What's the effect of high abilities on CR?

[Emirikol]

What's the effect of high abilities on CR? Is there a reference somewhere I can use?

thanks in advance,

jh

 

[Zappo]

As a broad rule of thumb, I estimate +1 CR for every +10 point buy points. However, it depends a lot on the monster, and it assumes that the points are spent in the most efficient way possible.

 

[Emirikol]

So there's no 'official' rule then? I like your thought though.

jh

 

[Arksorn]

MM page 294 has some guidelines in Table 4-4.

 

[Zappo]

http://geocities.com/sovelior/srd/improvingMonsters.html

There is an official rule, sorta. Monsters, by default, "spend" 15 point buy points on their stats, generally getting an array like 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11. This corresponds to average stats.

Monsters that take levels in an NPC class should use the "nonelite array", ie 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8. Which is still worth 15 points, but they are more efficiently distributed. This is not enough to warrant a CR increase by itself, however.

The MM says that the "elite array", which would be 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8, should be used for monsters which have PC classes. This corresponds to a 25 point buy, 10 more than the average, which is the same as standard PCs and warrants a +1 CR. However, it is only worth the +1 CR if you are not giving a PC class to the monster. Basically, the CR increase from having a PC class already assumes that you are using 25 points. I guess that's because many class abilities kinda assume that you have decent stats.

From all of this mess, I figure that +10 points are less or more worth +1 CR. It's not exactly official, but it's as close as you'll get.

 

[Tonguez]

http://geocities.com/sovelior/srd/improvingMonsters.html.

So would you also consider point buy -10 to be worth -1 CR?

I once had an Ogre NPC who since birth had been an abused and mistreated slave and who's mental and physical development had stunted

I thus decided to give her an Str 16 Dex 8 Con 10 Int 3 Wis 10 Cha 7 ( total deduction of -13)

 

[Zappo]

So would you also consider point buy -10 to be worth -1 CR?

Technically, point buy 5 would be -1 CR and point buy -5 would be -2 CR.

But in truth, no, I wouldn't. The point buy system starts from 8 and only allows going up. It's not supposed to work in reverse. CR negative adjustments due to low stats should be adjudicated depending on the specific case.

 

[Mercule]

My rule of thumb, from general observations during game play is that PCs with higher stat-buy totals are usually around a +1 ECL for each +8 points. +10 points for a +1 ECL might be better, though. What does this mean for NPCs/monsters? Dunno, but I thought the info I had might be useful.

 

[Crothian]

IT depends too much on what the stats were before and what the stats were afterwards. If you rasie all the stats from and even score to an odd score, it doesn't do a thing number wise, but could easily mean +1 CR with the opinions of above.