PC-turned-Enemy Challenge Rating Question

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

DM_Craig

Aug 14, 2015 20:41:19

Hey everyone!

 

Having a minor difficulty determining what the appropriate difficulty rating would be for a former PC turned temporary enemy to the party. The character in question is a Level 8 Wizard (Evocation). The PCs are all Level 8 as well. Given my understanding of the 5th Ed. challenge rating system, a challenge rating of 8 would indicate that the wizard by herself would be an appropriate challenge for the party, but this is not so. In my head, I figured, well, if 1 creature of challenge 8 would be appropriate, then 4 creatures of challenge 2 would = a challenge 8 encounter. So basically, if the PCs (4 of them) were facing 4 other Level 8 PCs (or the creature/NPC equivalents), that would be an appropriate challenge.

 

The only problem I'm facing is this: Is a level 8 wizard actually a challenge 2 for a party of 4 Level 8 PCs? Perhaps that's simply the case and I'm over thinking this (tendency of mine, I admit).

 

Feedback?

#2

pukunui

Aug 14, 2015 22:16:11

There is no easy formula to figure out what CR a PC with class levels might be. You'll have to stat up the wizard as an NPC and then run it through the monster CR calculator in the DMG. Remember that spell selection can have an effect on CR.

(Reply to #2)

Cyber-Dave

pukunui wrote:
#4

DM_Craig

Aug 15, 2015 7:13:14

Thanks for the info! I did run through the CR calculator in the DMG after posting, so I think I'll have to go step by step in there to make it happen.

#5

BRJN

Aug 16, 2015 15:58:01

A rule of thumb (no idea how accurate): CR = Level / 3.

 

(Reply to #5)

DM_Craig

BRJN wrote:
#7

BRJN

Aug 17, 2015 14:40:13

DM_Craig wrote:
#8

WorBlade

Aug 17, 2015 16:17:21

That old rule of thumb showed up here in the forums based on looking at the MM and Tiamat CRs of PC-ish "monsters". It does not hold true though because of the way CRs are calculated based on offensive and defensive abilities. High or low damage spells can swing the CR of a caster by 1 or 2 points. Also the example critters in the MM for Guard, Knight, Druid and Archmage, etc do not follow the PC hit die conventions but randomly assign a number for the average HP assigned to the "monster". All size M have d8 for example.