Burning Skeletons

[Monkplayer]

When the bestiary states," the CR is normal skeleton +1" what does that mean? A normal skeleton is 1/3 CR, so is a burning/bloody skeleton a CR 1?

How do I count up the correct number of burning skeletons for a CR 5 encounter?

[Tels]

Monkplayer wrote:

When the bestiary states," the CR is normal skeleton +1" what does that mean? A normal skeleton is 1/3 CR, so is a burning/bloody skeleton a CR 1?

How do I count up the correct number of burning skeletons for a CR 5 encounter?

The Bloody template and Burning Template are both, "as normal +1". So I'm assuming that each template increases CR by +1. A Bloody/Burning Skeleton would be a CR 2 encounter (assuming a 1 HD base creature) by my reckoning.

[The Elusive Jackalope]

To find the CR of a burning skeleton you add 1 to whatever a non-burning skeleton would be. A normal skeleton is a CR 1/3, so a burning skeleton of the same type would be a CR 1/2 (CR 1/4 -> 1/3 -> 1/2 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3...)

Assuming that you wanted to make a CR 5 encounter out of only basic burning skeletons (CR 1/2s): 2 burning skeletons are a CR 1 (since you want to get that fraction taken care, just treat 2 skeletons as 1 creature for the building encounters section of the CRB). 4 creatures of the same CR are that CR + 4. So 8 skeletons (equivilent to 4 CR 1 creatures) would be a CR 5 encounter.

Another way to reach the same conclusion is by looking at the XP chart. A CR 5 encounter should be worth roughly 1,600 XP. Each burning skeleton alone (CR 1/2) is worth 200 XP. 1,600 / 200 = 8.

Building encounter rules are found here.

[Monkplayer]

Thanks to you both for your help. This was a big help!
I have one last question on this topic. On page 294 of the Bestiary it has Simple Templates. under this it states that an advanced creature (CR +1) have quick rules of +2 on all rolls and +4 CMD, and +2 hp/HD. does this apply to my burning skeletons?

[The Elusive Jackalope]

No (not unless you want to, that is, but if you do it will bring each burning skeleton up from a CR 1/2 to a CR 1, cutting the number of skeletons you need for a CR 5 encounter in half, from 8 to 4). The advanced template is simply a tool that you can quickly apply to a creature, making it tougher, but also increasing its CR accordingly. That will allow you to use monsters that are generally a bit weak for the party's current level while still allowing the creature to pack a decent punch, or allow you to make a better/"boss" version out of a standard monster for the party's level.

[Tels]

Advanced is an actual template. Iirc, it adds +4 to all ability scores, and +2 to natural armor. The simple template does, roughly, the same thing.

[Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan]

I'm going to go ahead and necro this thread. It's a discussion of undead creatures anyways, so necromancy seems appropriate.

Let's see here. While the Gamemastering rules on building an encounter aren't clear on what they mean for adding +1 to the CR of a fractional CR encounter, I do believe that The Elusive Jackalope has that part right. You are intended to move up the scale provided.

What I think TEJ got wrong though is what that does to the CR for 2 burning skeletons.

A skeleton starts as CR 1/3. A flaming skeleton has CR 1/2. 2 flaming skeletons should have CR +2 of what a single flaming skeleton has. If that means to go up the scale, two steps on that scale from 1/2 is a step from 1/2 to 1 and then a step from 1 to 2.

Thus, I would conclude that 2 flaming skeletons is a CR 2 encounter, not a CR 1 encounter.

I get that you end up with a different conclusion when using the "Experience Point Awards" table lower on the page, rather than the "CR Equivalencies" table at the top, but I think the former is the better way to view this encounter.

2 flaming skeletons is a "challenging" encounter for an APL 1 party, not an "average" one.