D&D Encounter Difficulty Calculator
Calculate D&D 5e encounter difficulty using monster XP, party size, and party level.
Instantly see if your encounter is Easy, Medium, Hard, or Deadly.
Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition uses an XP-threshold system to rate encounter difficulty. Each difficulty level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Deadly) has an XP threshold per player level. The encounter’s total adjusted XP is compared against the party’s combined threshold.
Step 1 — Total monster XP
Add up the XP value of every monster in the encounter.
| Challenge Rating | XP |
|---|---|
| 0 | 10 |
| 1 | 200 |
| 5 | 1,800 |
| 9 | 5,000 |
| 13 | 10,000 |
| 17 | 18,000 |
Step 2 — Apply the multiplier (more monsters = harder)
Multiple monsters are more dangerous than their XP suggests because of action economy:
| Number of Monsters | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 1 monster | ×1 |
| 2 monsters | ×1.5 |
| 3–6 monsters | ×2 |
| 7–10 monsters | ×2.5 |
| 11–14 monsters | ×3 |
| 15+ monsters | ×4 |
Step 3 — Compare to party thresholds
XP thresholds per player by level (Easy / Medium / Hard / Deadly):
| Level | Easy | Medium | Hard | Deadly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 |
| 2 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
| 3 | 75 | 150 | 225 | 400 |
| 4 | 125 | 250 | 375 | 500 |
| 5 | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,100 |
| 6 | 300 | 600 | 900 | 1,400 |
| 7 | 350 | 750 | 1,100 | 1,700 |
| 8 | 450 | 900 | 1,400 | 2,100 |
| 9 | 550 | 1,100 | 1,600 | 2,400 |
| 10 | 600 | 1,200 | 1,900 | 2,800 |
If the adjusted XP is below the Easy threshold, the encounter is Trivial. If it exceeds the Deadly threshold, the encounter may be Impossible.
Tip: A party of 4 at level 5 has a Deadly threshold of 4 × 1,100 = 4,400 XP. A single adult dragon (CR 10, 5,900 XP × 1 = 5,900 adjusted XP) would be Deadly for them.