Does HD affect ability points? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Does HD affect ability points? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aleister Crowley
06-27-05, 07:05 AM I am working on an encounter program, and need to understand how monsters are made.

Does HD affect how much ability points monsters has, and if so where can I find that info?
ieattrollsforbreakfast
06-27-05, 12:58 PM Nope, the only thing that limits them is your imagination, with a hint of common sense.
Antioch
06-27-05, 02:20 PM If by ability points you are referring to the points you can allocate during character generation using the point buy method, then no. If you wish to create your monsters using point buy, then I would advise being fair and providing them the same number of points as you would your own players (my group tends to use 25 points for a good middle ground).
Really though, standards monsters really dont need to have differing ability scores (or hit points for that matter) unless they are major villians or NPCs. Also, bear in mind that by altering some ability scores it also affects the save DCs for various attack methods (if you increase the Con score of a creature with a poison attack, it will up the poison's save DC, if you up the Str score of a creature with a trample attack, it ups the Reflex save DC, etc).
Aleister Crowley
06-27-05, 03:59 PM Ok thanks for the info. :)

How about Saving throws (fort, ref, will), do they have anything to do with HDs?
kenichi
06-27-05, 04:04 PM Yes the saves and BAB are based on the creature type (undead, animal, aberration, dragon, outsider, etc...) and number of HD. The saves are then modified by the appropriate ability score modifiers. The monster manual book has the BAB bonus and which saves are good saves by creature type.
You can use the SRD section on Improving Monsters (found here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35) ) if you don't have the monster manual.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
06-27-05, 05:22 PM In 3.5 monsters work almost exactly the same as player characters. If something is based on class/character level for a player, it is for a monster as well. So that includes hp, BAB, base saves and skill points amongst other things.
Aleister Crowley
06-27-05, 07:05 PM Ok that was what I thought, but mixed up the numbers :)

Still in MM3, Death Giant page 54. I can't seem to get the right numbers.
He has a will at +21, but I get +14 (+2 Iron Will, +5 Wis, +7 base (poor))
Mumamuma Wurm
06-27-05, 11:24 PM Still in MM3, Death Giant page 54. I can't seem to get the right numbers.
He has a will at +21, but I get +14 (+2 Iron Will, +5 Wis, +7 base (poor))

I'm not sure if this applies to this individual critter or not (don't have MM3), but I know that some creatures do have different Good/Poor saves than their base type. (animals and aberrations usually, but I'm sure there's others.)
Aleister Crowley
06-28-05, 04:04 AM Ok yes I see that with good the saves make sense. Guess I need an override function in my program then.
Osieu
06-28-05, 11:49 AM Don't forget that death giants have Guardian Souls (Su), which adds their cha modifier (+7) to all saves. ;)
Antioch
06-29-05, 02:51 AM I'm not sure if this applies to this individual critter or not (don't have MM3), but I know that some creatures do have different Good/Poor saves than their base type. (animals and aberrations usually, but I'm sure there's others.)

Which monsters? Animals have the same saves aside from sometimes having a good Will save. Elementals have either Ref or Fort based on their type, and humans have any one good save. Other than that they have the same types.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aleister Crowley 06-27-05, 07:05 AM	I am working on an encounter program, and need to understand how monsters are made. Does HD affect how much ability points monsters has, and if so where can I find that info?
ieattrollsforbreakfast 06-27-05, 12:58 PM	Nope, the only thing that limits them is your imagination, with a hint of common sense.
Antioch 06-27-05, 02:20 PM	If by ability points you are referring to the points you can allocate during character generation using the point buy method, then no. If you wish to create your monsters using point buy, then I would advise being fair and providing them the same number of points as you would your own players (my group tends to use 25 points for a good middle ground). Really though, standards monsters really dont need to have differing ability scores (or hit points for that matter) unless they are major villians or NPCs. Also, bear in mind that by altering some ability scores it also affects the save DCs for various attack methods (if you increase the Con score of a creature with a poison attack, it will up the poison's save DC, if you up the Str score of a creature with a trample attack, it ups the Reflex save DC, etc).
Aleister Crowley 06-27-05, 03:59 PM	Ok thanks for the info. :) How about Saving throws (fort, ref, will), do they have anything to do with HDs?
kenichi 06-27-05, 04:04 PM	Yes the saves and BAB are based on the creature type (undead, animal, aberration, dragon, outsider, etc...) and number of HD. The saves are then modified by the appropriate ability score modifiers. The monster manual book has the BAB bonus and which saves are good saves by creature type. You can use the SRD section on Improving Monsters (found here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35) ) if you don't have the monster manual.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 06-27-05, 05:22 PM	In 3.5 monsters work almost exactly the same as player characters. If something is based on class/character level for a player, it is for a monster as well. So that includes hp, BAB, base saves and skill points amongst other things.
Aleister Crowley 06-27-05, 07:05 PM	Ok that was what I thought, but mixed up the numbers :) Still in MM3, Death Giant page 54. I can't seem to get the right numbers. He has a will at +21, but I get +14 (+2 Iron Will, +5 Wis, +7 base (poor))
Mumamuma Wurm 06-27-05, 11:24 PM	Still in MM3, Death Giant page 54. I can't seem to get the right numbers. He has a will at +21, but I get +14 (+2 Iron Will, +5 Wis, +7 base (poor)) I'm not sure if this applies to this individual critter or not (don't have MM3), but I know that some creatures do have different Good/Poor saves than their base type. (animals and aberrations usually, but I'm sure there's others.)
Aleister Crowley 06-28-05, 04:04 AM	Ok yes I see that with good the saves make sense. Guess I need an override function in my program then.
Osieu 06-28-05, 11:49 AM	Don't forget that death giants have Guardian Souls (Su), which adds their cha modifier (+7) to all saves. ;)
Antioch 06-29-05, 02:51 AM	I'm not sure if this applies to this individual critter or not (don't have MM3), but I know that some creatures do have different Good/Poor saves than their base type. (animals and aberrations usually, but I'm sure there's others.) Which monsters? Animals have the same saves aside from sometimes having a good Will save. Elementals have either Ref or Fort based on their type, and humans have any one good save. Other than that they have the same types.