Average AC and Hp of Core monsters, by CR

[Nail]

Being spured on by another thread, I finally compiled some of the basic data of all the Core (MM) monsters. Most of the work was done by others....I just added dragons, animals, and vermin. Anyway, here's the average hp and AC of all the monsters in each CR.

      Ave     Ave     Num of
CR     hp     AC     Records
 3     26     16      (lots) 
 4     46     16      (lots)
 5     55     18      (lots)
 6     66     19      (lots)
 7     87     18      (lots)
 8     96     20      (lots)
 9    131     21      (lots)
10    129     21      (lots)
11    165     25      (lots)
12    184     24       *8
13    166     28       *7
14    174     28       *6
15    214     31       *3
16    218     32       *6
17    248     29       *3
18    319     34       *6
19    392     37       *4
20    442     36       *5
21    444     38       *5

Trends? Well, generally speaking:

• AC = CR +14
  
• (For CR 3 - 10, AC = CR +12 fits a bit better)
  
• hp = 16*CR - 25 (yeah, I know it's kinda clunky)
  
• hp of creatures greater than CR 17 doesn't follow the over all trend...it gets much higher, much faster.
  
• The number of monsters above CR 14 or so makes conclusions about higher CR stuff a bit suspect
  
• I know from experience than MMII, MMIII, FF, and Dungeon magazine commonly make creatures of equal CR much tougher than in the MM, especially when it comes to hp and AC (and DR!). :\

 

[shilsen]

You know you have way too much time on your hands, right ? That being said, I'm glad you do, since that gives me some food for thought when thinking about CRs and appropriate challenges. Thanks.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I hope you kept your data so you can give us the standard deviations. It'd be nice to say "a fighter with an attack roll of +W will hit X% of CR Y monsters Z% of the time".

And - did you perhaps get average saving throws too?

 

[NexH]

Nice work

I know from experience than MMII, MMIII, FF, and Dungeon magazine commonly make creatures of equal CR much tougher than in the MM, especially when it comes to hp and AC (and DR!). :\

I don't know about the other 3, but many creatures from the Fiend Folio seem actually weak for their CRs.

 

[Jdvn1]

... So a CR 10 creature is slightly weaker than a CR 9 creature? Well, according to that chart, anyway.

 

[Rystil Arden]

... So a CR 10 creature is slightly weaker than a CR 9 creature? Well, according to that chart, anyway.

Heehee I bet that's when they start putting in the things that are absurdly easy but have some ability that they think is good

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, special abilities do make a big difference, though.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well, special abilities do make a big difference, though.

Sometimes they do, but not when its like many of the 3.0 demons who had a suite of spell-like abilities but were pretty much guaranteed to die before their first turn against any competent party that should be fighting them (unless they rolled lucky initiative)

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, yes. I can't say that most CR 10 creatures would lose to most CR 9 creatures, though.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well, yes. I can't say that most CR 10 creatures would lose to most CR 9 creatures, though.

Probably not. Then again, CR 8 Gray Renders might lose to a mostly first-level party. You never know