Encounter Calculator

Encounter Calculator v3.5
Credits: Tiera Starr, John Dells, arcady, Maladaar.

Party: Enter the Qty and ECL of characters in the Party.
Note: For PHB races, ECL = Class Level XP Awards (per character) Monsters: Enter the Qty and CR of each opponent the Party faces.
Note: CR's may be entered as fractions.

Qty ECL CR Based Difficulty Based Qty CR

Uniform XP per Character Treasure Value

Spotting Distance by Terrain Type (reference):

Effective Party Level Encounter Level Difficulty

Average Party Level Difficulty Factor Advice to Party

XP Awards (per character): Four different versions have been offered depending upon which method the DM chooses to use.

CR based Individual XP (listed per ECL) uses the rules in the 3.5 DMG and 3.0 FRCS to determine XP based on the actual character levels (treated as a minimum of 3), individual opponent CR's, and the Qty in the party. This grants higher XP to lower level participants, allowing them to catch up to their higher level comrades. CR based Uniform XP uses the rules in the 3.0 DMG to determine XP based on Average Party Level (treated as a minimum of 3), individual opponent CR's, and the Qty in the Party. Analysis proves this only really works for a party of four with the same ECL's. Difficulty based Individual XP uses the guidelines that it takes 13 1/3 typical (difficulty factor 0) encounters to advance a level. However, using this method, differing level companions will never catch up in either XP or level. Difficulty based Uniform XP uses the guidelines that 13 1/3 typical encounters to advance a level. However, because Average Party level is used as a multiplier instead of the individual character levels, differing level companions will eventually catch up in level (but not XP).

Average Party Level is the numerical average (arithmetic mean) of the levels (or ECL's) of the party members. Effective Party Level is calculated using the same method as to calculate Encounter Level. This party should be equivalent to four characters of the effective party level.

Caution: Even though an encounter may numerically calculate out as balanced, you must also consider individual special abilities when individual party member levels and opponents CR differ greatly. Area effects can quickly take out many weak creatures, or a single powerful creature may be almost immune to attacks from weaker ones, irrespective of Qtys.

Version History:
Version 3.5: - Tiera Starr
   Corrected algorithm to match 3.5 DMG table (except the level 4 line, which I believe to be in error), requires an integer for Qty of characters and creatures, allows any fraction for ECL and CR, added error checking and formatting (including colours) based on Maladaar's version, added spotting distance by terrain based on arcady's version.

Version 4.01: - arcady
   updated to 3.5, reformatted to fit with the rest of his site, added spotting distance by terrain type, and suggested % of this EL to use.

unpublished version: - Maladaar
   formatting and some error handling.

Version 3.13: - Tiera Starr
   Corrected EL and EPL calculations (linear up to 2 rather than 1), tweaked XP calculation so it matches more of the rows of the DMG table, added different methods of XP calculation, added reset button.

Version 2.1: - John Dells
   Original design.

Downloads:

If you want a download, look no further. All you have to do is click File / Save As, since the whole thing is self-contained and requires no internet connection once you have saved it.

Comments:

Please send any comments about this version to Tiera Starr, and I believe the other authors are also open to communications.

Compatability Issues:

Successfully tested with Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape Navigator 4.0, and Mozilla Firefox 0.8. This page does not work in a PDA listed as using IE3.2 . Please let me know of any other compatability issues.

		Spotting Distance by Terrain Type (reference):
Party: Enter the Qty and ECL of characters in the Party. Note: For PHB races, ECL = Class Level		XP Awards (per character)		Monsters: Enter the Qty and CR of each opponent the Party faces. Note: CR's may be entered as fractions.
Qty	ECL	CR Based	Difficulty Based	Qty	CR






Uniform XP per Character				Treasure Value

Effective Party Level		Encounter Level		Difficulty
Average Party Level		Difficulty Factor		Advice to Party

XP Awards (per character): Four different versions have been offered depending upon which method the DM chooses to use.
CR based Individual XP (listed per ECL) uses the rules in the 3.5 DMG and 3.0 FRCS to determine XP based on the actual character levels (treated as a minimum of 3), individual opponent CR's, and the Qty in the party. This grants higher XP to lower level participants, allowing them to catch up to their higher level comrades.	CR based Uniform XP uses the rules in the 3.0 DMG to determine XP based on Average Party Level (treated as a minimum of 3), individual opponent CR's, and the Qty in the Party. Analysis proves this only really works for a party of four with the same ECL's.	Difficulty based Individual XP uses the guidelines that it takes 13 1/3 typical (difficulty factor 0) encounters to advance a level. However, using this method, differing level companions will never catch up in either XP or level.	Difficulty based Uniform XP uses the guidelines that 13 1/3 typical encounters to advance a level. However, because Average Party level is used as a multiplier instead of the individual character levels, differing level companions will eventually catch up in level (but not XP).
Average Party Level is the numerical average (arithmetic mean) of the levels (or ECL's) of the party members.		Effective Party Level is calculated using the same method as to calculate Encounter Level. This party should be equivalent to four characters of the effective party level.
Caution: Even though an encounter may numerically calculate out as balanced, you must also consider individual special abilities when individual party member levels and opponents CR differ greatly. Area effects can quickly take out many weak creatures, or a single powerful creature may be almost immune to attacks from weaker ones, irrespective of Qtys.
Version History: Version 3.5: - Tiera Starr Corrected algorithm to match 3.5 DMG table (except the level 4 line, which I believe to be in error), requires an integer for Qty of characters and creatures, allows any fraction for ECL and CR, added error checking and formatting (including colours) based on Maladaar's version, added spotting distance by terrain based on arcady's version. Version 4.01: - arcady updated to 3.5, reformatted to fit with the rest of his site, added spotting distance by terrain type, and suggested % of this EL to use. unpublished version: - Maladaar formatting and some error handling. Version 3.13: - Tiera Starr Corrected EL and EPL calculations (linear up to 2 rather than 1), tweaked XP calculation so it matches more of the rows of the DMG table, added different methods of XP calculation, added reset button. Version 2.1: - John Dells Original design.
Downloads: If you want a download, look no further. All you have to do is click File / Save As, since the whole thing is self-contained and requires no internet connection once you have saved it.		Comments: Please send any comments about this version to Tiera Starr, and I believe the other authors are also open to communications.
Compatability Issues: Successfully tested with Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape Navigator 4.0, and Mozilla Firefox 0.8. This page does not work in a PDA listed as using IE3.2 . Please let me know of any other compatability issues.