Beefing up low CR creatures

[Silus]

So my group is between campaigns at the moment (Or between acts 1 and 2 of my campaign), thus giving me, the DM, time to plot and plan.

So treasure is the easy part, as is the plot (I was ironing that out while Act 1 was going on). The hitch is the monsters. Basically, the monsters I want/need to use are all too low a level/CR to throw at the party (lvl 10s, most with templates of some sort they "earned"). How can I beef them up to be more of a challenge for the PCs?

Overall usage of the monsters is sort of like combination of Drop-Pod soldiers meets biological weapons (They're being dropped on asteroids from space onto the planet to pave the way for a quasi-Elder Evil). At this point of the campaign, I've no qualms with pulling stuff from 3.5, 3rd party or Pathfinder if it'll suit my needs.

All I can think of right now is template stacking to get the CR up in the "right" range.

[DeltaEmil]

Add more hit dices, non-associated class levels, and replace or add some racial abilities to the monsters.

[Urpriest]

Class levels are usually a good bet, unless they're Int<2. I'd give each at least one class level for the gear and free elite array. Then template stack/advance/more class levels as suits your fancy.

[Feralventas]

Template Stacking is one option.
Adding HD is another.
Having them function as Animal Companions for a nearby NPC foe would give you an easy template to work from.
NPC allies that buff them, bardic or clerical buffs, or maybe additional effects that arrive along with their means of transport; after impact/arrival, their transports begin pumping out poisons or gasses that the creatures have been immunized to.

[Silus]

Class levels are usually a good bet, unless they're Int<2. I'd give each at least one class level for the gear and free elite array. Then template stack/advance/more class levels as suits your fancy.

So an Int of 3 would allow for class levels?

Monsters I'm looking at using (All from pathfinder at the moment) are Akatas (and Void Zombies), Carnivorous Blobs, Mi-Go and various other other-worldy alien type monsters. Mi-Go I'm likely gonna give levels of Druid at the least, but things like Akata and the Blobs are stumping me something fierce.

[John Longarrow]

When in doubt, toss on Barbarian for nasty low int creatures. They get a lot of HPs and rage.

[Trinoya]

I have found, even in a fairly how powered setting, that by giving weaker creatures maximum possible hit points they go from 'oh.. these again' to, "OH GOD THESE AGAIN!?!!!"

It's worked wonders. Adjust hit dies as you need for power level.

Oh, and just remember combat happens in three dimensions. Your players will freak out Kobolds attack them from directly above (or below!). You'll never run out of fun times :smallamused:

[Tvtyrant]

Give them extra health equal to 10xparty level and additional ac and to hit equal to the party level for minions (ac will also get equipment bonuses.)

[Urpriest]

So an Int of 3 would allow for class levels?

Monsters I'm looking at using (All from pathfinder at the moment) are Akatas (and Void Zombies), Carnivorous Blobs, Mi-Go and various other other-worldy alien type monsters. Mi-Go I'm likely gonna give levels of Druid at the least, but things like Akata and the Blobs are stumping me something fierce.

Huh. Pathfinder is a bit different, and I'm not too familiar with it. Here are their rules on the subject. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/monster-advancement)

In 3.5 Int 3 was enough for class levels, it should still be enough for those guys. I'd mostly do Barbarian levels, though a template or two will make things fiercer. In PF you can make things bigger with HD advancement, and you've got things like the Advanced template to play with.

[Toy Killer]

Personally, I don't worry about the monsters, I worry about the environment and circumstances.

Think of it this way, name a movie where the square off was as simple as a group attacks the hero. You know it's happened numerous times but you can't point out a specific instance? Name a really cool fight scene. The difference is that one had flavor and substance behind it.

A Wizard might have a obscuring mist prepared, but how well optimized is he for dealing with barrels of whiskey tumbling down in high mass? At that point, the damage is a pure abstraction, you can have saves against reflex or touch AC, and deal whatever hit die in damage you like. When a fighter says "Can I Use great cleave instead and smash through the barrels with my Great Club?", you can say yes. And that, my friend, is an encounter the players will remember.

Don't worry about the monsters giving the party good experience, worry about them giving a good experience for your party!

The

[Sgt. Cookie]

So an Int of 3 would allow for class levels?

Technically, no. You only need an Int of 3 to be a Player Character, not to take class levels. You could, if you wanted, have a Bear Warlock, or a Black Pudding Cleric.

[jedipotter]

All I can think of right now is template stacking to get the CR up in the "right" range.

A template or class level can do wonders. Just ignore whatever rules there might be for this. A couple class levels really help. I often add a couple fighter class levels to physical foes. Just the BaB and HP alone are a big plus, but even better is adding a couple combat feats. For more intresting foes, add a couple levels of wizard or cleric, but don't get caught up in the rules. Just make the 'spells' 'supernatural abilites' and call it a day.

Often I just add buff spells to the creature, and often have no detectable effect...in short just making the creature more powerful. But it's fun to add other spells too, like giant toads that can do burning hands. Even more so you can tailor them to the setting, giant toads with mage armor and shield should be 'normal'. And i like the idea of 'divine' common animals with divine spells. They fit in great.

And taticts can really make a encounter. Even just a foe using hit and run attacks can really take on a tough group.

A sneaky trick is to mix in really low CR creatures, that look exactly like the higher ones. So you might have 25 snakes, 20 are cr 1 and five are cr 3. That way the characters can't ''risk'' ignoring even one snake, as it could be the high CR cleric one.