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Immortal's Handbook CR/EL Rules: Don't Count Ability Scores (Proof Positive Inside!)
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<blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 1390272" data-attributes="member: 94"><p>I took advantage of my lunch break to check the rulebook on fractional CR. (I am speaking solely in SRD mode here.)</p><p></p><p>As I suspected, in that case of fractional CRs, you have to hit CR1 with "units" of creatures before you can use the normal additive property of creatures (# creatures x2 = EL +2).</p><p></p><p>Take a creature that is CR 1/8. </p><p></p><p>Using the normal additive property we would get:</p><p></p><p>1 creature = CR 1/8</p><p>2 creatures = EL 2 1/8</p><p>4 creatures = EL 4 1/8</p><p>8 creatures = EL 6 1/8.</p><p></p><p>Obviously, that is not the case. In fact, </p><p></p><p>8 creatures = EL 1.</p><p></p><p>In the SRD system, this means that 8 creatures @ CR1/8 is a moderate encounter for four 1st level PCs.</p><p></p><p>Here is where the problem arises in UK's system:</p><p></p><p>A group of four 1st level PCs is EL 5 (CR 1 x 4 = CR 4 = EL 9, adjusted EL 5).</p><p></p><p>Therefore, a moderate encounter for these PCs is EL 1 (party EL -4). That could be a single CR1 creature. But what about our CR 1/8 creatures?</p><p></p><p>1 creature = CR 1/8</p><p>8 creatures = CR 1, EL 1, but <em>adjusted EL for # combatants</em> = EL -4. (8 combatants = EL -5).</p><p></p><p>With fractional CRs, because of the relationship between EL and # of combatants, it becomes very difficult to build a balanced encounter using the existing CR to EL calculation.</p><p></p><p>The solution, I believe, is that when you are working with fractional CR's, you have to work with "units" of creatures who total CR1. Thus, if you have creatures that are CR1/8, 8 of them count as one "combatant," 16 of them count as two "combatants," and so forth.</p><p></p><p>You can still use the calculation method presented in UKs system, you just have to count "units" as individual combatants.</p><p></p><p>So, 40 creatures that are CR1/8 = CR5, EL10, adjusted EL 6 (use the entry for 5 "combatants" at EL -4, do NOT use the entry for 40 "combatants" which would be EL -10, adjusted EL 0!)</p><p></p><p>For what it's worth, this would be one reason to drop the "CR2/3" entry entirely. You will note that there are no core creatures who are "2" over anything-- they are all 1/xth fractions, where X is the number of creatures you have to have to equal 1 "unit" of CR1. </p><p></p><p>Does that mean that for a CR 2/3 creature, every three creatures are CR2? And that the base "unit" for # combatants is 3?</p><p></p><p>Thus, in the case of Trog Zombies at CR 2/3, we know that 3 of them are CR2, EL 5, adjusted EL = 5 (because 3 zombies make a unit of "1" creature, there is no further EL adjustment).</p><p></p><p>Three Trog Zombies at CR 2/3 should be a DIFFICULT encounter (50/50 survival) for a party of four 1st level PCs (whose own EL = 5).</p><p></p><p>Final EDIT: Which is not to say that a Trog Zombie at 2/3 is not still severely undercosted. They should be CR 1.5, in which case 2 zombies = CR 3, EL 7, adjusted EL 5. Just two zombies should prove DIFFICULT to a 1st level party, and MODERATE for a 2nd level party (CR 8, adjusted EL 9).</p><p></p><p>And we have Anubis to thank for bringing this to our attention. When God gives you lemons... you know...</p><p></p><p>Wulf</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Wulf Ratbane, post: 1390272, member: 94"] I took advantage of my lunch break to check the rulebook on fractional CR. (I am speaking solely in SRD mode here.) As I suspected, in that case of fractional CRs, you have to hit CR1 with "units" of creatures before you can use the normal additive property of creatures (# creatures x2 = EL +2). Take a creature that is CR 1/8. Using the normal additive property we would get: 1 creature = CR 1/8 2 creatures = EL 2 1/8 4 creatures = EL 4 1/8 8 creatures = EL 6 1/8. Obviously, that is not the case. In fact, 8 creatures = EL 1. In the SRD system, this means that 8 creatures @ CR1/8 is a moderate encounter for four 1st level PCs. Here is where the problem arises in UK's system: A group of four 1st level PCs is EL 5 (CR 1 x 4 = CR 4 = EL 9, adjusted EL 5). Therefore, a moderate encounter for these PCs is EL 1 (party EL -4). That could be a single CR1 creature. But what about our CR 1/8 creatures? 1 creature = CR 1/8 8 creatures = CR 1, EL 1, but [i]adjusted EL for # combatants[/i] = EL -4. (8 combatants = EL -5). With fractional CRs, because of the relationship between EL and # of combatants, it becomes very difficult to build a balanced encounter using the existing CR to EL calculation. The solution, I believe, is that when you are working with fractional CR's, you have to work with "units" of creatures who total CR1. Thus, if you have creatures that are CR1/8, 8 of them count as one "combatant," 16 of them count as two "combatants," and so forth. You can still use the calculation method presented in UKs system, you just have to count "units" as individual combatants. So, 40 creatures that are CR1/8 = CR5, EL10, adjusted EL 6 (use the entry for 5 "combatants" at EL -4, do NOT use the entry for 40 "combatants" which would be EL -10, adjusted EL 0!) For what it's worth, this would be one reason to drop the "CR2/3" entry entirely. You will note that there are no core creatures who are "2" over anything-- they are all 1/xth fractions, where X is the number of creatures you have to have to equal 1 "unit" of CR1. Does that mean that for a CR 2/3 creature, every three creatures are CR2? And that the base "unit" for # combatants is 3? Thus, in the case of Trog Zombies at CR 2/3, we know that 3 of them are CR2, EL 5, adjusted EL = 5 (because 3 zombies make a unit of "1" creature, there is no further EL adjustment). Three Trog Zombies at CR 2/3 should be a DIFFICULT encounter (50/50 survival) for a party of four 1st level PCs (whose own EL = 5). Final EDIT: Which is not to say that a Trog Zombie at 2/3 is not still severely undercosted. They should be CR 1.5, in which case 2 zombies = CR 3, EL 7, adjusted EL 5. Just two zombies should prove DIFFICULT to a 1st level party, and MODERATE for a 2nd level party (CR 8, adjusted EL 9). And we have Anubis to thank for bringing this to our attention. When God gives you lemons... you know... Wulf [/QUOTE]
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Immortal's Handbook CR/EL Rules: Don't Count Ability Scores (Proof Positive Inside!)
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