D&D 5E Is this encounter too difficult?

[LordEntrails]

The environment might help the Plotter, but only for maybe 2 rounds. And it's going to depend upon the party. Lots of parties at tat level will have flying for half the party, maybe more. Plus things like Dimension Door so they can close the distance and avoid the bridge.

Very situational, but I would expect this to be more of a challenge for something like an 8th level party, not 14th.

For 14th level, you need to add a lot more support (CR6-8 support) or a lot more actions for the BBEG. And probably more HP, but since it comes back, maybe not.

 

[Flamestrike]

The environment might help the Plotter, but only for maybe 2 rounds. And it's going to depend upon the party. Lots of parties at tat level will have flying for half the party, maybe more. Plus things like Dimension Door so they can close the distance and avoid the bridge.

Yep. The encounters environmental challenges is stuff that PCs have been avoiding (or dealing with) for 10 levels already, and will have counter measures in place for and ways to simply ignore most of it.

Most (if not all) can likely fly by then thanks to spells, items and abilities, and if they cant, it's a 7th level slot and one of their 5 actions each round (from the Wizard or Sorcerer) to enable it.

The magical darkness and fear effects are also likely not an issue for them at this level as well.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Obviously I need to make revisions. Most would not be full strength when they get to this part based on the previous section, but there isn’t anything stopping them from a full rest, so I assumed they would have one. I really need to bump up things quite a bit.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I have to say I was a bit surprised at some of the comments, because the last adventure where we were 12th level, the PCs did not have ways to mitigate fear, darkness, or flight. Only a few did at that level; it was not assumed at all.

 

[LordEntrails]

For reference, my group's 14th level party of 5 killed a Death Tyrant in half a round. And this is with the DT getting a legendary reaction after each of the first 3 characters' turns. It could have been harder for the party if some of those first three eye rays had been effective, but they made all their saves.

Roughly speaking, a DT is similar to your Plotter, except it has all those legendary actions and in your encounter you have distance/range to deal with the first round.

 

[Flamestrike]

Obviously I need to make revisions. Most would not be full strength when they get to this part based on the previous section, but there isn’t anything stopping them from a full rest, so I assumed they would have one. I really need to bump up things quite a bit.

At +6 to hit (5 attacks including legendary actions per round), dealing 11 damage each Form 1 is dealing 22 damage per round to 15th level PCs (only 2 of 5 will likely hit, as the AC's you're dealing with will almost certainly be in the 18-20 range if not higher).

In exchange, the PCs are landing 3-6 (Fighter/ Barbarian), 1-2 (Rogue) 2-4 Monk/ Paladin attacks (plus stuns or smites) all at +10 or there-abouts, plus whatever the Wizard/ Bard (Power word Stun hurts) and Cleric want to dish out.

The 7 attacks (conservative figure) from the 3 Martials alone (that will likely have the benefit of Bless, Bardic inspiration, Lucky, Precise strike, Reckless attack, Cunning Aim and/or normal inspiration) will almost all hit, with each hit dealing 25-50 damage each hit, with the PCs likely all with Magic weapons bypassing its resistance.

It likely dies halfway through round 1.

It needs at least 300 HP, a base AC of 17-18 or so off the bat, an attack bonus 3-4 points higher, and around triple the damage per attack.

 

[Sacrosanct]

So this begs the question, what would this encounter be difficult for, assuming party of 5? 10th level PCs?

 

[Quickleaf]

Part of the setup is that Master Plotter lurks to ambush a PC and push them down the pit. One of the conceits of the encounter is that the pit is essentially a Chekov's gun – somebody is going to get pushed down there.

A few aspects of your design aren't reinforcing that:

• Master Plotter has no Stealth proficiency and a Dex bonus of just +2. So even if he's lurking in magical darkness that he can see through... he still makes sound that a high passive Perception PC would pick up, right?
• Master Plotter has no built-in way to push / force movement against the PCs. So his only resort is Shove? That doesn't seem like an ideal use of his action.
• Attaching an Athletics check to the climb and further making the consequence of failing be falling may not properly build the tension of the scene. If someone falls, and THEN Master Plotter tries to shove them, it's... too late, right? The Chekov's gun has already gone off due to that Athletics check you called for. I think either you get rid of the Athletics check, you make the climb even riskier with Eyelings attacking and requiring Athletics checks to hold on if you're hit, or maybe tweaking the scene to make the climb out/up be the difficult part.

EDIT: Overall, it's a cool villain and lair! I like the vibe you're going for. Might be interesting if there's more distinction made between the 2 phases/forms – for instance, might be interesting if stoneskin drops when it changes form.

 

[Flamestrike]

So this begs the question, what would this encounter be difficult for, assuming party of 5? 10th level PCs?

7th level give or take.

A Solo CR 12 is a 'Hard' encounter for 5 x 7ths, and a CR 14 just slides into Deadly territory for that party.

It's still only around half the Adventuring day XP for that party, so they can Nova it bad, so that tips the scales in the PCs favor.

Presuming a relatively experienced group of players, and a scattering of magic items, they'd win, with maybe a few downed PCs along the way (easily fixed at this level even with a few deaths thanks to Raise Dead).

 

[Flamestrike]

OP I think you may be conflating CR with encounter difficulty (thinking a CR = to level is appropriate).

You need to look at XP budget for the encounter, not CR. In Xanathars (I think it was) the Devs expressly say a Solo Legendary needs to basically be CR'd to around 4-5 levels over that of the Party level (and the XP budget formula checks out with this as well).

For example, a CR 12 is 8,400 xp, so it's actually under the 8,500 xp threshold for 'Deadly' for 7th level PCs, making it a 'Hard' encounter only (and as the only encounter that day, it can be easily Nova striked tipping the scales further in the PCs favor).

For 15th level PCs, a solo CR 12 is an 'Easy' difficulty encounter (and not far off a 'Trivial' encounter, with 'Easy' starting at 7,000 xp for that 15th level Party).

It would be dead halfway through round 1.