5e CR calculator
Find a homebrew D&D monster’s defensive, offensive and overall challenge rating from its AC, hit points, accuracy and damage, measured against benchmarks fit to the 2024 Monster Manual.
How challenge rating is calculated
Getting the inputs right
The result is only as honest as the numbers you give it. Four inputs are easy to get wrong.
Monster stats by challenge rating
The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide has no table of monster stats by CR, so these benchmarks for CR 0 to 30 come from the Lazy GM’s Resource Document (CC-BY 4.0).
| CR | Eqv. level | AC / DC | HP (range) | Atk. bonus | Damage / round | Attacks | Damage / attack | Example monsters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | < 1 | 10 | 3 (2–4) | +2 | 2 | 1 | 2 (1d4) | Commoner, rat, spider |
| 1/8 | < 1 | 11 | 9 (7–11) | +3 | 3 | 1 | 4 (1d6 + 1) | Bandit, cultist, giant rat |
| 1/4 | 1 | 11 | 13 (10–16) | +3 | 5 | 1 | 5 (1d6 + 2) | Acolyte, skeleton, wolf |
| 1/2 | 2 | 12 | 22 (17–28) | +4 | 8 | 2 | 4 (1d4 + 2) | Black bear, scout, shadow |
| 1 | 3 | 12 | 33 (25–41) | +5 | 12 | 2 | 6 (1d8 + 2) | Dire wolf, specter, spy |
| 2 | 5 | 13 | 45 (34–56) | +5 | 17 | 2 | 9 (2d6 + 2) | Ghast, ogre, priest |
| 3 | 7 | 13 | 65 (49–81) | +5 | 23 | 2 | 12 (2d8 + 3) | Knight, mummy, werewolf |
| 4 | 9 | 14 | 84 (64–106) | +6 | 28 | 2 | 14 (3d8 + 1) | Ettin, ghost |
| 5 | 10 | 15 | 95 (71–119) | +7 | 35 | 3 | 12 (3d6 + 2) | Elemental, gladiator, vampire spawn |
| 6 | 11 | 15 | 112 (84–140) | +7 | 41 | 3 | 14 (3d6 + 4) | Mage, medusa, wyvern |
| 7 | 12 | 15 | 130 (98–162) | +7 | 47 | 3 | 16 (3d8 + 3) | Stone giant, young black dragon |
| 8 | 13 | 15 | 136 (102–170) | +7 | 53 | 3 | 18 (3d10 + 2) | Assassin, frost giant |
| 9 | 15 | 16 | 145 (109–181) | +8 | 59 | 3 | 19 (3d10 + 3) | Bone devil, fire giant, young blue dragon |
| 10 | 16 | 17 | 155 (116–194) | +9 | 65 | 4 | 16 (3d8 + 3) | Stone golem, young red dragon |
| 11 | 17 | 17 | 165 (124–206) | +9 | 71 | 4 | 18 (3d10 + 2) | Djinni, efreeti, horned devil |
| 12 | 18 | 17 | 175 (131–219) | +9 | 77 | 4 | 19 (3d10 + 3) | Archmage, erinyes |
| 13 | 19 | 18 | 184 (138–230) | +10 | 83 | 4 | 21 (4d8 + 3) | Adult white dragon, storm giant, vampire |
| 14 | 20 | 19 | 196 (147–245) | +11 | 89 | 4 | 22 (4d10) | Adult black dragon, ice devil |
| 15 | > 20 | 19 | 210 (158–263) | +11 | 95 | 5 | 19 (3d10 + 3) | Adult green dragon, mummy lord, purple worm |
| 16 | > 20 | 19 | 229 (172–286) | +11 | 101 | 5 | 21 (4d8 + 3) | Adult blue dragon, iron golem, marilith |
| 17 | > 20 | 20 | 246 (185–308) | +12 | 107 | 5 | 22 (3d12 + 3) | Adult red dragon |
| 18 | > 20 | 21 | 266 (200–333) | +13 | 113 | 5 | 23 (4d10 + 1) | Demilich |
| 19 | > 20 | 21 | 285 (214–356) | +13 | 119 | 5 | 24 (4d10 + 2) | Balor |
| 20 | > 20 | 21 | 300 (225–375) | +13 | 132 | 5 | 26 (4d12) | Ancient white dragon, pit fiend |
| 21 | > 20 | 22 | 325 (244–406) | +14 | 150 | 5 | 30 (4d12 + 4) | Ancient black dragon, lich, solar |
| 22 | > 20 | 23 | 350 (263–438) | +15 | 168 | 5 | 34 (4d12 + 8) | Ancient green dragon |
| 23 | > 20 | 23 | 375 (281–469) | +15 | 186 | 5 | 37 (6d10 + 4) | Ancient blue dragon, kraken |
| 24 | > 20 | 23 | 400 (300–500) | +15 | 204 | 5 | 41 (6d10 + 8) | Ancient red dragon |
| 25 | > 20 | 24 | 430 (323–538) | +16 | 222 | 5 | 44 (6d10 + 11) | |
| 26 | > 20 | 25 | 460 (345–575) | +17 | 240 | 5 | 48 (6d10 + 15) | |
| 27 | > 20 | 25 | 490 (368–613) | +17 | 258 | 5 | 52 (6d10 + 19) | |
| 28 | > 20 | 25 | 540 (405–675) | +17 | 276 | 5 | 55 (6d10 + 22) | |
| 29 | > 20 | 26 | 600 (450–750) | +18 | 294 | 5 | 59 (6d10 + 26) | |
| 30 | > 20 | 27 | 666 (500–833) | +19 | 312 | 5 | 62 (6d10 + 29) | Tarrasque |
Frequently asked questions
Challenge rating (CR) is a single number for how dangerous a monster is to a party. It also sets the XP the monster is worth, which is what the encounter rules use to budget a fight.
Find a defensive CR from hit points and Armor Class, and an offensive CR from damage per round and attack bonus or save DC. The overall CR is the average of the two, rounded up. The calculator does all three steps as you type.
The 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide has no table for building monsters. This calculator uses benchmarks from the Lazy GM's Resource Document, fit to the 2024 Monster Manual, with the 2014 method for combining defense and offense.
Hit points pick the starting row, and AC moves it from there. Every full 2 points of AC above or below that row's AC shifts the defensive CR one row, so a single point either way changes nothing. Attack bonus and save DC work the same way on the offensive side.
The calculator reads only AC, hit points, accuracy and damage. Published monsters also weigh resistances, spells, mobility and control effects, so treat the result as a starting point and judge those traits yourself.
It uses the same benchmark table and legendary premium. When the attack bonus or save DC is on benchmark, the offensive CR matches the editor's damage readout.
No. Reloading the page resets it. Use Build this creature to open the numbers in the editor, where you can save the creature.