How to Design an Encounter
Here is how to design Pathfinder encounters! Just keep in mind that CR is a good estimate, but may change according to party makeup.
How to Calculate the Challenge Rating for an Encounter
1. Calculate the Average Party Level, or APL. That is, total the levels of each player character in the plot, then divide the end result by the number of players, and round it to the nearest number (not necessarily down).
- Decrease the APL by 1:
- If the number of players is 3 or fewer
- If circumstances are heavily slated against the player characters
- Increase the APL by 1:
- If there are 5 or more players
- If circumstances play heavily in their favor
2. Determine the challenge you want to present. Use Table: Encounter Design, or refer to the one below. Note that Tenebrae characters are stronger than average because of their higher point buy. So, APL+1 or even APL+2 should be considered "Average." (That is, shift the chart below by 1 or even 2.)
| Difficulty | Challenge Rating Equals |
| Easy | APL –1 |
| Average | APL |
| Challenging | APL +1 |
| Hard | APL +2 |
| Epic | APL +3 |
3. Compare this modified APL with Table: Experience Point Awards to determine your XP Budget. Or, use the charts below.
For example, if your modified APL was 6, then you have an "XP Budget" of 2,400. Note that multiple creatures equal a higher CR.
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4. Open the Bestiary. Choose monsters that you feel fit the storyline. Total the individual XP values of each monster. Then, compare the end result with your "XP Budget" number. Once you're close to your number, you've "filled" the monsters for that encounter.
Don't worry if the value isn't exactly equal--just approximate it the best you can.
Note: The above method can be done in reverse as well--starting with a target CR and breaking down its XP value into individual monsters.
Advanced Advice on Crafting Challenging Encounters
Cheat Sheets and Etc.
Free Software: Combat Manager is a solid, free app for finding and adjusting creature stats. It runs on Windows, or on Linux under WINE.
Stats, Monsters, and NPCs on the Fly: Check out the Monster Creation Table. Need a DC for a CR 15 trap? Use the numbers there. There's little need to stat out everything when you've that as a reference.
Pathfinder Bestiaries by CR
MUX versus Tabletop
Encounters in a MUX tend to take longer due to the nature of the medium. This is one of the reasons we have the 2 encounter limit in PrPs.