Lizard Folk

[whatisitgoodfor]

No, he's just having some problems with the CR system. He doesn't understand how much the situation can chage the XP value of an encounter.

He feels that an encounter with 5 orcs is an encounter with 5 orcs. It doesn't matter to him if the party is standing behind arrow slits and basically can't be hit or if the orcs are. He gives the same XP either way.

The last time we played, the party (level 3 this time and only 4 people present) managed to kill a group of approx. 50 Lv1 NPC gaurds. (we held the door with our fighters and the cleric stood behind them with her wand of cure light wounds) I then pulled out the DMG and started looking at some stuff and informed him that 50 Lv1's was an EL10 or so encounter.

He has since decided to pretty much throw the CR system out the window.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Is the +2d8 hps correct ? After all it only a +1 CR... shouldnt it be +d8 only ?

 

[reapersaurus]

No, he's just having some problems with the CR system. He doesn't understand how much the situation can chage the XP value of an encounter.
He has since decided to pretty much throw the CR system out the window.

umm.. your DM isn't just having "some" problems.
It's not an XP problem.
It's a bit more obvious than that.
A HYDRA? You guys are level 5, right?
How'd you survive that one?
8 cr 8 monsters?
What is he thinking? That each one of you can kill one on your own?

All he has to do is LOOK at an entry in the MM and see if this creature is more powerful than one of the PC's, and run an appropriate challenge.
And does the over-powered NPC guide make the game BETTER for you guys, or worse?

If you say that the NPC guide ends up doing the most in battle, I'm gonna be shocked with your DM. LOL

 

[Crothian]

Is the +2d8 hps correct ? After all it only a +1 CR... shouldnt it be +d8 only ?

That's what the DMG says....

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

ACtually, about all the NPC guide does is manage to outrun the rest of the party after the first character drops.

Against the hydra, I rolled good initiative, stepped up to get in my sneak attack, then the hydra went and killed me in one hit. The rest of the party ran after that.

---------------
On a related note, who wants to help me shamelessly min/max a Lizard Rog/Brb?

I think that if I can get him to a point where he can survive APL+1 fights by himself he might have half a chance in this campaign.

Total character level should be 6 (or at least it better be after what he put us through). Right now, I'm thinking about going the TWF shortspear/bite route. I have a 32 point buy to go on, and no levels of Ranger, under any condition.

 

[Hypersmurf]

8 cr 8 monsters?
What is he thinking? That each one of you can kill one on your own?

No, no - 8 ogres make a CR 8 encounter. Not 8 CR8 ogres.

But the hydra - well, I threw a 6-headed hydra at a party of similar size, but one level behind that (mostly 4ths), and it just about dealt to them. I made a couple of decisions about not letting all 6 heads attack into one square that helped them, too.

And it was CR5.

-Hyp.

 

[CRGreathouse]

The really important part that I needed was the ECL of the Lizard Man. I have a lot of trouble believing that its only +1.

Because it's not? Lizardfolk are ECL +4!

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

Thanks, I thought that was pretty absurd. +5 to NA!!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Because it's not? Lizardfolk are ECL +4!

People are confusing ECL and CR again. A classed lizardfolk NPC is listed as CR +1.

-Hyp.

 

[CRGreathouse]

People are confusing ECL and CR again. A classed lizardfolk NPC is listed as CR +1.

Yes, and a lizardfolk Ftr1 should be in a group with 5th level characters. We know the difference...