Me and a gaming friend ran into a bit of quandary today and since we could not find a satisfactory answer in the books, I turn to you for insight.
My player is playing a summoning type class that focuses on using fiendish creatures against other evil things (I believe it was called Malconvoker). To prepare for this class, he starting making all sorts of fiendish-templated creatures ahead of time so he could just pull them out when needed.
As he was creating his creatures we had something of a problem. He was giving his new fiendish vermin (centipede to be specific) new feats for his new Int of 3. Now, the fiendish template tells you to use the base creature for everything except where noted, and even tells you not to recalculate BAB, saves, skill points, etc. (though curiously no mention of feats).
So my question is, does this new fiendish centipede gain feats retroactively for gaining the template and thus gaining an Int score? My idea was that, as a centipede with no Int, he has no feats, therefore the fiendish template shouldn't really change that. But my friend has a point: The creature didn't just gain the template, it was born with it, and thus born with a Int 3. Shouldn't it have gained feats as it "advanced" it it's magical beast Hit Dice, which grants skill points and feats?
I am unsure how to rule in this situation since I want to be fair, and don't want to seriously hinder the fun and usefulness of his class's primary power. Then again, I am also unsure if giving feats and skills to creature who should not have them might be too over-powering.
Your opinions will be appreciated. Thank you.
I am not sure fiendish creatures are really "born" in the traditional sense.
But no, I don't think that some reasonable feats would be unbalancing. Look at the animal entries and pick feats similar to those, things like alterness, endurance, run, etc. I'd probably avoid things like power attack and such. Just have him ask you what feats would be appropriate for the creature, don't let him "design" the creatures he is calling.
Lets see what the SRD has to say on the matter. Under the vermin type, it says they gain skill points and feats if they have an intelligence score, barring the fact most vermin are mindless. Nothing we don't already know.
Now here's the winner. Under the Fiendish Creature entry, it does mention not recalculating skill points, hit points, base attack, etc. But read a little further: that sentance ends with the phrase "if its type changes."
Ok, so vermin with the template become magical beasts. As such, by the rules of the template, do not recalculate their skill points based on the type change (although vermin and magical beasts both have 2 skill points per hd, so its a moot point. Its more for the switch from average base attack, one good save, and d8, to good base attack, 2 good saves, and d10s. Thats the big no-no). But nowhere does it say to not give the creature the skill points it is entitled to as an intelligent creature. It only prohibits due to type changes.
So there you go, the fiendish vermin gains both piddling skill points, and feats! Enjoy! By the by, Ability Focus for poison DCs is always a good idea. As is Improved Natural Attack.