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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Erithtotl" data-source="post: 3629824" data-attributes="member: 1971">Levelled NPCs with poorly chosen equipment or abilities can dramatically alter effective CR.Also, as a DM quickly chosing an opponent out of a published supplement, sometimes going by CR can have disasterous results, either for the party or for game balance.I ran into a particularly vexing example when I needed a quick assassin statblock in Ptolus.  I grabbed two of these guys.  From page 140 (apologies to the otherwise exellent author of the DMG):Typical Vai AssassinMale or female human (Neutral Evil)Rogue5/assassin2 CR 7HD 5d6 + 2d6 hp 27Init +2 Speed 30 feetAC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 15BAB/Grapple +4/+5Attack/Full Attack +7 melee (1d4+2, dagger)or +8 ranged (1d4+2, dagger)SA Sneak attack +4d6, death attack (DC 14)SQ Evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trapsense +1, +1 saves versus poisonFort +1, Ref +11, Will +5Str 12, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 10Crucial Skills: Balance +9, Bluff +8, Climb +9,Disable Device +6, Escape Artist +12, Hide+12, Intimidate +8, Jump +7, Listen +10,Move Silently +12, Spot +8.Other Skills: Disguise +12, Forgery +8,Knowledge (local) +6, Open Lock +14.Crucial Feats: N/A.Other Feats: Deceitful, Iron Will, LightningReflexes, Weapon Focus (dagger).Spells: 2; save DC 13 + spell level.1st—disguise self, true strike.Possessions: Masterwork studded leatherarmor, +1 dagger, masterwork daggers (3),scroll of sleep, Large scorpion venom(4 doses), dark reaver poison (1 dose),50 feet of silk rope, climber’s kit, disguisekit, masterwork thieves’ tools, 25 gp.So here we have a 30 point buy, CR 7 opponent with a 15 AC, 27 hp, and 1d4+2 dmg per hit.  You can argue that under the right circumstances, against an unwary opponent, this guy could be very deadly.  But you can argue that for almost any opponent.  A 1st level halfling rogue can kill you in your sleep just as easily as this guy.  In other certain circumstances, a well chosen target for the deat attack and a bad save roll, or well targeted poison, could kill or cripple a PC with ease.  But the character is so poorly optimized, and unncessarily so, that it fights way below it's CR.He has no 'escape mechanism' (no tumble, no mobility, no invisibility potion, nothing), so if the initial attack fails he has no way of getting away.  Of his approximately 4600gp in equipment, a whopping 3300gp is taken up in daggers, and 1100gp in poison, most of which he'll never use.  Is that +1 to hit on the three throwing daggers really worth 900gp?  How about investing the cost of ONE of those daggers in a potion of shield of faith (50gp), a scroll of invisibility (150gp), and two potions of Cure Light (50gpx2)?  He has LIGHTNING REFLEXES.  What, +9 reflex save just wasn't enough?  10 ranks in Escape Artist but not 1 in tumble?Glancing at the monster manual, here are some other CR 7 opponents.AbolethBuletteChaos BeastChimeraChuulSuccubusHellcatDire BearAboleth, seriously!  This was against a party of 5th level characters.  The character on guard duty made his listen check, and wiped the floor with them in short order.  Imagine if I'd taken two aboleths against them.  Or two bulettes!</blockquote>

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