Well to begin with there's no CR. Encounters are set up via xp. A given monster is worth XXX experience points. A first level encounter is 400xp, and a standard 1st level monster is 100xp. Minions are 25xp, Elites are 200, and Solo monsters are 500xp. Of course, you could toss in, say, a 2nd level monster (125xp), or 3rd (150xp) all the way up to 9th (400xp), but the monster's level is proportionate to their AC, to-hit, and damage- so a 9th level monster, while at an xp total viable for a 1st level encounter, is probably going to wipe the floor with the group.
The DMG's guide has two real sections for monsters- creation and modification. The former's more in line with what you're after, as the latter deals with templates and altering a monster's level, or handing it treasure.
Creation is fairly fast and loose, offering some basic information on monsters based on level- ability scores, hit points, AC, damage, and so on. Once you have all of those it mostly comes down to referencing the Monster Manual and looking at comparable abilities of monsters of equivalent level. So if you're looking to, say, make a Greenscale Hunter (level 4 Skirmisher) with wings, you might compare it to the Rotwing Zombie (level 4 Skirmisher) to see how their relative abilities shake out.
From there it seems fairly straightforward, relying as much on the DM having a brain as anything else.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2009-07-23 02:11 pm (UTC)The DMG's guide has two real sections for monsters- creation and modification. The former's more in line with what you're after, as the latter deals with templates and altering a monster's level, or handing it treasure.
Creation is fairly fast and loose, offering some basic information on monsters based on level- ability scores, hit points, AC, damage, and so on. Once you have all of those it mostly comes down to referencing the Monster Manual and looking at comparable abilities of monsters of equivalent level. So if you're looking to, say, make a Greenscale Hunter (level 4 Skirmisher) with wings, you might compare it to the Rotwing Zombie (level 4 Skirmisher) to see how their relative abilities shake out.
From there it seems fairly straightforward, relying as much on the DM having a brain as anything else.