This came up on rpgnet in connection with adjusting high CR monsters down for an E6 type game. Here are a couple quick & dirty tricks to lower effective CR for 3.5, I expect these work for Pathfinder too:
1. Remove spellcaster inherent abilities, eg if a dragon says "casts as 9th level Sorcerer", just strike through that line. This works for things like dragons which have lots of other powers anyway.
2. Monster offense tends to exceed defense as you go up CRs. Most brute monsters have a ginormous STR bonus. Quickest way to reduce Offense is to lower monster STR, eg lower a giant's STR from 28 to 21. and instead of +9 to hit/ +13 damage, it's +5/+7.
3. Brute monster defense is typically a big fat arbitrary Natural Armour Bonus. Reduce it to something reasonable.
4. Less important, but if hit points and fort save look too high, lower CON. Very rarely a Will or Ref save is too high so you reduce Wisdom or Dexterity, but I can't recall ever seeing this.
5. Eyeball new CR. It's probably somewhere between hd/2 and 3/4 x hd.
This should work with monsters of hit dice up to double the new/target CR. The trick is to alter STR, CON & Natural Armour but not to mess with monster hit dice, as hit dice have cascading effects on BAB, saves, skills etc.
1. Remove spellcaster inherent abilities, eg if a dragon says "casts as 9th level Sorcerer", just strike through that line. This works for things like dragons which have lots of other powers anyway.
2. Monster offense tends to exceed defense as you go up CRs. Most brute monsters have a ginormous STR bonus. Quickest way to reduce Offense is to lower monster STR, eg lower a giant's STR from 28 to 21. and instead of +9 to hit/ +13 damage, it's +5/+7.
3. Brute monster defense is typically a big fat arbitrary Natural Armour Bonus. Reduce it to something reasonable.
4. Less important, but if hit points and fort save look too high, lower CON. Very rarely a Will or Ref save is too high so you reduce Wisdom or Dexterity, but I can't recall ever seeing this.
5. Eyeball new CR. It's probably somewhere between hd/2 and 3/4 x hd.
This should work with monsters of hit dice up to double the new/target CR. The trick is to alter STR, CON & Natural Armour but not to mess with monster hit dice, as hit dice have cascading effects on BAB, saves, skills etc.
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