I'm just trying to make sure I have the advancement rules right for monsters.. Mahuudril is an avolakia, which starts her CR at 10. Associated class levels, in this case sorcerer, supposably translate into +1 CR for every two levels (right?). If Mahuudril is only a 14th level sorceror, shouldn't she be a CR 17, not a CR 19? (I'm advancing her to an 18th level sorcerer anyways, but want to doublecheck my numbers...Is there so SQ she possesses that "bumps" her up by two?
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6
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I'm just trying to make sure I have the advancement rules right for monsters.. Mahuudril is an avolakia, which starts her CR at 10. Associated class levels, in this case sorcerer, supposably translate into +1 CR for every two levels (right?). If Mahuudril is only a 14th level sorceror, shouldn't she be a CR 17, not a CR 19? (I'm advancing her to an 18th level sorcerer anyways, but want to doublecheck my numbers...Is there so SQ she possesses that "bumps" her up by two?
Associated levels are 1:1, non-associated 1:2 up to the number of monster HD a creature has. HOWEVER, and this cannot be stated often enough, this is a guideline. A creature should have a CR based on how challenging it is, not based on blindly hewing to a forumula in the books. Favored classes aren't the same thing as associated classes; the avolakia have a favored class of sorcerer, not an associated class of sorcrer.
In the case of the avolokia, 14 non-associated levels would work out to CR 19 (+5 for the first 10 levels added to the 10 HD creature, +4 for the next 4). Looks like the author decided to stick with the non-associated formula.
She's probably not any tougher than a 19th level sorcerer of the same CR. Her main edge being fantastic stats (+8 Str, +6 Dex, +6 Con, +6 Int, +10 Wis, +12 Cha) - that's an effective +6 on save DCs. The +6 deflection is also nice, along with decent immunties. The SR is not strong enough to matter at high levels of play. Her hit points look about 100 points higher than those of a well-built high level sorc. Weigh that against the loss of 5 levels of casting power. I would be inclined to rate her as more like a CR 17 or 18 - the formulas really break own at high level on monsters with casting classes, where a lot of the power starts coming from how good your spells are.
Russ
Creative Director
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Russ is correct. Since an avolakia doesn't have the ability to cast sorcerer spells, adding sorcerer levels to them isn't really a huge powerup for them. It's a favored class, sure, but in a combat, +1 level of fighter is a MUCH better choice, numbercrunch wise, than +1 level of sorcerer. SO: Sorcerer levels are nonassociated, and therefore add up on a 1 for 2 basis until the number of sorcerer levels equal the HD of the monster.
If an avolakia had natural sorcerer spellcasting like a dragon or a naga, then new sorcerer levels would add directly to any existing caster levels. Rather than gaining a few 1st level spells with her first sorcerer level, she'd gain higher level spells.
In any event, her CR isn't in error.
Russ is correct. Since an avolakia doesn't have the ability to cast sorcerer spells, adding sorcerer levels to them isn't really a huge powerup for them. It's a favored class, sure, but in a combat, +1 level of fighter is a MUCH better choice, numbercrunch wise, than +1 level of sorcerer. SO: Sorcerer levels are nonassociated, and therefore add up on a 1 for 2 basis until the number of sorcerer levels equal the HD of the monster.
If an avolakia had natural sorcerer spellcasting like a dragon or a naga, then new sorcerer levels would add directly to any existing caster levels. Rather than gaining a few 1st level spells with her first sorcerer level, she'd gain higher level spells.
In any event, her CR isn't in error.
So adding four levels would bump her up to 23? Wow. However, I feel as I look over the now-adjusted stats that's she's hardly that by herself..I see what you mean about the numbers not always translating out into the correct CR...BTW thanks for the extreme AM response. It was nice to wake up and find my question answered.