DM's Best Friend Table

[Ry]

I've thought about it, but the data doesn't behave nicely - esp. when you have stuff like "Swimming +8" for all the creatures with a swim speed.

As a ballpark, what I'd suggest is HD+3 + Average Ability Modifier. I could easily add that to the chart... although I'll need some time to type up more Ability Scores.

 

[Ry]

Oh, but what I'd want to add would be intermediary steps on the chart - not the big gap between monster and NPC hitpoints, and monster and (non-fighter) NPC AC. Those kind of things make me want to find what fits between them, and define it, but I'm not sure it would actually be useful to DMs to have that on the chart.

 

[Ry]

Here's version 0.4 with a "maxed skill", which is based on entering all the True Dragons' Ability Scores, getting an average Ability Modifier, and then adding Max Ranks by HD.

 

[blargney the second]

Wow, those skills scaled way faster than I'd have thought. I forgot to account for more HD on monsters as CR goes up.

 

[Ry]

Yeah, they're high especially because I'm just using dragons, but if you look at things like demonlords and stuff at high CRs, my numbers seem not too bad. We'll see what it looks like when I've got a lot more data entry done. Which I will do, but not fast or soon.

 

[Ry]

Monster HD is rather linear, yeah (taking NPCs out of the equation, we get...):

y = 0.0014x3 - 0.0323x2 + 1.437x + 0.4566

CR 5 is about 7 HD
CR 10 is 13 HD
CR 16 is 20 HD
CR 26 is 40 HD

with about 1 HD more in each category if you just drill down on "Fortitude-highest save" monsters.

 

[Ry]

Funny, when I look at the Manticore entry in the SRD it has Spot +9, which is 4 points lower than my chart...

but when I calculate it myself, I get 6+3 (6 HD, class skill), +1 (Wisdom) + 4 (Racial) = 14.

 

[Ry]

Also, NPC skill specialists (from the DMG II) blow these guys away; at 1st, they've got +13, at 20th, +44. Not bad for so many fewer HD.

 

[TarionzCousin]

This is a winner. Great work, ry. I was home sick for a week and I memorized the insides of my eyelids.

I would suggest updating the first post with the latest version to make it easier for people to find it.

I have printed this out and it will help me with my future winging-it combats--or else!

 

[Mark CMG]

Fascinating results.