D&D 5E Monstrous Disappointments.

[Oofta]

I sometimes wonder what game other people are playing. In my current campaign the group was given a "get out of jail free" card for something I'm planning in the future. Think "group of PCs facing down a literal army of demons". Which I made clear. They've want to pull the card a couple of times now for encounters that they didn't need to that were against standard monsters that were "hard" encounters.

I do agree there's less complexity to monsters in 5E, I don't think that makes them disappointing. I find them far easier to run and customize than older editions (4E they were easy, just annoying). Then again in every edition I've created custom monsters if I want something different.

 

[billd91]

Context has always made a lot of an impact on situations with relatively well-known and standard monsters. Chapter 3 of the Rise of the Runelords - Hook Mountain Massacre - takes what would otherwise be basic ogres and makes them a memorable menace. The Ravenloft setting materials offered plenty of advice for making descriptions more evocative when dealing with monsters - weaving in uncertainty to keep the suspense high.

 

[billd91]

For example, here's the section on lycanthropes:

Lycanthrope Tactics - The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

Werebeasts, a.k.a. lycanthropes, are wonderful enemies. A werebeast encounter can be awesome action or tragic drama.

themonstersknow.com

An excerpt:

When slain, they return to human form, and I like to use this moment to deliver the players an extra punch in the feels—for instance, by having a group of three slain werewolves revert to the forms of two young women and a teenage boy, who all bear a strong family resemblance to one another.

Oh, now that's some nice rat, bastard DM cruelty. I approve!

 

[Sacrosanct]

Lycanthropes funny enough are about the only exception to the rule that almost all monsters are less terrifying than in previous editions. But that's only at low levels. Most PCs aren't going to have magic or silvered weapons at low levels to fight an appropriate CR monster like a wererat. So you do still have to very much be wary and plan. However, there is a lot more magic use in 5e than in previous editions we played. At will cantrips are a significant boost, and most parties are going to have someone in the group that has cantrips (since many classes have access to them).

The other exception is mummy rot.

But outside of that, all the rest seem disappointing. Especially monsters like the cockatrice. Didn't matter what level you were, coming across that in 1e made you take notice. Now? You have to fail two easy DC saves, and even if you manage to do that, you're only petrified for a day. Inconvenient, not scary.

Gaze monsters? Same thing. You get multiple saves for the most part, and all you have to do is avert your eyes (which grants disadvantage, which isn't a big deal because there are so many ways to gain advantage to cancel that out).

Same with many conditions (like poison). Just a few extra damage on a failed save, and for those that grant the condition, you get to keep making a save every turn to end it rather than suffer the condition until neutralized.

 

[Nebulous]

BTW--for anyone who wants to know how to use "disappointing" monsters to their full potential, I highly recommend this blog:

The Monsters Know What They're Doing

For example, here's the section on lycanthropes:

Lycanthrope Tactics - The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

Werebeasts, a.k.a. lycanthropes, are wonderful enemies. A werebeast encounter can be awesome action or tragic drama.

themonstersknow.com

Yeah, I posted a thread on that a couple weeks ago. Good book (and blog).

 

[Celebrim]

Oh, now that's some nice rat, bastard DM cruelty. I approve!

In my most recent campaign the strong family resemblance was the PC's own.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Nebulous]

Lycanthropes funny enough are about the only exception to the rule that almost all monsters are less terrifying than in previous editions. But that's only at low levels. Most PCs aren't going to have magic or silvered weapons at low levels to fight an appropriate CR monster like a wererat. So you do still have to very much be wary and plan. However, there is a lot more magic use in 5e than in previous editions we played. At will cantrips are a significant boost, and most parties are going to have someone in the group that has cantrips (since many classes have access to them).

Yeah, damaging cantrips do make a big difference, and that wasn't around in my 2e wererat in a jail cell example, so it was 100% scarier. But yes, that's only at low levels generally.

But outside of that, all the rest seem disappointing. Especially monsters like the cockatrice. Didn't matter what level you were, coming across that in 1e made you take notice. Now? You have to fail two easy DC saves, and even if you manage to do that, you're only petrified for a day. Inconvenient, not scary.

Gaze monsters? Same thing. You get multiple saves for the most part, and all you have to do is avert your eyes (which grants disadvantage, which isn't a big deal because there are so many ways to gain advantage to cancel that out).

Same with many conditions (like poison). Just a few extra damage on a failed save, and for those that grant the condition, you get to keep making a save every turn to end it rather than suffer the condition until neutralized.

One workaround is to boost the saves to 15-18 range. That would terrify most PCs when the odds of resisting are vastly reduced. Usually the default saves are so easy to make it's not even a threat.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

What about the werewolf isn't scary exactly? It's immunity to regular damage is probably the most terrifying thing a low level party could ever encounter. Sure, it's CR 3 isn't a big deal to hardly any other D&D character, but in the right circumstances I think you can eke a great encounter out of it. I had the PCs trapped in a jail cell once with moonlight through the bars and a wererat changing form. That was going to be a TPK unless they found a way to escape.

First of all: they can't kill you... When they hit you, chances are you are instantly immune to all damage.
Also remove czrs makes them a human again...

 

[Bitbrain]

With +6 to hit and reckless (advantage on attacks)? Those are some unlucky minotaurs!

Yeah, they were very unlucky. EVERY SINGLE TIME.

The moment that made me swear off using Minotaurs forever came in my now-concluded homebrew campaign, when five Minotaurs couldn’t hit the Mul Bard even though he wasn’t wearing any armor during the fight (thus reducing his AC to 11).

Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to roll five attack rolls with advantage and a +6 bonus to hit AND MISS EVERY SINGLE ROLL DURING A COMBAT ENCOUNTER THAT LASTED FOUR ROUNDS?!



So now I use Girallons instead (although I removed the Aggressive trait and gave them Reckless Attacks). They hit most of the time, and the players get really excited whenever they have to fight one or more of the “white apes”.