CRs, NPC Classes, and Wussy Critters

[Ashrem Bayle]

Ok, I seem to be a tad bit confused. I know that if you take a CR1 creature, and slap a level of Fighter on him, he becomes CR2.

Well what about creatures with less than 1CR such as a kobold?

Take a standard kobold out of the Monster Manual and slap a level of fighter on him. What's his CR? What if it was a level of Warrior?

Someone want to show me the light?

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Ok, I seem to be a tad bit confused. I know that if you take a CR1 creature, and slap a level of Fighter on him, he becomes CR2.

Well what about creatures with less than 1CR such as a kobold?

Take a standard kobold out of the Monster Manual and slap a level of fighter on him. What's his CR? What if it was a level of Warrior?

Someone want to show me the light?

IIRC, adding one level of a class to a kobold results in a CR 1. Generally the abilities of a weak creature don't add enough to warrant adding the two CR's together and rounding up.

BTW, I believe the rule of thumb on warrior levels is that they count as 2/3 of a level for figuring CR, so a 3rd level warrior orc would be CR 2.

 

[ConnorSB]

Typically, if a Race has but one HD, like a kobold or an Orc, you simply rewrite them as a PC race (possibly w/ a level adjustment), and make thier first level fighter.

 

[Epametheus]

For humanoids like the kobold, the creature becomes a L1 whatever that has the race of the creature. If a PC class, it becomes CR 1; if an NPC class like warrior, it becomes CR 1/2. The class level will actually replace its racial hit die.

That being said, most of the standard humanoid entries are actually 1st level warriors. A second level of an NPC class raises it to a CR 1. I guess a PC class level also raises it to CR 1.

If it's some odd monstrous race that's really wimpy, I'm not sure if you're supposed to round the CR down or up when you start adding class levels.

 

[ConnorSB]

And with NPC classes like the warrior, aristocrat, etc, thier CR is one less than thier level, with a minimum of one. So an orc fighter 3 = CR 3. An orc warrior 3 = CR 2. An Orc fighter 1 = CR 1, an orc warrior is also CR 1 (although it is obviously weaker than it's trained compatriate.

 

[frankthedm]

an orc warrior is also CR 1 (although it is obviously weaker than it's trained compatriate.

CR 1/2 last time i checked. 3.5E goblin warriors got upgraded to a cr 1/3 [3.0 was cr 1/4]