How to build a monstruous character [Archive] - Wizards Community

How to build a monstruous character [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ankha
04-06-07, 11:28 AM One of my player plays a Tri-kreen (Races of Faerun), or let's say any monstruous race (Minotaur, Centaur, Ogre-mage... it doesn't matter). Does the player have to take the monstruous hit dices or can he start a character with just the level adjustement modifier.

IE : the minotaur has a level adjustement of +2. It also starts with 6 HD of monstruous humanoid. If all other characters are human characters with 9 HD, can he play :
- a Minotaur Fighter 7th (with 7 HD but an ECL of 9)
- or does it have to take the 6 HD of monstruous humanoid (ie : 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +2, Ref +5, and Will +5), making it a Minotaur Fighter 1st (with 7HD and ECL of 9 also)?

I'm quite certain that I've read something about it somewhere in an official book (I thought it was in the Monster Manual), but I can't find it anymore. So maybe it's in MM2 or in Savage Species that I don't have. Can anyone help?

From what I've read on this forum, I conclude that it must take the racial HD if the race has more than 1 HD. I know that there's homebrew rules, but I'd like the "official" way(s) to build a monstruous character.
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-06-07, 11:48 AM - or does it have to take the 6 HD of monstruous humanoid (ie : 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +2, Ref +5, and Will +5), making it a Minotaur Fighter 1st (with 7HD and ECL of 9 also)?

That one is correct. At least I think so, I'm not sure on all the numbers, but you understand the concept.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm
Borris
04-06-07, 05:41 PM That's right. ECL is HD + LA.

Thus, a 9th-level human fighter has 9 HD, and is ECL 9.
A 1st-level minotaur fighter with 6 monstrous humanoid HD, 1 fighter HD, and a LA of +2 is also ECL 9.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ankha 04-06-07, 11:28 AM	One of my player plays a Tri-kreen (Races of Faerun), or let's say any monstruous race (Minotaur, Centaur, Ogre-mage... it doesn't matter). Does the player have to take the monstruous hit dices or can he start a character with just the level adjustement modifier. IE : the minotaur has a level adjustement of +2. It also starts with 6 HD of monstruous humanoid. If all other characters are human characters with 9 HD, can he play : - a Minotaur Fighter 7th (with 7 HD but an ECL of 9) - or does it have to take the 6 HD of monstruous humanoid (ie : 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +2, Ref +5, and Will +5), making it a Minotaur Fighter 1st (with 7HD and ECL of 9 also)? I'm quite certain that I've read something about it somewhere in an official book (I thought it was in the Monster Manual), but I can't find it anymore. So maybe it's in MM2 or in Savage Species that I don't have. Can anyone help? From what I've read on this forum, I conclude that it must take the racial HD if the race has more than 1 HD. I know that there's homebrew rules, but I'd like the "official" way(s) to build a monstruous character.
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-06-07, 11:48 AM	- or does it have to take the 6 HD of monstruous humanoid (ie : 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +2, Ref +5, and Will +5), making it a Minotaur Fighter 1st (with 7HD and ECL of 9 also)? That one is correct. At least I think so, I'm not sure on all the numbers, but you understand the concept. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm
Borris 04-06-07, 05:41 PM	That's right. ECL is HD + LA. Thus, a 9th-level human fighter has 9 HD, and is ECL 9. A 1st-level minotaur fighter with 6 monstrous humanoid HD, 1 fighter HD, and a LA of +2 is also ECL 9.