D&D 5E Running High Level 5E is more fun than I thought it would be.

[robus]

I don't "ensure" anything that requires a die roll. Everything in the open. No fudging.

Cool. My rolls are generally so low that my table needs the boost to make things fun...

 

[Oofta]

I don't "ensure" anything that requires a die roll. Everything in the open. No fudging.

Ah, but modifying a monster and giving it a +20 to initiative doesn't technically increase it's CR.

More seriously the neothelid has blindsight so I would have considered something like a heavy fog that blocks sight more than 10 ft away. Having "something" in the mist casting a shadow over the entire group while everyone is making saves vs confusion. Then after it does it's big attacks have it grab someone with it's 15 ft reach and retreat back into the mist.

Fun times.

 

[Reynard]

Ah, but modifying a monster and giving it a +20 to initiative doesn't technically increase it's CR.

More seriously the neothelid has blindsight so I would have considered something like a heavy fog that blocks sight more than 10 ft away. Having "something" in the mist casting a shadow over the entire group while everyone is making saves vs confusion. Then after it does it's big attacks have it grab someone with it's 15 ft reach and retreat back into the mist.

Fun times.

Like I said, I am running the adventure as-is for the most part. Since I am using Fantasy Grounds, I don't have to prep much so I am sort of trusting the designers to get it right. Assuming they do, it will help me be able to do so in the future, given that I have less experience running this level 5E than I would like. Sometimes what look like big encounters fall flat, and ones that look like run of the mill grinds turn out epic. The guard room with the orogs turned out to be a major battle, with a half dozen githyanki on the PCs' side and a half dozen illithids opposing them and getting really lucky with their recharge rolls. That's just the way it shakes out.

Now I have to figure out which level to have the PCs explore next (they also leveled up to 15th).

 

[Oofta]

Like I said, I am running the adventure as-is for the most part. Since I am using Fantasy Grounds, I don't have to prep much so I am sort of trusting the designers to get it right. Assuming they do, it will help me be able to do so in the future, given that I have less experience running this level 5E than I would like. Sometimes what look like big encounters fall flat, and ones that look like run of the mill grinds turn out epic. The guard room with the orogs turned out to be a major battle, with a half dozen githyanki on the PCs' side and a half dozen illithids opposing them and getting really lucky with their recharge rolls. That's just the way it shakes out.

Now I have to figure out which level to have the PCs explore next (they also leveled up to 15th).

I'm not in any way saying you did it wrong. Just thinking out loud about how I would run a neothelid if I were to throw them as a solo against a higher level group.

Probably a separate thread.