How well are the DMG guide's Create a Monster rules doing for NPCs?

[MinotaurWarrior]

I'm looking to add some class-level having threats to my group starting next session and possibly increasing in commonness from there. The two things that I've run through the machine are (1) A wolf totem 3 / Rogue 1 half-orc, and (2) a half-dragon gnomish necromancer (level 20) with no remaining spell slots. In the first case, depending on stats, it came out to about CR 4, which made me feel like the system isn't doing enough thought, but on the exhausted necromancer, it was more complicated to do, but I felt like it produced a lot of value. Saying "oh, the level 4 NPC is about CR4" would have been easy, but I really depended on the chart thinking about the exhausted necromancer. My question though is this - how well has that chart stood up in play?

[pwykersotz]

I've only used it from levels 1-7 so far, but so far so good. I've used the guidelines to create several new monsters and they've held up well. No report from me on the high levels though, that'll take a few more months. I would guess that adding more of the non-CR adjusting abilities becomes more important for well-rounded high level play.

[Safety Sword]

I've only used it from levels 1-7 so far, but so far so good. I've used the guidelines to create several new monsters and they've held up well. No report from me on the high levels though, that'll take a few more months. I would guess that adding more of the non-CR adjusting abilities becomes more important for well-rounded high level play.

This is pretty close to my experience too.

I just wanted some customised undead from Ye Olde Times in my campaign.

Banedead are such fun. And my party have had a TPK with them in the past in 3.5E.

Party: Hey look! Skeletons! It's like free XP!
Me: A red flare flashes in the skull of the lead skeleton and magic missiles streak out. The eyes of the other skeletons take on an ominous glow. (*DM Rolls heaps of dice*)
Party: Banedead! Oh crap!