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Monster Conversion Advice

M

Mystic Lemur

Well-known member
When converting monsters from other systems, is it better to keep the CR and adjust the stats appropriately or keep the stats and adjust to the appropriate CR?

Like if I'm converting a 3.0 monster that was meant to be CR 1, do I keep it CR 1 and lower its stats to match the appropriate CR 1 statistics from the Bestiary, or should I keep the stats about the same and adjust the CR up to what it would be in Pathfinder?
 
I would try to keep the CR and adjust the monster to fit. Note that it is ok for some abilities to be "high" for the CR as long as there are also some parameters that are "low" as well (ex. high attack bonus but low damage, or vice versa).

Why?
3.0 CRs were often pretty far off-base. Pathfinder's approach was to try to re-balance monsters for their CRs. It is also because, if you plan to run old adventures, it keeps the monster more "in the right range" for that.
 
Either approach is going to work...

If you keep the CR, and attempt to work the stats to be in line with other creatures of that CR, then you can use the creature against characters at the level the mob was supposed to be a challenge.

But, you can retain the stats of the creature in question, if you want it to be as nasty as it was in the other system, and adjust the CR after the build to determine at what point it is a challenge for characters within Pathfinder.
 
When I run into CR issues converting monsters-- especially 3.0 monsters which as was stated were often beyond borked-- I create the monster as a creature updated to pathfinder's rules, then test it in hero labs and enable it as an NPC and show the CR panel. And examine the en saves, attack, damage DCs and other.

It will not be the most accurate in all cases, but for simple monsters it can give you a very good guide.
 
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