ECL for awakened animals?

[Dingleberry]

For those of you who have permitted awakened animals to gain class levels, did you apply an ECL?

For instance, an awakened riding dog will have 4 HD - if you start it as a Fighter, how much xp would you require to advance to second level?

 

[thundershot]

It SHOULD have one for many creatures, that's for sure. Maybe Soldarin or someone should add that to his ECL list...

 

[trentonjoe]

Is there a 4HD dog? ANyway since all it is getting is some hitpoints and being a dog is a pretty significant disadvantage sometimes I would give it an ECL of +1.

 

[pontus]

Is there a 4HD dog?

Riding dog: 2 hd
Awakened: +2 hd
Total: 4 hd

 

[Soldarin]

This topic has come up before. On the old Houserules board there used to be a thread about a 'complete' list of monster ECLs. Several awakened animals were included as well.

As for your question: Yes, ECL would apply in these cases. Just use the system to estimate the value and work from there.

 

[graydoom]

An ECL is appropriate, yes. But there aren't really any rules for how to choose what ECL to give. Just eyeball it and hope you get it right, I guess.

 

[TwoSix]

An ECL is appropriate, yes. But there aren't really any rules for how to choose what ECL to give. Just eyeball it and hope you get it right, I guess.

Poor Soldarin. No respect for his quite useful system.

 

[pontus]

Let's see if I got this right. Using Soldarin's system:

Dog, riding (awakened)

+2.0 4 animal hd
+0.2 Speed 40
+0.8 +4 natural armor
+0.2 Scent
-0.5 Can hardly use any equipment
-0.5 No hands

+0.4 Str +4
+0.4 Dex +4
+0.4 Con +4
0 Average int 10
+0.1 Wis +2
-0.1 Cha -2
+0.1 +4 to wilderness lore when tracking only

Total: 3,5 or Level Adjustment +3

 

[trentonjoe]

Let's see if I got this right. Using soldarin's system:

blah blah blah (these are my own)
Total: 3,5 or Level Adjustment +3

I think that the final answer is a little high. I don't think a 1st level dog fighter could take a 5th level human fighter.

Using all those modifications I still think you're talking about a +1 maybe a weak +2.

 

[pontus]

I think that the final answer is a little high. I don't think a 1st level dog fighter could take a 5th level human fighter.

Nor could a 5th level ranger necessarily beat the fighter. Anyway, you're comparing a creature with an ECL of 4 (the dog) to a creature with an ECL of 5 (the fighter).

I have here created two NPCs. Fang, and Bob. Both use the standard point buy to get the stats Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8. Fang also gets to add his racial modifiers to his stats, and Bob gets to raise his Strength by one point for being fourth level.

The awakened riding dog, Fang

Ability Scores: Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 6
HD: 4 animal + 1 fighter level; 4d8 +1d10 + 20
HP: 43
Attacks: Bite +9 (+4 base, +4 Strength, +1 focus)
Damage: Bite 1d6+6 (average 9,5)
AC: 22 (+4 natural, +3 Dexterity, +5 breastplate barding)
Speed: 30 or run 120
Feats: Weapon Focus (bite)
Equipment: Breastplate barding


The human fighter, Bob

Ability Scores: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
HD: 4 fighter levels; 4d10 + 8
HP: 30
Attacks: Bastard sword +9 (+4 base, +3 Strength, +1 focus, +1 masterwork)
Damage: Bastard sword 1d10+5 (average 10,5)
AC: 20 (+7 half plate, +2 large shield, +1 dodge)
Speed: 20 or run 60
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Weapon Focus (bastard sword), Weapon Specialization (bastard sword), Dodge, Power Attack
Equipment: Masterwork bastard sword, half-plate, large steel shield