Possible issue with "cool"/"iconic" monsters

[Particle_Man]

1) It has been said by some that 3.x games are progressively harder to DM at high levels. One solution to this is to keep things at lower levels (either by the E6 method, or just by retiring characters at some level, say 10th, and starting over).

2) Some of the monsters that are iconic and cool are very, very tough, and would overwhelm a party of less than high levels.

So,

3) Some campaigns lack the cooler, iconic monsters.

Is there a way to fix this?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I own all 5 Monster Manuals, 2 Fiendish Codex's, draw from the new monsters in various other supplimental books, etc. I've discovered that if you mix in the more exotic, less heard of critters in with the more common ones, the variety keeps things good.

I approach higher level challenges with monsters in 3 different ways:
-Use a single, high level monster
-Use multiple, smaller level monsters at the same time
-Take a smaller monster and add one or more templates.

I make sure to know my players, their PC's and playing style, and throw things at them with this in mind. Sometimes my goal is to really challenge them, sometimes my goal is to break them, sometimes they just need to pummel something, other times the enemy is vitally important to the story so it's what they end up against regardless of how well they're designed to handle it.

So, if the goal is to keep the cool, Iconic monsters, then use Dragons at all their age categories, use variants of the Beholderkin, give Mind Flayers class levels, and add templates to Rust monsters. Etc.

 

[lolstrider7]

Honestly, in my most recent campaign, we've fought most of the high-level monsters before level 10... my DM started to just make custom monsters after we defeated a minor deity at level 8. As long as your party is optimization-capable, then you can fight most monsters even some of the ELH monsters.

For the record, our party is essentially 2 wizards, 1 cleric, and a charger. We made a living by ganking Balors for about 6 months before one of them got off a blasphemy.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Honestly, in my most recent campaign, we've fought most of the high-level monsters before level 10... my DM started to just make custom monsters after we defeated a minor deity at level 8. As long as your party is optimization-capable, then you can fight most monsters even some of the ELH monsters.

For the record, our party is essentially 2 wizards, 1 cleric, and a charger. We made a living by ganking Balors for about 6 months before one of them got off a blasphemy.

[MENTION=6693655]lolstrider7[/MENTION] has a great point about party build optimization. What CR the party can take depends directly proportionate to how effective each PC is designed and how well the players cooperate.

 

[lolstrider7]

@lolstrider7 has a great point about party build optimization. What CR the party can take depends directly proportionate to how effective each PC is designed and how well the players cooperate.

There also exists the problem that CR seems to have been determined by the blindfold/dartboard method. See the Allip (MM1), CR 3, which very few 3rd level characters can touch. Also see the Ephemeral Swarm (MM3), CR 5, but capable of wiping entire parties of less than 11th level on its own. Also see the Voor (MM4). For the opposite side of the spectrum, see most non-incorporeal, non-zombie hydra undead, and most of the MM2.