+1 level adj. [Archive] - Wizards Community

+1 level adj. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Anarchysun85
08-03-07, 11:26 AM What do they mean by +1 or +2 Level Adjustment? Its all kind of new to me I only just started so help would be nice.
RobbyPants
08-03-07, 12:28 PM It means that when you're calculating the character's Effective Character Level (ECL), you need to add in the Level Adjustment (LA). The idea is to keep more powerful races balanced with less powerful races. Of course, the implementation is less than perfect, but that's another issue. :P

Anyway, as for an example. A 10th level human fighter (LA +0) has an ECL of 10. Plain and simple, he's a 10th level character, appropriate for a 10th level group. A 10th level drow fighter (LA +2) has an ECL of 12, appropriate for a 12th level group. So, to have a drow character in a 10th level group, the LA is saying that he should be two levels lower than the rest of the group to remain balanced. Note that this also means that you can't play a standard (unmodified or house-ruled) drow in anything less than a 3rd level party (1 class level + 2 LA).

Also, while I'm on the subject, some monsters have Racial Hit Dice (RHD). A minotoaur, for example, has 6 RHD and a LA of +2. When calculating the ECL, the total is Class levels + RHD + LA, so a 1st level minotuar barbarian would be ECL 9 (1 + 6 + 2).

It's a bit of an odd concept. It's nothing more than an abstraction to keep people from playing minotaurs, mind flayers, and ogre mages in low level games. All that ECL is used for is keeping groups of several PCs at a similar power level. If you were playing one-on-one with your DM, the ECL becomes less important, as you don't need to worry about one PC seriously out doing the rest of the group.
Thomar_of_Uointer
08-03-07, 09:15 PM I'd recommend reading the relevant rules. Link here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm), but it's also found in the Monster Manual.
gbnogkfs
08-04-07, 02:21 AM I'd only add the note that when the rules speak of "character level" they generally refer to the number of HDs of a creature (racial + class), while the experience (and only that) is based on ECL.

A 1st level Fighter drow would start with 3000 XPs, and would gain experience from an encounter based on his ECL 3.

That character is however of 1st level for anything else: he won't get the feat reserved fo 3rd level characters, for example, until 2 more levels.
TheAnthroDM
08-04-07, 02:43 AM I'd only add the note that when the rules speak of "character level" they generally refer to the number of HDs of a creature (racial + class),
Actually you're wrong, Character Level only refers to class hit dice, not racial.
gbnogkfs
08-04-07, 06:56 AM well, all the occurrencies of "level" or "charachter level" you may find are to be referred to "total HDs" (feats, stat increases, BAB and saves progressions, etc...); besides, "character level" is, strictly speaking, only really defined for base PHB races, and then special provisions are made to cover LA races or racial HD.

There's no need to confuse the OP, as the "character level=HDs" rule will always work (save for XP)
Reyemile
08-04-07, 09:30 PM There's no need to confuse the OP, as the "character level=HDs" rule will always work (save for XP)And total wealth.
JadeSpider9643
08-05-07, 12:57 AM Actually you're wrong, Character Level only refers to class hit dice, not racial.

No, character level is your racial hit die + class levels

CLASS level is class hit dice only

and ECL (racial hit dice + class levels + Level adjustment) is used for Experience needed for the next level, and experience earned, ALSO for starting character wealth and wealth by level guidelines.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Anarchysun85 08-03-07, 11:26 AM	What do they mean by +1 or +2 Level Adjustment? Its all kind of new to me I only just started so help would be nice.
RobbyPants 08-03-07, 12:28 PM	It means that when you're calculating the character's Effective Character Level (ECL), you need to add in the Level Adjustment (LA). The idea is to keep more powerful races balanced with less powerful races. Of course, the implementation is less than perfect, but that's another issue. :P Anyway, as for an example. A 10th level human fighter (LA +0) has an ECL of 10. Plain and simple, he's a 10th level character, appropriate for a 10th level group. A 10th level drow fighter (LA +2) has an ECL of 12, appropriate for a 12th level group. So, to have a drow character in a 10th level group, the LA is saying that he should be two levels lower than the rest of the group to remain balanced. Note that this also means that you can't play a standard (unmodified or house-ruled) drow in anything less than a 3rd level party (1 class level + 2 LA). Also, while I'm on the subject, some monsters have Racial Hit Dice (RHD). A minotoaur, for example, has 6 RHD and a LA of +2. When calculating the ECL, the total is Class levels + RHD + LA, so a 1st level minotuar barbarian would be ECL 9 (1 + 6 + 2). It's a bit of an odd concept. It's nothing more than an abstraction to keep people from playing minotaurs, mind flayers, and ogre mages in low level games. All that ECL is used for is keeping groups of several PCs at a similar power level. If you were playing one-on-one with your DM, the ECL becomes less important, as you don't need to worry about one PC seriously out doing the rest of the group.
Thomar_of_Uointer 08-03-07, 09:15 PM	I'd recommend reading the relevant rules. Link here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm), but it's also found in the Monster Manual.
gbnogkfs 08-04-07, 02:21 AM	I'd only add the note that when the rules speak of "character level" they generally refer to the number of HDs of a creature (racial + class), while the experience (and only that) is based on ECL. A 1st level Fighter drow would start with 3000 XPs, and would gain experience from an encounter based on his ECL 3. That character is however of 1st level for anything else: he won't get the feat reserved fo 3rd level characters, for example, until 2 more levels.
TheAnthroDM 08-04-07, 02:43 AM	I'd only add the note that when the rules speak of "character level" they generally refer to the number of HDs of a creature (racial + class), Actually you're wrong, Character Level only refers to class hit dice, not racial.
gbnogkfs 08-04-07, 06:56 AM	well, all the occurrencies of "level" or "charachter level" you may find are to be referred to "total HDs" (feats, stat increases, BAB and saves progressions, etc...); besides, "character level" is, strictly speaking, only really defined for base PHB races, and then special provisions are made to cover LA races or racial HD. There's no need to confuse the OP, as the "character level=HDs" rule will always work (save for XP)
Reyemile 08-04-07, 09:30 PM	There's no need to confuse the OP, as the "character level=HDs" rule will always work (save for XP)And total wealth.
JadeSpider9643 08-05-07, 12:57 AM	Actually you're wrong, Character Level only refers to class hit dice, not racial. No, character level is your racial hit die + class levels CLASS level is class hit dice only and ECL (racial hit dice + class levels + Level adjustment) is used for Experience needed for the next level, and experience earned, ALSO for starting character wealth and wealth by level guidelines.