them.

Concert them as low encounters. 500xp for 4 PCs. 2 orcs become 5 CR1s or whatever.

Its a 4th level adventure......

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They are pretty much a wash unless the duergar doesn't use its enlarge ability

They really aren't duergar unless they use their signature ability!

The Souldblade from MotM is also CR 1 and is a bit more deadly. I would probably through a few of those into the mix.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

500xp for 4 PCs.

We don't know how many PCs there are, or if the OP is using xp.

2 orcs become 5 CR1s or whatever.

Changing the number of creatures often makes no sense with the map. 5 orcs don't fit in the room. 2 orcs remains 2 orcs but is an easier encounter. Doesn't matter, it means the party can go on for longer without resting.

 

[Zardnaar]

We don't know how many PCs there are, or if the OP is using xp.

Changing the number of creatures often makes no sense with the map. 5 orcs don't fit in the room. 2 orcs remains 2 orcs but is an easier encounter. Doesn't matter, it means the party can go on for longer without resting.

It was an example. Check the map for encounters.

PCs using xp doesn't matter only the number of PCs.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

only the number of PCs.

Which is always an issue regardless of what edition you are playing. As is player skill. But simply changing the number of monsters is often not an option, since they are often chosen to suit the map, not the CR. There is a guard either side of the door. There are six beds in the guard room.

But it's only the deadly encounters that matter. And so long as they aren't too much to completely overpower the party, it's fine. Anything less than deadly just means the party have more or fewer encounters between rests.

 

[Zardnaar]

Which is always an issue regardless of what edition you are playing. As is player skill. But simply changing the number of monsters is often not an option, since they are often chosen to suit the map, not the CR. There is a guard either side of the door. There are six beds in the guard room.

But it's only the deadly encounters that matter. And so long as they aren't too much to completely overpower the party, it's fine. Anything less than deadly just means the party have more or fewer encounters between rests.

Then you tweak the CR to 6 individuals