From the introduction: Does your 5e game suffer from cakewalk syndrome? Players routinely steamrolling what should be deadly encounters? Downed adventurers dancing the whack-a-mole jig? Attacking dying PCs to claw back a modicum of danger? You’re not alone. Standard 5e is notoriously safe and survivable. But don’t fire up the furnace just yet. Hardmode is here to inject more peril into your campaign. With a few special tweaks and additions, your next session will be buzzing with white knuckle excitement.