Greetings fellow gamers. I am a (forever)GM for my group, and though I can build PC characters easily, I don't really know how to level up and advance monsters with class levels and templates. I usually just grab pre-built monsters. But I've got a situation, my PCs are part of an evil campaign called Way of the Wicked, and they picked up an ogre that has become VERY popular as their favorite minion. Now the ogre has reached a point where he will not only level up with the players up to Fighter/10, but also have a template (half-fiend) to keep track of and advance as well. I know nothing of creating or advancing my own creatures and it has been a serious setback for me when trying to make a campaign. Please teach me how to advance this half-fiend ogre from level 1 to 10. Help me Advice board, you are my only hope.
Grumblejack,
Spoiler:
Daemonic Cohort of the Ninth Knot CR 6
Male half-fiend ogre fighter 1
LE Large outsider (giant, native)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 9, flat-footed 24 (+9 armor, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 48 (4d8+d10+25)
Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +5
Immune poison; resist acid, cold, electricity and fire 10; DR 5/magic
SR 17
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. base), fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee large greatsword power attack +9 (3d6+15) or 2 claws power attack +8 (1d6+12) and bite +10 (1d8+6)
Ranged javelin +4 (1d8+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Spell-like Abilities (CL 5th)
3/day – darkness
1/day – desecrate, unholy blight
STATISTICS
Str 25, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 18
Feats Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +10, Perception +10, Survival +7
Languages Common, Giant
Gear large masterwork greatsword, large full plate
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, the half-fiend can smite good as the smite evil ability of a paladin of the same level as the half-fiend’s Hit Dice, except affecting a good target. The smite persists until target is dead or the half-fiend rests.
Grumblejack,Exalted Daemonic Cohort of the Ninth Knot CR 18
Male half-fiend ogre fighter 10
LE Large outsider (giant, native)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +19
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 9, flat-footed 24 (+9 armor, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 157 (14 HD; 4d8+10d10+84)
Fort +16, Ref +4, Will +8; +3 vs. fear
Immune poison; resist acid, cold, electricity and fire 10; DR 10/ magic; SR 29
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee large mwk greatsword power attack +27/+22/+17 (3d6+29/17-20) or 2 claws power attack +20 (1d6+15) and bite +22 (1d8+9
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Spell-like Abilities (CL 14th)
3/day – darkness, poison, unholy aura
1/day – blasphemy, contagion, desecrate, unhallow, unholy blight
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +13; CMB +9; CMD 18
Feats Cleave, Disruptive, Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus (greatsword), Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Power Attack, Spellbreaker, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (great sword)
Skills Climb +18, Fly +10, Intimidate +19, Perception +19, Survival +11
Languages Common, Giant
SQ armor training, bravery, weapon training (heavy blades +3, close +2, axe +1)
Gear large masterwork greatsword, large full plate
Note: Grumblejack’s gear is dependent upon the PCs. Have they provided him with better equipment that just his greatsword and armor? If so, adjust his stats appropriately.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, the half-fiend can smite good as the smite evil ability of a paladin of the same level as the half-fiend’s Hit Dice (+1 to hit, +14 to damage), except affecting a good target. The smite persists until target is dead or the half-fiend rests.
Advancing monster can be tricky, especially if you are stacking templates and PC class level. You can easily build something that is a lot more powerful than it's CR value. Fortunately, ogre aren't that kind of monster, and you can go without fear, since they are pretty straightforward, with only 1 truly strong ability score and no supernatural abilities.
You seem to have added the appropriate modifiers from the class levels and the template.
The only problem I see here is the land/fly speed of Grumblejacks. It doesn't seem to take his armor into account (it should be 30/60 instead of 40/80). Also, flying in heavy armor is usually a bad idea...since the armor check penalty can be a pain in the ass to stay in flight when full-attacking (since you don't move a lot, you need a fly check...and this guy will fail it all the time). I recommend you to select the Hover feat as soon as possible to avoid this problem or to invest a little more in Dexterity and go with medium or mithral armor. With an higher dexterity, you could also select Combat reflexes and use this 10 feet reach to get more attack per round.
...You seem to have added the appropriate modifiers from the class levels and the template...
...I recommend you to select the Hover feat as soon as possible to avoid this problem or to invest a little more in Dexterity and go with medium or mithral armor...
Well this is as he is in the book, which I just ripped the stats striaght from. They give you a level 1 character sheet for him at the beginning, and then a level version at the end, and his gear is if the player's don't give him anything. But I'm also talking about how to calculate CR, does his natural BaB and saves stack with his fighter ones, how much does his CR increase by as the template increases in power?
Each fighter level added to an ogre adds +1 to his CR, since the fighter class serves the general purpose of the monster (at the opposite of...wizard levels, which would add +1/2 CR to an ogre up to the creature base CR, then +1 as normal).
The half fiend template add +1 to his CR, but this increases to +2 as soon as he reaches 5 HD. Basically, since ogres get 4 racial HD, his first fighter level, added with the template, raise instantly him to CR 6. After that, each fighter level will increase his CR by 1, until he reaches 11 HD, then the template add 1 additional CR (so, his 7th fighter level will increase his CR by 2). However, this advancement should result in a final CR 16 after 10 levels. I don't know why the AP put him CR 18, but this is not the first time I see mistake in monster/NPC stat block.
To calculate the way racial HD interact with class level, think about it as if he was multiclassing : just add the BAB, saves and skills ranks from his 4 humanoids «class» level to his fighter level (it should be +3 BAB, +4 For, +1 Ref, +1 Will).
If this guy is supposed to be a cohort, remember than he must always remain 2 CR lower than the PCs (2 PC class level + PC wealth = 2 CR). So, if he starts at CR6, he shouldn't appear as a cohort before the PCs reach at least 8th level.
Each fighter level added to an ogre adds +1 to his CR, since the fighter class serves the general purpose of the monster (at the opposite of...wizard levels, which would add +1/2 CR to an ogre up to the creature base CR, then +1 as normal).
The half fiend template add +1 to his CR, but this increases to +2 as soon as he reaches 5 HD. Basically, since ogres get 4 racial HD, his first fighter level, added with the template, raise instantly him to CR 6. After that, each fighter level will increase his CR by 1, until he reaches 11 HD, then the template add 1 additional CR (so, his 7th fighter level will increase his CR by 2). However, this advancement should result in a final CR 16 after 10 levels. I don't know why the AP put him CR 18, but this is not the first time I see mistake in monster/NPC stat block.
To calculate the way racial HD interact with class level, think about it as if he was multiclassing : just add the BAB, saves and skills ranks from his 4 humanoids «class» level to his fighter level (it should be +3 BAB, +4 For, +1 Ref, +1 Will).
If this guy is supposed to be a cohort, remember than he must always remain 2 CR lower than the PCs (2 PC class level + PC wealth = 2 CR). So, if he starts at CR6, he shouldn't appear as a cohort before the PCs reach at least 8th level.
Sorry, I never said thank you for this information. Thank you very much for helping me out. =)
