D&D 5E What monsters in 5e overshoot or undershoot their CR?

[Ash Mantle]

What monsters do you think overshoot their CR in 5e? That seem too powerful for their respective CR or should be moved to another CR entirely?

Similarly, what monsters do you think are too weak for their CR in 5e? That seem to belong to a lower CR entirely?

Or, although an issue in earlier editions of the game, the mechanics for monster design and CR assignation is tight in 5e and the monsters as rated prove the appropriate amount of challenge?

 

[Mort]

An intellect devourer or 2 (CR 2) will (especially if played intelligently) absolutely destroy a low level group.

Even a much higher level group has much to fear from them if the DM is sneaky.

 

[LordEntrails]

Kobolds, I mean if you play them sneaky and they litter their environment with traps and murder holes and you just totally Tucker them... But then again, if they just try to stand toe-to-toe with a party of martials then they are toast.

Err, well I guess almost EVERY creature depends on how the DM plays it. There's nothing I've encountered that can at least live up or down to it's CR.

I mean take a standard hag. Pretty weak in a stand up fight for it's CR, but that's not how they should be played or encountered. Their manipulative etc,

My goto resource is The Monsters Know What They’re Doing - Ready-to-Use Tactics for D&D 5E

 

[Burnside]

If a DM takes full advantage of the goblins' (CR 1/4) ability to Disengage or Hide as a bonus action, then 4 of them are a VERY tough encounter for 4 level 1 characters, and are likely to be able to down 1 or 2 adventurers even if the party goes in at full strength. Since action economy is king in 5E, that ability makes them punch above their CR weight.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I think that a lot depends on the party. Any combination of optimisers, magic items, more then 4 players etc might cause CRs in general to feel too weak.

How the monsters are played, and the environment that they are in can also make monsters fight above or below their CR.

Also +1 for Intellect devourers. In any situation where they aren't just trying to melee the party, their ability to take people out of commission with no method of recovery makes them much nastier then a CR 2 should be. Even when a party has access to Greater Restoration they are still a serious threat.

 

[S'mon]

What monsters do you think overshoot their CR in 5e? That seem too powerful for their respective CR or should be moved to another CR entirely?

Similarly, what monsters do you think are too weak for their CR in 5e? That seem to belong to a lower CR entirely?

Or, although an issue in earlier editions of the game, the mechanics for monster design and CR assignation is tight in 5e and the monsters as rated prove the appropriate amount of challenge?

It's definitely not tight!

Guard's AC 16 makes for a strong CR 1/8
Goblin is a weak CR 1/4, unless you really use the bonus action effectively and emphasise shortbow (which lowers AC to 13) not melee.
Orc is a weak CR 1/2, but just squeezes in due to the +5 to hit bonus.
The Thug is a very strong CR 1/2.
Cult Fanatic is a weak CR 2.

 

[S'mon]

If a DM takes full advantage of the goblins' (CR 1/4) ability to Disengage or Hide as a bonus action, then 4 of them are a VERY tough encounter for 4 level 1 characters, and are likely to be able to down 1 or 2 adventurers even if the party goes in at full strength. Since action economy is king in 5E, that ability makes them punch above their CR weight.

The way the numbers multiplier works, 4 CR 1/4 really are supposed to be deadly to 4 level 1 PCs.

 

[S'mon]

Oh, vampire is known as very weak for CR 13.

Generally the dragons are a bit stronger for their CR than other creatures. At high CRs non-Legendaries like the Nightwalker really struggle.

 

[Nebulous]

My goto resource is The Monsters Know What They’re Doing - Ready-to-Use Tactics for D&D 5E

Looks like it comes out in book format in October. I'll buy that!!!

 

[Nebulous]

An intellect devourer or 2 (CR 2) will (especially if played intelligently) absolutely destroy a low level group.

Even a much higher level group has much to fear from them if the DM is sneaky.

I've never used one as far as I can remember, in any edition. Maybe I did long ago in 2e and just forgot. Anyway, YES, the 5e version is nasty, and if the DM is tricky and puts 2 of them in an encounter and plays it smart, they can mess up all kinds of PCs.