D&D 5E MM: How many high levels monsters have some form of magic resistance?

[Stalker0]

Just taking a quick purview of higher level monsters, a LOT of them get advantage on saving throws or legendary resistance...or both.

I wanted to find out if someone had already done a catalog of the MM, and knew how many high level monsters (lets say 15th level onward) got some form of special resistance?

 

[jadrax]

Aside from the Dragon Turtle and Purple Worm, all of them have some form of ability to negate some spells.

• Planetar, CR 16, Magic Resistance
• Solar, CR 23, Magic Resistance
• Death Night, CR 17, Magic Resistance
• Demilich, CR 18, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Balor, CR 19, Magic Resistance
• Goristro, CR 17, Magic Resistance
• Marilith, CR 16, Magic Resistance
• Pit Fiend, CR 20, Magic Resistance
• Adult Blue Dracolich, Magic Resistance, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Black Dragon, CR 21, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Blue Dragon, CR 23, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Adult Blue Dragon, CR 16, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Green Dragon, CR 22, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Adult Green Dragon, CR 22, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Red Dragon, CR 24, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Adult Red Dragon, CR 17, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient White Dragon, CR 20, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Brass Dragon, CR 20, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Bronze Dragon, CR 22, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Adult Bronze Dragon, CR 22, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Copper Dragon, CR 21, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Gold Dragon, CR 24, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Adult Gold Dragon, CR 17, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Ancient Silver Dragon, CR 23, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Adult Silver Dragon, CR 16, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Dragon Turtle, CR 17
• Empyrean, CR 23, Magic Resistance, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Iron Golem, CR 16, Magic Resistance, Immutable Form
• Kraken, CR 23, Freedom of Movement
• Lich, CR 21, Legendary Resistance (3/day)
• Mummy Lord, CR 15, Magic Resistance
• Purple Worm, CR 15
• Androsphinx, CR 17, Inscrutable
• Tarrasque, CR 30, Magic Resistance, Reflective Carapace, Legendary Resistance (3/day)

 

[Stalker0]

Thank you Jadrax, just what I needed.

 

[Minigiant]

Pretty much all but the dragon turtle and purple worm.
And the turtle is rather HP fat and the worm can easily stay out of sight.

Pretty much almost everything CR 15+ will shrug off a few spells in 5e.

 

[Boarstorm]

That seems like too many, doesn't it?

Just me?

 

[Galendril]

Seems right to me. You don't want high level monsters to get disabled easily. On the other hand, because of bound accuracy, lower level mobs are still quite dangerous. Those are the types of creatures spell casters should be wiping out first (in a mixed level battle).

 

[Chocolategravy]

Seems right to me. You don't want high level monsters to get disabled easily. On the other hand, because of bound accuracy, lower level mobs are still quite dangerous. Those are the types of creatures spell casters should be wiping out first (in a mixed level battle).

I don't find "because I'm awesome" to be a particularly satisfying reason to instantly shrug off spells. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as a DM and is annoying and frustrating to a player. As I mentioned in the legendary resistance thread, the generic nature of it is lazy, also the game breaking aspect of it degrades the enjoyment of the game. The Goblin Boss ability to shove a minion in the way is an example of how legendary resistance could have been done better.

Lairs are another opportunity to have legendary resistance without being utterly generic and consistency breaking. Traps, glyphs and other prepared defenses that the legendary creature could trigger would make a far more interesting and believable defense than the DM going "nope", you should have used spells with multiple saves or attack rolls instead.

 

[Galendril]

I don't find "because I'm awesome" to be a particularly satisfying reason to instantly shrug off spells. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as a DM and is annoying and frustrating to a player. As I mentioned in the legendary resistance thread, the generic nature of it is lazy, also the game breaking aspect of it degrades the enjoyment of the game. The Goblin Boss ability to shove a minion in the way is an example of how legendary resistance could have been done better.

Lairs are another opportunity to have legendary resistance without being utterly generic and consistency breaking. Traps, glyphs and other prepared defenses that the legendary creature could trigger would make a far more interesting and believable defense than the DM going "nope", you should have used spells with multiple saves or attack rolls instead.

Hey, I don't know why you singled me out. I just said from a balance perspective, you don't want to have a wizard castrating a boss type mob with a single spell. I wasn't speaking to the flavor of why the high level mob has resistance. AFAIC, make up whatever flavor you want....

 

[Minigiant]

Well one thing is you gotta let this high level creatures survive on their own. Relying on liars and minions to stop Big Spells makes their CR false since they suck alone outside their lair.

Sure there be another trait to limit Big Spells but two is fine for a first MM.

 

[mcintma]

This is one of the reasons I worry about high-level play for casters. Going from ~five 8-9th level spells/day in prev editions to a single spell/day is really gonna suck when legendary monsters can 'choose' to save 3x/day and beyond that everything has some form of energy and magic resistance. I don't know for a fact, just a bit leery.