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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celtavian" data-source="post: 6783544" data-attributes="member: 5834">I really wish I could help you. I'm in the same boat. I've been dealing with it by writing monsters myself. I generally give it a CR relatively close to some comparable creature based on hit points, hit dice, and damage. I try to think about a solo creature or group of enemies in the same fashion as a NPC party, since those usually provide the most dangerous challenge to a PC party. Here's an example of a creature I created.1. I gave it a huge amount of hit points to absorb heavy damage 5E characters do. Just Thursday a group of seven 5E characters easily did 126 points of damage in a single round with only five of them attacking. The stone giant they attacked died and the rogue and bard didn't even attack. We do play with feats and magic items. Sharpshooter is extremely nasty.2. I'm currently experimenting with raising AC. ACs seem too low for solos and powerful creatures. PCs get to maximize their ACs and defenses to avoid monster damage, while monsters have to suffer with the limitations of Bounded Accuracy. So I've started adding AC enemies to increase survivability rather than more hit points.3. I've tried to add abilities that combine attack and defense to creatures. The treant below heals when it strikes a creature. I have created another creature that has an effect that eliminates a PCs attacks for a round and causes them to hurt an allied PC of the creature's choice. I feel this better mirrors the capabilities of an NPC party. I've been trying to build legendary creatures in the same fashion I would an NPC party since that is usually the most powerful challenge a PC party faces. It's much easier to do in 5E with legendary and lair actions. You can make legendary and lair actions accomplish what a PC party with a wizard or cleric may have been able to do.4. I base the CR on something close to the same. I don't elevate too much even if it looks it should be more on paper. I feel CR and xp should be based on what kind of challenge it poses to the party rather than a strict numbers game. It's definitely a rough estimate.Brambleheart. Legendary Treant. Gargantuan Plant Neutral EvilArmor Class 18 (natural armor); Hit Points 312 (16d20 + 96); Speed 30ft.STR 24 (+7) DEX 8 (- 1) CON 22 (+6) INT 12 (+1) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 12 (+1)Saves Str +11, Con +11, Wis +7Skills Perception +7, Investigation +5, Athletics +11Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercingDamage Vulnerabilities fireSenses passive Perception 17Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, SylvanChallenge 12 (8400 XP)False Appearance. While the treant remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.Siege Monster. The treant deals double damage to objects and structures.ACTIONSMultiattack. The treant makes two slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4d6+7 bludgeoning damage.Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (5d10+7) bludgeoning damage. 10: rocks scattered about the room in easy reach for the treants.Animate Trees (1/Day). The treant magically animates one or two trees it can see within 60 feet of it. These trees have the same statistics as a treant, except they have Intelligence and Charisma scores of 1, they can't speak, and they have only the Slam action option. An animated tree acts as an ally of the treant. The tree remains animate for 1 day or until it dies; until the treant dies or is more than 120 feet from the tree; or until the treant takes a bonus action to turn it back into an inanimate tree. The tree then takes root if possible.Legendary Resistance: 3/day. If the Brambleheart fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.Legendary Actions: The treant can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be usedat a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The treant regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.Blood-drinking Bramble: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 4d6+7 piercing damage.The blood-drinking bramble stalk wraps the target in a thorny vine that drinks the blood of the target healing the treant. The target takes 6d6 necrotic damage that the treant heals. The target is restrained and must make a DC 19 strength check to escape from the bramble. The target does not take any more damage from the vine. It does take the blood drain every round. If the treant moves, the target gets dragged with the treant must make a DC 19 Dex save or Acrobatics check to stay on their feet. If they fail, they are knocked prone and dragged with the treant. A vine can be severed by doing 20 points of damage to it. It has an AC of 18. It has the same resistance to bludgeoning and piercing damage as the treant. Fire can burn the bramble to cinders. The treant is covered in the vines and can continue to attack with them indefinitely. Rock (2 actions): Brambleheart can throw a second rock.I'd advise you to take any gloves off or limitations you've imposed on yourself and start experimenting by making monsters you feel will challenge your group. If you have a group of enemies attacking PCs, make a legendary warlord that can move them around for extra attacks like pawns or get fallen soldiers up to attack further. If it's a solo, design it to do the equivalent of an NPC group giving it spells or abilities that heal it or have a powerful effect even if non-magical like spore clouds or the ability to fling dirt into eyes. Whatever works to make it fun, challenging, and believable.</blockquote>

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