RPG Superstar 2009 Top 4
|
S
P
A
C
E
I can't find the rules for calculating CR of monsters with both racial HD AND class levels. There is a specific paragraph on p291 for determining CR of monsters without racial HD:
Adding NPCs: Creatures without racial Hit Dice are factored into combats a little differently than normal
monsters or monsters with class levels. A creature that possesses class levels, but does not have any racial Hit Dice, is factored in as a creature with a CR equal to its class levels –2. A creature that only possesses non-player class levels (such as a warrior or adept) is factored in as a creature with a CR equal to its class levels –3.
in 3.5, there was the concept of associated and non-associated classes. Is this being retained?
Thanks for any info.
-eric
The entire section on advancing monster is missing; I don't know if this will be added to the final version or not.
in 3.5, there was the concept of associated and non-associated classes. Is this being retained?
But, as the dreaded Xanesha encounter shows, there are some pitfalls with the "associated" class concept.
But, as Mr. Bulmahn himself has pointed out, encounter balancing is as much "art" as "science."
Creative Director
|
in 3.5, there was the concept of associated and non-associated classes. Is this being retained?But, as the dreaded Xanesha encounter shows, there are some pitfalls with the "associated" class concept.
But, as Mr. Bulmahn himself has pointed out, encounter balancing is as much "art" as "science."
Associated class concepts are tricky, but that wasn't the problem with Xanesha. She's properly CR'd, I think. The problem is that the adventure's got 6th level characters... MAYBE 7th level characters, getting hit with a CR 10 monster at a point where it's likely they're still maybe embroiled with other monsters, and on top of that, the environment VERY MUCH favors that CR 10 menace. She's CR 10, but the encounter's more of an EL 11 or maybe even EL 12 TPK machine.
Associated class concepts are tricky, but that wasn't the problem with Xanesha. She's properly CR'd, I think. The problem is that the adventure's got 6th level characters... MAYBE 7th level characters, getting hit with a CR 10 monster at a point where it's likely they're still maybe embroiled with other monsters, and on top of that, the environment VERY MUCH favors that CR 10 menace. She's CR 10, but the encounter's more of an EL 11 or maybe even EL 12 TPK machine.in 3.5, there was the concept of associated and non-associated classes. Is this being retained?But, as the dreaded Xanesha encounter shows, there are some pitfalls with the "associated" class concept.
But, as Mr. Bulmahn himself has pointed out, encounter balancing is as much "art" as "science."
Hence the "Art" part of encounter balance.
On a related note, I'm curious what their feat progression would look like - at present the Pathfinder rules call for monsters to retain the old, slower feat progression despite classed characters getting them faster now. Do they get a free feat for their first class level and then get one every odd HD thereafter sort of like how combining BAB works, or do you just figure out the total HD and give a feat if it's odd?
I'm hoping this discrepancy will be fixed before final release - consistency of rules on HD (for skill points, feats, ability score increases, etc), whether class or racial, is one of the selling points of 3.5 D&D which I would definitely prefer not to lose in Pathfinder.