Half Air Elemental Greater Barghest - HD or Class levels?

[sumkidy]

Hey, so I am using a Greater Barghest for my next battle as the boss.

I have applied the Half Air Elemental Template, giving it a CR of 7.

My players are level 12 (but have some nifty magic items and an NPC).

Should I give it class levels (I had a rogue in mind) or just raise its Hit Die? :smallconfused:

[Flickerdart]

Barghests advance by feeding, so it makes sense to give it more Outsider HD (which are really quite good) through extra feeding, which also increases its stats and natural AC. Since an Outsider HD is worth half a CR, you'd need to give it 18 HD (making it a CR16 challenge). Use the feats you get to pick up Improved Bind Vestige, Martial Study/Stance, and Shape Soulmeld to customize how this incredibly powerful barghest fights.

[Rubik]

Generally speaking, class levels are almost always better than racial HD, though Flickerdart's suggestions improve the power of racial HD by a great deal. HOWEVER, using non-associated class levels boosts CR by the same amount as racial HD do, so combining his suggestions with, say, psion (and a large Con score for bonus hp) would make him even better.

[Urpriest]

If you're just going for power, I'd probably do a mix: HD to boost your chassis, and at least one class level for the free elite array, proficiencies, and NPC treasure.

Otherwise, I'd base it on the character's fluff. Does the character have a history of doing class-level-ish things, or simply being a powerful example of its kind?

[Crake]

some levels of warshaper could be rather useful for it? Reach, fast heal, immunity to crits and stun, +4 str and con, all nice benefits

[Thurbane]

It's INT, WIS and CHA modifiers are good, so levels in pretty much any casting class will give it a serious boost.

Or Soul Eater - will fit well thematically with it's Feed ability...

[Rubik]

I don't know if barghests can cast spells normally, so my go-to here would be telepath/thrallherd. You can throw 9 levels on a greater barghest for a CR of...yes, 9.5. Go after Psionic Charm and Psionic Dominate, take Practiced Manifester to boost your ML up to 13, and take the Psianimate Dead power, from Hyperconscious. Use your thralls, Dominated critters, and undead minions to throw against the party, while you (as the barghest) get to sit back and view their progress using your third eye: sense (and assign a minion to watch them when you're not doing it).

Muahahahaha...

[sumkidy]

Thanks for all the responses people! I'll do some number crunching and see what seems realistic. :)