Monster Advancement: Increase only Hit Dice?

[taliesin15]

Just wondering whether people think Monsters should get more than added HD/hit points when advancing--I have a monster in mind that I want to triple HD-wise (that's the highest level of Advancement suggested). For the monster in question this almost doubles it in size. I'm wondering wouldn't its BAttacks and Damage be higher too, not to mention Strength? I mean, for example, a Dire Bear is much more deadly than a regular Bear, and more than just in hit points.

 

[Dog Moon]

It does. When it gains a HD, it gains everything associated with that: BA, skills, feats [for every 3 HD], hp and the DCs of special abilities based off HD are also increased.

Strength is increased with growth in size, as well as Natural Armor and Con, though their Hide checks, Dexterity, and attack decrease because of it.

There's a section in the Monster Manual that deals with Monster Advancement. I'm too comfortable to move to see what page it's on, but it's there. Well, this should also help too: http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/improvingMonsters.htm

 

[frankthedm]

Just wondering whether people think Monsters should get more than added HD/hit points when advancing--I have a monster in mind that I want to triple HD-wise (that's the highest level of Advancement suggested). For the monster in question this almost doubles it in size. I'm wondering wouldn't its BAttacks and Damage be higher too, not to mention Strength? I mean, for example, a Dire Bear is much more deadly than a regular Bear, and more than just in hit points.

It is only because these HD don’t add that much to a monster that most critters gets 3 or 4 HD per CR point raised.

Adding HD adds in BaB, skills and feats at the same rate as characters so just look to the splat books the players take their feets from for more monster oomph.

Adding in certain amounts of HD increases size and bumps CR by one.

The dire animal in general were given a few beanies to boost their power, often bumping damage dice as if they had improved natural attack, thus the large dire bear has a 2d8 bite.

Adding Special Abilities
You can add any sort of spell-like, supernatural, or extraordinary ability to a creature. As with a class level, you should determine how much, or how little, this ability adds to the creature’s existing repertoire. A suite of abilities that work together should be treated as a single modifier for this purpose. If the ability (or combination of abilities) significantly increases the monster’s combat effectiveness, increase its CR by 2. Minor abilities increase the creature’s CR by 1, and truly trivial abilities may not increase CR at all. If the special abilities a monster gains are not tied to a class or Hit Die increase, this CR increase stacks.

A significant special attack is one that stands a good chance of incapacitating or crippling a character in one round. A significant special quality is one that seriously diminishes the monster’s vulnerability to common attacks. Do not add this factor twice if a monster has both special attacks and special qualities.

Make sure to "scale" your evaluation of these abilities by the monster’s current CR.

 

[taliesin15]

The kinds of Monsters I had in mind were Magical, Aberrations and Oozes. Just seems like the Advancement would include more than just more hit points, at least higher damage and increased base attack. That's basically all I was considering doing anyway. The stuff about increased special attacks (like Dragons) seems sensible in some cases. Thanks for the cite on the website, DogMoon, and your comments too, Frank.

 

[Corsair]

The kinds of Monsters I had in mind were Magical, Aberrations and Oozes. Just seems like the Advancement would include more than just more hit points, at least higher damage and increased base attack.

They do.

More HD = More BAB.

Enough HD to warrant a size increase = size bonuses to STR, increased damage dice