ECL/CR for 3.5 Monster Characters

[Adept_Scholar]

A good eve to all. :smallwink: I seek clarification on a matter concerning 3.5 monster ECL/CR. While browsing the 3.5 M.M.I, it gives an example of a 4th level barbarian minotaur being a ECL 12 (6 for minotaur HD, 4 for barbarian, and 2 for level adjustment) on page 290. In contrast, on page 38 in the 3.5 D.M. Guide it gives an example of a 7th level centaur ranger being a CR 8 (7 for ranger & 1 for the centaur's original CR). Which of these is correct when determining a monster character's ECL/CR? For example, if the D.M.'s rule is used, then the minotaur above would be a CR 8 (4 for barbarian & 4 for CR) and not an ECL of 12. Maybe I am missing something...:smallconfused:

[VGLordR2]

ECL is Effective Character Level. It adds all Hit Dice, class levels, and level adjustment together. A monster has LA because it is significantly more powerful than, say, a Human. A Drow that has one class level has an ECL of three (two from LA, one from the class level). A level three Human would have an ECL of three, all from class levels. ECL serves to make sure that all player characters have balanced power levels.

CR is Challenge Rating. This number is used to determine the power of a monster in an encounter. A monster with a CR 5 would be suitable for a party of level five characters.

So, to recap: ECL is used to determine the power of a character. CR is used to determine the power of a monster. I hope this helped.

[Duke of URL]

Yeah, ECL and CR aren't really all that related, except that by and large, things with high CR tend to have higher ECL on average, and vice-versa. But that's a very general correlation, as, say a Nymph would have a ECL of 13 (6 RHD, +7 LA) but is only CR 7, whereas a CR 7 juvenile black dragon has an ECL of 18 (14 RHD, +4 LA) and a CR 7 drieder is ECL 10 (6 RHD, +4 LA).