Difficulty with an aboleth wizard.

[Covent]

Ok, I am building a 9th level aboleth wizard for my party of intrepid adventures to fight.

I am very confused on how the aboleth's skills will interact with the skill points it gains from its 9 levels of wizard. What are the skills it should gain from its race and how many of those are ranks?

Also as far as I can see the aboleth's hp and saves are much better than the one's listed on table 1-1 for a CR-12 monster After looking at it I think this may be closer to a CR-14 monster.

I have added the +4(int),+4(con),+2(Dex),+2(wisdom),+0(Charisma),-2(strength).

I also give my players two attribute points at 4,8,12,16 etc not one so I have spent 3 of those in int and one in wisdom.

Adjusted scores are Str: 18, Dex: 14, Con: 26, Int: 22, Wis: 20, Chr: 17.

Ac will be 27 (10, +11 Natural, +2 dex, -2 size, +6 from +2 chain shirt)

Hp will be 208 (100 aboleth[8d8+64], +108 from wizard[9d6+72(+9 favored class)])

It's saves are also a little off,

Will: 20 (+6 wizard, +9 aboleth, +5 attribute)
Ref: 9 (+3 wizard, +4 aboleth, +2 attribute)
Fort: 13 (+3 wizard, +2 aboleth, +8 attribute)

It already has Lightening reflexes, Iron will, Improved initiative, and Weapon focus (Tentacle).

I need feat suggestions as well. I was thinking combat casting, heighten spell (wizard feat), Armor proficiency light, Armor proficiency medium, Arcane armor training, Arcane armor Mastery.

I still have quite abit of money to spend on gear as well, just no more defensive items.

Anyway to wrap up some help with skills would be nice and also please point out any math or system understanding errors. Also suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

[Lathiira]

Covent wrote:

Ok, I am building a 9th level aboleth wizard for my party of intrepid adventures to fight.

I am very confused on how the aboleth's skills will interact with the skill points it gains from its 9 levels of wizard. What are the skills it should gain from its race and how many of those are ranks?

Any skills listed in the base monster description are class skills. Factor in a +3 bonus for training in class skills into those values. Subtract the ability score modifiers from each one. Subtract racial modifiers and size modifiers, if any. Subtract modifiers for any feats the creatures has (e.g. Perception). What's left in each skill is its ranks in that skill.

Covent wrote:

It's saves are also a little off,

Will: 20 (+6 wizard, +9 aboleth, +5 attribute)
Ref: 9 (+3 wizard, +4 aboleth, +2 attribute)
Fort: 13 (+3 wizard, +2 aboleth, +8 attribute)

It already has Lightening reflexes, Iron will, Improved initiative, and Weapon focus (Tentacle).

Never hurts to double-check these things. Broadly speaking, the critter's 10 hit dice should give it about +7 on its good saves and +3 on bad saves before any other modifiers. To me, it looks like it's owed a point apiece of Fort and Reflex saves and has already factored Lightning Reflexes and Iron Will into the "aboleth" category. Also, once it started taking class levels as a wizard, you may have to adjust the saving throws from the wizard class the way prestige classes are adjusted if you think it's too powerful.

Covent wrote:

I need feat suggestions as well. I was thinking combat casting, heighten spell (wizard feat), Armor proficiency light, Armor proficiency medium, Arcane armor training, Arcane armor Mastery.

You're only using a chain shirt, so why have medium armor proficiency?

Beyond that, extend spell is a possibility if you like metamagic feats. Add a few useful buff spells to your aboleth to make a nasty monster even nastier. Arcane strike, perhaps?

Covent wrote:

I still have quite abit of money to spend on gear as well, just no more defensive items.

Anyway to wrap up some help with skills would be nice and also please point out any math or system understanding errors. Also suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

Well, if you still have money (and if you're worried, you can just look at the money a typical CR 12 monster has as treasure), go ahead and buy a few useful scrolls, potions, and wands. Mirror image, blur, fire shield, haste--the options are limitless, really, for the mayhem you can cause.

For skills, knowledge skills are a plus. Perception never goes out of style. Appraise perhaps. Spellcraft, Use Magic Device both come to mind as well.

[0gre]

I suggest you check out the monster building rules, they are more focused on crafting creatures from scratch than adding class levels but they will give you a good idea of what your creatures BAB, Saves, AC, and HP should be. You also get a good gauge of where your spell DCs should be.