Monsters gaining levels

[bluskreem]

What exactly is the benifit of gaining levels for Monster PCs? The rules give the XP cost to gain levels, but I can't figure out why a 3rd level Robot would be any more powerful then a 1st level.

PS: I love any game that allows Wizards and Robots as PCs.

[aldarron]

From Page 6 (monster characters):

"One of the existing races can serve as a model or entirely new descriptions can be generated."

So the "benefits" depend on the monster. If you are making an Orc character, you might base them on the dwarf, for example, and whatever stats you are using for Orcs in your game. On the other hand, your world might be peopled with Yug, and only you know what the heck their stats and nature are. Robot PCs?, cool, reminds me of the Logans Run tv series. Basically you have to work out the details on a species by species basis, Keeping in mind...

(Page 6 continued) "If players choose to play a known monster type, the Referee may elect to reduce the normal Hit Dice of the monster by ½ to reflect the characters status as a 1st level novice. Armor Class and other statistics remain unchanged."

From that starting point, the monster PC gains HD the same as any other character in the monsters chosen class.

I didn't say it there but I think its also best to reduce HPV's by half for the first level character and have them progress in the same percentages as the HPV's on the level charts (usually doubling).