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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Crimson Binome" data-source="post: 7341739" data-attributes="member: 6775031">Sure, let's stick with that for now. New sub-classes and new spells are invented all the time, so those aren't out of line for an NPC or future PC. Let's ignore all of the stuff that NPCs do slightly differently, and focus on the abilities that would allow them to challenge an entire party, which is the topic of this thread.High-level PCs aren't usually normal characters, either. High-level PCs can conquer worlds and kill gods. They do it all the time. Nothing your NPC guildmaster does is going to top that by any significant margin.If it was possible to become more powerful than a level 20 character, then that avenue would necessarily be open to PCs as well. There is no distinction between PCs and NPCs within the game world, after all. Fortunately, it's not, so we don't have to worry about it.For example, if you have a special NPC who can somehow match the combined prowess of several high-level PCs, then that's going to break the narrative.If you're adhering to the sort of Gamist-first priorities which made 4E the laughing stock of the entire industry, then maybe it's useful to contrive all enemies relative to the power of PCs. Otherwise, the only use of CR in 5E is in calculating experience.I don't really care. It's not my job to contrive encounters of a particular CR. If you don't want to fight this level 13 halfling rogue assassin, then that's your choice; whatever you do, I'm going to role-play the NPC, and adjudicate uncertainty in action resolution. To an extent, yes. None of the individual monsters are rules, but the way that monsters work is a rule. Likewise, none of the class or races or backgrounds are rules, but the way that classes and races and backgrounds interact to create a character is a rule.If you want lava trolls in your world, then go wild, but anyone who's fluent in 5E should be able to look at that stat block and figure out what's going on. If you give them Strength 32, then you're not playing 5E anymore.Likewise, but I take the further step of not adding them to my world. If they aren't important enough for me to learn, then they aren't important enough to show up in the world.Sure, but if there's a functional difference at the table, then a player who knows how it should work may be unhappy when that difference manifests. If the sorcerer player has every reason to expect that the NPC is using a short-rest power, then they have every reason to be upset if it turns out to be a recharge power.Humanoid NPCs can't currently challenge entire parties of high-level characters, which is the topic of this thread. If you want them to, then you need to change 5E away from what it is.</blockquote>

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