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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Murazor" data-source="post: 2617583" data-attributes="member: 22982">Well, as they say, CR is only an estimate. Only you yourself can decide if this creature is a decent challenge for your own group. But I'll give some comments from my own experience. Also, since you mentioned you wanted this to be a BBEG, I'll discuss the creature (and any suggestions for modifying it) as if it were meant to be a CR18 creature.It's an Undead, with 21HD (158hp) and no turn resistance. For CR18 this is a serious problem, if you have a cleric who is even remotely interested in turning undead. If you have a Radiant Servant of Pelor or something similar in your group who is dedicated to destroying undead, destroying this undead won't even take a single round (Quicken Turning, using a Greater Turning attempt).Even if you don't have a cleric specialised in turning, chances are quite good that they will succeed in turning (instead of destroying) the creature, ending the combat right there. What I would do is both increase the hitdice (to prevent automatic turning) and add in some extra low-level turn-fodder (if you weren't already planning to do so).With that out of the way, let's take a look at it defensive and offensive capabilities:Defensive: HitPoints: 158Armor Class: 30Spell Resistance: 35Saves:Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +15Spell-Like AbilitiesThe creature has low hitpoints and a low armor class. On the other hand, it does have a very high SR (CR+17), but only mediocre saves. If your spellcasters haven't memorised any Conjuration spells (which bypass SR) they're out of luck, but if they have, they'll be able to serious put the hurt on this creature.Melee-based characters will have great time with this creature, since most if not all of they attacks will hit. If you have a Fighter or Barbarian in your party which uses a 2handed weapon, expect this creature to not survive a single full-attack action.As for its spell-like abilities: Freedom of Movement and True Seeing are both strong defences, but Shield of Faith is a bit odd since it won't do anything (it already has a +8 Deflection bonus)Offensive:Full attack: 2 Claws +22 melee (1d8+18/17-20 plus energy drain)Spell-Like AbilitiesThe basic melee offensive capabilities of this monster are pathetic: only two attacks at a low to-hit. If you have someone with decent AC (Monk or Sword&Board Fighter could both easily reach AC40 at level 18) in your party, it's possible the creature won't hit at all before it is brought down.It does have the option to use some spell-like abilities instead: Flame Strike, Harm and Blasphemy are all able to do some damage (Harm could also be used defensively after a Blasphemy to heal some damage to itself), but nothing for the PCs to be worried about.The monster has one option available to it, that might make it a credible melee fighter: Divine Power.With it, it gains a boost to its to-hit of +13 or +14 (depending on your ruling on Divine Power being able to provide an epic bonus or not), for a total of +35 or +36. Without this spell I would have immediately rated this monster at CR15 (maybe 16).[Circle of Death does not affect creatures with more than 9HD and thus will not be effective against the PCs.]Suggestions:Add some HD (26 or so sounds reasonable) and perhaps some turn resistance. Furthermore, depending on your groupsize, you might want to think about giving it Unholy Toughness (ability from MM3 and Libris Mortis; basically all it does is give undead the ability to use their Charisma modifier for bonus hitpoints instead of their Constitution modifier, thus granting it extra hps)</blockquote>

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