Figuring out CR as a Novice DM

[Zohar]

I've only run APs, and I'm trying my hand at an original campaign. I'm working on the various "bosses" the party will face throughout the campaign.

But I'm having trouble with them, probably me confusing myself but I was wondering if someone could either explain how to make a boss fight challenging but not impossible.

My problem lies with the fights were the group is expected to battle a spellcaster by himself.

4 Level 5 PCs against a single NPC Wizard boss. A Level 5 Wizard really isnt the same as a CR 5 Monster.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Rezdave]

Zohar wrote:

My problem lies with the fights were the group is expected to battle a spellcaster by himself.

Any BBEG spellcaster who gets caught alone deserves to go down, and fast. I disagree with this kind of encounter on principle. A major villain spellcaster should always have minion/mooks/meat-shields or whatever you wish to call them, even if only a bunch of kobolds to slow the advance of charging PC Fighters.

Otherwise the BBEG only lives until the first swing of a Fighter's two-handed Power Attack, and what happens if the fighter wins initiative.

The only way to give the Spellcaster a chance in this type of encounter is to allow him situational advantages and preparation ... he's across a chasm the PCs can't easily cross, the only route or bridge protected by traps and the spellcaster is invisible or mirrored or starts buffed with shield and mage armor already up, along with a Readied Action and has been watching the PCs for days and knows their tactics and has prepared just the right spells to deal with them.

Zohar wrote:

4 Level 5 PCs against a single NPC Wizard boss. A Level 5 Wizard really isnt the same as a CR 5 Monster.

Despite what the DMG states, this is quite true. Generally, consider an NPC to be about a CR two steps lower than its level, so your Level 5 Wizard is a CR3 encounter.

Personally, I find the lone/almost-lone Wizard making his last stand against the party should be 3-4 levels above the party. He needs to be powerful enough to dish out some real damage fast, have enough spells prepared to be able to react the changing circumstances and ideally be prepared and buffed (preferably with wands and potions). OTOH, he can't be so powerful that he can one-shot kill the party or several PCs with a single spell.

Zohar wrote:

explain how to make a boss fight challenging but not impossible.

Go for spells that hinder the PCs as the first ones out. Confusion debilitates parties and ruins tactics at higher levels, and web can do the same thing at lower levels.

Remember that the key for a lone Spellcaster is controlling the battlefield and setting the tone and pace of the fight, not reacting to the actions of his attackers and playing defense. The goal of any defense is actually to turn the attackers on their heals and force them to defend themselves as they fight their way from prepared kill-zone to prepared kill-zone.

Any BBEG worth his salt will have his final defense a cascading series of ambushes and kill-zones designed to debilitate or weaken the party until they can be overwhelmed at some point when he decides to go on the offensive.

In a truly climactic encounter, you should be looking to have 1-2 PCs drop into negative HP but not die, another 1-2 be a single hit from falling, and anyone else left in the fight putting as much effort into keeping their injured companions alive as to defeating the BBEG.

Really, there should be a realistic chance the BBEG can escape (not win, but just get away) and again the BBEG should have a prepared plan for retreat that can be enacted as circumstances require.

HTH,

Rez

[Zohar]

Thank you for your input! It's much appreciated. I was just very unsure of how to proceed with it. Most of the encounters regarding spell casters I have planned have henchmen or cohorts helping them. This particular case is one where the guy is caught by surprise for story purposes.

Out of curiousity, how do you group up higher CR rating creatures.

Like 3 or 4 dragons CR15 dragons vs 4 Level 18 Characters. Now this could go either way. As the characters would have a lot at their disposal but dragons of course are not to be taken lightly.

[Cap'n Jose Monkamuck]

Zohar wrote:

Thank you for your input! It's much appreciated. I was just very unsure of how to proceed with it. Most of the encounters regarding spell casters I have planned have henchmen or cohorts helping them. This particular case is one where the guy is caught by surprise for story purposes.

Out of curiousity, how do you group up higher CR rating creatures.

Like 3 or 4 dragons CR15 dragons vs 4 Level 18 Characters. Now this could go either way. As the characters would have a lot at their disposal but dragons of course are not to be taken lightly.

It gets trick, and depends heavily on just how many characters you have and how good they are. Each person over 4 really is a force multiplier, especially if the party is smart enough to use focused fire. The DMG has a list of how stuff of different levels combine, use that for a pretty easy fight. Double the number of critters if you want a decently challenging fight. If you have at least 6 PCs/equal power NPCs I'd double the number of critters again or add 1-2 to the CR of the critter they are facing. If you have at least 8 I'd triple instead of doubling it, and add 2-4 to the cr instead of just 1-2. Also the number of attacks a monster has matters a LOT, claw/claw/bite is much better at higher CR than just bite, even if the bite deals more damage. If the critter only gets 1 attack per round and there are 4 PCs, that is a huge advantage. 1 atttack vs 8 PCs is even worse.

One trick as a GM to get monster that are pretty nasty but their listed CR isn't that high, look for a monster at least 2 CR less than the CR you are going for. Then bump up hits HD until it hits the CR you want. Advanced HD creatures end up being much nastier for their CR than regular creatures in general.

Also (I hate to say this) taking a page out of 4th edition. The minions idea from 4th edition is the only really, really good change they made. It lets the party fight lots of guys without making it unwinnable, and minions are just fun for the players to blast. Some of the best fights, especially as the players get high enough to AoE spells, is the ones with 3 or 4 guys about the party's CR and 2 to 4 dozen guys about 6 CR lower than the party. In general anything 6 or more under can be met and killed in the dozens, but not the hundreds. Probaility will catch up with the PCs eventually.