Advancing a Ghaele Eladrin Cohort past lvl 20 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Advancing a Ghaele Eladrin Cohort past lvl 20 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
nycfarmkid
03-12-06, 10:41 PM We are playing an epic campaign and one of the PCs' Cohorts, a Ghaele Eladrin, is about to gain its 21st level. The monster block for that creature reads that it advances by Hit Dice. We have been using the rules from Savage Species to advance it so far and I am wondering how to best continue advancing it. I understand how to advance it by adding HD and such, but my concern is the ECL of the cohort. Should I give the creature a new HD in outsider whenever it gains a new level in experience? If so, should I adjust the ECL of the cohort to relect its improved powers (saving throws and such)? If so, by how much? Any advice would be welcomed. Thanks!
Liempt
03-13-06, 01:35 AM What I'd do in that circumstance is just advance it one CR. It already has all of it's abilities, so it is balanced ability-wise, and advancing a creature doesn't add or remove any abilities, it just changes the numbers involved. If you are extremely worried about game balance, simply give it a level in a character class or give it a template with a level adjustment of one. I hope that helps.

Bevin
runestar
03-13-06, 04:24 AM Giving it extra outsider HD won't really do it much good, it won't improve its caster lvs or give it extra clerical spellcasting. I would suggest giving it extra cleric lvs or perhaps take a prc that improves divine spellcasting, assuming you meet the prerequisites.
Chobemaster
03-13-06, 09:41 AM The eladrin would be MUCH better off taking a level in a class that best corresponds to its existing role and temperment. Since they are very intelligent, they would understand this.
nycfarmkid
03-13-06, 10:01 PM Wouldn't adding new outsider hit dice to the ghaele increase its caster level and DC for its spell like abilities? Also wouldn't that continue to increase its cleric caster level? Outsider HD give it a large amount of skills, all three good save, and a BAB as a warrior. Seems good to me if it works that way. If it doesn't, why not?
nycfarmkid
03-15-06, 09:58 PM any more thoughts?
runestar
03-16-06, 01:15 AM Wouldn't adding new outsider hit dice to the ghaele increase its caster level and DC for its spell like abilities? Also wouldn't that continue to increase its cleric caster level? Outsider HD give it a large amount of skills, all three good save, and a BAB as a warrior. Seems good to me if it works that way. If it doesn't, why not?

Usually, unless the caster lv of its SLAs is equal to the number of HD it has, its caster lv is independent of its HD and will not scale. Same goes for creatures with innate spellcasting capabilities. Unless it explicitly states that they cast as a spellcaster of their HD, their spellcasting will not improve as they advance. To this day, I only know of 3 monsters whose spellcasting will scale with HD - spellweaver, sharn and sylth.

So the only thing you gain from additional outsider HD would be d8hp, 8+int mod skill points and good saves/bab. I think the benefits from class lvs would usually be better.
nycfarmkid
03-16-06, 06:59 AM ok, makes sense. I would sort of like to keep the cohort to just having outsider levels for flavor so maybe I can work something out. If not i can always do a clerical class or whatever. Thanks for the info!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
nycfarmkid 03-12-06, 10:41 PM	We are playing an epic campaign and one of the PCs' Cohorts, a Ghaele Eladrin, is about to gain its 21st level. The monster block for that creature reads that it advances by Hit Dice. We have been using the rules from Savage Species to advance it so far and I am wondering how to best continue advancing it. I understand how to advance it by adding HD and such, but my concern is the ECL of the cohort. Should I give the creature a new HD in outsider whenever it gains a new level in experience? If so, should I adjust the ECL of the cohort to relect its improved powers (saving throws and such)? If so, by how much? Any advice would be welcomed. Thanks!
Liempt 03-13-06, 01:35 AM	What I'd do in that circumstance is just advance it one CR. It already has all of it's abilities, so it is balanced ability-wise, and advancing a creature doesn't add or remove any abilities, it just changes the numbers involved. If you are extremely worried about game balance, simply give it a level in a character class or give it a template with a level adjustment of one. I hope that helps. Bevin
runestar 03-13-06, 04:24 AM	Giving it extra outsider HD won't really do it much good, it won't improve its caster lvs or give it extra clerical spellcasting. I would suggest giving it extra cleric lvs or perhaps take a prc that improves divine spellcasting, assuming you meet the prerequisites.
Chobemaster 03-13-06, 09:41 AM	The eladrin would be MUCH better off taking a level in a class that best corresponds to its existing role and temperment. Since they are very intelligent, they would understand this.
nycfarmkid 03-13-06, 10:01 PM	Wouldn't adding new outsider hit dice to the ghaele increase its caster level and DC for its spell like abilities? Also wouldn't that continue to increase its cleric caster level? Outsider HD give it a large amount of skills, all three good save, and a BAB as a warrior. Seems good to me if it works that way. If it doesn't, why not?
nycfarmkid 03-15-06, 09:58 PM	any more thoughts?
runestar 03-16-06, 01:15 AM	Wouldn't adding new outsider hit dice to the ghaele increase its caster level and DC for its spell like abilities? Also wouldn't that continue to increase its cleric caster level? Outsider HD give it a large amount of skills, all three good save, and a BAB as a warrior. Seems good to me if it works that way. If it doesn't, why not? Usually, unless the caster lv of its SLAs is equal to the number of HD it has, its caster lv is independent of its HD and will not scale. Same goes for creatures with innate spellcasting capabilities. Unless it explicitly states that they cast as a spellcaster of their HD, their spellcasting will not improve as they advance. To this day, I only know of 3 monsters whose spellcasting will scale with HD - spellweaver, sharn and sylth. So the only thing you gain from additional outsider HD would be d8hp, 8+int mod skill points and good saves/bab. I think the benefits from class lvs would usually be better.
nycfarmkid 03-16-06, 06:59 AM	ok, makes sense. I would sort of like to keep the cohort to just having outsider levels for flavor so maybe I can work something out. If not i can always do a clerical class or whatever. Thanks for the info!