Spell Weaver

[Eltern]

How is it that the Spell Weaver, who has the ability to cast spells as a 12th level sorc, AND spell weave, AND lots of other neat tricks, only has a CR of 10 in the MMII? Seems like the CR would be far higher.

Eltern

 

[Shin Okada]

CR for a monster tend to be a little bit lower than it's of a NPC which have identical HD and abilities. A monster supposed to have average ability scores for it's race, and the items listed in the stats only. On the other hand, a NPC with levels supposed to be created by 25 pts buy (or standard array) and have equipments according to his level.

For example, a CR 10 Spell-Weaver do not have any magic items except for his disk and those randomly generated as treasures. On the other hands, a 10th-level NPC Sorcerer supposed to have 16,000 gp of gears and thus considered to be equally powerful as CR 10 spell weaver. Also, both of them supposed to have same Cha score (16).

 

[Li Shenron]

How is it that the Spell Weaver, who has the ability to cast spells as a 12th level sorc, AND spell weave, AND lots of other neat tricks, only has a CR of 10 in the MMII? Seems like the CR would be far higher.

Eltern

Yes, probably the difference is that a 12th level NPC Sorcerer has a 12th level worth of equipment.

If he only casted spells exactly as a 12th level Sorcerer, but with no NPC equipment and no other abilities, having a lower CR would be appropriate, but given the sheer special abilities, I agree with you that after all CR 10 seems quite low

 

[ashockney]

I think any situation where the "spellcasting level" exceeds the CR of the creature is a mistake. I would bump spell weaver up to a CR 13/14 creature, advance it's hit dice, and I think it will play better that way in most campaigns. This way it won't be as deadly when thrown against a Level 12 or 13 party, and it will be able to take more than a hit or two if being thrown against a level 14+ party.

 

[Berk]

There was a thread a long time ago about spell casting creatures with a cr lower then their caster level. It was explained pretty nicely on why it is that way. Can't provide a link or anything to it cuz don't know it and can't search.

Anyways if you wanna talk about broken CR's check out the creature after the Spell Weaver. =op No way in hell is the Spellgaunt CR 12. =op

Happy Holidays All!!!! =o)

 

[James McMurray]

There was a thread a long time ago about spell casting creatures with a cr lower then their caster level. It was explained pretty nicely on why it is that way. Can't provide a link or anything to it cuz don't know it and can't search.

Nice tease there. Get us all excited about an entire thread on the subject and then finish it off with, "but i can't provide a link."

 

[Shard O'Glase]

If it's the same thread I remember it came down to the equipment angle again. Personally I think for spellcasters equipment is much less vital, your primary goal is to use your spells in such a way as to avoid being attacked at all. Once your atacked all the equipment in the world just delays the inevitable by a round or so.(sor/wiz types at least, clerics can tank up) Fighter types effectiveness is much more tied to their equipment. a spellcasters abilities are really only effected by an attribute bonus item, and items generally just make them a bit less soft.(though for monsters with good ACs this is somewhat a moot point, they may not have bracers of armor but they have a natural AC of20)