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Hello everyone! I'm currently writing an adventure, and looking at making a little more optimized enemies, given that my players are typically optimized. The rules for adding classes to a monster is to convert them to the heroic array - add +4,+4,+2,+2,+0,-2. The heroic array is 15/14/13/12/10/8, so that means the base stat array for any given monster is 11/11/10/10/10/10.
That means if I wanted to change out the heroic array to a 15 point-buy for the creature (say if I'm making a wizard, more int and less cha and str would be applicable), I can get the base monster's stats, take away the base stat array above, and get the modifiers (presuming they're not over 3HD). In my case, I'm interested in a 6HD race that has 18/17/16/13/15/12 as their stat array.Can't be sure where their 4HD stat increase was. If it was in con, then their racials would be +7/+5/+6/+3/+5/+2 - this seems very odd, but I can't find a fault in the reasoning, though it gets harder the more inherent stat bonuses you add on. Is there an easier way to do this, or am I going about it the right way?
If I then wanted to make a classic STR focused, WIS and CHA dumping barbarian, a valid 15 point buy would be 16+7+1/14+5/10+6/10+3/9+5/7+2 for a 24/19/16/13/14/9 stat array. That seem correct?
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Default assumption is that the 4HD stat increase goes on the highest ability score I believe. It is not a bad assumption even if it's not official.
All ability score modifiers should be even. If subtracting 1 from the highest ability score results in too many odd numbered abilities subtract it from the next highest.
(putting those together the 4HD increase subtract from the highest odd ability score - higher HD needs a little more work)
I know I'm stating the obvious, but remember that the 11/11/10/10/10/10 isn't necessarily in order, your critter likely has them as 10/11/10/10/11/10.
So your 6HD critters array should look something like +8/+6/+6/+2/+4/+2.
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Ah yes, presuming it's in the largest does make sense - my issue with that was it would make it an odd number, but your way solves it.
Thanks for that! :) Doubt it'll come up much, but I want to give a bit of a more challenging experience, and I don't want to do it cheaply - making them well-made enemies would be my prefence! :)
Ah yes, presuming it's in the largest does make sense - my issue with that was it would make it an odd number, but your way solves it.
Thanks for that! :) Doubt it'll come up much, but I want to give a bit of a more challenging experience, and I don't want to do it cheaply - making them well-made enemies would be my prefence! :)
No problem.
Thinking about it I think you can just build your 15 point stat array, reduce it to even numbered modifiers (by subtracting 10 or 11 as required) and apply it that way, might be a lot easier.It possibly gives a slight edge to the critter, so I wouldn't recommend it for a PC, but is close enough for a GMs purpose. Especially as that could offset the fact that it doesn't account for the 4HD ability modifier.
eg: 16/14/12/12/10/7 = +6/+4/+2/+2/+0/-4
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Ah yes, presuming it's in the largest does make sense - my issue with that was it would make it an odd number, but your way solves it.
Thanks for that! :) Doubt it'll come up much, but I want to give a bit of a more challenging experience, and I don't want to do it cheaply - making them well-made enemies would be my prefence! :)
No problem.
Thinking about it I think you can just build your 15 point stat array, reduce it to even numbered modifiers (by subtracting 10 or 11 as required) and apply it that way, might be a lot easier.
It possibly gives a slight edge to the critter, so I wouldn't recommend it for a PC, but is close enough for a GMs purpose. Especially as that could offset the fact that it doesn't account for the 4HD ability modifier.
eg: 16/14/12/12/10/7 = +6/+4/+2/+2/+0/-4
Yeah, could do it that way, but when I've got a nice set of numbers like +8/+6/+6/+2/+4/+2, I can just make them as you would a typical PC - I like customising characters anyway, this gives me an interesting way to do it :)