Kobolds ECL for character creation

[redkobold]

Kobolds have 1/2 of 1d8 hit die standard (2hp average) and an EC of 1/6

According to the "official rules" would a Kobold still have hit die based on his class (fighter d10, sorcerer d4, rogue d6, etc) or less?

 

[PowerWordDumb]

By class.

 

[Ravellion]

Indeed. The kobold in the MM is basically a 1st level Kobold Warrior (NPC class).

Rav

 

[Hypersmurf]

Except that if I made a 1st level Warrior Kobold PC, he'd have 1d8 hit die... not 1/2 d8...

-Hyp.

 

[the Jester]

Yeah, I brought this up a while back and nobody really had a good answer.

Is a first-level kobold fighter gonna start with 1d10 or 1/2d10 HD? What about a sorcerer? 1/2d4 is harsh...

I think it's pretty well assumed that a 5th-level kobold sorc has 5d4 HD but is it spelled out anywhere how that first half-HD affects things? Not that I've seen.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Um.

I know that Savage Species talks about it... I remember that it discussed how the half-hit-die affects the Grig.

... but I'm at work without my books, so I can't remember what it says

-Hyp.

 

[Grog]

According to Savage Species, races that only have one hit die lose that hit die when they take a character class. So a 1st level kobold fighter would have 1d10 hit points (10 hit points since first level characters get max HP).

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Except that if I made a 1st level Warrior Kobold PC, he'd have 1d8 hit die... not 1/2 d8...

There'd be a few other little differences too, which have been hashed over before. The kobold in the MM is not a 1st level warrior. He's a 1/2 hit die humanoid without a character class, like it or not.

 

[niblet]

yep 1D 10 hit points at first

 

[dcollins]

As others have stated, the half-hit die disappears and is replaced by a full hit die when they take a class. See MM p. 14, under "Creatures With Character classes".

It would have been better if they'd given kobolds (et al) a Constitution penalty: www.superdan.net/dndmisc/fractional_hit_dice.html