Increasing Hit Dice

Size Increases

As its Hit Dice increase, a creature's attack bonuses and saving throw modifiers might improve. It gains more feats and skills, depending on its type, as shown on Table: Creature Improvement by Type.

Note that if a creature acquires a character class, it improves according to its class, not its type.

Table: Creature Improvement by Type

Hit Die

Attack Bonus

Good Saving Throws

Skill Points*

Aberration

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Will

2 + Int mod per HD

Animal

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Fort, Ref (and sometimes Will)

2 + Int mod per HD

Construct

d10

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

-

2 + Int mod per HD**

Dragon

d12

HD (as fighter)

Fort, Ref, Will

6 + Int mod per HD

Elemental

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Ref (Air, Fire), or

Fort (Earth, Water)

2 + Int mod per HD

Fey

d6

HD x1/2 (as wizard)

Ref, Will

6 + Int mod per HD

Giant

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Fort

2 + Int mod per HD

Humanoid

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Varies (any one)

2 + Int mod per HD

Magical beast

d10

HD (as fighter)

Fort, Ref

2 + Int mod per HD

Monstrous humanoid

d8

HD (as fighter)

Ref, Will

2 + Int mod per HD

Ooze

d10

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

-

2 + Int mod per HD**

Outsider

d8

HD (as fighter)

Fort, Ref, Will

8 + Int mod per HD

Plant

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Fort

2 + Int mod per HD**

Undead

d12

HD x1/2 (as wizard)

Will

4 + Int mod per HD**

Vermin

d8

HD x3/4 (as cleric)

Fort

2 + Int mod per HD**

All types have a number of feats equal to 1 + 1 per 3 Hit Dice.

* As long as a creature has an Intelligence of at least 1, it gains a minimum of 1 skill point per Hit Die.

** Creatures with an Intelligence score of '-' gain no skill points or feats.

Size Increases

A creature may become larger when its Hit Dice are increased (the new size is noted parenthetically in the monster's Advancement entry).

A size increase affects any special ability the creature has that is affected by size. Increased size also affects a creature's ability scores, AC, attack bonuses, and damage values as indicated on the tables below.

Table: Changes to Statistics by Size

Old Size*

New Size

Str

Dex

Con

Natural Armor

AC/

Attack

Fine

Diminutive

Same

-2

Same

Same

-4

Diminutive

Tiny

+2

-2

Same

Same

-2

Tiny

Small

+4

-2

Same

Same

-1

Small

Medium

+4

-2

+2

Same

-1

Medium

Large

+8

-2

+4

+2

-1

Large

Huge

+8

-2

+4

+3

-1

Huge

Gargantuan

+8

Same

+4

+4

-2

Gargantuan

Colossal

+8

Same

+4

+5

-4

*Repeat the adjustment if the creature moves up more than one size.

Table: Increased Damage By Size

Old Damage (Each)*

New Damage

1d2

1d3

1d3

1d4

1d4

1d6

1d6

1d8

1d8

2d6

1d10

2d8

2d6

3d6

2d8

3d8

* Repeat the adjustment if the creature moves up more than one size category.