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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 7341964" data-attributes="member: 37579">No... the topic of the thread was how before it became a giant thread of crapping on the OP's ideas because players might be unable to handle an NPC that does things slightly different from them.Balanced encounters originated in 3e. The question of "what CR is an # level NPC?" is something you ask in 3e, 4e, or 5e. Right. Which is exactly what I meant when I said they needed to strike a balance. It can be different, but the differences should largely be invisible to the players and fall in line with their expectations unless necessary for the design. Monsters not needing many exploration powers or as many resources to track is one example. A sorcerer NPC does NOT need sorcerery points, they just need the ability to apply a metamagic X times per short rest. A similar effect but identical in narrative to what the players expect.  Legendary Monsters are all but necessary for good one-on-four+ boss fights. They can't be stunlocked by the wizard and because their damage is spread out over a full round they don't just obliterate the fighter without the cleric being able to respond. And because they have more HD than a classed NPC, the rogue won't reduce them to a fine mist in one hit. After all, a level 20 fighter could have 200+ hit points, which is a CR 10 monster. That fighter would be lucky to last a single round against a level 9 party. That's going to be one disappointing boss. "Behold, Veriakas! The greatest fighter in the land! The most powerful warrior in the continent! The warlord that rules an army! Oh, a rag-tag group of heroes. You will face your doo-" Hold person Sneak attack. Action surge. Dead.No. Again, NPCs in the Basic Rules DO NOT follow the exact rules of PCs. NPCs in the Basic Rules CAN do things that PC do not. That is 5e. I am changing nothing. Especially as THERE ALREADY ARE humanoid NPCs with Legendary Actions. None of this is a change. This is all perfectly in line with 5e.</blockquote>

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