Fare's page

Relooking at the level 3 creatures it kinda works out but is still a little off. Unless there are hidden feats coming into play or hidden items maybe? With the agile weapons they are doing dex to attack so the scout gets +4 for dex +(1 expert) and +4 for level. So a CR 3 NPC would have to be a level 4 enemy. I cannot figure out how it gets the +10 to perception. +4 level +2 wisdom +1 expert comes up short. Even if they are master.

I have a feeling they are using a starfinder method of npc creation. Some of the numbers just don't line up to what a character build may have. Look at attack bonuses. Most NPCs have their melee and ranged attack bonuses the same even though their strength and dex modifiers are different. If you take the Strength/dex + level + (1 expert/ 2master) they do not add up to where they should be if it was a character unless a CR5 is really a Level 6-7 enemy built by player rules.

They are close but I just cant seem to figure out the hidden math behind the numbers. I may be looking at it wrong or but it doesnt seem to be pulled out of the same character creation rules.

As others have said, they went for game balance over realism. The system makes it really easy to balance where combat should be at certain levels with to hit and damage output vs AC and HP.

The only thing I would add is, as with anything Paizo does, they say if the RAW are not your thing just do your own thing. If you want to do a system where you say: divide the cost of everything above level 1 by 10 and add an artificial "reputation/connections" points they have to get to get access to higher level weapons, then feel free.

They went for a system that is easy for them to balance player power vs enemies to keep things in a certain range. If you dont like it, I would try to figure out a way to adjust it to make it more realistic to your liking while trying to keep the same sense of balance. Of course changing the way the economy, weapon damage/unique weapons, and other things you described is largely rewriting the entire combat/economy systems so if you go there then godspeed.

As Ellias stated.

AC = Ship Bonus (Size + Maneuverability) + Pilot Ranks + Other ship bonuses (Armor, Countermeasures).

Glide means you dont lose AC for not having a pilot. It does not mean you get to double up the ranks, you instead use the piloting ranks of the person performing the glide. You lose maneuverability and speed but you dont have to lose piloting ranks to AC if someone is using computer assisted flight.

This does not mean you get to double up and add the ranks of the person sitting in the pilot chair and not piloting and the ranks of the person performing the glide. Whoever is acting as the pilot (whether the actual pilot or the person doing the glide) adds their ranks to AC, not both.