OK, so I made some cool NPCs for a recent adventure using Mites. They are really cool villains, especially the 4th level mite sorcerer!
But how does the CR advancement work for 1/4 CR creatures like mites that have class levels?
"Determining the final CR for a creature with class levels requires careful consideration. While adding a class level to a monster that stacks with its existing abilities and role generally adds 1 to its CR for each level taken, adding classes that do not stack is more complicated.
Table: Monsters with Class Levels gives general guidelines regarding which core classes add directly to a monster's abilities based on its role. Classes that are marked “key” generally add 1 to a creature's CR for each level added. Classes marked with a “—” increase a creature's CR by 1 for every 2 class levels added until the number of levels added are equal to (or exceed) the creature's original CR, at which point they are treated as “key” levels (adding 1 to the creature's CR for each level added). Creatures that fall into multiple roles treat a class as key if either of its roles treat the class as key. Note that levels in NPC classes are never considered key."
Mites consider "combat" their primary roll, so sorcerer is not "key".
So 1 level of sorcerer doesn't seem to increase the CR at all...*
2 Levels of sorcerer make the CR go up by 1, which for a CR 1/4 creature now makes it a CR 1/3
3 Levels of sorcerer and now the levels added have eclipsed the original CR, so we are now adding at 1:1. So a CR 1/2
4 Levels of sorcerer finally brings this up to a CR 1 creature.
Problem is, we have a 5HD creature that is badass! I'll type up the stats, and while not amazing, it is far more powerful then a CR 1-2 creature. I would estimate the CR to be about a 3.
*That whole 1 CR bump for every two levels thing is just wrong! Considering you get a huge boost to ability scores, and all then benefits of a PC class - Saves, BAB, spells, abilities, etc. A single level of any PC class should always bump the CR up by 1.
Ummm I read that as goes up 1CR, not 1CR 'step' as you have illstrated... So from 1/4 to 1, not 1/4 to 1/3 etc.
Ummm I read that as goes up 1CR, not 1CR 'step' as you have illstrated... So from 1/4 to 1, not 1/4 to 1/3 etc.
That makes sense. I'm confused about when that happens. "Classes marked with a “—” increase a creature's CR by 1 for every 2 class levels added until the number of levels added are equal to (or exceed) the creature's original CR, at which point they are treated as “key” levels (adding 1 to the creature's CR for each level added)."
So would that happen with the first level, or the second (as the text seems to indicate)?