scaling an Animal backwards (?)

[Dave G]

Howdy,

I'm getting an animal companion, and I have to drop the written entry down in hit die for my character, so I guess it makes it a juvenile version. Can anyone tell me what changes with the addition of a hit die to an animal so I can extrapolate what changes with a subtraction?

I guess I need to figure out skill points to subtract, saving throw decreases and whether a stat change is warranted.

If it'll make this easier, I'm talking about the Monitor Lizard from the 3.5 MM and I need to make it roughly the equivalent to the wolf.

I don't have the MM or I'd reference this myself. Thanks!

(I have the stats from the 3.5 SRD if it would be helpful for this process to post them...)

 

[Knight Otu]

As you have some SRD files, the Types, Subtypes and Abilities file gives you a good definition what animal HDs give.

In a nutshell, and somewhat quick and dirty, when you drop an animal HD, the creature loses 1 Skill rank, for every two HDs dropped, its Fort and Reflex save go down by 1, and for every three HDs dropped, it loses a feat and its Will save is reduced by 1. Theoretically, it could also suffer a -1 penalty to an ability score for every 4 HDs dropped. (Dire animals would drop their Will save by 1 every two HD, by the way).

At some point, it might be worth it to reduce the creatures size by 1 step, possible 1/2 HD. That should incur the reverse ability and armor adjustments for growing a size category.

It might be worth to recalculate all values for the downgraded creature, though, as the above process does not take everything into account.

 

[Conaill]

Everything you need is in the SRD, under "Improving Monsters".

Animals have a d8 hit die, BAB increases as cleric (HD x 3/4), Good Fort and Ref (which don't change between 2HD and 3HD), and 2+(Int mod) skill points/HD (minimum 1)

So if you decrease the Monitor Lizard by one HD, your BAB and skill points will drop by one. All creatures also have a number of feats equal to 1 + 1 per 3 HD, so you'd be losing either the Alertness or Great Fortitude feat.

 

[Knight Otu]

Duh! How could I forget the BAB!