Zardnaar
Legend
Doesn't the anti magic turn off the eye ray?
D&D 5E Worst Metagame Anti Player Creature Design?
- Thread starter Zardnaar
- Start date
Doesn't the anti magic turn off the eye ray?
Bill Zebub
“It’s probably Matt Mercer’s fault.”
Leatherhead
Possibly a Idiot.
The main ways that creatures punch way above their CR in 5e:
Creating a "killer" monster without going over the top is the hard bit.
Firstly, it needs to do one of those things listed above. Being stunlocked is just not fun, as is being constantly outranged. That leaves ignoring HP as the weapon of choice. You can accomplish this via a main attack, or as a feature (such as an aura, or bonus action that can inflict conditions).
Stats are a bit more malleable, depending on what CR you are shooting for. But it would have to have a base speed of 40 (in order to not be outpaced), with some form of advanced movement. Preferably tunneling, though swimming and flight work well enough.
Either way, they are going to need a ranged attack to counter anyone who tries to get clever with flying. The good old Rock attack works splendidly for this, as it can also knock flying targets prone.
An advanced sense will also help. If you have Tunneling, Tremorsense is a must, but you should have a backup to prevent the monster from becoming too gimmicky. Truesight is obviously the best, if you can justify it.
Defenses can also have a massive impact on how strong a monster is. If something has any form of regeneration, and a way to run away and hide, it can massively up it's threat by using hit and run tactics. Unfortunately, this method can be a bit too extreme if the PCs have no way of preventing the creature from running way. Making it better to have other kinds of defensive options. A Reaction that can block attacks or counter spells is one of the better ways to accomplish this. A novel concept would be some form of ablative defense that can remove conditions or absorb some damage.
Given all that, I would make a "Heat Crawler"
A giant sickly glowing green centipede-like creature that burrows around near the surface, looking for food with it's tremorsense. Once it finds a target, it erupts from the ground, grapples a target, and drags them below the ground. Where the strange energies emitted from its body cook the victim alive, exhausting the prey in the process. Should the prey be flighty, they can use their serpentine body to toss a rock, knocking the prey prone, so they can give chase. The Heat Crawler's carapace gives them resistance to damage, but they can shed it (requiring no action) in order to instantly end any status condition or ongoing effect that requires a saving throw, and doing so removes their damage reduction until they complete a long rest.
- Ignoring the HP mechanic. If you can do stat damage, inflict exhaustion, inflict a fight-ending condition like petrification, or otherwise just kill your target, you are on the right track.
- Manipulating the action economy. Mostly just control, action denial is a great way to frustrate players. Stuns, massive penalties, etc.
- Outranging the enemy. Being able to avoid reprisal attacks is a huge deal.
Creating a "killer" monster without going over the top is the hard bit.
Firstly, it needs to do one of those things listed above. Being stunlocked is just not fun, as is being constantly outranged. That leaves ignoring HP as the weapon of choice. You can accomplish this via a main attack, or as a feature (such as an aura, or bonus action that can inflict conditions).
Stats are a bit more malleable, depending on what CR you are shooting for. But it would have to have a base speed of 40 (in order to not be outpaced), with some form of advanced movement. Preferably tunneling, though swimming and flight work well enough.
Either way, they are going to need a ranged attack to counter anyone who tries to get clever with flying. The good old Rock attack works splendidly for this, as it can also knock flying targets prone.
An advanced sense will also help. If you have Tunneling, Tremorsense is a must, but you should have a backup to prevent the monster from becoming too gimmicky. Truesight is obviously the best, if you can justify it.
Defenses can also have a massive impact on how strong a monster is. If something has any form of regeneration, and a way to run away and hide, it can massively up it's threat by using hit and run tactics. Unfortunately, this method can be a bit too extreme if the PCs have no way of preventing the creature from running way. Making it better to have other kinds of defensive options. A Reaction that can block attacks or counter spells is one of the better ways to accomplish this. A novel concept would be some form of ablative defense that can remove conditions or absorb some damage.
Given all that, I would make a "Heat Crawler"
A giant sickly glowing green centipede-like creature that burrows around near the surface, looking for food with it's tremorsense. Once it finds a target, it erupts from the ground, grapples a target, and drags them below the ground. Where the strange energies emitted from its body cook the victim alive, exhausting the prey in the process. Should the prey be flighty, they can use their serpentine body to toss a rock, knocking the prey prone, so they can give chase. The Heat Crawler's carapace gives them resistance to damage, but they can shed it (requiring no action) in order to instantly end any status condition or ongoing effect that requires a saving throw, and doing so removes their damage reduction until they complete a long rest.
Zardnaar
Legend
I had a blue dragon in a desert dungeon once. Trick was tunnels filled with sand and hidden rooms in said sand.
It's neck could pop out, blast them and retreat.
Vaalingrade
Legend
Legendary Resistance.
JiffyPopTart
Bree-Yark
This was my answer. The old school kind, not so much the 5e version.
How about a magically resistant nilbog....the only way to kill it is to capture it and keep it from self harming for a couple weeks.
JiffyPopTart
Bree-Yark
In 5e the scaredest I have ever made the players was a pea soup fog filled dungeon filled with shadows. True hit and run tactics.
I did a similar thing with goblins attacking from big pile of rubble they had filled with tunnels and trapdoors. It was very difficult for the PCs because the goblins never used the same hidey hole to pop out of making it very difficult to get a shot off at one.
I did a similar thing with goblins attacking from big pile of rubble they had filled with tunnels and trapdoors. It was very difficult for the PCs because the goblins never used the same hidey hole to pop out of making it very difficult to get a shot off at one.
The Gas Spore is entirely anti-player meta.
My favorite from 1E was the Goldbug. It didn't kill the character, but drove the player bat-crap crazy. It was basically indistinguishable from a gold piece, and it ate precious metals. PCs take them as treasure, put them in their stash, then find it smaller each time they check on it.
My favorite from 1E was the Goldbug. It didn't kill the character, but drove the player bat-crap crazy. It was basically indistinguishable from a gold piece, and it ate precious metals. PCs take them as treasure, put them in their stash, then find it smaller each time they check on it.
James Gasik
We don't talk about Pun-Pun
Horde of CR 1/2 Shadows.
When I took over DMing for my group (back in the 2E days) after a rather overpowered adventure by our other DM, one of the players had a pet baby gold dragon. I decided that the reason why dragons hoard gold is that they need it to grow and mature. So this pet dragon started eating all the party's gold - and then demanding more. And it got bigger and grumpier the more it ate.
