Dummies guide to Encounter Levels

[AsheItachi]

Ok im using roll20 to start a campaign, and i have our first session monday. Im trying to put together there encounter and since this is my first time dming in a while i forgot CR and what not.

They are a party of 6 level 1s

So does that mean essentialy they can handle
6 CR's of one?
12 of CR 1/2
or 1 CR of 6?

[mattie_p]

According to the 3.5 encounter calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/extras/d20encountercalculator/), 6 CR 1 creatures are an ECL 5 encounter, or extremely difficult. Use with caution. Same with 12 CR 1/2 creatures. One CR 6 enemy will almost certainly kill several party members.

I suggest you gear your challenge ratings to the 1-3 level, adjusted somewhat for a larger group (instead of three CR 1/3 skeletons, give them 5).

[Yuki Akuma]

An EL 1 encounter is supposed to exhaust around 20 to 25% of the resources of a party of four level 1 PCs. A single CR 1 monster is an EL 1 encounter.

Anything more than 2 higher than the average level of a party of four PCs is pretty much impossible for them to overcome (or is meant to be).

For a party of 6 level 1 PCs, I'd suggest ELs up to 2 or 3.