RoF/SS Rules conflict

[godfear]

In Races of Faerun, under Feat and Ability Score Increases (p. 7) it indicates that you do not get ability score increases for monster Hit Dice alone.

Do not add ability score increases derived from the character's racial Hit Dice alone. In effect, you should skip a number of Hit Dice equal to the racial Hit Dice before assigning a character ability score increases.

This seems to contradict Savage Species, under Level-Dependent Benefits (p. 15).

...treat the base creature's Hit Dice as its character level and find that value on Table 2-5: Experience and Level-Dependent Benefits, below. This table shows any ability score increases or additional feats that will result from adding class levels to your monster's Hit Dice.

There is no mention of skipping monster Hit Dice in Savage Species that I could find. Negating the stat increases makes sense if you presume that these bonuses were already included in the stat block found in the Monster Manual. But... were they? Or do PC monsters gain the stat bonuses whereas "normal" monsters would not?

 

[Ranger REG]

I thought the Races of Faerun uses Level Adjustments, while the Savage Species uses "monster" classes.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[shilsen]

I do not think there is a contradiction. Table 2-5 only applies for benefits obtained due to class levels added to a monster. So a hound archon (6HD) with fighter levels would gain an ability score increase at Ftr2 (since it then had 8HD), but would not have previously received an ability score increase for the 4th "monster" HD as a hound archon.

 

[godfear]

I thought the Races of Faerun uses Level Adjustments, while the Savage Species uses "monster" classes.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Savage Species allows the option for monster classes (in Chapter 3), but it first presents rules using hit dice & level adjustments to come up with a monster's ECL. The table is found in the chapter relating to using level adjustment and monster hit dice rather than building a character using monster classes.

 

[godfear]

I do not think there is a contradiction. Table 2-5 only applies for benefits obtained due to class levels added to a monster. So a hound archon (6HD) with fighter levels would gain an ability score increase at Ftr2 (since it then had 8HD), but would not have previously received an ability score increase for the 4th "monster" HD as a hound archon.

Well, the chart says Hit Dice or Character level in the leftmost column. And there is no text (that I can find in Savage Species) stating that a monster character would not gain the stat increase for their fourth HD. They are, after all, entitled to every other benefit (feats, saves, skills, etc).

Are you saying that it is implied that the level dependent benefits begin applying to characters only after they've taken class levels?

That is a logical argument, but I do wonder why it was mentioned in Races of Faerun and not in Savage Species.

 

[shilsen]

Well, the chart says Hit Dice or Character level in the leftmost column. And there is no text (that I can find in Savage Species) stating that a monster character would not gain the stat increase for their fourth HD. They are, after all, entitled to every other benefit (feats, saves, skills, etc).

Are you saying that it is implied that the level dependent benefits begin applying to characters only after they've taken class levels?

That is a logical argument, but I do wonder why it was mentioned in Races of Faerun and not in Savage Species.

Yes, that's what I was saying. IMO, the sentence "This table shows any ability score increases or additional feats that will result from adding class levels to your monster's Hit Dice" implies that the changes only apply after taking class levels. But I agree that it should have been spelt out clearly. It would have taken only a couple of sentences.