Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 NecromancerG Aug 04, 2015 17:39:57	I am having some difficulty determing the CR of creatures who have limited spellcasting ability. I understand that for spellcasters it is better to use the Save DC raher than thier attack modifier, so what I am looking for is help in figuring out how much the Damage/Round. For example, I know that a dragon who has a breath weapon that recharges on average every three rounds means that I should find the average of three rounds of combat and use that, but for those creatures who have spells per day, like the Archmage, it is alittle harder to figure out. Should I do the same thing as with dragons, take the first three rounds of them casting their strongest spells and find the average, or is there a different method I should use?
#2 DM_HEEGZ Aug 04, 2015 23:00:26	Use some premade chars, or make up some quickly. Estimate a rough CR for your creature in question and then test it out in combat. Go all out on the party using all the spell abilities. If the battle goes easy for the PCs drop the CR, if it goes badly for the PCs, raise the CR. Or keep it how you calculated originally if the battle is pretty balanced. When you do this, you may end up tweaking the creature a bit more, depending on what your goal is for the creature. Do you want one of a certain CR? Or do the abilities trump the CR, and you need to know how many to use against the PCs? If you haven't read the DMG bits on this at the end of the book, there is some helpful advice in it too.
#3 Clutchbone Aug 05, 2015 8:51:15	I'm a big fan of stealing and editing content from the MM. Anything with spell slots or innate magical abilities is fair game.   Example: a CR 1/4 Acolyte (or a CR 1/4 drow, etc) can be made into any low level spellcaster; just swap out spells for ones of similar level, and move stats up or down if you want.   If you want to be extra careful, swap spells by category, ie "single target offensive spell" for another "single target offensive spell". Hold person for melf's acid arrow, etc.
#4 mykesfree Aug 07, 2015 7:14:22	Just remember the Archmage is only a CR 11 Monster, but is a 18th level Wizard.  I am rather curious about this formal as well.  The concentration mechanic really hurts a lot of spells on the Monster side of things.   This 18th level Wizard and use Shapechange Spell and turn into a CR 17 Dragon.  However concentration really cuts into the effectiveness of this tatic.
#5 RedwoodElf Aug 07, 2015 13:40:31	mykesfree wrote: