PF2e Creature Builder - Stats by Level
Every number you need for building creatures in Pathfinder 2e: AC, HP, attack bonus, damage, spell DC, saves, and ability modifiers, at each level and in all four tiers. Coming from PF1e or D&D? PF2e has no Challenge Rating, so this doubles as a PF2e CR calculator for judging how dangerous a monster actually is. Then check what it costs in the encounter builder.
Select Creature Level
Creature Level 5 - Stat Ranges
| Stat | Extreme | High | Moderate | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC | 27 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
| HP | - | 78–96 | 60–77 | 42–59 |
| Strike Attack | +20 | +18 | +16 | +13 |
| Saving Throws | +17 | +15 | +13 | +10 |
| Spell DC | 26 | 23 | 20 | - |
| Ability Modifier | +10 | +8 | +5 | +3 |
Source: PF2e GM Core - Building Creatures. Use these ranges when homebrewing NPCs or adjusting creatures.
AC & HP Quick Reference (All Levels)
| Lvl | AC (Ext/High/Mod/Low) | HP High | HP Moderate | Atk (Ext/High/Mod) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1 | 18/15/14/12 | 9–13 | 6–8 | +10/+8/+6 |
| 0 | 19/16/15/13 | 20–24 | 16–19 | +10/+8/+6 |
| 1 | 21/18/17/15 | 26–32 | 21–25 | +13/+11/+9 |
| 2 | 22/19/18/16 | 36–44 | 28–35 | +15/+13/+11 |
| 3 | 24/21/20/18 | 48–60 | 37–47 | +17/+15/+13 |
| 4 | 25/22/21/19 | 62–78 | 48–61 | +18/+16/+14 |
| 5 | 27/24/23/21 | 78–96 | 60–77 | +20/+18/+16 |
| 6 | 28/25/24/22 | 90–114 | 72–89 | +22/+20/+18 |
| 7 | 30/27/26/24 | 108–134 | 84–107 | +23/+21/+19 |
| 8 | 31/28/27/25 | 128–158 | 100–127 | +25/+23/+21 |
| 9 | 33/30/29/27 | 148–182 | 116–147 | +26/+24/+22 |
| 10 | 34/31/30/28 | 172–212 | 135–171 | +28/+26/+24 |
| 11 | 36/33/32/30 | 198–242 | 155–197 | +30/+28/+26 |
| 12 | 37/34/33/31 | 226–278 | 178–225 | +32/+30/+28 |
| 13 | 39/36/35/33 | 256–316 | 201–255 | +33/+31/+29 |
| 14 | 40/37/36/34 | 288–354 | 226–287 | +35/+33/+31 |
| 15 | 42/39/38/36 | 322–396 | 253–321 | +37/+35/+33 |
| 16 | 43/40/39/37 | 358–440 | 281–357 | +38/+36/+34 |
| 17 | 45/42/41/39 | 394–486 | 309–393 | +40/+38/+36 |
| 18 | 46/43/42/40 | 434–534 | 340–433 | +42/+40/+38 |
| 19 | 48/45/44/42 | 476–584 | 373–475 | +43/+41/+39 |
| 20 | 49/46/45/43 | 522–638 | 409–521 | +45/+43/+41 |
| 21 | 51/48/47/45 | 570–698 | 447–569 | +47/+45/+43 |
| 22 | 52/49/48/46 | 622–762 | 487–621 | +48/+46/+44 |
| 23 | 54/51/50/48 | 676–828 | 529–675 | +50/+48/+46 |
| 24 | 55/52/51/49 | 734–898 | 575–733 | +52/+50/+48 |
Building Creatures in Pathfinder 2e
The creature building tables in the GM Core give you four budget tiers for each statistic: Extreme, High, Moderate, and Low. A well-designed creature typically mixes tiers. For example, a heavily armored brute might have High AC and Extreme HP but only Low attack bonus and saves. Mixing tiers creates interesting tactical variety.
Give a creature one thing it is genuinely great at, and let the rest sit at Moderate. A troll with Extreme HP, High attack, and Low Reflex saves plays completely differently from a wraith with High AC, Extreme Will, and Low HP, even though both are level-appropriate. Stack two or three Extreme statistics on the same monster and you get something that looks fair on the page and wipes the table in play.
There is no Challenge Rating in PF2e. Creature level does that job, and it does it more directly: compare the creature's level to the party's, and the gap tells you both the XP cost and the danger. Party level plus 2 is a serious fight on its own; party level minus 4 is a mook. If you are converting a CR from Pathfinder 1e or D&D, start by treating it as the creature level, then rebuild the statistics from the tiers above rather than converting them one by one. The encounter builder shows what that level costs against your XP budget.
When building NPCs or custom monsters, start with the level that matches the encounter role you want, then select each stat from the appropriate tier. Spell DCs for caster enemies and save DCs for their abilities come directly from the Spell DC / Class DC column. Cross-reference with the DC reference for skill check and environmental DCs.
Creature Building Questions GMs Ask Most
Does Pathfinder 2e use CR (Challenge Rating)?
No. Pathfinder 2e replaced Challenge Rating with creature level, and it is a cleaner number to work with. A creature's level is compared directly to the party's level, and that gap sets both the XP cost and the difficulty. A level 5 creature against a level 5 party is a fair single opponent; the same creature against a level 1 party is lethal. If you are converting from Pathfinder 1e or D&D, treat CR as roughly equal to creature level and rebuild the statistics from the tables on this page.
How do you build a creature in Pathfinder 2e?
Pick the level first, then choose each statistic from one of four tiers: Extreme, High, Moderate, or Low. The GM Core gives a value for every statistic at every level in each tier. Assign High or Extreme to the two or three things the creature is famous for and Moderate or Low to everything else. That contrast is what makes a monster feel distinct at the table.
What AC and HP should a creature have at its level?
Use the table above. Moderate AC is the default for a creature that fights fairly, High AC suits armoured or agile enemies, and Extreme AC should be rare because it makes the whole party miss. HP works in bands rather than exact numbers, so anything inside the listed range for the tier is fine. Round to something memorable.
How many extreme stats should a creature have?
At most one, and often none. Extreme is reserved for the single defining trait of a boss: the dragon's breath damage, the assassin's attack bonus. Stacking two or three Extreme statistics produces a creature that reads as level-appropriate on paper and flattens the party in practice.
What is a creature's spell DC and class DC at each level?
Both come from the Spell DC column in the table above, which tracks the level-based DC closely. A level 8 creature with High spellcasting casts at roughly DC 27. For DCs the world imposes rather than a creature, use the DC by level table instead.