Ditching Racial HD [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ditching Racial HD [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DrakeRunner
10-27-06, 07:32 PM Okay, I'm looking at a lot of creatures with Racial HD, and more often than not, in the case of monsters with low CR, the Racial HD cripple them compared to class levels. Removing the Racial HD would effect a lot more than I probably realize, so can someone more enlightened give me a statement?
runestar
10-28-06, 03:09 AM Okay, I'm looking at a lot of creatures with Racial HD, and more often than not, in the case of monsters with low CR, the Racial HD cripple them compared to class levels.
How so? care to elaborate? Since racial HD tend to be weaker than class lvs, creatures with solely racial HD tend to have a lot more HD to compensate for their cr, compared to an NPC with solely class lvs.

It can get abusive when you combine racial HD in tandem with non-associated classes.:)
Bawitda
10-28-06, 03:15 AM Essentially, you're making them more powerful than their meant to be. As you say, racial hit dice are generally worse than class levels, since they usually lack any real features. Part of what makes them useful is giving it hit points and skills more in line with its challenge rating without making them too powerful. If you simply replace the RHD with class levels, you're going to need to either remove racial abilities, or raise by the CR and the LA of the creature accordingly. Exactly how much... That, I couldn't tell you.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DrakeRunner 10-27-06, 07:32 PM	Okay, I'm looking at a lot of creatures with Racial HD, and more often than not, in the case of monsters with low CR, the Racial HD cripple them compared to class levels. Removing the Racial HD would effect a lot more than I probably realize, so can someone more enlightened give me a statement?
runestar 10-28-06, 03:09 AM	Okay, I'm looking at a lot of creatures with Racial HD, and more often than not, in the case of monsters with low CR, the Racial HD cripple them compared to class levels. How so? care to elaborate? Since racial HD tend to be weaker than class lvs, creatures with solely racial HD tend to have a lot more HD to compensate for their cr, compared to an NPC with solely class lvs. It can get abusive when you combine racial HD in tandem with non-associated classes.:)
Bawitda 10-28-06, 03:15 AM	Essentially, you're making them more powerful than their meant to be. As you say, racial hit dice are generally worse than class levels, since they usually lack any real features. Part of what makes them useful is giving it hit points and skills more in line with its challenge rating without making them too powerful. If you simply replace the RHD with class levels, you're going to need to either remove racial abilities, or raise by the CR and the LA of the creature accordingly. Exactly how much... That, I couldn't tell you.