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Balancing for 1 character
- Thread starter Lordrel
- Start date
Voadam
Legend
The first 3e I did was arena combat playtesting with my brother who was using his converted 1e 9th level assassin who turned into a 3e ranger rogue assassin with way more than the suggested gp value of items and stats. We did his assassin against single CR 9 monsters and he got pasted regularly, even though I was mistakenly allowing dex denial for full attacks when starting invis (he has a ring of invisibility). He came close against a frost giant and he beat a water elemental until I realized it was the much lower CR variety, but most everything was not even close.
Go with much lower CR/EL than typical, combination tactics and resources are presumed among a party of four and the CR EL standards.
Soloing can be fun and I would avoid excessive use of henchman types, particularly for his character concept.
Go with much lower CR/EL than typical, combination tactics and resources are presumed among a party of four and the CR EL standards.
Soloing can be fun and I would avoid excessive use of henchman types, particularly for his character concept.
Geoff Watson
First Post
Don't try to use CR if theres only one character. You will have to judge each monster individually, based on the characters abilities.
Geoff.
Geoff.
Thanee
First Post
The CR table does not work precisely, that's why CL-4 would be laughable, really. Throw a CR 6 monster (not one, that is particularily good at defeating Paladin's 
) at a CL 10 Paladin and you'll see what I mean!
That's why I think CL-2 is a good guesstimate.
And as I said, the character's abilities and the monster's special abilities are important to keep in mind, because they tend to change the EL quite drastically!
The CR is just a basic measure to decide what you might look at for a balanced encounter. They are not a law to rely upon completely!
Bye
Thanee
) at a CL 10 Paladin and you'll see what I mean!That's why I think CL-2 is a good guesstimate.
And as I said, the character's abilities and the monster's special abilities are important to keep in mind, because they tend to change the EL quite drastically!
The CR is just a basic measure to decide what you might look at for a balanced encounter. They are not a law to rely upon completely!
Bye
Thanee
SpikeyFreak
First Post
Geoff Watson said:
My sentiment as well.
--Copy-cat Spikey
kengar
First Post
The textbook "CR=ECL" situation is supposed to use up 20% of the party's resources. That includes hit points, so they won't usually result in a PC death because each character represents -on average- 25% of the party's HP.
I would look at the enemy/creature's stats and see:
1) How often -statistically- they would hit the character given the character's AC and the enemy's BAB.
2) How often the PC would hit the monster (inverse of above)
3) How much damage they can do to each other per attack compared to their total HP.
4) Make sure that any special abilities (Fear, Poison, etc.) are not so high a DC as to make it nearly impossible for the PC to survive.
Basically be sure the PC can hit at least 30-50% of the time, can take a couple hits (barring criticals) before dropping, and can drop his foe within close to the same number of hits he can take himself. Maybe 1-2 less.
Be very careful of multiple opponents. Unless s/he can drop one per round, even weak creatures can give a lone adventurer a lot of grief.
I would look at the enemy/creature's stats and see:
1) How often -statistically- they would hit the character given the character's AC and the enemy's BAB.
2) How often the PC would hit the monster (inverse of above)
3) How much damage they can do to each other per attack compared to their total HP.
4) Make sure that any special abilities (Fear, Poison, etc.) are not so high a DC as to make it nearly impossible for the PC to survive.
Basically be sure the PC can hit at least 30-50% of the time, can take a couple hits (barring criticals) before dropping, and can drop his foe within close to the same number of hits he can take himself. Maybe 1-2 less.
Be very careful of multiple opponents. Unless s/he can drop one per round, even weak creatures can give a lone adventurer a lot of grief.
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