Encounter builder
Search the monster list, set your party and watch the difficulty change as you build. Works with the 2024 and 2014 fifth edition rules.
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How difficulty works
2024 rules: every character has an XP budget for Low, Moderate and High fights based on their level. Add the party's budgets together and compare them with the monsters' total XP.
2014 rules: total the monsters' XP, then multiply by a number that grows with the monster count: ×1 for one, ×1.5 for two, ×2 for three to six, ×2.5 for seven to ten, ×3 for eleven to fourteen, ×4 for fifteen or more. Parties of one or two use the next multiplier up, parties of six or more the next one down.
"XP each" is what each character earns for winning, based on the monsters' unadjusted total.
Want the long version? Read how encounter difficulty works, or browse all monsters by challenge rating.
Questions
How do you calculate encounter difficulty in 5e?
Add up the XP of every monster. Under the 2024 rules, compare that total with the party’s combined XP budget for Low, Moderate and High difficulty. Under the 2014 rules, multiply the total by a factor based on the number of monsters, then compare it with the party’s Easy, Medium, Hard and Deadly thresholds.
What is the difference between the 2014 and 2024 encounter rules?
The 2024 rules use a simple XP budget with no multiplier for monster count. The 2014 rules apply a multiplier (×1.5 for two monsters, ×2 for three to six, up to ×4 for fifteen or more), so they rate big groups of weak monsters as harder.
How many goblins should I use against a level 1 party?
For four level 1 characters under the 2024 rules, up to 4 goblins (50 XP each) is a Low encounter, 6 is Moderate and 8 is High. Every monster has its own page in our monster list showing these numbers for levels 1 to 10.
Can I send the encounter to an initiative tracker?
Yes. Press "Send to initiative tracker" and every monster is added to our initiative tracker with its hit points and armor class, with initiative already rolled.
Does it support mixed-level parties?
Yes. Add a party row for each level, for example three level 5 characters and one level 4.