Over this most recent weekend, I ran a series of high level D&D 5E 2024 battles at a convention. After some less than satisfying playtesting with the standard rules, I developed a different system. Following is a rough draft of that system (which i worked out to good success before and between sessions at the con).
A thread discussing the process can be found
here.
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God Hunting: Rules for Fighting Epic Monsters in D&D 5E
Post Playtest Draft
Note: These rules were developed following dissatisfaction with high level PCs versus epic/legendary monsters in D&D. After two lackluster playests against the 2024 Colossus, I decided to create the basics of these rules before my “God Hunters” games at RPGCon (Medford, MA, April 24-27). I iterated the rules with each of the four sessions. This document is an attempt to formalize those rules and is, of course, itself subject to future iteration.
Second Note: In this document I am using “Gods” to denote the level of monster, and “God Hunting” to describe the battles. This is simply due to the conceit of the convention game that spawned these rules. These terms will eventually be replaced by something else.
The Design Goal: Epic Fun
The purpose of these “God Hunting” rules is to ensure that campaign ending epic battles by high level PCs are as satisfying in actuality as they promise to be in the lead up. While D&D, particularly 5E, has implemented a few tools to accomplish this (Legendary actions, Mythic rules, etc) it continues to miss the mark. Too often, such a battle is over before the PCs can really show what they can do, or, conversely, it turns into an interminable slog.
The Core Concept: Hits and Thresholds.
In this system, bigger monsters just don’t have more hit points. Instead, these gods have Hits, which are marked off if during a single round a certain damage Threshold is reached by the PCs. Most gods have 3 Hits, and are destroyed when the last is marked off. Minions: Gods always have Minions with them. Minions serve them as soldiers and support in the fight against the PCs. But most importantly they serve as a means to resist or heal from damage done by the PCs, potentially causing the PCs to fail to mark a Hit that round.
Gods: Designing Epic Monsters
Relative to the usual 5E rules, gods are exceptionally powerful high CR creatures, with legendary resistances, legendary actions, and other abilities appropriate to their status.
Note: This document uses monster creation rules from LevelUp: Advanced 5E (EN Publishing), as well as some influence from both the Tome of the Valiant Monster Vault (Kobold Press) and the monster book Flee!Mortals (MCDM).
The GM may start with an existing epic tier enemy, such as the Collossus, and modify it, or build a creature from scratch (using a reliable set of rules, such as the LevelUp: Advanced 5E rules found in the Monstrous Menagerie). Armor class, defenses, offensive abilities and other elements are intended to remain in line with the gods’ 5E CR.
Set Challenge Rating: Gods should be at least CR 18 with legendary abilities. It is recommended that the CR of the god be set at the highest CR appropriate to the party level and number of members for a dead encounter, as shown on the LevelUp:A5E encounter design chart. For example, the god facing a 17th level, 5-member party should be CR 25.
Assign Hits: Most gods will have 3 Hits, and each Hit will have the same Threshold. Of course, any individual creature can deviate from this if the GM desires and the story of the monster suggests such. Some of the examples in this document certainly do.
Assign Threshold: The Threshold value is the amount of damage that the PCs need to do collectively to the god in one round (one full cycle through the initiative order) in order to mark off a Hit. Use a base value of 5 times the creature's CR.
Minions and Threshold: Since minions either heal damage done to the god, or block incoming damage, they impact the proper setting of the god’s Threshold value. See the minions’ “Signature Support Abilities” section for a list of different minion support abilities and how they modify the god’s base Threshold.
Minions: Necessary Evils
The gods do not stand alone. When the PCs encounter a god, there are always minions with the god, providing additional firepower, defensive capabilities and support.
Choosing Minions: The number, type and CR of minions should be chosen to ensure that the total CR for the encounter is rated as deadly for the PCs according to the LevelUp A5E encounter chart. For example, a group of 5 level 17 PCs requires a CR 25 god and a number of minions that bring the total CR of the encounter to 56. It is recommended that the individual CR of the minions not be below half the average character level (rounded down). So in the given example, no minion should be below CR 8.
Signature Support Abilities: A god can use a Reaction to activate a minion’s signature support ability. The purpose of this support ability is to disrupt, avoid or heal damage that would otherwise fill the god’s Threshold during a round. Note that the ability has no impact on the minion’s CR, since it is a passive ability that is activated by the god. Examples of signature support abilities are:
Block Damage: Using a reaction, the god can force a minion within 30 feet to take damage that has just been dealt to the god, which he minion suffers normally with regards to its own hit points, resistances, immunities and vulnerabilities. This ability is common to fanatical minions of their gods.
When you choose this ability for the god’s minions, their Threshold increases by 20% the base value.
Absorb Life Force: Using a reaction, the god may absorb the life force of a minion at any distance as long as it is on the same plane. The god heals an amount of damage to its Threshold equal to the minion’s current hit points. This ability is common to the minions of gods who create minions from parts of themselves.
When you choose this ability for the god’s minions, their Threshold increases by the minion’s CR%.
Reset Threshold: Using a reaction, the god may sacrifice a minion and immediately reset the current Threshold to zero damage. This is a powerful, uncommon ability found only in powerful gods and those whose minions have limited or no offensive capability.
When you choose this ability for the god’s minions, their Threshold increases by 10%.
Creating and Deploying Minions: Normally, when a god is encountered it has a small number of minions present. As each is defeated by the PCs or sacrificed by the god, the god may replace a minion by using a legendary action. Another minion of the same type appears within 30 feet of the god and acts immediately and continues to take its turn immediately after the PC whose action preceded the legendary action that spawned the minion. In any case, the god may never have any more minions with it than it had when the encounter began.
Lairs: Hell is Where The Heart Is
Gods have lairs that have lair features and use lair actions in accordance with their base creature. Note that in D&D 5E 2024, legendary creatures do not have lair actions and instead gain an additional legendary action while in their lairs. It is up to the GM to decide if this is appropriate for the god in question.
Rewards: Loot and XP
The intent of these rules is to present major battles that are at the culmination of central storylines or at least long developing subplots in the campaign. GMs should reward players as they see fit, but following are a few suggestions:
Artifact(s): Gods are perfect enemies to guard ancient, powerful artifacts. Making a major artifact the reward for defeating a god is entirely appropriate.
Epic Boons: Likewise, defeating a god could confer upon the PCs a touch of the divine. Consider gifting the PCs with an epic boon feat.
A Taste of the Divine: As a specific sort of Epic Boon, consider giving the PCs a choice. Upon defeating the god, it shrinks into a gem,. Stone, icon or even egg, a small earthly vessel containing its power. That vessel may be hidden away or returned to the heavens or otherwise removed from the PCs reach. OR, the PCs may crack it open and absorb its essence, drinking of divine power in order to gain their Epic Boon. Is this taboo? How would the world and the other gods or powers react?
The End: It is, of course, possible that rewards are moot, as the defeat of the god signals the end of the campaign.