half fiend template questions

[Rentirith]

I have a question about the half fiend template class:

Does it behave like the bloodlines in unearthed arcana in terms of hit-die and skill points, or does it go with the racial hit die mentioned in the monster manual? if the latter, would that replace the hit-die i use for the regular character class whenever i take a level in half fiend, or from that point onward?

Basically i would like someone to explain if i get more health from leveling up in that template class, or if i pay for the extra character options with a lack of health.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

It works like gaining level adjustment. Each 'level' of it gives you another +1 LA, increases your ECL by one, gives you the benefits listed, and doesn't increase anything else whatsoever.

Do note that you don't have to take the whole template class in uninterrupted succession. Because of that, you can gain one level of it, gain three class levels, and then buy off that +1 LA (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm). Take the next level of the template class, gain three class levels, and then buy off that one. Repeat until you have the whole template and you're only down by a few thousand xp, which you should catch back up on eventually.

Also note that there are variant half-fiends (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060630a), but you would have to make a custom template class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?234089-Getting-to-large-size-on-a-human#4) for each one. (Note that the wizards.com links in that post need 'www' replaced with 'archive' in order to work.)

The articles in question (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/sp), for reference.

[Necroticplague]

I have a question about the half fiend template class:

Does it behave like the bloodlines in unearthed arcana in terms of hit-die and skill points, or does it go with the racial hit die mentioned in the monster manual? if the latter, would that replace the hit-die i use for the regular character class whenever i take a level in half fiend, or from that point onward?

Basically i would like someone to explain if i get more health from leveling up in that template class, or if i pay for the extra character options with a lack of health.

1.Comparing things to bloodline is kinda a bad idea, because the exact details of how bloodlines work isn't all that clear upon really close examination.

2. The template class rules are found Here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a). In case you don't feel like reading through the text (which, the fact you asked seems to indicate), here's the relevant bullets:

Each level in a template class increases the character's level adjustment by +1, just as would a level of any other character class. And a few bullets later:

Unlike standard character classes (and the "monster classes" from Savage Species), most template classes do not increase Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, or skill points with level. They also do not affect when a character acquires feats, since feat acquisition is based on HD, not ECL. However, some of these aspects of the character can be affected indirectly by alterations in Hit Die type, ability score changes, special attacks or qualities, bonus feats, and so on.
Which makes sense, given how none of the template classes list their saves or BAB or HD size.