I’m looking for some opinions on an encounter my party recently faced in our D&D campaign. We’re a party of five level 9 characters using the 2024 rules with the following composition:
Drakewarden Ranger (I'm playing this)
Chronurgy Wizard
Oath of Vengeance Paladin
War Domain Cleric
Artillerist Artificer
Our DM recently pitted us against the following encounter, which she said was built for level 11 characters:
1 Hydra (CR 8)
4 Cult Fanatics (CR 2 each)
Based on the math, this totals 5,700 XP, which falls into the “Medium Difficulty” range for a party of level 9 characters (and seems even easier for level 11s). The encounter didn’t feel challenging to us—our Paladin and my Ranger took out the Hydra quickly, while the Cult Fanatics didn’t pose much of a threat because they got nuked by our Wizard, Cleric, and Artificer.
Afterward, our DM asked me to potentially nerf my weapon (taken down to Rare) because the encounter was too easy. I’m using a homebrew shortsword and a Dragon Wrath Weapon (Dagger, Very Rare), which means I am using Vex and Nick Weapon Mastery, and while it’s powerful, I feel like the encounter itself was the issue, not the weapon. From what I understand:
A single Hydra is vulnerable to focus fire and lacks resistances or legendary actions to challenge a party like ours.
Cult Fanatics, while annoying, aren’t threatening enough at this level.
The XP total for the encounter doesn’t even approach Deadly for our level.
I feel like nerfing the weapon isn’t fair when the encounter wasn’t designed to match our party’s strength. From what I’ve read, we could have handled something much harder, like a CR 12 or 13 creature with legendary actions, or a larger group of enemies with better synergy.
What do you all think? Was this encounter too easy for level 9s, let alone level 11s? Should the DM have adjusted the encounter rather than suggesting to nerf the weapon? I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice.
Until the new Monster Manual comes out, 2024 characters are stomping 2014 monters like they were made out of paper. Monsters need to be greatly strengthened in order to make up for the power gains granted to just about every class in 5e2024 versions. If you notice there are quite a few threads of folks asking how to beef up encounters since their 2024 characters are walking thru everything without challenge.
Fights that used to run 8-10 rounds, are now over in 3-4 rounds (though those 3-4 rounds take longer to resolve than the 8-10 round fights of 2014). In some cases characters are now doing TWICE the damage they used to do per round, and nick allows many to get an extra attack as well.
For anyone using the new 2024 rules, you are probably going to have to use encounters rated at "deadly" for your party. If you are packing rare or legendary magic items and such, you may even have to go more difficult than that. The little bit of information we have about the monster manual is that monsters are going to be a fair bit stronger than those from the 2014 version. The new rules are going to present an overall more powerful game.
The very rare dragon wrath weapons are the most powerful weapons in the game, they really shouldn't be given out until tier 3 or tier 4. But also that encounter was far too easy for your party, that would be suitable for a level 5 party of 5 2024 characters not a level 9 party.
Ok. That is what I thought and so I expressed this to my DM. She said that it wont be nerfed down to the Rare version and that encounters will just be built harder for us now. I say, bring it on!
You would have stomped that encounter under the 2014 rules too; the encounter building rules have major scaling issues, particularly if you have magic items. It doesn't look like the 2024 rules have dramatically increased monster power, other than leveling out some power inconsistencies, so I wouldn't expect much different results with new monsters.
Well I think that my DM used some kind of encounter calculator and those don't account for magic items. I don't remember what the other party members have but here is the list of items I'm using:
Amulet of Health
Serpent Scale Armor
Dragon’s Wrath Weapon - Weapon (dagger), very rare
My homebrewed shortsword - it has an Exalted stage but I don't have it yet.
Dormant:
+1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Nature’s Cycle: Once per short rest, you can use the sword to cast Cure Wounds at 2nd level and Inflict Wounds at 2nd level without using a spell slot or material components.
Hunter’s Step: As a bonus action, you can invoke the spirit of the wild. Until the start of your next turn, you can move without provoking opportunity attacks. Additionally, you can move through difficult terrain caused by natural elements such as plants, mud, or rocks without expending extra movement. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses after a long rest.
Awakened:
+2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Radiance of the Stars: On a critical hit, the sword explodes with radiant energy, dealing an additional 4d6 radiant damage. The target must also succeed a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of their next turn.
Guiding Light: You can speak the command word, Nurasa, that causes the sword to shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. The wielder and allies within the bright light gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
If the players were never worried about the outcome or that at least one party members could die it was too easy. At least that is the thought at our table.
With that many magic items, the DM should really increase the "effective level" of the party by 2, and treat you as if you were a party of level 11s at the very least. Possibly even higher than that.
Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some opinions on an encounter my party recently faced in our D&D campaign. We’re a party of five level 9 characters using the 2024 rules with the following composition:
Our DM recently pitted us against the following encounter, which she said was built for level 11 characters:
Based on the math, this totals 5,700 XP, which falls into the “Medium Difficulty” range for a party of level 9 characters (and seems even easier for level 11s). The encounter didn’t feel challenging to us—our Paladin and my Ranger took out the Hydra quickly, while the Cult Fanatics didn’t pose much of a threat because they got nuked by our Wizard, Cleric, and Artificer.
Afterward, our DM asked me to potentially nerf my weapon (taken down to Rare) because the encounter was too easy. I’m using a homebrew shortsword and a Dragon Wrath Weapon (Dagger, Very Rare), which means I am using Vex and Nick Weapon Mastery, and while it’s powerful, I feel like the encounter itself was the issue, not the weapon. From what I understand:
I feel like nerfing the weapon isn’t fair when the encounter wasn’t designed to match our party’s strength. From what I’ve read, we could have handled something much harder, like a CR 12 or 13 creature with legendary actions, or a larger group of enemies with better synergy.
What do you all think? Was this encounter too easy for level 9s, let alone level 11s? Should the DM have adjusted the encounter rather than suggesting to nerf the weapon? I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice.
Thanks in advance
Until the new Monster Manual comes out, 2024 characters are stomping 2014 monters like they were made out of paper. Monsters need to be greatly strengthened in order to make up for the power gains granted to just about every class in 5e2024 versions. If you notice there are quite a few threads of folks asking how to beef up encounters since their 2024 characters are walking thru everything without challenge.
Fights that used to run 8-10 rounds, are now over in 3-4 rounds (though those 3-4 rounds take longer to resolve than the 8-10 round fights of 2014). In some cases characters are now doing TWICE the damage they used to do per round, and nick allows many to get an extra attack as well.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
For anyone using the new 2024 rules, you are probably going to have to use encounters rated at "deadly" for your party. If you are packing rare or legendary magic items and such, you may even have to go more difficult than that. The little bit of information we have about the monster manual is that monsters are going to be a fair bit stronger than those from the 2014 version. The new rules are going to present an overall more powerful game.
The very rare dragon wrath weapons are the most powerful weapons in the game, they really shouldn't be given out until tier 3 or tier 4. But also that encounter was far too easy for your party, that would be suitable for a level 5 party of 5 2024 characters not a level 9 party.
Ok. That is what I thought and so I expressed this to my DM. She said that it wont be nerfed down to the Rare version and that encounters will just be built harder for us now. I say, bring it on!
You would have stomped that encounter under the 2014 rules too; the encounter building rules have major scaling issues, particularly if you have magic items. It doesn't look like the 2024 rules have dramatically increased monster power, other than leveling out some power inconsistencies, so I wouldn't expect much different results with new monsters.
Well I think that my DM used some kind of encounter calculator and those don't account for magic items. I don't remember what the other party members have but here is the list of items I'm using:
Amulet of Health
Serpent Scale Armor
Dragon’s Wrath Weapon - Weapon (dagger), very rare
My homebrewed shortsword - it has an Exalted stage but I don't have it yet.
Dormant:
Awakened:
If the players were never worried about the outcome or that at least one party members could die it was too easy. At least that is the thought at our table.
With that many magic items, the DM should really increase the "effective level" of the party by 2, and treat you as if you were a party of level 11s at the very least. Possibly even higher than that.
They don't really work in tier 3 even without magic items.