For monsters (or, if need be, NPCs), there is the so-called 'young' template.
Rebuild Rules:
Size decrease by one category;
AC reduce natural armor by –2 (minimum +0);
Attacks decrease damage dice by 1 step;
Ability Scores –4 Strength, –4 Con,
+4 size bonus to Dex.
So, if I apply this template to an incorporeal creature (say, a child ghost), the result is:
Size become small (adding +1 to AC and to attack)
No change in natural AC (incorporeal have 0, anyway)
Damage: special (ghost's corrupting touch does CR d6)
-4 Str, -4 Con (no change, both are non-abilities anyway)
+4 size bonus to Dex (resulting in +2 to AC and to attack, since incorporeal creatures use Dex for attacking)
Hmm... so applying a template that increases my attack and AC by 3, and does not change much of the damage (6d6 instead of 7d6)... actually reduces the CR of the creature?
Would you have preferred the template list every single creature in which it doesn't actually reduce the CR?
Does the Ghost in question have Weapon Finesses? If no, then it's attack bonus dropped by 2(-2 Str), which means it is at a -1 to it's normal attacks.
Now, apply it to something with a Constitution score and natural armor, and you'll see why this Template lowers CR.
Does the Ghost in question have Weapon Finesses? If no, then it's attack bonus dropped by 2(-2 Str), which means it is at a -1 to it's normal attacks.
Little Ghosty won't need WF.
An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Perception checks if it doesn't wish to be. It has no Strength score, so its Dexterity modifier applies to its melee attacks, ranged attacks, and CMB.
No Str... so Dex is all that matters for combat values.
Now, apply it to something with a Constitution score and natural armor, and you'll see why this Template lowers CR.
Oh, I'm pretty aware of that :)
An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Perception checks if it doesn't wish to be. It has no Strength score, so its Dexterity modifier applies to its melee attacks, ranged attacks, and CMB.No Str... so Dex is all that matters for combat values.
Ah, I didn't know that. Haven't had to make a ghost before! :)
Now, apply it to something with a Constitution score and natural armor, and you'll see why this Template lowers CR.
Oh, I'm pretty aware of that :)
Then this is just a post to tell everyone that, in the case of Incorporeal creatures without a Str score, this template is stronger?
I'm more curious what kind of reason a kid's soul would stick around and become a ghost for in the first place? o.o
To find its mother perhaps?
Obviously, if something makes a critter more powerful, you do NOT reduce the CR, you increase it. We are not mindless automatons and the rules aren't hard-coded by the designers for machines. They actually expect you to use some form of common sense.
For monsters (or, if need be, NPCs), there is the so-called 'young' template.
Rebuild Rules:
Size decrease by one category;
AC reduce natural armor by –2 (minimum +0);
Attacks decrease damage dice by 1 step;
Ability Scores –4 Strength, –4 Con,
+4 size bonus to Dex.So, if I apply this template to an incorporeal creature (say, a child ghost), the result is:
Size become small (adding +1 to AC and to attack)
No change in natural AC (incorporeal have 0, anyway)
Damage: special (ghost's corrupting touch does CR d6)
-4 Str, -4 Con (no change, both are non-abilities anyway)
+4 size bonus to Dex (resulting in +2 to AC and to attack, since incorporeal creatures use Dex for attacking)Hmm... so applying a template that increases my attack and AC by 3, and does not change much of the damage (6d6 instead of 7d6)... actually reduces the CR of the creature?
Wouldn't this mean that the ghost is dealing 7d4 not 6d6?