Feats that reference "character level" and monsters

[schreier]

If I am building monsters and a feat references character levels:

1. Do I treat all HD as levels?

2. Is it not possible to take without levels?

I think it is 1. If it is 2, and I have a character with monstrous HD, do I count the racial HD?

Once again, I think yes, but am just confirming.

Thinking of feats like craven and broken fist mastery ii.

Thanks in advance, and sorry if this has been covered or is obvious.

[Kelb_Panthera]

In the context of feats, level and HD are synonymous.

[Remuko]

Racial HD are just levels in a monster class. They count as levels for all intents and purposes unless some specific rule says otherwise.

[schreier]

What about 1st level or regional feats? Does 1st level mean 1st hit die for monsters? They get all of their HD at once generally, so all of their HD are basically 1st/simultaneous - and considering the point of the restriction is it is "background" - it would make sense.

I'm specifically thinking building an improved homonculus ... Not sure if it's first feat has to be skill focus or not ... But if it does, can it still take a 1st level only feat ... Also, could it take any number of first level only feats (you can only take 1 regional, but there are other 1st level only)

[Kelb_Panthera]

Racial HD come before class levels. Only one of them is your first level so you still can't take more than one level one restricted feat. The details you're looking for are largely in Savage Species but the basics were reprinted in the DMG.

[Remuko]

What about 1st level or regional feats? Does 1st level mean 1st hit die for monsters? They get all of their HD at once generally, so all of their HD are basically 1st/simultaneous - and considering the point of the restriction is it is "background" - it would make sense.

I'm specifically thinking building an improved homonculus ... Not sure if it's first feat has to be skill focus or not ... But if it does, can it still take a 1st level only feat ... Also, could it take any number of first level only feats (you can only take 1 regional, but there are other 1st level only)

If youre not using a stock creature, aka as it is in the statblock, then youre rebuilding it, and when doing so, regardless of how many racial HD it has, you treat them as if it gained them one at a time in order like anyone else. So their 1st HD is when they can take "1st level only" feats etc and when they get the x4 skill points at first level.