Template Help

[Hecuba]

Hi all,

Does anyone know, off the top of their head, of any CR 1 template that would increase Magical Beast's HD by 2 or more? I was throwing around an idea for the most recent Villainous Competition (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?461482-Villainous-Competition-VIII-The-Weather-Outside-is-Frightful) that I couldn't quite make happen.

Normally I'd just advance the base HD, but doing so would bump size up and make it 2 CR.

[MisterKaws]

Tauric creature will only ever increase the base creature's CR by 1, even if the base humanoid had NI CR, though that's quite hard on the lactose intolerant ones.

[ShurikVch]

Question: does Magical Beast have spellcasting ability?
If yes, then:
1) Is it necessary?
2) Is it prepared or spontaneous?

[Darrin]

Multi-headed adds 2 HD. I don't recall the CR... Depends on how many heads you're adding.

[ShurikVch]

Multi-headed adds 2 HD. I don't recall the CR... Depends on how many heads you're adding.Minimum is +2
It's exactly why I asked my previous question: I know a few templates which may lower CR by removing spellcasting

[Hecuba]

Question: does Magical Beast have spellcasting ability?
If yes, then:
1) Is it necessary?
2) Is it prepared or spontaneous?

The base magical beast (winter wolf) does not, but character does: there's a 1 level dip in savage bard for prerecs, and I don't need to keep the 0th level bard spells. I do, however, need to keep the 9th level divine crusader casting that follows: Fenrir needs to carry fimbulwinter from the winter domain.

Edit: What I ended up sitting at was:
Winter wolf (advanced to 9 HD/CR 6), Primeval 1, Shapeshifter 1, Savage Bard 1, Divine Crusader 1, Planar Shepherd 9 for CR 19 & HD 22.
Hitting HD 24 would have netted a 2nd Epic feat.

[Hecuba]

Blah. Found a solution that bypasses magical beast all together. Instead of winter wolf, frost folk/ lycanthrope (fully advanced dire wolf).

It would allow dropping Primeval too. So Frost Folk (HD 4, CR 2), Lycanthrope (Dire wolf adv. to HD18, CR 5), Divine Crusader 1, Savage Bard 1, Shapeshifter 1, Planar Shepherd 10.

Wish I had thought of it in time to enter.

[ShurikVch]

Blah. Found a solution that bypasses magical beast all together. Instead of winter wolf, frost folk/ lycanthrope (fully advanced dire wolf).

It would allow dropping Primeval too. So Frost Folk (HD 4, CR 2), Lycanthrope (Dire wolf adv. to HD18, CR 5), Divine Crusader 1, Savage Bard 1, Shapeshifter 1, Planar Shepherd 10.

Wish I had thought of it in time to enter.1) Lycanthropy required Humanoid or Giant; Frost Folk is Monstrous Humanoid
2) Do you know about the Winter Werewolf from Dungeon #84?
3) Multiheaded Creature template (Savage Species): +1 head, +2 HD; CR +2
4) Proto-Creature template (Bestiary of Krynn, Revised): remove (Sp) and (Su) abilities, at -10 hp will be disintegrated; CR -1 (-2 if 8+ HD, or -3 if 14+)

[Platymus Pus]

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-template-young-cr-1

[Hecuba]

1) Lycanthropy required Humanoid or Giant; Frost Folk is Monstrous Humanoid

True, but Frost Folk are explicitly human-descended, so human heritage can solve that little problem.

[ShurikVch]

True, but Frost Folk are explicitly human-descended, so human heritage can solve that little problem.Is that Lycanthropy Natural or Afflicted?
You can't take feats earlier than inherited templates...

[Hecuba]

Acquired will work: the alignment shift isn't an issue and the 22 racial HD will give plenty skill points to throw around for control shape.