Monster Creation 101

[Krishnath]

The goblin is a one HD humanoid, and as such has the BAB of a warrior, which if I'm not mistaken is 1.
Therefore:
+1(BAB)-1(Str)+1(Size)=+1 melee.
+1(BAB)+1(Dex)+1(size)=+3 ranged.

does it make sense?

 

[Blacksway]

yes it does, but why warrior? why not cleric like the pdf says!

 

[Wolf72]

the goblin description (MM) says that the stat block is for a typcial goblin warrior ... most of the humanoids do ... except the poor kobold, which might be a commoner

 

[Usurper]

Ah, so that's where I read the warrior bit. I can't believe I didn't consult my MM1.

So should we infer from this that we can give 1hd humanoids any base class we want, or any NPC base class?

 

[Wolf72]

sure you could give 1hd humanoids any pc class as well ... iirc only the hobgoblin (from MM) has an ecl, not sure of the other books.

 

[Krishnath]

All 1HD humanoids in the monster books are considered to be 1st level warriors, why on earth they gave the kobold only half a HD is beyond me. Also 1HD planetouched are considered being 1st level warriors, as well as 1HD monstrous humanoids.

Some ECL's of 1 HD humanoids/monstrous humanoids:

Aarakocra: +1
Drow: +2
Goblin: +0
Hobgoblin: +0 (some belive it should have an ECL of +1, but I hardly think it's more powerful than the common half-orc or human.)
Kobold: +0
Orc: +0

Later,

 

[Knight Otu]

Also 1HD planetouched are considered being 1st level warriors, as well as 1HD monstrous humanoids.

Sorry, but that is wrong. These creature types actually have a racial hit die as opposed to a class hit die.

The planetouched have a single Outsider HD, and the Monstrous Humanoids have a single Monstrous Humanoid HD. This can be seen in the saving throw bonuses.

 

[Krishnath]

Yes, their Monster Manual stats show them (the planetouched) as one HD outsiders, but the FRCS takes predecense in this case, as they are described as player races in races chapter, and no where among their racial traits are there mention of them starting with 1 outsider HD. Therefore their Monster Manual entry is wrong.

 

[Knight Otu]

No, the MM entry is correct.

At the beginning of the MM, and I believe in the DMG, it is said that creatures with 1 racial HD or less always drop that hit die if they enter any class.

 

[Krishnath]

hmm... good point...I forgot about that.

This is why the CC boards are so great, if this had been discussed over at WotC's boards, a flame war would have erupted a long time ago.

Later,