Adjusting Creatures

Sometimes you need to customize a creature based on the needs of your story. This section covers strategies to adjust creatures, including quick elite and weak adjustments to raise or lower level by 1.

Combat Power: Elite and weak adjustments work best with creatures that focus on physical combat. They overstate normal numerical gains to compensate for the lack of new special abilities. Creatures that cast spells or rely on noncombat abilities typically need specific adjustments. Applying adjustments more than once should be avoided — for larger changes, use the GM Core guidance on building creatures.

Elite Adjustment: Increase level by 1 (by 2 if level −1 or 0). AC, attacks, DCs, saves, Perception, skills all +2. Strike/ability damage +2 (+4 for limited-use abilities like breath weapons). HP increase by level: 1 or lower +10, 2–4 +15, 5–19 +20, 20+ +30.

Weak Adjustment: Decrease level by 1 (by 2 if level 1). AC, attacks, DCs, saves, Perception, skills all −2. Strike/ability damage −2 (−4 for limited-use abilities). HP decrease by level: 1–2 −10, 3–5 −15, 6–20 −20, 21+ −30.

Scaling Beyond ±1 Level: For changes greater than ±1 level, use the Building Creatures benchmark tables (GM Core). For each stat, determine which benchmark tier (Extreme/High/Moderate/Low/Terrible) the current value falls into at the creature's level, then find the equivalent value at the target level. This tool's "Scale to Level" feature in the Encounter Builder automates this process.

Skills & Proficiency: Creatures are trained in listed skills and untrained otherwise. Roughly: expert at level 5, master at level 9, legendary at level 17. Perception: expert by default, master around level 7, legendary around level 13.

Gear: If a creature loses its weapon, reduce attack modifier by 2 (plus potency rune bonus). If it loses armor, reduce AC by the armor's item bonus (plus potency rune bonus). If armor has a resilient rune, reduce saves accordingly.