Innate spellcasting and HD advancement

[Bag_of_Holding]

Hello again!

A couatl (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/couatl.htm) casts spells as a 9th-level sorcerer. Does improving its HD improve its spellcasting ability as well? If not, does that mean a 27HD couatl (maximum advancement), with CR of 19 still casts as a 9th-level sorcerer?

Here's another question: Sylph from MM2 (think Celia, but small size), casts spells as sorcerer level equal to sylph's Hit Dice + 4. While it's clearer than the case of couatl, does this mean if you add class levels to a sylph (adding more HD), the caster level will still increase?

I'm so confused now. :smalleek:



p.s.: by 'adding class levels', I meant 'adding class level that does not normally advance sorcerer spellcasting level'

[TheOOB]

Racial hit dice do not grant special abilities, they only provide hp, BAB, Saves, Skill Points, and Feats (though some special abilities, like the sylph's spellcasting do improve via hit dice). Therefor, unless it specifically says otherwise, extra HD do not increase caster level.

That said, and old and powerful couatl would probally not be gaining more hit dice, but instead be gaining sorcerer levels, which would increase their caster level.

[Talic]

Exactly correct, and the sorceror levels would stack with the racial abilities for purposes of spells known and spells per day (but not other sorceror abilities, such as familiar abilities).

[Bag_of_Holding]

Yeah, I thought epic spellcasting at CR 16 was a bit too powerful. :smalltongue:

Thanks TheOOB, Talic! Helpful as always.

[Ramza00]

there is one monster that is an exception to the normal rules (and its monster text spells this out), some worm like creature from Forgotten Realms which war with an ancient empire resulted in the near demise of magic. Each HD of this monster yields a level of sorcerer.