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Levelling NPCs?
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<blockquote data-quote="Wolf118" data-source="post: 6730828" data-attributes="member: 72051"><p>I was only using the CR to equate two monsters of equal ability, to show the disparity in HD. But, as others have pointed out, the equivalent for comparing monsters is not HD, but CR. It doesn't matter if you don't use CR; the game designers did. That underpins both the game structure and any associated products (like the NPCs you're using in OOTA). So unless you're using monsters of your own creation, if you're going to be leveling monsters, you're looking at a change in CR, whether you use it or not.</p><p></p><p>Here's the crux; you're trying to create a yardstick by which to measure an increase in monster ability as they level. One exists, and it's CR. Maybe it's broken, maybe it doesn't work the way you want it to work. But as a summary of a monster's ability, similar to player level, it is the closest equivalent.</p><p></p><p>Assuming you've haven't stopped reading by now <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />cool<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />, it would appear you need a structure that is CR-like. Something that sums up both offensive and defensive capability. The basic CR structure looks at HP (but not HD) and AC for defense, and DPR and Attack Bonus/DC for offense. Perhaps you need to create your own table for those specific abilities/features, or maybe just a simple equation that says "for the equivalent PC level, a monster should have X". Maybe compare/contrast with the standard PC leveling schema, since you want your monsters to advance on par with the players.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Wolf118, post: 6730828, member: 72051"] I was only using the CR to equate two monsters of equal ability, to show the disparity in HD. But, as others have pointed out, the equivalent for comparing monsters is not HD, but CR. It doesn't matter if you don't use CR; the game designers did. That underpins both the game structure and any associated products (like the NPCs you're using in OOTA). So unless you're using monsters of your own creation, if you're going to be leveling monsters, you're looking at a change in CR, whether you use it or not. Here's the crux; you're trying to create a yardstick by which to measure an increase in monster ability as they level. One exists, and it's CR. Maybe it's broken, maybe it doesn't work the way you want it to work. But as a summary of a monster's ability, similar to player level, it is the closest equivalent. Assuming you've haven't stopped reading by now (:cool:), it would appear you need a structure that is CR-like. Something that sums up both offensive and defensive capability. The basic CR structure looks at HP (but not HD) and AC for defense, and DPR and Attack Bonus/DC for offense. Perhaps you need to create your own table for those specific abilities/features, or maybe just a simple equation that says "for the equivalent PC level, a monster should have X". Maybe compare/contrast with the standard PC leveling schema, since you want your monsters to advance on par with the players. [/QUOTE]
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