Monster Improvement

[Foolster41]

This has probibly been asked before, but I can't find it anywhere.
I'm totally confused by the monster imrpovement. How can I create a character beyond base specs? (Say an Orc to the next level.) Ther's the explanations of the templates on the SRD (www.d20srd.com), but I don't see any steps for applying them. Could someone give me a basic walk through (I've played a while, but I'm completely new to this side of the GM screen). Thanks!

[marjan]

Any specific template?
As for improving monsters maybe you could say what exactly cofuses you.

[Dhavaer]

Levelling up monsters is easy; they get everything from their new level a PC would have gotten, and you just change their stats to fit. For non-classed monsters it's more difficult, but there's a section in the SRD on it. The site's not working for me right now, though, so I can't give a link.

[Foolster41]

The problem was, I could only find the descriiptions of the templetes, but not the templetes themselves. aoparently that is in one of the non-SRD books (The DMG or the MM).

I think I get it now, but can I add class levels to say an Orc? What are classed and non-classed monsters?

[Jasdoif]

There's an entire section in the SRD about improving monsters, it should tell you most of the general stuff you need to know.

Templates are placed with the monsters (for instance, the lich template is under the "L" section of the monsters). The templates tell you what you need to do to apply them to a creature.

Yes, you can add class levels to orcs. You can technically add class levels to pretty much any intelligent creature, though this is extremely rare to do with non-humanoids. Those monsters that are particularly well-suited to having class levels PCs, like orcs, have an "as characters" section in their description that tells you what adjustments to make to a starting character, the same way the basic classes do in the Player's Handbook.

Some creatures advance by getting more hit dice instead of getting class levels, that process is covered in the page above, and an example of advancing a monster in that way is in the Monster Manual.

[Tellah]

Note that if you add class levels to a monster, those levels can be either "associated" or not. Associated levels are those that really jibe with what a creature does--giving a beholder levels in sorcerer, for instance. With a level in sorcerer, the beholder could cast first strike and mage armor, which would certainly warrant a +1 to CR. A level in barbarian, though, would not be associated, because it's (arguably) not in keeping with the beholder's core abilities; the beholder wouldn't get much use out of the weapon and armor proficiencies, nor would raging help the creature fire its rays (unless it uses the dex-improving variant in Cityscape).

Levels in associated classes count for their full CR value, +1 per level. Levels that aren't associated are added up like NPC class levels, +1 per level after the first (please correct me if I've been doing this wrong).

[Fax Celestis]

Levels in associated classes count for their full CR value, +1 per level. Levels that aren't associated are added up like NPC class levels, +1 per level after the first (please correct me if I've been doing this wrong).

You are. It's a 1:2 ratio for nonassociated levels.

[Jasdoif]

The general rule is that strong, physical fighting monsters treat physical classes as associated; and quiet, sneaky monsters treat stealth classes as associated. Caster classes are largely a judgement call unless the monster has racial spellcasting that stacks with the class in question (a rakshasha taking sorceror levels, for example).

Levels in associated classes count for their full CR value, +1 per level. Levels that aren't associated are added up like NPC class levels, +1 per level after the first (please correct me if I've been doing this wrong).

Every nonassociated class level adds 1/2 to the CR. So 4 such levels would be +2 to the CR, 6 such would be +3, and so on.

There's an exception, though: If a nonassociated class level exceeds the monster's racial HD, the levels higher then the racial HD are considered associated and add +1 each. It's a little difficult to fathom as written, so think of it this way: With more levels then racial HD, the class abilities overshadow the racial abilities, and become more important to the creature being challenging.

[Mewtarthio]

There's an exception, though: If a nonassociated class level exceeds the monster's racial HD, the levels higher then the racial HD are considered associated and add +1 each. It's a little difficult to fathom as written, so think of it this way: With more levels then racial HD, the class abilities overshadow the racial abilities, and become more important to the creature being challenging.

Once the number of nonassociated class levels equals or exceeds the monster's racial HD, that class is considered associated from then on. Which makes sense: Class levels are nonassociated because they don't complement the monster's abilities. With enough of those levels, the monster's abilities are matched by the class. Adding Barbarian levels to the Beholder doesn't benefit it much since it's not a melee monster, but once you've given it enough levels, it becomes a melee monster.

In theory, anyway. Ghosts, for instance, never benefit from levels in Barbarian. Poor Ghosts.

[Foolster41]

Cool. thanks. That was everything I think I need for now.

Like I said, I looked at the pag in thde SRD, but I can't find the actual templates anywhere, they look like just descriptions of how read templetes (Unless I'm reading it wrong). My ro told me it's in one of the books (Which I don't have)

[Jack Mann]

Templates from the SRD:
Celestial Creature
Fiendish Creature
Half-Celestial
Half-Dragon
Half-Fiend
Lich
Skeleton
Vampire
Zombie

I may have missed one or two, but those are the basic templates you'll find there, barring epic or psionic templates.

[Ramza00]

Check out the crystal keep for more templates

[Foolster41]

Oh. I feel dumb for missing that. :P

[Mewtarthio]

Templates from the SRD:
Celestial Creature
Fiendish Creature
Half-Celestial
Half-Dragon
Half-Fiend
Lich
Skeleton
Vampire
Zombie

I may have missed one or two, but those are the basic templates you'll find there, barring epic or psionic templates.

Also Lycanthrope. The template rules are at the bottom of the page.