When the GM is responsible for determining the mechanics that govern player and NPC attributes and equipment, it can be difficult to gauge how various mechanical tweaks might affect the balance of an encounter. This is especially true early in a campaign, before there has been any opportunity for experimentation or before norms have been established.
As the GM, you are encouraged to adjust any factors necessary to strike the right balance for your session and the campaign as a whole, even during an action sequence. If you realize that the dungeon-dwelling beast you created is far too powerful for your party, don’t hesitate to lower its life points, remove unused attributes, or limit the number of times a particular ability can be used. Conversely, if your NPC proves too weak, you can increase its life points, power points, or other unused attributes to create the level of challenge you intended.
When making adjustments, avoid altering any NPC attributes or statistics that have already been used in the encounter. Don’t suddenly increase the damage dealt by an NPC’s attack that has already hit the party twice. Instead, focus on adjusting unused attributes or resources like life points, power points, or boost dice. This approach ensures you remain consistent with the norms you’ve established during the encounter while still allowing for flexibility. Over time, you’ll develop a feel for the right combination of statistics to maintain balance and challenge in your campaign.