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General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Demons and Associated Class Levels
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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 7085194" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>I'm not sure what the official answer is, but when buffing a monster to create a mini-boss or BBEG, I always do. So long as you are thoughtful about it, I don't think it's particularly dangerous to say that say SR goes up by +1 per 2HD increase or that caster level increases proportionately to the increase in HD. Most spells in 3e are level capped anyway, so the main thing increased caster level gets you is resistance to counter-spells and ability to overcome SR. At caster level 14, you are already over the level cap of most of the scalable spells, so (for example) buffing to 18HD and caster level 21 is mostly about the change in HD - not the increased caster level.</p><p></p><p>What I've typically done since the 1e era is also increase leaders access to spell like abilities. So for example, for a Glabrezu lord, depending on the capabilities I expected the party have, I'd probably buff to Power Word (Stun) - 3/day, and Wish 3/month, while buffing summoning ability to 6d10 dretch or 1d3 vrock with 100% chance, or one Glabrezu 40% chance. </p><p></p><p>As for 'plot armor', I hate plot armor. If you want to give something plot armor, give a concrete in game reason why he's not banishable rather than hand wave it away. For example, there could be some potent minor artifact holding him in place and preventing him and his army from being banished, but then if the artifact were located and destroyed, he would be subject to banishment. That opens up plot rather than closes it down.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 7085194, member: 4937"] I'm not sure what the official answer is, but when buffing a monster to create a mini-boss or BBEG, I always do. So long as you are thoughtful about it, I don't think it's particularly dangerous to say that say SR goes up by +1 per 2HD increase or that caster level increases proportionately to the increase in HD. Most spells in 3e are level capped anyway, so the main thing increased caster level gets you is resistance to counter-spells and ability to overcome SR. At caster level 14, you are already over the level cap of most of the scalable spells, so (for example) buffing to 18HD and caster level 21 is mostly about the change in HD - not the increased caster level. What I've typically done since the 1e era is also increase leaders access to spell like abilities. So for example, for a Glabrezu lord, depending on the capabilities I expected the party have, I'd probably buff to Power Word (Stun) - 3/day, and Wish 3/month, while buffing summoning ability to 6d10 dretch or 1d3 vrock with 100% chance, or one Glabrezu 40% chance. As for 'plot armor', I hate plot armor. If you want to give something plot armor, give a concrete in game reason why he's not banishable rather than hand wave it away. For example, there could be some potent minor artifact holding him in place and preventing him and his army from being banished, but then if the artifact were located and destroyed, he would be subject to banishment. That opens up plot rather than closes it down. [/QUOTE]
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