Template with CL
 

Is is possible to include a CL progression in a template, like you do BAB?

Do you mean, like for racial spellcasting based on a class? If so, no.

ok so if I wanted to add CL progression it would have be done through a custom class, not a template?

I'm still not completely sure we are talking about the same thing when you say "CL progression". For a template, they don't store the fields necessary for spellcasting, so if you want full, class like spellcasting, you'd need to either add a class or you'd need to manipulate the race's racial spellcasting (but if a race is already using that, then your template would mess up what is already there).

The best way I can describe what is being done is that in a custom campaign the DM wanted us to be "almost as strong as a level 5 character, but without all the class features of a 5th level character. So we have things that, as best as I can relate to Pathfinder and/or HL, are like templates. We get HPs, BAB and CL progression, skill bonuses, feats, traits, blah blah blah. I figured out a way to get all of this into a template except for the part of adding CL.