Kind of confused about how many special abilities to give to a creature and how it affects CR...

[CorvusMask]

So as example of what I mean, CR 15 creatures have 3 special abilities according to array, but equinox apastra has 6 special abilities listed. I don't know if its this is because its compensates for other things it doesn't have or if some of the special abilities just aren't "good" enough to count as special abilities.

Basically, I'm trying to figure out good way to design monsters using rules and alien archive examples, but uh yeah, some creatures have way more abilities than array states.

Figuring out special ability balance has always been hardest for me in any Pathfinder edition, getting numbers for stats and attacks isn't that hard, but figuring out right number of special abilities(both passive and activated) and their strength is confusing to me :'D

[Xenocrat]

It doesn’t have six “real” abilities, some of those are just Solarian infrastructure from applying a variation on the class graft, and even the thrown weapon “ability” is just giving it a ranged attack via a flavorful route.

I think only Perfect Alignment, Solar Storm, and the modifications on Stellar Revelations count as actual abilities for creature budget purposes.

[CorvusMask]

So creatures can have more abilities if it comes from grafts? .-.

[Garretmander]

CorvusMask wrote:

So creatures can have more abilities if it comes from grafts? .-.

I don't think I would count graft abilities as creature abilities in most cases.

I also wouldn't give a creature whose primary feature is class abilities additional abilities... so, there's a bit of guesswork and back and forth.

If you're unsure, be conservative.

[Metaphysician]

Some rules of thumb I follow:

1. Passive abilities should count for more than active abilities, unless they are particularly narrow or unlikely to matter. Active abilities are restricted by the action economy, after all.

2. Having one meaningfully potent active special ability is worth a lot. Adding extra ones? Not so much, unless they have lasting effects or "solve" radically different problems. An NPC can still only use one per turn.

3. Special abilities that only apply in combat, and special abilities that only apply out of combat? Should only stack somewhat, because effectively only one set "applies" at a time.

4. If an ability only really serves to provide flavor or facilitate the encounter actually happening? It should be free. A space monster may be able to fly through the vacuum of space to attack and board the PCs' ship, but this doesn't make it harder to fight.