Well I've done a lot more on the Realm sheet. I'm finding a few things frustrating, but it looks like I will have a fillable pdf that prints well.
Also, working on my campaign setting a lot... I have an adventure outline for a 1-5 for two or 1-3 for four or more flushed out. I've recontacted some artists, and I've made some larger steps towards a well detailed region for the adventure in mind.
I also finished my brothers Pathfinder Mystic Theurge Lich for his game. The spell list visits WoTC's Book of Vile Darkness 3.5 for a few undead only spells, but I'll be removing them if I ever post the character.
Also, if there is anyone who pays attention to this blog... I have a question that needs to be answered.
Should a creature that has a above average (say 50%) of becoming undead instead of simply dying increase its CR? Especially if the transition takes a d4 hours? I'm thinking it's actually a separate encounter, but it is a creature people tend to gather up the corpse of for materials for potions and or magic items. Comments welcome!
Now for something completely off topic... I've rediscovered Mathemagician's DND Stuff, and finding it handy. So I thought I'd publicly thank him for it.
And now for something different... Mozilla labs is working on a project called Raindrop I want to play with. I think it'll be really nice if they do it right, Thunderbird has really been a disappointment compared to Firefox, and perhaps a re-thinking was in order.
I think that it should raise the CR for roleplay reasons. Even if it's another encounter later on, it's not the same thing as if the characters just found a random creature. That one remembers being killed by the characters, thus probably wants revenge. It's like having an agressive monster VS an non-agressive monster, but the agressivity would go to the PCs first. Of course, if it raises as a zombie or something that can't think well, all of that just fades away and the CR stays the same.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd have to take note of the enemy capacities as you put the CR. If some abilities are lost while transfering to the undead template (some spells or spell-like abilities, for example), the CR could actually lower. Same goes for gaining new undead abilities: the CR could go up.
It's all a matter of Roleplay first, though, in my opinion.
Just found your blog. Nice stuff so far.
ReplyDeleteAs for your question. I completely agree with Ethirbein. A vengeful undead encounter could make a memorable series of encounters and make for a believable long term BBEG. This is especially true if the BBEG ends up becoming an undead type that is traditionally hard to kill.
Thanks for the responses...
ReplyDeleteIn a few cases it is a animal, and raises an unthinking undead. In a few others it would definately be a thinking creature and a thinking undead. I think the question is kinda missed. Should it raise the CR when they encounter it alive? It doesn't really effect the combat at that time, but say it's a snake, and the venom of this snake is useful for anti toxins... does the fact that they could reach into their bag after getting home with the dead snake and get bit mean the snake CR should increase at the beginning?
Using the snake example...
ReplyDeleteI say no. Each 'encounter' should be handled individually. One of my least favorite things about 3.x was the swingy nature of CR. I think at best they are rough estimates of challenges and I don't think coming back as an undead creature (thinking or otherwise) is the same challenge but a different one altogether.
I would award experience for each encounter.
Just my two cp.
-Ian
Ah thanks... I figured as much myself... on the nature of 3.x's rough estimate CR's, I think PF has done a better job of making things fit the CR's they were given...
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with Ian Morris on that one. Before and after are two different encounters, exactly as if the PCs encountered someone of, let's say, fourth level ans, later on, the same NPC of the ninth level. Same person, different encounter/CR.
ReplyDelete