First, the guideline of subtracting 1 from the APL breaks down when you get to CRs below CR 1. Second, there are no guidelines in the Core Rulebook for parties of two characters.
Strictly mathematically speaking, one-half of a CR 1 encounter (400 XP) is a CR 1/2 encounter (200 XP). So you can think of your party as "APL = 1/2".
Be wary creating encounters for only two characters. The main thing to watch for is if one character is taken out of the battle (paralysis, or a strong melee blow for example), then you are looking at a possible TPK -- especially if the only one left standing is a squishy mage.
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I run APs for two characters. I am having a decent time starting them as two levels higher than a party of normal characters would (level 3 at the beginning of an AP, for example).
You do have to stay away from save-or-suck spells though, as an unlucky roll incapacitates half the party instead of a quarter of it. I tend to make them multi-stage affairs; for example, with a vampire's dominate, I instead cause the first failed save to cause the character to become dazed for two rounds, and if the character fails a second save, is dominated as normal.
LETS FAQ THIS BEEYOTC....wait... What are we talking about?
No... I think you got it... 1... Defnitely 1.... Defnitely
CR on the other hand is calculated based on a party of 4...
LETS FAQ THIS BEEYOTC....wait... What are we talking about?
No... I think you got it... 1... Defnitely 1.... Defnitely
CR on the other hand is calculated based on a party of 4...
CR is CR and isn't based on anything.
Your APL goes up and down depending on your level and how many party members you have. A group of three level 4s is APL 3, a group of four is APL 4, and a group of six is APL 5.
It's not in the book, but I've had pretty good experiences to support that two such characters would make an APL 2, not counting save-or-dies. I've heard of near-nine player parties, however, and I often hear that the players have the advantage (in addition to it being almost unplayable).
If you also changed CR, then you'd be modifying the numbers twice for the same change (like when an NPC is prone, so the GM penalizes its AC by -4 while the player mistakenly adds +4 to his attack).