Hit dice vs Class Level

[Rightous Man]

Using the Half fiend minotaur in the beastiary page 171. if you were to add class levels to such a creature would it continue to progress up its spell like ability chart as if it had gained Hit dice? or must it strictly be Hit dice?

[Brotato]

Rightous Man wrote:

Using the Half fiend minotaur in the beastiary page 171. if you were to add class levels to such a creature would it continue to progress up its spell like ability chart as if it had gained Hit dice? or must it strictly be Hit dice?

When you gain class levels, you gain hit dice.

[Alzrius]

Unless something says "racial Hit Dice" or something similar (e.g. "natural Hit Dice"), the term is interchangeable with your total class levels.