Ogre PCs and Racial HD

[Fenny]

We have an Ogre in the party and we're trying to get his HD correct. The template is taken from the Advanced Race Guide: Other Races. Our question here is, as an Ogre, does he get the 4d8 listed from normal Ogres, or is it different?

[NikolaiJuno]

No he would get only things listed in the race entry, and class levels.
Just think of it as the normal Ogre entry doesn't exist.

[Fenny]

Really? This line has been throwing us for a loop, then:

"Giants have a number of racial Hit Dice and never substitute such Hit Dice for class levels like some humanoids."

[Jaycawbz]

Just to piggyback off of Fenny's point, it's kind of confusing because in the "Other Races" entry for the Ogre, it does state that they have the "Humanoid (Giant)" subtype, which would then make one think that perhaps you're suppose to follow the subtype's rules.

[Fenny]

Hrm. So is Nikolai correct, then? Usually I see a chorus of agreement/answers to solidify a position.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

The ogre race in the race builder chapter of the ACG is a zero-hit-dice version of an ogre. It breaks the normal rules, and is not an official race for that reason.

[NikolaiJuno]

Fenny wrote:

Really? This line has been throwing us for a loop, then:

"Giants have a number of racial Hit Dice and never substitute such Hit Dice for class levels like some humanoids."

:/ The Ogre race builder race would have 0 racial HD and then add(not substitute) class hit dice.

The race builder supposed to give you a race that can by used like any other normal race.

[Fenny]

Ah, interesting. Good to know.

[In My Humble Opinion]

Paladin of Baha-who? wrote:

The ogre race in the race builder chapter of the ACG is a zero-hit-dice version of an ogre. It breaks the normal rules, and is not an official race for that reason.

I agree with this.

[Ughbash]

Anohter option is to use the rules in Appendix of th eBestiary, Monsters as PC's.

bestiary wrote:

For monsters with racial Hit Dice, the best way to allow monster PCs is to pick a CR and allow all of the players to make characters using monsters of that CR. Treat the monster’s CR as its total class levels and allow the characters to multiclass into the core classes. Do not advance such monsters by adding Hit Dice. Monster PCs

should only advance through classes. If you are including a single monster character in a group of standard characters, make sure the group is of a level that is at least as high as the monster’s CR. Treat the monster’s CR as class levels when determining the monster PC’s overall levels. For example, in a group of 6th-level characters, a minotaur (CR 4) would possess 2 levels of a core class, such as barbarian.

Since an ogre is CR 3 a level 1 Fighter Ogre would be a 4th level character. He get some extra Hitdice, but looses quite a bit also.

Stat Adjustments would be
Str +10
Dex -2
Con +4
Int -4
wis +0
Cha -4