I am tempering with programming a simple monster generator using the simple monster creation rules.
So far i had no problems, but now i arrive at spells.
ACID Spell list, would give my CR 8 monster acid spray.
and i was wondering what my monsters CL is.
Now the rules say, it's HD is the same as it's CR.
That would mean a monster with Casterlevel 8 can cast a lvl 5 spell (a wizard learns those at lvl 9, a sorcerer at lvl 10), while that is no problem with scaling dmg spells (as they are getting scaled down) it would be horrible with spells like feeblemind/slay the living, or spells that do not scale at all and don't even have a safe.
On a site note: The advanced monster generation rules would say a CR 8 Aberation is HD 12. that would be far too high a caster level against a lvl 7-8 party (~63 dmg on acid spray).
So, what am i supposed to use as Caster Level ?
CL8 Acid spray would be (28+14) damage with a Reflex DC of 22,
or i could use the recommended aberant spell list that gives feeblemind with DC 22 !!!! (CR 8 -> DC17+spelllevel(5) = 22 )
42 area damage with a DC of 22 is a bit much, according to the reference table 1-1 in Bestiary (high damage of 35, with a primary DC of 18).
You are sure it's supposed to be DC 17+5 and not just DC 17? Because 17 would fit to the table and make sense mathematically (10 base, 5 for spell level, 5/2=2 for minimum caster attribute).
You are sure it's supposed to be DC 17+5 and not just DC 17? Because 17 would fit to the table and make sense mathematically (10 base, 5 for spell level, 5/2=2 for minimum caster attribute).
yep, Simple Rules state that the Base 17 gets added the SpellLevel on top.
"Spell DCs: To determine the DC of a spell cast by a monster, add the spell’s level to the number listed in the spell DC column of the monster’s array. Use the spell’s cleric or sorcerer/wizard level if multiple classes can cast it. If neither of those classes has the spell, use the highest spell level listed in the spell’s description."
Edit. personally as a GM i think the CL is too low, the DCs too high. the Spells progression a bit too early (CR8 having lvl 5 Sorc Spells)
Hrm, even the examples don't mention a caster level.
Where does the +14 damage come from? Because just 8d6 acid damage (28 in average) would be fine according to Bestiary 1-1, meaning CL 8 is fine, too.
Hrm, even the examples don't mention a caster level.
Where does the +14 damage come from? Because just 8d6 acid damage (28 in average) would be fine according to Bestiary 1-1, meaning CL 8 is fine, too.
Acid Spray also applies a 1 rd DoT of (.5*lvl)d6 dmg
Ah, you are right. There is a second save and the delay of a round, so I guess a party can deal with it.
Reading through Bestiary, CL = HD = CR is not that off. Yes, it breaks the rule of "you need CL 2x-1 for spell level x", but actually simple monster creation breaks a lot of rules, if only by a bit. Likely because Paizo became more pragmatic over the course of years - they now focus on the values actually relevant in battle, not the values leading to them.
Either way, do you have any plans to release the monster generator in public?
Once i have something substantial,
Might also look into the advanced rules, maybe those play out better.
would basicly be a bunch of questions and choices
Cr ?
Type ?
Array ?
Low High DPS ?
Melee/Range Option? (how mandy of what kind of dice, +x to reach the avrg. dmg.)
Options(Combat Magic etc.) ?
Auto/Manuel Spelllist
Primary (only under auto) Spelllist (Acid/Aberant/ etc.) with boni
other spells picked.
that's the rough idea atm. but i didn't program in a long time, a long time.
Generate and automaticly adjust a block as ya go throu the questions.
Strange Paizo doesn't do that emself since it shouldn't be complex, just a lot of copy paste.
Hrm, if Paizo would release something official, expectations on features, correctness and usability would be quite high. I can't blame them if they leave it to someone else.
A question based system, resulting in some text output, would already be quite helpful. I see the biggest potential of such a program in handling those big tables in a comfy way. Many GMs might want to tweak the result further, but that could be done in any text editor.