Playing a Monstrous Race

In some cases, it might be acceptable (or even prudent) for a player to generate a character that does not belong to the standard races described in Chapter 2 of the Core Rulebook.  In this case, he may desire to play a "monstrous character"; that is, a character whose race is listed in the Bestiary and typically used as a monster or villain.  For the most part, the process to develop a monstrous character follows the procedures for a standard character.

Step I: Effective Character Level
Some monstrous races are defined by their class levels, and do not have racial hit dice.  This includes, but may not necessarily be limited to, the: Aasimar, goblin, hobgoblin, kobold, merfolk, mite, orc, tengu, and tiefling.  If the character belongs to one of these races, generate the character as normal (racial traits are already presented).

GM's may also allow a character's race to be a creature typically defined by racial hit dice, so long as it's type is: Fey, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid, and Outsider.  Examples include, but are not limited to, the: Boggard, Bugbear, Dark creeper, Gnoll, Lizardfolk, Minotaur, Morlock, Nymph, and Satyr.  When the player wishes to make such a character, he must remember that these are not class levels but represent the same training and experience.  He cannot earn "free levels" by playing a monstrous character.

To this end, players interested in creating monstrous characters must ask their GM what level characters in the campaign will begin play at.  A monstrous character does not need to have class levels at the beginning of the campaign, but he cannot have more racial hit dice than the starting level of the campaign.  For example, a player could not have a Gnoll character in a campaign that started at first level (because gnolls have two racial hit dice), nor a bugbear in a campaign that starts at second level (because bugbears have three racial hit dice).

Alternatively, some GM's may still allow monstrous races whose racial hit dice normally exceed the starting level of the campaign.  In this instance, the character represents an immature member of his race - a youngster that has fled/escaped his people for some reason or another.  This is done simply by limiting the number of racial HD available to the character to the starting level of the campaign (a gnoll in a second-level campaign, for example, would begin play with only a single racial HD).  Depending on how many excess racial HD the character would have, applying the Young Creature template creates a similar result.

In any case, a character's racial hit dice do count when determining effects based off of overall character level.  They also count when determining how much XP a character needs to reach the next experience level.  For example, a 2nd-level nymph druid is still a 10th-level character overall.  If a character has racial hit dice, these are his first HD applied, gaining skill points, base attack bonus and saving throw values, and feats as normal.  A monstrous character who then later takes levels in a character class becomes a multiclass character as normal.

Step II: Racial Ability Modifiers
Creatures that are first defined by racial hit dice do not list their ability score modifiers.  These can be generated by subtracting from any score of 10 or above - subtract 10 if the ability score is even, or 11 if the ability score is odd.  The difference is a positive modifier to that ability score.  Each ability score that is listed at less than 10 suffers a -1 penalty, with a further -1 penalty for each point less.

For example, a boggard (with notable ability scores: Str 15, Dex 9, Con 14, and Int 8) has the following modifiers: +4 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, and -3 Intelligence.

Step III: Skills and Language
A creature defined by racial hit dice may have racial skill modifiers, which are listed underneath the Skills portion of its statistics block.  Apply these modifiers (not the creature's total skill check modifiers) to the character's skill checks as well.  For example, a bugbear character gains the following racial modifiers to skills: +4 Intimidate, +4 Stealth.

Any languages the creature is listed as speaking are given to the monstrous character as automatic languages.  Monstrous characters with high Intelligence may select Common, or any specific language spoken by creatures native to the environment of the character's own race.  The GM may rule that only certain languages are available as bonus starting languages, based on the actual location of the character's people and homeland.

LEVEL ADJUSTED CHARACTERS
A small number of races are not defined by racial hit dice, yet possess such innate power that they cannot be considered equal to the common races.  In this case, for the purposes of determining how many class levels a character of such a race can begin play with, treat him as having a number of racial hit dice as noted below.  Note that these characters do not actually received racial hit dice - these races are defined by class level only.  However, a player could not select a race if it's level adjustment exceeds the starting character level and would result in his character having no hit dice.

Drow: 2 HD
Drow Noble: 3 HD
Duergar: 1 HD
Sverfneblin: 2 HD