Gamer Forge Listener Emails: CR, Paladins, & Battle Ragers

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Hank Johnson

Comment
There are many instances in Pathfinder and other 3.5 based systems when you might need to reduce a monster below 1 or 1/2. For example, if I'm using a CR 1/2 monster from a 3.5 source in Pathfinder, I'm supposed to reduce it's CR by 1. So what do I do in this case? Reducing the CR by 1 using rote math would put me in negative territory. Or, for a more practical example, what if I want to include many weaker versions of a weak CR 1 enemy? I'd apply the CR -1 template, but then what would the CR be?

Do I drop down to the next fractional CR? Or do I go in halve the CR?

Note: I realize that this is partially a theorycraft question, since this situation only occurs at very low level encounters or in encounters with LOTS of low level enemies. However, it's been bugging me for awhile and I'd appreciate your input.

'Tanks!

Gamer Forge Response:

It's a lot of math, but DCR cracked the case...

1. Once a challenge rating drops below five levels under the group's rating, or five levels above, that challenge shouldn't be thrown at them. It's either far too weak, or much too strong. But we totally get that you gotta quantify the challenge somehow, for the sake of calculating experience and loot.

2. However, dropping the challenge rating to one quarter means that the only time it would be worth any experience reward is at first level. So this may be a great scenario if you want some first level characters to be involved in a large scale battle.

3. Without knowing the full context of why you're dropping the CR so low, it's hard to determine the actual answer. As far as we could figure, we answered your question. If we didn't, then our answer is "Knight Rider". That's right, "Knight Rider".

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Michael Jacobson

Comment
I was poking around and looking at the Paladin and liked their lay on hands class feature. I, however, do not like the Paladin itself. So I was wondering if there were abilities one could acquire that work like Lay on Hands without being a paladin.

Gamer Forge Response:

I'm a paladin! And you can be, too! To get a little closer to your deity, DCR says:

1. The resource book, Defenders of the Faith, features a prestige class called a Hospatalier. It allows someone who doesn't have the Lay On Hands class feature to use it. In theory, a fighter with a high Charisma score could do it, as could a wizard or barbarian. So could David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider. Just saying.


Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Dallas Gaming Group

Email
DGG78@gmail.com

Comment
I haven't been able to find a way to create a classic dwarven battlerager that is official. I want to build a dwarf that wears spiked armor, spiked gauntlets, spiked everything, that charges enemies, grabs them, punches, bites, and shakes violently to use my body and armor as a weapon.

(I know there's an "Battlerager" fighter build, but it's unrelated to the classic dwarven battlerager.)

Gamer Forge Response:

These aren't the usual warm fuzzies that you want to share. These ones are gonna hurt! When you're trying to make the one-of-a-kind "Battlerager", DCR says:

1. Not really. There isn't a "class" that gives you everything to make what you're asking for. But, a fighter/monk combination could do it. Take your first four or five levels as a monk to increase your unarmed damage and speed. The next three or four levels should be taken as a fighter, to grant you access to the feats necessary to become a "Grapper" prestige class. Feats like Improved Grapple and Improved Trip will help immensely. A high Constitution will be more useful than a high Dexterity. You will be harm's way before anyone else and you need to be able to survive longer. Unless you're Knight Rider. KITT automatically survives everything. Its a rule. It ain't pretty, but that's how we got your Battlerager figured.


Bonus XP: If you're still having trouble putting your adventurers into large scale battles, try looking into Warhammer Fantasy or Lord of the Rings RPG. Both of these have great suggestions for creating large, outnumbered battles. If you can't quite get the numbers to balance out and heroes are either outnumbered or overpowering, have them either driving KITT, or have them face KITT in battle. Also, it would be pretty sweet to have that snarky voice making quips in the middle of Lord of the Rings-type dialogue. You should do that. Guy Named Joe will personally bestow enough experience to level your character if you do. But you must provide proof of it happening. A 30-second video would do just fine.

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