I run a D&D game that I'm trying to follow the rules but Maths are really not my best attribute. So, I have one, seemingly ridicule question to ask: can I just reverse divide the encounter's EXP budget instead of multiplying the monsters EXP value for multiple monsters? Like, does it change the maths that much? Would a deadly encounter become more deadly because I did this or is it alright to do it?
If you're having some trouble with the maths of building encounters, check out our Encounter Builder tool - it takes all the work out of figuring it out. 😊
You shouldn’t use Deadly Encounters except maybe for the End Fight.
You should most likely follow the fine advice above. Otherwise use this general guideline and you should be fine:
Party Level = PL
Total CR=PL is a good guideline for Medium Encounters. If it results in more than a 50% increase in numbers (so 8 opponents for 5 party members) bump it up to a Hard. If it is over double, tread carefully.
Ah, sorry, do you mean Average Party Level (3+2+4/3?) or the total level of the party? Also, I like to make my own monsters and situations. That's why I am asking! :D
I run a D&D game that I'm trying to follow the rules but Maths are really not my best attribute. So, I have one, seemingly ridicule question to ask: can I just reverse divide the encounter's EXP budget instead of multiplying the monsters EXP value for multiple monsters? Like, does it change the maths that much? Would a deadly encounter become more deadly because I did this or is it alright to do it?
Thanks!
Yes, you can divide. Also remember that the encounter difficulty xp amount is for fighting 1 monster. I normally have 3-5 monsters in an encounter, so that doubles the xp difficulty, which means you'll need to cut the value in half. If there are more monsters, then you have to us less XP to keep the encounter difficulty the same.
So, for example using in the DMG p.82 XP Thresholds by Character Level and Encounter Multipliers tables, I do the following:
Medium encounter for 4 1st level characters: 50 + 50 + 50 + 50 = 200
3-5 monsters is x2, so I take that 200 and cut it in half, which is 100.
So that means if I pick 3-5 monsters that total 100 XP, it will be a medium difficulty fight. If it's just 1 monster, I should pick a 200 XP monster.
I do recommend using an online encounter builder to do the math for you.
Okay! Can I do the reverse, though? Like, if my EXP budget is 1200, for example (3 x level 3 characters) and I divide it by 2 since I have 3-6 enemies... is it doable to keep it at a deadly encounter? Or should I really only multiply the EXP value of the monsters I put in that encounter? Thanks a lot for your answer!
I'm a little unsure what you mean. If your scheme is: 'if I have 3-6 monsters, rather than multiplying xp values by 2, I will divide budget by 2', sure, it won't be a problem -- either way, a budget of 1,200 will be filled by a combination of CR 1 and CR 1/2 monsters with a total CR of 3.
Yes, this is exactly it! Rather than go around trying to figure out the CR of my monsters while I pick 'em, I can just slash the budget according to the difficulty and the party level by the multiplier. So, I can instead fill it up with a more personalized range of CRs. :D
Yes, this is exactly it! Rather than go around trying to figure out the CR of my monsters while I pick 'em, I can just slash the budget according to the difficulty and the party level by the multiplier. So, I can instead fill it up with a more personalized range of CRs. :D
Huh? I have no idea what you're talking about there.
You might find the encounter building methods given in Xanatar's Guide to Everything more to your taste.
Okay, sorry for my bad English it isn't my main language! Haha!
Here's my method: I pick a difficulty then I add up the EXP per character level. Three level 3 characters at deadly difficulty would be 1200 EXP.
Then, I divide 1200 by 2 because I want my party to fight 3-6 monsters in this battle! And then, I just... go around, shopping for monsters of various CRs until their added value is worth 600 EXP!
Does it work? Like, do the math add up like if I did pick a monster and multiplied its CR by 2 as the book suggests?
Okay, sorry for my bad English it isn't my main language! Haha!
Here's my method: I pick a difficulty then I add up the EXP per character level. Three level 3 characters at deadly difficulty would be 1200 EXP.
Then, I divide 1200 by 2 because I want my party to fight 3-6 monsters in this battle! And then, I just... go around, shopping for monsters of various CRs until their added value is worth 600 EXP!
Does it work? Like, do the math add up like if I did pick a monster and multiplied its CR by 2 as the book suggests?
So, it's normal if I make a CR 4 Monster confront three level 3 characters, right?
Okay, last question: Is the damage suggested in the damage column the maximum damage or the average damage that the monster should do? 'cause, my custom wind elemental did 6d6+4 damage... which was way too much for my part... :O
Hey there, guys, newcomer here!
I run a D&D game that I'm trying to follow the rules but Maths are really not my best attribute. So, I have one, seemingly ridicule question to ask: can I just reverse divide the encounter's EXP budget instead of multiplying the monsters EXP value for multiple monsters? Like, does it change the maths that much? Would a deadly encounter become more deadly because I did this or is it alright to do it?
Thanks!
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D&D Beyond FoundersIf you're having some trouble with the maths of building encounters, check out our Encounter Builder tool - it takes all the work out of figuring it out. 😊
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You shouldn’t use Deadly Encounters except maybe for the End Fight.
You should most likely follow the fine advice above. Otherwise use this general guideline and you should be fine:
Party Level = PL
Total CR=PL is a good guideline for Medium Encounters. If it results in more than a 50% increase in numbers (so 8 opponents for 5 party members) bump it up to a Hard. If it is over double, tread carefully.
Ah, sorry, do you mean Average Party Level (3+2+4/3?) or the total level of the party? Also, I like to make my own monsters and situations. That's why I am asking! :D
But thank you for your answer!
Thank you for your answer! But I like to create my own monsters all the time, keeping 'em in my BuJo to make sure I don't flip through pages!
Yes, you can divide. Also remember that the encounter difficulty xp amount is for fighting 1 monster. I normally have 3-5 monsters in an encounter, so that doubles the xp difficulty, which means you'll need to cut the value in half. If there are more monsters, then you have to us less XP to keep the encounter difficulty the same.
So, for example using in the DMG p.82 XP Thresholds by Character Level and Encounter Multipliers tables, I do the following:
Medium encounter for 4 1st level characters: 50 + 50 + 50 + 50 = 200
3-5 monsters is x2, so I take that 200 and cut it in half, which is 100.
So that means if I pick 3-5 monsters that total 100 XP, it will be a medium difficulty fight. If it's just 1 monster, I should pick a 200 XP monster.
I do recommend using an online encounter builder to do the math for you.
Okay! Can I do the reverse, though? Like, if my EXP budget is 1200, for example (3 x level 3 characters) and I divide it by 2 since I have 3-6 enemies... is it doable to keep it at a deadly encounter? Or should I really only multiply the EXP value of the monsters I put in that encounter? Thanks a lot for your answer!
I'm a little unsure what you mean. If your scheme is: 'if I have 3-6 monsters, rather than multiplying xp values by 2, I will divide budget by 2', sure, it won't be a problem -- either way, a budget of 1,200 will be filled by a combination of CR 1 and CR 1/2 monsters with a total CR of 3.
Yes, this is exactly it! Rather than go around trying to figure out the CR of my monsters while I pick 'em, I can just slash the budget according to the difficulty and the party level by the multiplier. So, I can instead fill it up with a more personalized range of CRs. :D
Huh? I have no idea what you're talking about there.
You might find the encounter building methods given in Xanatar's Guide to Everything more to your taste.
Okay, sorry for my bad English it isn't my main language! Haha!
Here's my method: I pick a difficulty then I add up the EXP per character level. Three level 3 characters at deadly difficulty would be 1200 EXP.
Then, I divide 1200 by 2 because I want my party to fight 3-6 monsters in this battle! And then, I just... go around, shopping for monsters of various CRs until their added value is worth 600 EXP!
Does it work? Like, do the math add up like if I did pick a monster and multiplied its CR by 2 as the book suggests?
You don't multiply CR by 2, you multiply xp value by 2. And yes, that should produce the same results as the standard system.
Yes, that works out exactly the same.
Okay, thank you very much!
So, it's normal if I make a CR 4 Monster confront three level 3 characters, right?
Okay, last question: Is the damage suggested in the damage column the maximum damage or the average damage that the monster should do? 'cause, my custom wind elemental did 6d6+4 damage... which was way too much for my part... :O
Define normal? It's not average difficulty, but it's within budget for Deadly.
Yes, Deadly encounter. I was just wondering if I didn't miss my calculations somewhere. ^^' As said, I am pretty bad at those.
If it's a problem, I'd second the above recommendation for the Encounter Builder.
Thank you for your answer!
Thank you all for your help! :D