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Message: <blockquote data-quote="machineelf" data-source="post: 7315433" data-attributes="member: 6774924">Have I even once? A bit dramatic, eh?You're talking about two slightly different but related questions here: How informative and accurate the CR system is, and how much variance to an encounter challenge is due to the DM's adjudication of it.With regard to the first question, the more complicated a system gets, the less dependable a rating like a CR will be. That's not a bad thing; at least, it's not avoidable and it is due to something else that is good. It means that a system is not utterly simple, and instead has a lot of variable parts that become harder to quantify. That leads to a fun game with a lot of options.So for example, when the group is 1st level and they fight goblins, and neither the monsters nor the PCs have a lot of options and powers and tricks, it is easier to determine a challenge rating. There are fewer variables. But once the PCs and the monsters both get many more options in terms of abilities and spells and tactics, then the challenge rating becomes harder to quantify. It depends more and more on which tactics are taken and which tools (spells and abilities) are used. The CR isn't "crap;" but it does get less dependable as the levels increase. There really is no way around that, and that's why the CR should be viewed as a starting point only.That's the relation to the next question, of how much the challenge rating is affected by the DM's adjudication.It can be very easy for one DM to make a certain monster (let's say a dragon) fairly weak and easy to defeat, whereas another DM can make the same monster much more deadly. For example, let's say the first DM has the dragon stand in one spot in melee range of a group full of fighters, whereas the other DM has the dragon attack from afar and keep its distance until its breath weapon recharges. The dragon could do either things, but of course a smart dragon would keep its distance in those situations. So yes. it does often come down to the DM's skill and experience. It also comes down to how soft a DM wants to be toward their PCs. Some newer DMs may feel worried about possibly killing their PCs, whereas a DM with more experience with the 5th edition ruleset knows that the PCs have a lot of tools at their disposal at higher levels, and can take a lot more of a challenge. Additionally, with more familiarity with various monster stats, a DM can determine whether the CR for a particular monster plays lower or higher than advertised.</blockquote>

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