Adding caster class levels to a monster with spell-likes: CL=??

[Trinite]

I'm taking my first-ever attempt to add class levels to a monster, and of course I'm beginning with something pretty complicated!

I'm trying to add two levels of Bard to a Baobhan Sith, which already has Spell-Like abilities at a Caster Level of 10.

I can't figure out the Caster Level on her bard spells. 2? 12? Does the CL on her Spell-Likes also go up by 2?

Thanks in advance!

[Seriphim84]

My understanding is that adding class levels to a monster does not effect their spell like abilities.

The exception to this rule is if the monster does not list the caster level. For the Baobhan Sith, its spell-like abilities will all stay at caster level 10.

bestiary wrote:

For creatures with spell-like abilities, a designated caster level defines how difficult it is to dispel their spell-like effects and to define any level-dependent variables (such as range and duration) the abilities might have. The creature’s caster level never affects which spell-like abilities the creature has; sometimes the given caster level is lower than the level a spellcasting character would need to cast the spell of the same name. If no caster level is specified, the caster level is equal to the creature’s Hit Dice.

As for its bard caster level, it will be equal to the number of levels it has as a bard and are independent from the spell like abilities.

[Trinite]

Thanks! That makes sense! So as I'm understanding it now, the basic principle is the CLs for spells and spell-likes are completely independent of one another in this case, right?

[Seriphim84]

That's correct. Their are rare cases where there is overlap but this is not one of them.

[Trinite]

Great, thanks for the answer!