Lack of encounter multiplier not affecting combat?

[Fizban]

Hey Forum,

So I've been running 5e for a while now and have only ever run it through FG. Thus it was that when I started researching ways of modifying encounters to better fit the party I currently have (Minor healing and they just lost their tank) which is a high damage output but low hp/ac group.

During this research I discovered that the xp value of enemies increases based on a multiplier dependent on the number of creatures there are. I have never noticed this in FG, and looking further into it, it seems apparent that this function exists as a fan made extension.

Now here is my query: Given that I use "Hard" encounters as the standard for my party (they are pretty savvy and experienced players), and that creating these encounters without the multiplier. I have recalculated some of these encounters and found that many of them were actually deadly encounters. This would mean that around 80% of the encounters (following my normal pattern) my party has faced were deadly encounters, with the remainder apparently blowing the "Deadly" category out of the water. How have my party been excelling at these encounters? To the point where I often have to meta play their enemies with strategy just to provide a challenge for them.

Is the way that encounters are build in 5e flawed? Are my players just that good?

[Trenloe]

Is the way that encounters are build in 5e flawed?

Nope. The XP modification for multiple enemies is purely used for calculating the Easy, Medium, Hard or Deadly encounter label (which FG doesn't do). The XP modification for multiple enemies does not adjust the XP you'll award - which is what FG calculates in the encounter window.

Are my players just that good?

Hard to say - is it the players or the PCs? D&D 5E is designed to be pretty low on powerful magic items etc. - do your players have lots of magic items? What attack bonuses do they average and what levels are they? What damage do they do on average per attack.

In the end, some parties (PC and player mix) are just good at combat, and as a GM that is where you need to make decisions as to how you make combats more challenging, it doesn't just have to be more monsters. You'll know what entertains your players, so make changes that will challenge and entertain them not turn encounters into an annoyance. There's a small section in the DMG on page 84 called "Modifying the Encounter Difficulty", but there are also many articles/discussions on this if you go Internet searching for them.

[LordEntrails]

...

Is the way that encounters are build in 5e flawed? Are my players just that good?

Not unheard of. One of my groups I run hard and deadly encounters against all the time. I have to get creative and put in environment and give tactical advantage and knowledge to the NPCs on a regular basis. I run other groups that struggle with easy and moderate. Different players, different capabilities.

[Fizban]

Fair enough, thanks for the answers guys.

Currently I'm keeping combat as a secondary aspect of the game whilst I figure this one out. My players are much more appreciative of the exploration and puzzle encounters I'm laying out for them. It's not too hard to use more advanced strategy with the enemies in order to make the combat encounters more challenging.

Any tips for modifying encounters for a group that is high on damage but low on HP. Aside from a paladin I got a bunch of glass cannons. Pally and Barb held the line pretty well until recently, when the warlock killed the barb 'by accident'.

[LordEntrails]

...
Any tips for modifying encounters for a group that is high on damage but low on HP. Aside from a paladin I got a bunch of glass cannons. Pally and Barb held the line pretty well until recently, when the warlock killed the barb 'by accident'.

Look at creatures and/or traps that do things other than damage. Restrain, poison, grapple, slow, etc... Also look for creatures that have damage resistance or immunities.

[jojogladco]

Fair enough, thanks for the answers guys.

Currently I'm keeping combat as a secondary aspect of the game whilst I figure this one out. My players are much more appreciative of the exploration and puzzle encounters I'm laying out for them. It's not too hard to use more advanced strategy with the enemies in order to make the combat encounters more challenging.

Any tips for modifying encounters for a group that is high on damage but low on HP. Aside from a paladin I got a bunch of glass cannons. Pally and Barb held the line pretty well until recently, when the warlock killed the barb 'by accident'.

If you're not having combat very often then Hard and Deadly encounters will be of a middling challenge to players. These encounters only become Hard and Deadly if the players are facing 6 to 8 encounters a day that drain player resources. Doesn't all have to be combat, just make them burn spells, and abilities and potions... If the party is only having one or two fights a day and they can thrown everything they have at it because they don't have to hold back for other challenges then even Deadly encounters become push overs

[tiawaz]

Another thing to keep in mind is that it is designed around 'bounded accuracy' (google it for details).

By design magic items are intended to be rare, and every +1 a magic item gives a character has a very large effect, since design assumption is that there are no such bonuses.

So in a campaign where by lvl 5ish most everyone has a +1 weapon and some defensive bonuses you have to adjust encounters accordingly.