What price Hit Dice?

[Greybar]

I was thinking about making noncombat NPC classes advance by less than a HD/level, somewhat like monster classes. That would help prevent the legendary painter who has 12d8 hit points.

So, what's a good balance would you say? A feat-equivalent every time you don't get the HD? That'd be nice for piling on those Skill Focus feats that help make the legendary painter better than just some 12th rogue who dallys a bit with the paintbrush.

thoughts?

 

[Verequus]

Using Upper_Krust's CR-system as base, then a feat is worth 0.2 CR and a hit die, depending on the the size:

d4 +0.083 CR
d6 +0.1165 CR
d8 +0.15 CR

A commoner has a d4, so you need for 5 feats 12 HD. Note, that a character with a LA shouldn't have an LA greater than his hit dice, otherwise he becomes more weaker than his pure numbers suggest - take a half-dragon/human fighter at first level and a fourth level fighter: the latter will win with a higher probability.