Hardest encounters

[ricardo440]

I'm curious as to which types of monsters have given people the hardest encounters so far in their playing. I'm not meaning which ones on paper seem bad, I mean what encounters have been bad.


We have been finding that brutes are not very scary.

When PCs were levels 1-4 Artillery monsters seemed particuarally scary as they seemed to hit much of the time for big damage.

Soldiers I think give the party hardest challenges especially with a soldier leader of some variety.

I've also found that many lower level monsters are worthless even if their XP cost would be quite great.


Minions over level 1 seem entirely rubbish too. Except for one battle where we had no wizard and there are an infinite supply of orc druges until you win a skill challenge (scales of war campaign). But there were a good 30 of them by the time we managed to make our getaway, and we killed a good 20-30.

 

[Runestar]

Any encounter which deviates from the suggested DMG guidelines has the potential to become a TPK. Most notably any creature with some sort of save-or-die ability, especially when massed.

For instance, en entire group of night hags can potentially put the entire party to sleep in the first round...

 

[Victim]

I've found lower level monsters can still pack a bunch in the right circumstances. Some level 9 dryads were doing decent damage to my level 13 group. A lot of trees, plant allies, and the elite dryad allowed them to do pretty well by teleporting and then charging into flanks on onto isolated targets - +17 v AC for 1d8+14 isn't bad. The dryad's ability to easily get situation mods allows it to bat above its level offensively - plus its attack starts off pretty accurate too. The problem is that the lower level monsters seem to be rather fragile - lower level HP combined with across the board lower defenses leaves them vulnerable to counterattacks.

There are other similar monsters, IMO, that can dish it out against higher level characters even if they can't take it.

OTOH, some other monsters have been dissatisfying against higher level groups, amounting to little more than bags of HP and blocking terrain that last too long.

My group has found swarms to incredibly tough since we're somewhat lacking in area powers.

 

[James McMurray]

Anything with the ability to dominate.

Insubstantial creatures with attacks that weaken are really hard to kill.

The most challenging fights have involved terrain that helped the monsters and/or hindered the PCs.

 

[brehobit]

Dragons, hobgoblins are nasty.

Brutes are normally weak, solders strong. Good leaders are, well, good if synergies work well.

Large numbers of lower-level guys are generally weak unless they have a good attack bonus.

 

[ricardo440]

Dragons, hobgoblins are nasty.
.

We also found hobgoblins are very nasty.

The soldiers have an AC of 20 (22) at just 3rd level.

Compared with ACs at a few levels higher than that it is simply excellent.

 

[Stalker0]

Needlefang drake swarms. 5 of those will wipe most equal level parties, and will probably take out parties a few levels higher.

 

[Stalker0]

Large numbers of lower-level guys are generally weak unless they have a good attack bonus.

That's what aid another is for, even low level monsters can quickly autoaid in most scenarios.

 

[ppaladin123]

death-jump spiders....ouch, ouch, ouch.

 

[Thanee]

Irontooth (KotS)

Bye
Thanee