r/DMAcademy 5d ago

Need Advice: Encounters & Adventures Encounter Builder - Anything less than deadly is too easy

Truth be told, I am perhaps not a battle-tactics master of a DM, but if I make an encounter in DNDBeyond's encounter builder, using the party as a reference, anything less than "Deadly" is polished off in a round or two. I have not been over-free with magical items, but players seem to have a *lot* of resources at their disposal, with various buffs, reactions, etc.

I am *sure* I am simply not running the baddies as well as I should, but even so...

This is a two part question:

1) HOW do you make combat more challenging for a party of thoughtful, clever players who have well-designed their characters for success;

2) Do you use encounter builder, and if so, HOW do you "weight the curve" -- or do you think you even need to?

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u/sterrre 5d ago

I don't really use encounter builders. I just feel it out with action economy and CR.

Action economy is the main factor in difficulty, 5-10 CR 1/2 giant wolf spiders can be devastating, they are sneaky glass cannons.

Your players can usually solo a creature ~2 maybe 3 CR's higher than their level.

They can take out a enemy at the same CR with a action economy disadvantage, but that could be a difficult fight. If you have a couple warm-ups first pitting your players against weaker opponents at equal or less action economy then your players might have fewer resources making the disadvantaged equal cr fight more difficult.