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At first the way to calculate a CR seems very simple but i ended up somewhat confused!
I'm planning a CR 3 encounter involving orcs.
The leader will be a level 2 orc cleric => CR1, so i have the equivalent of a CR2 left to play with. Then i think orcs are CR 1/3 so 6 of them will make it for a CR2 and bingo i'm done!
BUT....
If i look at table 12-3 p.398 it tells me that 6 of the same creatures equal CR + 5... fine!
If i simply add 5+1/3 it gives me a CR 5.33 for 6 orcs (wich make nonsense).
Then i assume they simply mean "go up the table" by 5 steps but i still end up with a CR4 for 6 orcs wich mean they are as dangerous as a mature owlbear!
I'm forced to admit that i don't understand how CR works!
It goes up by the table.
Starting from CR 1/3:
+1 = CR 1/2
+2 = CR 1
+3 = CR 2
+4 = CR 3
+5 = CR 4
I haven't played as much with CR in Pathfinder as I did in 3.x, but my understanding, borne out by hundreds if not thousands of encounters over a decade, was that doubling the number of creatures increased the CR two steps on the chart.
So I would say:
Starting from CR 1/3:
two orcs = CR 1
four orcs = CR 3
eight orcs = CR 5
sixteen orcs = CR 7
thirty-two orcs = CR 9
My further understanding is that this is not always as accurate below CR1, so the foundation is weak to begin with. But using the same formula with ogres or with trolls or with owlbears, etc., works quite well.
And my even-further understanding is that if the base creature is more than about 5-6 CR below the party's average level, it becomes pointless. So what if thirty-two orcs should be CR 9? I am quite certain that a group of 9th level PCs could wipe out those orcs very easily, probably without losing even 1 HP.
So to the OP, following my forumula, adding two orcs would be a CR1, but adding four orcs would be a CR3, so split the difference and add three orcs to that leader. But remember that these numers don't work will below CR1, so I would further evaluate your players and their PCs. Are they smart, tactical players? If so, add another orc. Are they strong PCs who are well-optimized for combat? If so, add another orc. If the whole group is a bunch of new players who don't understand combat and who built roleplaying characters that suck in combat, then maybe subtract an orc.
And further, if this is going to be the first encounter (or only encounter) of the day, add an orc. If it's the last encounter of a dungeon and there is a good chance that they will be out of spells, out of healing, and half dead from a dozen wounds inflicted in earlier encounters, then subtract an orc.
And even further, if that orc cleric is going to be using AE Selective Channeling to repeatedly heal his minions, expect a TPK or at least some PC death - unless your PCs can also do that (and haven't used up all their channel energy in previous encounters). If the cleric can do it, then I would subtract at least one orc.
So when all is said and done, this becomes a perfect encounter for your party at Cleric + 1-6 orcs, depending on the party and the situation.
Hope that helps.
I haven't exactly read the rules carefully, but as has been pointed out, CRs below 1 can sometimes cause problems. My general rule of thumb is to group creatures together until we have CR 1 then apply the +2 CR for doubling creatures rule.
In pathfinder, this seems to work well because the xp awarded is in line with the computed CR for the encounter.
Example:
3 orcs = 3 x CR 1/3 = 400 xp = CR 1
6 orcs = 6 x CR 1/3 = 800 xp = CR 3
So, if you want to create a CR 3 encounter, just keep adding creatures until you have a total of 800 xp worth of creatures.
Your Orc cleric 2 is worth 400 xp, so another 3 orcs would give you 400 xp more and be worth the same as a single CR 3 monster.
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I haven't exactly read the rules carefully, but as has been pointed out, CRs below 1 can sometimes cause problems. My general rule of thumb is to group creatures together until we have CR 1 then apply the +2 CR for doubling creatures rule.
In pathfinder, this seems to work well because the xp awarded is in line with the computed CR for the encounter.
Example:
3 orcs = 3 x CR 1/3 = 400 xp = CR 1
6 orcs = 6 x CR 1/3 = 800 xp = CR 3So, if you want to create a CR 3 encounter, just keep adding creatures until you have a total of 800 xp worth of creatures.
Your Orc cleric 2 is worth 400 xp, so another 3 orcs would give you 400 xp more and be worth the same as a single CR 3 monster.
Sounds great!
So if i got it right 16 CR1/8 would make it for a CR3 encounter right?(for exemple prupose only ;))
Sounds great!
So if i got it right 16 CR1/8 would make it for a CR3 encounter right?(for exemple prupose only ;))
Yup. A CR 1/8 is listed as being worth 50xp. If you had 16 of them, the total experience would be 800xp which happens to be the same as what you would get for a single CR 3 encounter.
This also fits the rule of making full CR 1s first. 16 CR 1/8 gives you two groups of CR 1. The rule then applies that two groups of a particular CR gives you an encounter of CR + 2 which in this case would be 3.