Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JustSomeGuy 03-29-07, 09:36 AM	Good Day I am about as new to the D&D world as you can get. I spent an entire weekend playing with my brother and his friends a few week ago and had a great time. I borrowed a couple books from my brother and have been doing some reading on this site, but there seems to be an infinte amount of information and i can not seem to absorb it fast enough. I would like to make a Werebear charater but i am having some confusion about the level adjustments. I am to undersand that there is an adjustment of +3. OK simple enough. I was also told that i would have to add the hit die of the base creature (d6). Does this mean that my first level Werebear would have a level adjustment +9? +9!!! That just seems crazy. Although the Werebear is crazy strong. Some clarification and ANY advice on how to build a great Werebear would be greatly appricieated. May your foes be distroyed and thier treasure be great! JustSomeGuy
Khael 03-29-07, 10:03 AM	Actually the HD isn't an LA thing, yuo get the LA, and add the HD on. It should be noted you also get the saves, BAB, skills, etc. with those HD, so in effect a werebear fighter level 1 would have 7 levels of HD(6 bear +1fighter), plus the LA, maknig it still a level 10 character but rather more usable. Also LAs for certain creature are usually high because they have a lt more power over a long-term than the short-term a monster gets (I.e. Succubi are weak physically, but have a high LA, counting as level 12s. However if used as players, they can control a large number of NPCs hence the high LA). WOTC also usually wants to discourage monster-PCs is the other reason for sometimes over-the-top LAs.
Frugal 03-29-07, 10:20 AM	Just to clarify, it's the number of HD that's important, not the size of the die.
_Jayne_Cobb_ 03-29-07, 10:37 AM	Just to clarify, it's the number of HD that's important, not the size of the die. Yup. You're werebear is actually an ECL 9 (6 HD + 3 LA). It's HD type is not d6, it has 6d8 HD, so the OP go the right answer for the wrong reason.
Seeker95 03-29-07, 11:01 AM	Although not exactly what you are asking for, I would suggest you NOT play an LA-having monster character as your first. Get a feel for the regular advancement mechanics of the game before you play a specialty kind of PC. As for your question regarding building a great werebear PC... there is none. Seriously. The benefits of nine levels of class advancement outweigh any possible benefit of being a werebear.
_Jayne_Cobb_ 03-29-07, 11:17 AM	Although not exactly what you are asking for, I would suggest you NOT play an LA-having monster character as your first. Get a feel for the regular advancement mechanics of the game before you play a specialty kind of PC. Good advice. It is always best to get a solid grounding in the basics before launching into the complexities.
JustSomeGuy 03-29-07, 11:42 AM	Thanks everyne for your responses so far. _Jayne_Cobb_ And Seeker95 are most certainly right, a good understanding of the basics would be easier, but where's the challenge in that. My DM is very understanding and forgiving, although i have learened some lessons the hard way. i.e. dead charaters. JustSomeGuy
Seeker95 03-29-07, 11:54 AM	a good understanding of the basics would be easier, but where's the challenge in that"The basics" cover at least 100 pages of the Players Handbook (spell descriptions make up the latter half of the book) and about 1/3rd of the DMG. The challenge lies in integrating this information in such a way that you can then apply it to the exceptions. To each his own.
_Jayne_Cobb_ 03-29-07, 12:19 PM	_Jayne_Cobb_ And Seeker95 are most certainly right, a good understanding of the basics would be easier, but where's the challenge in that. The challenge should come from events in the game not from trying to understand the rules and mechanics. If you try to learn the game of poker by grabbing a deck of cards and joining the World Poker Tour all that'll happen is that you'll get your ass handed to you and you still won't know how to play poker.