ffone
2010-10-18, 09:14 PM
So, RAW, adding 'associate' class levels to a monster increase its CR by 1 per class level. Similarly, a PHB race or similar no-racial-HD race with class levels has CR = its class level (unless using 'NPC Classes'), with some races being a bit higher (drow are 1 higher, for example).
Is it just me, or do such NPCs tend to be way easier than similar 'purely monstrous' enemies? Whenever I DM, I feel like martial-class enemies that are all class levels seem much weaker than similar physical-attacking monsters with racial HD.
And when advancing monsters, 2-4 racial HD = +1 CR, depending on the Type, which generally gives a lot more than extra class levels (from the higher rate of bonus feats if nothign else), with some exceptions ("X to Y" abilities like 1 monk level on a high Wis monster).
Does it feel this way to anyone else? Maybe I'm no giving my NPCs effective magic items? (How do you determine the amount of money to spend on gear for an NPC with both racial HD and class levels?) Any suggestions?
Is the "Class level = Challenge Rating" rule based around the 'worst case scenario', like an NPC who likes to use save-or-die spells? High risk high reward tactics tend to be worse for the PCs, since they are expected to win most battles, and have to deal with curing things liker permanent blindness or negative levels. (Also, enemy casters can afford to spend all their best spells on 1 encounter instead of 5/day.)
(Ideally I'm looking for more specific insights than the GitP mantras of "the CR system is just totally broken" or "that's because physical attacking is so inferior to Tier 1 Casting that it's all noise" ).
Is it just me, or do such NPCs tend to be way easier than similar 'purely monstrous' enemies? Whenever I DM, I feel like martial-class enemies that are all class levels seem much weaker than similar physical-attacking monsters with racial HD.
And when advancing monsters, 2-4 racial HD = +1 CR, depending on the Type, which generally gives a lot more than extra class levels (from the higher rate of bonus feats if nothign else), with some exceptions ("X to Y" abilities like 1 monk level on a high Wis monster).
Does it feel this way to anyone else? Maybe I'm no giving my NPCs effective magic items? (How do you determine the amount of money to spend on gear for an NPC with both racial HD and class levels?) Any suggestions?
Is the "Class level = Challenge Rating" rule based around the 'worst case scenario', like an NPC who likes to use save-or-die spells? High risk high reward tactics tend to be worse for the PCs, since they are expected to win most battles, and have to deal with curing things liker permanent blindness or negative levels. (Also, enemy casters can afford to spend all their best spells on 1 encounter instead of 5/day.)
(Ideally I'm looking for more specific insights than the GitP mantras of "the CR system is just totally broken" or "that's because physical attacking is so inferior to Tier 1 Casting that it's all noise" ).