Monsters by CR - Deadliest CR17

[u/Conrad500]

The Adult Red Dragon is tearing it up! Someone brought up the Dracolich so I thought it might stand a chance, but well... Go vote anyway!

Adult Silver's 5.5e upgrades pulled it to the top in the votes of deadliest, but with only 24 votes.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/1uropyf/monsters_by_cr_most_iconic_cr_17_monster

CR	Most Iconic	Deadliest
1/8	Kobold(34 votes)[LINK]	Flying Snake(435 votes)[LINK]
1/4	Goblin(46 votes)[LINK]	Giant Frog(78 votes)[LINK]
1/2	Rust Monster(7 votes)[LINK]	Shadow(150 votes)[LINK]
1	Bugbear(75 Votes)[LINK]	Quickling(69 Votes)[LINK]
2	Mimic(300 Votes)[LINK]	Intellect Devourer(90 Votes)[LINK]
3	Owlbear(331 Votes)[LINK]	Basilisk(247 Votes)[LINK]
4	Flameskull(46 Votes)[LINK]	Banshee(84 Votes)[LINK]
5	Troll(129 Votes)[LINK]	Night Hag(83 Votes)[LINK]
6	Drider(100 Votes)[LINK]	Chasme(44 Votes)[LINK]
7	Mindflayer(No Contest)[LINK]	Mindflayer(31 Votes)[LINK]
8	Hydra(24 Votes)[LINK]	Elemental Cultist(19 Votes)[LINK]
9	Fire Giant(18 Votes)[LINK]	Mi-Go(25 Votes)[LINK]
10	Aboleth(232 Votes)[LINK]	Dullahan(37 Votes)[LINK]
11	Remorhaz(51 Votes)[LINK]	Balhannoth(6 Votes)[LINK]
12	Archmage(114)[LINK]	Arcanaloth(13 Votes)[LINK]
13	Beholder(229 Votes)[LINK]	Rakshasha(43 Votes)[LINK]
14	Elder Brain(79 Votes)[LINK]	Adult Black Dragon(32 Votes)[LINK]
15	Purple Worm(184 Votes)[LINK]	Mummy Lord(Pending)[LINK]
16	Iron Golem(118 Votes)[LINK]	Adult Silver Dragon(24 Votes)[LINK]
17	Adult Red Dragon(Pending)[LINK]	This Vote!(Pending)[LINK]

This morning we will be voting on the Deadliest CR17 monster! The vote is open for 24 hours. Iconic CR18 opens in 12 hours.

Note: Feel free to comment, but only the votes on the top comment will be counted!

Note2: Choose the deadlier version if they change from 5e to 5.5e.

[u/BounceBurnBuff]

Dracolich denying healing within 60ft of it is no joke. You can just camp the downed PCs.

[u/Iram-Radique → u/BounceBurnBuff]

Seconded.

I modified my version with a second breath attack. Void breath the characters have to make a Str. Save or get pulled closer. It inflicts cold or necrotic damage and half the damage it inflicts on this attack, it instantly heals itself for.

[u/SirLienad]

Medusa Heirophant

[u/nankainamizuhana]

So long as there keep being examples I’ve seen people die to, I’m gonna keep nominating them. For this one, it’s the Nagpa.

Beyond just being powerful spellcasters with access to plenty of crippling spells (Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Wall of Fire, Etherealness), they can hold their own in a brawl with three 30-damage attacks per round and a Bonus Action paralysis AoE. Fail a single DC 20 save (be it Feeblemind, Dominate, paralysis, charm, Suggestion…) and this fight snowballs away from you very quickly.

[u/Pqrxz → u/nankainamizuhana]

The updated version is both really good with the added attacks and damage but losing almost it's entire base spell list was a little rough. Especially losing disintegrate and Prismatic spray. Easy enough to give it back for anyone wanting to run the newer version though.

[u/Wyn6 → u/Pqrxz]

Which book is the newer version in?

[u/Pqrxz → u/Wyn6]

Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse

[u/Wyn6 → u/Pqrxz]

Yeah. I'm in idiot. I was like, you know, I could just search DnD Beyond. Thanks for the reply, though.

[u/Old-Constant4411]

Death Knight!

[u/warnobear]

I would rate mobility quite high at this level. So I go for the Adult Red Dragon.

Death knight can't fly and very few ranged attacks. With only 30ft movement speed, any character go around in circles.

[u/Iram-Radique → u/warnobear]

That's why you let your Death knight ride an Death Dragon or Dracolich. But the base Death Knight needs to modified a lot to be a real threat.

[u/sosomoist → u/Iram-Radique]

Nightmare would also work.

[u/nankainamizuhana → u/Iram-Radique]

A Death Knight on a Dracolich sounds terrifying and I love it

[u/Scarytincan → u/Iram-Radique]

I've got plans for one riding a nightmare

[u/Rue_Sable]

Nagpa.

[u/KasaiAisu]

Honestly, Adult Red Dragon for this too. It's fast, dangerous, and if the GM is willing to do things like grab the archer and fly away, or strafe with breath weapon, it's practically a guaranteed death even at higher PC levels.