What do Magic Items do to CR?

[unseenmage]

I could've sworn there were rules for upping CRs based on putting potent magic items in the monsters hands (or claw, or tentacles, or whatevers) but now I can't seem to find them.

Am I misremembering again?


Specifically I'm going to put them to use in my notes on combining Constructs and Wondrous Items; in case you were wondering.

[Urpriest]

Most Monsters have treasure, and they're free to use that treasure in combat. You might adjust CR by +1 if you're giving them more or more useful treasure than normal, but there aren't any strict guidelines.

[Flickerdart]

NPCs have WBL too (though at most levels it's less than PCs get) which is included in their CR. IIRC this is automatically added when you give something a PC level, in addition to the Elite Array, and counts as part of the CR added by the class level.

[unseenmage]

Most Monsters have treasure, and they're free to use that treasure in combat. You might adjust CR by +1 if you're giving them more or more useful treasure than normal, but there aren't any strict guidelines.

For my purpose the destruction of the creature would result in the destruction of the treasure item. SO unless the players tromp about with a Rod of Construct control they wouldn't get much with this variant.



NPCs have WBL too (though at most levels it's less than PCs get) which is included in their CR. IIRC this is automatically added when you give something a PC level, in addition to the Elite Array, and counts as part of the CR added by the class level.

So, as long as I don't shatter the WBL chart it's god to go? Guess I'd considered that briefly but I'd dismissed it as 'too easy'. I'm willing to bet what I was remembering was the rules for monsters with items in 4E.

That's what I get for trying to retain both systems in my one teeny brain, huh?

[Flickerdart]

There's a separate chart for NPC wealth. I can't post it, and I'm not sure where exactly in the DMG it is, but in the latter levels it normalizes to about 1/3 of PC wealth.

[Urpriest]

There's a separate chart for NPC wealth. I can't post it, and I'm not sure where exactly in the DMG it is, but in the latter levels it normalizes to about 1/3 of PC wealth.

Note that this should only be used for actual NPCs. Without class levels monsters default to whatever treasure is listed in their entries.

In general, don't get too worried if some of the "treasure" is automatically destroyed with the monster. It's the same sort of situation with NPCs and consumable items. It's supposed to happen to some extent, just remember to give the PCs enough treasure otherwise to keep them roughly to WBL.

[Flickerdart]

My solution for monsters having more cash than they should drop as loot is consumables and minions. If the guy quaffs a potion as soon as he sees the PCs approach, and then gets on his horse, and the PCs kill the horse, they're not getting the value of the potion of the horse, but the NPC got the benefit of both of them.

[unseenmage]

There's a separate chart for NPC wealth. I can't post it, and I'm not sure where exactly in the DMG it is, but in the latter levels it normalizes to about 1/3 of PC wealth.

That's exactly the one I meant, my bad for being so nonspecific.


Thank you both for your assistance. Much appreciated.

[Spuddles]

I usually eyeball it. Like ogres with their CR 3 loot as pots of bull str and otger buffs are probably worth a CR increase if you give them enough stuff to bump up their physical ability scores by +4, AC by 2, attack by +1, and damage by 1.

Pot/oil:
Bull str
Cats grace
Bears con
Magic weapon
Barkskin
Shield of faith

That's 750gp.


There's a separate chart for NPC wealth. I can't post it, and I'm not sure where exactly in the DMG it is, but in the latter levels it normalizes to about 1/3 of PC wealth.

There is one on the pf srd, but it's not identical to 3.5, IIRC.

[Karnith]

There's a separate chart for NPC wealth. I can't post it, and I'm not sure where exactly in the DMG it is
Just in case anyone was wondering where this chart is, it's on the bottom of page 127 in the DMG (near the end of the chapter on NPCs). At first and second levels, NPCs are expected to have considerably more wealth than players, and at all other levels they fall behind, such that by fifth level PCs are expected to have more than twice the wealth of an equal-level NPC, and at ninth level they are expected to have three times the wealth of an equal-level NPC.