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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 1226538" data-attributes="member: 2629">The CR system is a guideline (at best). I've thrown CR 12 encounters at a 5th level party and watched them mop the floor with it. I've thrown two CR 6 creatures at a 10th level party and nearly gotten a TPK. CRs are only a rough guideline of what a party can handle. In the end, the DM needs to adjust a CR to account for party strengths and weaknesses.For instance, if a party of 4 13th level wizards comes across an Iron Golem, that Golem will present a real challenge. Their spells will be mostly useless. The only way to beat it will be to use summoned monsters to try and slowly tear it down. It will use up a lot of resources. It will be a huge challenge.On the other hand, a party of 4 fighters of equivalent level with proper weapons may cut down the golem in a single round. It will be a good warm-up combat for the big battle.According to the normal CR system, these two parties should get the same experience because they are the same level and the creature has the same CR. If you follow that pattern, a party could face off against boring encounters for their entire career, yet sky rocket up in experience because the encounters have a high CR. This is boring and doesn't allow a party enough time at each 'power level' to enjoy the incatracies of the game at those levels.I suggest running 'mock' battles by yourself to get a feel for how well your party can handle an encounter. Then assign a CR based upon your estimation of what the result would likely be if the party actually faced the encounter. After a few of these mok battles, you'll get a real feel when a CR is too high or too low when considered in respect to your PCs.</blockquote>

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