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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 6882676" data-attributes="member: 37579">Arbitrary, yes. Pointless, no. They just decided that NPCs that only have to exist for 2-5 rounds in combat don't need the same level of complexity and to obey the same rules as adventurers that exist for every round of every encounter for twenty levels. That an NPC that is a challenge to a PC shouldn't have to follow the same math as a level 20-ish PC. That a level 1 fighter likely isn't the same challenge rating as a level 1 wizard, while a level 20 fighter likely isn't the same challenge as a level 20 wizard. Having run a bunch of Pathfinder lately with human NPC opponents (wrapped up the Skull & Shackles AP) I can tell you that high level NPCs just don't cut it compared to monsters of the supposed same CR, and one of the big points of failure is hit points. Monster Hit Dice has always gone up twice as fast as CR, but that seldom works with the PC rules as increasing the hit dice to match other monsters while obeying PC rules means lots of extra complexity and class features. It's far easier to just "cheat" and give the NPCs extra levels. When I was running 3.5e and Pathfinder homegames I regularly gave out a warrior level or 2-3 expert levels to boost the ol' Hit Dice without significantly boosting the CR. Just so the enemy would pose an appropriate threat.</blockquote>