DnD 5e Encounter Calculator
Party Information
Monster Information
DnD 5e Encounter Building
Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition uses a specific system to determine combat encounter difficulty. The system balances the challenge based on the party’s composition and the monsters they face. A well-balanced encounter provides just the right amount of challenge – not too easy to be boring, but not so difficult that it leads to a total party kill (TPK).
The encounter building system uses XP thresholds (Easy, Medium, Hard, and Deadly) based on character levels. These thresholds help Dungeon Masters create appropriate challenges for their players. Additionally, the system accounts for the “action economy” by applying multipliers when parties face multiple monsters.
Our calculator implements the official rules from the Dungeon Master’s Guide, making it easier to create balanced encounters without manual calculations.
How to Use the DnD 5e Encounter Calculator
Step 1: Enter Party Information
Input the number of players and their level in the Party Information section. If your party has characters at different levels, click “Add Different Level Group” to add another row for each level group.
Step 2: Add Monster Information
Select monsters from the dropdown menu or choose “Custom” to specify a Challenge Rating manually. Enter the number of each monster type you want to include in your encounter. Click “Add Monster” if you want to add different monster types.
Step 3: Calculate the Encounter
Click the “Calculate Encounter” button to process your inputs. The calculator will determine the party’s XP thresholds, the total monster XP, and apply appropriate multipliers based on the number of monsters and party size.
Step 4: Review the Results
Examine the encounter difficulty rating (Trivial, Easy, Medium, Hard, or Deadly) and the detailed breakdown of XP calculations. The explanation section clarifies how the difficulty was determined and provides context for your encounter design decisions.
Step 5: Adjust as Needed
Based on the calculated difficulty, you can modify your encounter by adding or removing monsters, changing monster types, or adjusting their numbers until you achieve your desired challenge level for your adventuring party.