I tend to set my encoutners at around the 'Hard' level (I give a bonus feat for free to everyone at 1st level, so it evens out).Ī single CR 8 creature is worth 3,900xp (just over a 'hard' encounter for 5 x 5th level PC's) On XP alone, it should prove a good encounter for 5 x 5th level PCs. DnD 5th is designed for it (bounded accuracy).ġ x Bearded devil and 2 x hellhounds (4,200 xp)ġ x Banshee, 1 x Ogre zombie, 8 x skeletons (3,750 xp)ġ x Half-Ogre riding 1 x Wyvern (3,750 xp)ġ x Shadow Demon, and 5 x Shadows (3,200 xp)ġ x Flameskull and 2 x Azer thralls (4,000 xp) Unless totally out of resources (badly wounded, bad initaitve rolls, no superiority dice, rages, spell slots, action surges etc) a party of 5 5th level PC's would wreck a single CR 5 inside of a single round.Ģ x CR5's is somewhere between Hard and Deadly.Īs often as you can, throw multiple monsters at the PC's. Secondly, 1 x CR appropriate creature is never a challenge for a party of 5 x PC's whose level = that same CR.Ī single CR 5 creature is worth 1800 XP (barely above an 'Easy' fight'). Dont throw a monster at the party that has a CR more than a point or two higher than the party level.

CR is just an approximation of the expected threat.

D&d manticore 5e