So, I've searched the boards and I'm afraid I'm still unclear on an aspect of adding class levels to monsters. Anyone able to give a clear answer?
Specifically, I'm looking for clarification on the bonuses to ability scores (+4, +4, +2, +2, 0, -2). Am I correct in assuming that I would take the creature as-is, and add those bonuses to whichever scores seem appropriate for the class they're taking? That seems right, but I'm unsure if one should be going back to a monster's "base" stats before proceeding with the bonuses, or anything else I might be missing.
For example, I present to you a Centaur, Fighter 1:
Base Centaur:
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 12
What might the stats change to when adding 1 level of Fighter? Straight addition?
Str 19, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 10
Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha -2
If this isn't the case, then I'm not sure how to proceed. (If this is the case, I'm thinking too much--a habit, I admit--and should knock it off and stop making things difficult for myself...:)
Many thanks for any help one can offer!
If the monster does not already have class levels (examples would be a Drow, Noble Drow, Kobold, etc), then yes, you just add the stat boosts to the default stat set.
Here's the logic behind it. A monster that has only racial hit dice is considered a bog standard version of said race. It's the equivalent of a 10/10/10/10/10/10 human (add +2 to one stat). So, if you're making an NPC Human Fighter, you give them the array of 4/4/2/2/0/-2, for something like 16(+2 Racial)/12/14/12/10/8 for their stats.
So, if you're adding PC class levels to a Centaur, then you add the same array to the bog standard Centaur stats, then add the level of fighter.
mdt is correct, with a tiny nit-pick. Base stats are generally 11/11/11/10/10/10 with racial modifiers added. Since all racial modifiers are even numbers, you can see which base stats were 11s and which were 10s to start.
Keep in mind, when adding multiple levels to a monster, to look at the associated classes rules for determining CR.
My thanks to you both!
So, with the 11/11/11/10/10/10, we can determine that a Centaur's racial modifiers would be:
(Spacer for ease of viewing...)
Base: Str 11, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10
Mods: Str +4, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +2
Cntr: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 12
And then when I add the class level, I add the 4,4,2,2,0,-2 onto this, keeping the racial mods.
That makes sense, and helps a great deal. My thanks once again!
You are correct. Also, since a centaur would have a primary role of "combat", fighter would be a key class, making it a CR 4 monster.
mdt is correct, with a tiny nit-pick. Base stats are generally 11/11/11/10/10/10 with racial modifiers added. Since all racial modifiers are even numbers, you can see which base stats were 11s and which were 10s to start.
Keep in mind, when adding multiple levels to a monster, to look at the associated classes rules for determining CR.
Yep, sorry. You get racial mods by subtracting 10 or 11. However, human averages are 10's in all, to the best of my knowledge.
Yep, sorry. You get racial mods by subtracting 10 or 11. However, human averages are 10's in all, to the best of my knowledge.mdt is correct, with a tiny nit-pick. Base stats are generally 11/11/11/10/10/10 with racial modifiers added. Since all racial modifiers are even numbers, you can see which base stats were 11s and which were 10s to start.
Keep in mind, when adding multiple levels to a monster, to look at the associated classes rules for determining CR.
The difference between a 10 and 11 is mostly academic until you add 4 or more HD. A human having all 10s or having them split between 10 and 11 ends up with identical results in the game. Since the average roll of 3d6 (the original way to determine stats) is 10.5, alternating between 10s and 11s maintains the average better than all 10s or all 11s. Not to be argumentative (because, as I said, it is purely academic for the majority of NPCs) but just to state what I knew from the rules.
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Yep, sorry. You get racial mods by subtracting 10 or 11. However, human averages are 10's in all, to the best of my knowledge.mdt is correct, with a tiny nit-pick. Base stats are generally 11/11/11/10/10/10 with racial modifiers added. Since all racial modifiers are even numbers, you can see which base stats were 11s and which were 10s to start.
Keep in mind, when adding multiple levels to a monster, to look at the associated classes rules for determining CR.
10.5
That's why they round up on 3 of em. It's legacy stuff.