Not Another Awakened Animal Thread (Ok, so it is)

[Hadrian_Emrys]

I have a couple questions about the whole thing, and I'd be thrilled to find out what precedents there are for:
1, the animal has no listed HD progression, can it be awakened? If so, how does one deal with said progression?
2, how are animals with 1/2 HD treated in this regard?
3, what are the class skills for magical beasts?

I know there are others, but I seem to have forgotten them for the time being. Once again, thanks for the consideration.

[Jack Mann]

1) Yes. It gets two new levels of magical beast (augmented animal) regardless. Whether these new HD count towards its regular progression (for example, if it would push an animal to the next size category) is up to the DM.

2) It now effectively has two and a half HD, where HP is concerned. For other purposes, the 1/2 HD presumably counts as a regular hit die.

3) Types don't have class skills. Individual creatures will have class skills for their HD. In this case, because they are augmented animals, their skills don't change, because that's a feature of the animal type. Features of the animal type include d8 hit die, average BAB, good fortitude and reflex saves (unless the original animal differed, such as a dire animal), and 2+Int skill point progression. They have the traits of the magical beast type, which darkvision 60', low-light vision, proficiency with natural weapons, no proficiency with armor, and the need to eat, sleep, and breathe.

[Fhaolan]

I *so* hate fractional HD for this precise reason. I found an article once by someone calling themselves 'SuperDan', that mirrors my opinion. http://www.superdan.net/dndmisc/frac..._hit_dice.html

I was planning on reaming through the MM to find all the fractional HD creatures and housebrewing low-con full-HD versions. I just haven't gotten around to it. And with 4th edition around the corner there's a chance I'll have to do it again so I've decided to hold off.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Fractional HD is replaced by class levels though right? At least if you are at one HD before becoming a class as far as I was aware.

[Matthew]

I *so* hate fractional HD for this precise reason. I found an article once by someone calling themselves 'SuperDan', that mirrors my opinion. http://www.superdan.net/dndmisc/frac..._hit_dice.html

I was planning on reaming through the MM to find all the fractional HD creatures and housebrewing low-con full-HD versions. I just haven't gotten around to it. And with 4th edition around the corner there's a chance I'll have to do it again so I've decided to hold off.

I am pretty sure that the reason is related to Fortitude Saves. If very Small Characters have very Low Constitutions, you're kind of saying small Characters are more vulnerable to disease by virtue of being small... I don't like Fractional Hit Dice either. My Solution would be to apply Hit Point adjustments by Size, instead of messing around with Constitution Scores or Fractional hit Dice.