While watching a Matt Colville video, he shared an anecdote in which his DM was able to adjust/modify the level/cr value of a creature on the fly using the (now defunct) D&D Insider Tools created for use with D&D 4e.
I know that we can homebrew, but the idea that, on the fly, we can search through the official monster listing and then "level" it up or down to suit the party better is a brilliant tool for any DM to have. I don't understand programming enough to knowif this is feasible, but I think it would be an very useful feature to have so that DMs can find a monster that fits the situation, but perhaps not the party strength level, and then adjust it to meet the appropriate party strength.
I think the example in Matt Colville's anecdote was a vault heist - the DM had't expected the party to get their so fast so he scrambled and found a treasure golem in the online tools and then used those same tools to toughen it up for the encounter.
// Went searching through this thread and another to ensure I am not double posting a feature request, and although I found this in one spot, I felt it safe to request it. //
Probably - but it never hurts to ask. I don't know how it worked on the DDI Tools, but I imagine it could be a multiplier of sorts on a sliding scale... pick a handful of attributes that are number based not feature based like ... AC, hit point/hit die, to hit, spell save (if applicable), damage output ... and assign a growth rate to each and literally slide it up or down a scale using CR as the number you move to make it tougher or weaker...
for example, hit points would have a higher "growth rate" than AC, so that if you move the CR of the monster up (or down) the # of hit points changes with each click, but perhaps AC only changes every 3 or 4 clicks recognizing the idea that changing the AC would have a more profound impact on how tough a creature is to beat compared to the number of hit points.
In order for there to be an ability to alter traits of a monster and have the challenge rating re-calculated and adjusted automatically, a number of things would have to be referenced; other traits in the monster stat block (like how HP and AC work together to determine defensive CR, but are also influenced by traits like resistances), multiple tables (there are at least 3), and also would have to adjust how it treats certain elements depending on other factors (like how resistances/immunities have a less dramatic effect upon CR if the monster is meant to be higher CR). And at the end of the whole process, the DM is meant to potentially raise or lower the CR to fit play-testing results of the creature.
Because of that, I think that it is most likely that if any automated builder/adjuster tool did come into being that it would be inherently inaccurate, which would have it likely causing more problems than it solves for the folks that want to use it.
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While watching a Matt Colville video, he shared an anecdote in which his DM was able to adjust/modify the level/cr value of a creature on the fly using the (now defunct) D&D Insider Tools created for use with D&D 4e.
I know that we can homebrew, but the idea that, on the fly, we can search through the official monster listing and then "level" it up or down to suit the party better is a brilliant tool for any DM to have. I don't understand programming enough to knowif this is feasible, but I think it would be an very useful feature to have so that DMs can find a monster that fits the situation, but perhaps not the party strength level, and then adjust it to meet the appropriate party strength.
I think the example in Matt Colville's anecdote was a vault heist - the DM had't expected the party to get their so fast so he scrambled and found a treasure golem in the online tools and then used those same tools to toughen it up for the encounter.
// Went searching through this thread and another to ensure I am not double posting a feature request, and although I found this in one spot, I felt it safe to request it. //
Storm King's Thunder - Ink, Elven Bladesinging Wizard
Core City: APbPA - Ormond, Human Twilight Cleric
The Inferno - BG:Dia - DM
They keep me rollin'
I'm about 98% sure it's in the same complexity category as homebrew classes.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Probably - but it never hurts to ask. I don't know how it worked on the DDI Tools, but I imagine it could be a multiplier of sorts on a sliding scale... pick a handful of attributes that are number based not feature based like ... AC, hit point/hit die, to hit, spell save (if applicable), damage output ... and assign a growth rate to each and literally slide it up or down a scale using CR as the number you move to make it tougher or weaker...
for example, hit points would have a higher "growth rate" than AC, so that if you move the CR of the monster up (or down) the # of hit points changes with each click, but perhaps AC only changes every 3 or 4 clicks recognizing the idea that changing the AC would have a more profound impact on how tough a creature is to beat compared to the number of hit points.
Storm King's Thunder - Ink, Elven Bladesinging Wizard
Core City: APbPA - Ormond, Human Twilight Cleric
The Inferno - BG:Dia - DM
They keep me rollin'
In order for there to be an ability to alter traits of a monster and have the challenge rating re-calculated and adjusted automatically, a number of things would have to be referenced; other traits in the monster stat block (like how HP and AC work together to determine defensive CR, but are also influenced by traits like resistances), multiple tables (there are at least 3), and also would have to adjust how it treats certain elements depending on other factors (like how resistances/immunities have a less dramatic effect upon CR if the monster is meant to be higher CR). And at the end of the whole process, the DM is meant to potentially raise or lower the CR to fit play-testing results of the creature.
Because of that, I think that it is most likely that if any automated builder/adjuster tool did come into being that it would be inherently inaccurate, which would have it likely causing more problems than it solves for the folks that want to use it.