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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zardnaar" data-source="post: 9791732" data-attributes="member: 6716779">So some thoughts on recent levels.  Kinda seeing bounded accuracy in action. CR 1-3 can hit and hurt level 11-13.  Problem is combats are taking a while with 5.5s bucket of hp. Minotaurs of Baphomet rolled well ad were knocking PCs prone and doing 20+ hp.  They each have 85 hp. CR 1s were fodder but they have 33 hp. CR2 varied somewhere between those numbers.  CR 5-8s had around 105-127. My xp budgets 21000 and 27000 for moderate and high encounters. I made some larger ones ignoring the X2 suggestions. 2 combats in 3 hours another hour of set up, time out, RP etc.  Bit faster if I use smaller numbers. 27k let's me use a CR16 and 5 CR 5s with a bit of xp for fodder. That leaves you very vulnerable to spells like slow, command, tashas. CR5s generally dont have good wisdom saves.  Somewhere in the middles is probably CR 8-12 with fodder for 10-12 beings in the encounter. Speed things up by just removing the last low CR mooks. A cheap encounter is 15000 xp.its around 8 CR5s (10 is 18000iirc). Bounded accuracy concept is at war with the xp budget and advice to not exceed X2 the party members.  Its an improvement over 5.0 encounter guidelines. 30 minutes would be quick 45-60 minutes is typical. Hit the PCs with 3 fireballs in 6th level slots. A couple have resistance to fire, monk has evasion.   Divine intervention is available for hallow and 1 action prayer of healing. In combat refresh yours short rest abilities.  They're being a lot more conservative with spell slots. Time limit for the campaign  climax. I prepared 10 encounters. 3 low/medium/high and the final is X2 high boss fight.  They defeated a medium and high encounter.  Put some ways in to defeat other ones off camera via NPC allies. The allies eliminated 2 low and 1 more medium. Some allies were from level 1-3. Allies granted a boon. They chose the dragon one a 90' bolt 10d10 lightning damage.  The remaining 2 high encounters are fixed. They have to deal with them to get to the boss. The remaining low and medium encounter can be avoided, cut out or ignored depending  on how things play out. Time limit is a hard one. Long rest= campaign fail. Short rests are roll for random encounters.  Not enjoying level 13 as such. Its fun with the group but kinda going through the motions.</blockquote>

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