Monster Creation Questions

[Verequus]

1. How are the HP of monsters handled, if they have less than one hit die? Do you add the average and the Con mod and multiply by the fraction, round down, with the minimum of one? Is there a minimum for the fraction (although fractions smaller than 1/10 don't make sense)?

2. How would the human trait "Gains 1 additional skill point per level" affect creatures with racial hit dice? Would they gain those skill points also for their racial hit dice?

 

[JimAde]

1) I believe the CON modifier is added after dividing. So if an animal has a 14 Con and 1/2 HD, it would have 2.25 (half the average for 1d8) +2 or 4 hit points. Honestly, though, at that level I just give them a couple of hit points and don't worry about it.

2) I'm not sure I understand. The Human trait wouldn't normally be possessed by creatures with racial hit dice. If you want a creature to gain an extra skill point LIKE a human, then yes they'd gain one extra per die. Since their regular skill points are gained per hit die, the bonus should be as well.

Hope that helps.

 

[werk]

1. How are the HP of monsters handled, if they have less than one hit die? Do you add the average and the Con mod and multiply by the fraction, round down, with the minimum of one? Is there a minimum for the fraction (although fractions smaller than 1/10 don't make sense)?

2. How would the human trait "Gains 1 additional skill point per level" affect creatures with racial hit dice? Would they gain those skill points also for their racial hit dice?

1. Can't find anything concrete for you, but I add (or subtract) the con bonus after the fraction is resolved. I usually give max HP for creatures with less than 1HD and make the HD type the numerator. So a bat has 1/4 d8 HD = 8/4 = 2HD. I do use elite array on most everything, so if you used the half you would get 4/4 = 1HP which is what's in the MM.

2. That is for humans, monster skill point advancement is based on type and can be found here http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#increasingHitDice
That is if advancing by 'monster class' if advancing in a character class, use what is appropriate for the class.

 

[Verequus]

1) I believe the CON modifier is added after dividing. So if an animal has a 14 Con and 1/2 HD, it would have 2.25 (half the average for 1d8) +2 or 4 hit points. Honestly, though, at that level I just give them a couple of hit points and don't worry about it.

2) I'm not sure I understand. The Human trait wouldn't normally be possessed by creatures with racial hit dice. If you want a creature to gain an extra skill point LIKE a human, then yes they'd gain one extra per die. Since their regular skill points are gained per hit die, the bonus should be as well.

Hope that helps.

Yes, that was helpful and your interpretation of 2) is also correct. The problem is, that for the special purpose I can't deviate from the rules, so I need the correct ruling.

1. Can't find anything concrete for you, but I add (or subtract) the con bonus after the fraction is resolved. I usually give max HP for creatures with less than 1HD and make the HD type the numerator. So a bat has 1/4 d8 HD = 8/4 = 2HD. I do use elite array on most everything, so if you used the half you would get 4/4 = 1HP which is what's in the MM.

2. That is for humans, monster skill point advancement is based on type and can be found here http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#increasingHitDice
That is if advancing by 'monster class' if advancing in a character class, use what is appropriate for the class.

The question was, what happens, if a monster has this trait, too. But your link pointed two other mistakes out, I was making. So a thanks to both of you!

 

[Shin Okada]

In 3.5e, racial HDs are not that much different from class levels. There is a skill points per level (modified by int). And number of skill points are multiplied by 4 for the first HD or class level.

So, if that creature has, say, 2 Humanoid racial HDs,

For the 1st racial HD .... ((2 + Int Mod, minimum 1) +1 (from trait) ) x4
For the 2nd racial HD .... (2 + Int Mod, minimum 1) +1 (from trait)
For the character class levels .... ((X + Int Mod, minimum 1) +1 (from trait))/level

 

[Verequus]

Thanks for the detailed post!