Under CRed Templates

[the_shadowmind]

The NPC templates of DMGIII aren't that bad if going by CR instead of the assigned LA. Spellwarped is decent as a +1/+2 template.

[Amadi]

Lycanthrope can get you any amount of HD for just +6 CR.

"Challenge Rating
By class level or base creature, modified according to the HD of the base animal: 1 HD or 2 HD, +2; 3 HD to 5 HD, +3; 6 HD to 10 HD, +4; 11 HD to 20 HD, +5; 21 or more HD, +6."

Now, what is the small-large animal with most HD? Because if ECL is racial CR + class levels, it says nothing about racial HD. 

[Daniel678]

your level is class levels + LA + Racial HD that is why playing as monsters with lots of HD is bad.

[archangel.arcanis]

your level is class levels + LA + Racial HD

They are using pathfinder so it is calculated different than normal. So I don't think it takes into account racial hit dice, which is why it is silly.

[kalaskaagathas]

Yeah, we're using Pathfinder so things are different.  And I'll check out Monster of Legend - it may not fit with what I'm trying to do, but I'm trying to help optimize some of the other characters so we're all about equal, so it may work for someone else.

[X-Codes]

Correction. There are 2 tables with abilities and the one with pounce does specify monster HD while the one with darkvision and fast healing doesn't.

The feral template also turns ALL HD into D10s and the type to monstrous humanoid.  So one COULD argue that they're being redundant and referring to the monstrous humanoid HD which are now all HD including class ones.  That's however over-thinking and twisting the wording so your mileage may vary.

You can also argue that since it's an inherited template, you don't *have* any class levels when you apply it, so the class levels just stay the same.

[kalaskaagathas]

Another good template, in Pathfinder, is the Phantom template from Monster Manual V - +2 CR and you become Incorporeal (at first when moving, then whenever you want).

Are there more of these?  Dark becomes ridiculously easy to apply, being +0 in most cases, same with Spellwarped.

[SorO_Lost]

Steel Dragon has 4HD, CR 2, LA +2. Normally an ECL 6 char, in pathfinder it is what?

[kalaskaagathas]

Steel Dragon has 4HD, CR 2, LA +2. Normally an ECL 6 char, in pathfinder it is what?

I think it'd still be ECL 6.

[SorO_Lost]

Steel Dragon has 4HD, CR 2, LA +2. Normally an ECL 6 char, in pathfinder it is what?

I think it'd still be ECL 6.

Treat the monster's CR as class levels when determining the monster PC's overall levels. For example, in a group of 6th-level characters, a minotaur (CR 4) would possess 2 levels of a core class, such as barbarian.

Minotaur is 6HD, CR 4, LA +2. Normally an ECL 8 char.

Pathfinder says he is lv4 and even comments about bonus HD with no level adjustment.

Enter Steel Dragon. Pathfinder ELC of 2 with 3rd level arcane spellcasting, flight, breath weapons, aging buff tactics, even some free HD, etc. It's like someone said White Dragonspawn needed to be official, and better.

[kalaskaagathas]

Steel Dragon has 4HD, CR 2, LA +2. Normally an ECL 6 char, in pathfinder it is what?

I think it'd still be ECL 6.

Treat the monster's CR as class levels when determining the monster PC's overall levels. For example, in a group of 6th-level characters, a minotaur (CR 4) would possess 2 levels of a core class, such as barbarian.

Minotaur is 6HD, CR 4, LA +2. Normally an ECL 8 char.

Pathfinder says he is lv4 and even comments about bonus HD with no level adjustment.

Enter Steel Dragon. Pathfinder ELC of 2 with 3rd level arcane spellcasting, flight, breath weapons, aging buff tactics, even some free HD, etc. It's like someone said White Dragonspawn needed to be official, and better.

By Jove, I think you're right.  I sincerely doubt that was their intent, but frankly, I'm ok with it.

[zook1shoe]

Tauric template