Last week, the Level 14-16 party beat Graz'zt, 2 Marilith and a Storm Giant...easily

[Upper_Krust]

Oh that is a fine idea!
I've used proficiency bonus and constitution modifier in the past but I really like yours too.

Just to clarify its 1/2 Hit Dice, but for Golems increase the amount +5% per point of Material AC above 11. So for an Iron Golem (Iron = AC 19) its:

2014 Iron Golem (20 Hit Dice) = 1/2 HD = 10, increase by 40% = Damage Threshold 14
2024 Iron Golem (24 Hit Dice) = 1/2 HD = 12, increase by 40% = Damage Threshold 16

 

[Upper_Krust]

Oh that is a fine idea!
I've used proficiency bonus and constitution modifier in the past but I really like yours too.

Would work at low levels but I find using Hit Dice is good at all tiers...including my Immortal and higher tiers of play.

 

[TerraDave]

2024 monsters, especially at higher levels, have been toughened up. (Though spell casting and spell like abilities have been oversimplified).

Not sure how much of a difference it would make here but I thought it was worth noting.

 

[TheSword]

Depends who they are facing.

Typically HP is approx. x3 of a creatures damage output. So if a PC was facing 3 creatures of equal power and all 3 creatures hit with all attacks a PC with average Hit Points (between d8-d10s in Hit Dice) should be dropped.

Likewise I believe a CR 24 monster should be dealing 210 or so per round. If everything hits that should drop a PC with 210 HP or less.

CR 8 = 60 damage
CR 12 = 90 damage
CR 16 = 120 damage
CR 20 = 150 damage
CR 24 = 210 damage
CR 28 = 275 damage

Level 20 Wizard = approx. 93 HP
Level 20 Cleric = approx. 134 HP
Level 20 Fighter = approx. 195 HP*
Level 20 Barbarian = approx. 276 HP
Average = 174.5

So that means a CR 24 monster is dropping one average PC each round, but likely not a front-line martial character. That to me sounds reasonable.

*Slight aside, my Level 20 Fighter has 303 HP, so I am massively low-balling the averages.

That’s not a game I would want to play. I don’t want to be a spectator to someone else’s fun because I happen to have been picked first. Intentionally or randomly and I don’t want to be a DM that does that to players. Increasing damage like this as standard in a monster block is a very unsatisfactory solution. We can be more creative than that.

 

[Upper_Krust]

2024 monsters, especially at higher levels, have been toughened up. (Though spell casting and spell like abilities have been oversimplified).

Not sure how much of a difference it would make here but I thought it was worth noting.

Certainly the 2024 monsters are generally a bit tougher.

The thing is though 2024 PCs have also had some power creep, so it likely evens out.

 

[Upper_Krust]

That’s not a game I would want to play. I don’t want to be a spectator to someone else’s fun because I happen to have been picked first. Intentionally or randomly and I don’t want to be a DM that does that to players. Increasing damage like this as standard in a monster block is a very unsatisfactory solution. We can be more creative than that.

I disagree with you for one obvious reason: Low Level play is already this dangerous.

All I am suggesting is make High Level play as dangerous as Low Level play. Plus High Level PCs already have access to FAR more ways to avoid death and heal damage.

Even assuming your character somehow got unlucky and were dropped in Round 1. Most high-level characters are likely going to be getting Heals and Potions of Supreme Healing poured down them and back in the fight Round 2.