5e out leveled tank

[Goblinmech5000]

So my GM is throwing single monsters (that we are mostly supposed to be running away from) at us and I, the unfortunate tank, died in the first session. (Ran at a displacer beast). We are using sanity rules, and the creatures we face will most likely be stupidly more powerful than we. I am starting a level behind the party (we're leveling by session) and am out of ideas. Any options?

[LordEntrails]

Just because you are playing a tank, doesn't mean you have to run into combat. If you are presented with something you can't beat, then don't fight it. Delay it if you must as long as you can disengage, but otherwise just stay away.

The party will adapt, the DM will adapt, and things will change until everyone can have fun.

[Tiadoppler]

If you're facing ridiculously powerful opponents you're supposed to run away from, don't play a tank? Focus on mobility, range, control effects and personal survivability? Maybe a scout rogue, kensei monk, or revised ranger?

[djreynolds]

How are you battling? Really?

Take the dodge action and let him attack, it is more powerful than you think.

Make the enemy, if possible, get board and move on from you to trigger AoO

This is the issue, once you take the dodge action, you will not qualify for most BAs but you could get in a reaction attack here and there.

What are you stats?

Who else is in your party?

What spells could they actually cast on you?

What monster's specifically? Undead? Your cleric should cast protection from evil on you.

Your party casters need spells they can buff you with

But in the end, taking the dodge action is quite powerful if your party members can lay down some hurt from range

[JakOfAllTirades]

If you need a tank with more options, maybe a Moon Druid would work? Then you could tank in Wild Shape, you'd revert back to normal with full HP if your wild shape gets reduced to zero HP, and if you don't want to get into melee you've got spellcasting options, including (self) healing capability.

Not to mention all the other uses for Wild Shape, particularly scouting.

[CTurbo]

Starting a level behind the party is an issue in itself.

But anyway, you don't HAVE to play a tank at all, but you could play something like a Long Death Monk and be tanky and also have extremely high mobility.

[stack]

Keep dieing and falling further and further behind until the DM realizes why that kind if rule is a bad idea (and doubly so in a single big monster kind of game).

I don't actually reccomend this as it would be terribly boring.

[nickl_2000]

Dex based Wild Elf EK fighter. It let's you tank with shield and amazing AC, and you can stealth and outrun your allies with higher speed