D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Monster Design Question (Undead spellcaster)

[UniversalMonster]

I have this idea for a monster I want to stat up- it's an undead spellcaster humanoid transformed through some infernal process. I want it to be intelligent, around 6 hit dice, and have a spellcasting ability similar to a 4th level caster.

Ok, my question is: Am I supposed to make it with HD: 6d12 or just HD:2d12+4d4? (essentially do a base monster and add 4 levels of sorcerer). Is the second option legal?

Thanks for the help...

 

[Nightfall]

The former as you see in other undead templates, they change ALL present and future HD into d12s.

 

[Pax]

The second ooption would be legal, except for HD size (as Nightfall pointred out).

However, giving Spellcasting ability of however-much, without actual levels of whichever class you had in mind (and thus, without any of the additional benefits -- bonus feats, familiar progression, etc), is also fine. Look in the rMM1 for the Rakshasa entry for an example of that.

 

[Nightfall]

Just be warned he may CAST like a wizard/sorcerer/cleric/spellcaster of that level, but he's not going to get any class abilities.

 

[Garnfellow]

Ok, my question is: Am I supposed to make it with HD: 6d12 or just HD:2d12+4d4? (essentially do a base monster and add 4 levels of sorcerer). Is the second option legal?

Either option may be viable, depending on whether you are using a template or not. All of the undead templates in the core rules (ghost, lich, and vampire) transform all HD, past and future, to d12s.

Other sorts of undead use standard class HD when taking class levels, unless the monster description specifically says otherwise. For example, take a look at the mummy lord in the revised MM -- it's a mummy with 10 levels of cleric: HD 8d12 plus 10d8

 

[Ripper-nk]

Just take any undead template and add him to a Spellcaster. Its look fine for me.