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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Asmor" data-source="post: 3787471" data-attributes="member: 1154">So this is often bandied about as a major strength of 3rd edition: the fact that monsters follow the same rules as PCs.You know what? Putting some thought into it, I don't believe they do.I mean, sure they obey the same algorithms. Dragon(X) gives you BAB=X, AllSaves=2+X/2, etc, just like Cleric(X) gives you BAB=3/4X, WillSave=2+X/2, Ref&FortSaves=X/3, etc.But that's about where the similarities end, and even then, the numbers aren't actually that tied to the rules.A monster's natural AC is entirely arbitrary. A monster's ability scores are entirely arbitrary. Even the "X" you use to run the function (i.e. the monster's hit dice) are entirely arbitrary and only loosely, if at all, tied to the monster's "level" (its CR). A monster's racial skill bonuses are entirely arbitrary. A monster's speed is entirely arbitrary. In fact, the only time monsters and PCs are on equal footing is when it comes to feats, and it's easy enough to get around that by giving the monster arbitrary bonus feats or abilities which emulate feats.Further, PCs get a prescribed set of abilities each level. Monsters get whatever you feel like giving them.I'm not saying that monsters are cheating or anything along those lines. I'm just saying that it seems naive to me to assert that players and monsters use the same rules.</blockquote>