Lycanthrope LA [Archive] - Wizards Community

Lycanthrope LA [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Alyss
09-05-07, 09:56 AM A player of mine wants to be a weretiger. Because the level cap for the new campaign is 4, he's opted to drop the racial hit dice, leaving him with 9hp. As he's going for a natural lycanthrope, he can change shape at will, and therefore turn into a large creature that, in hybrid form, can weild a greatsword and deal 3d6+6 damage (due to the strength increase).

My question is this: even without the racial hit dice, has this player ended up with an overpowerful character?
Ovistavin
09-05-07, 10:17 AM You might want to check out the Savage Progressions articles. There is a link in my sig. It breaks the Lycanthrope tempate into two template classes (one for Lycanthrope and one for the animal HD).
Dragonlord20000
09-05-07, 10:28 AM You can't just "drop" racial hit dice, its part of the formula.

That said Ovistavin is right, use the Savage Progression Articles for the character, they are just better balanced.
Captain_Kobold
09-05-07, 11:07 AM Seconding what Dragonlord said: the LA is based on the character having those racial HD.
Because the racial HD are weaker than class levels, if you remove them, you should actually raise the LA to compensate. Due to the loss of hit points and survivability this woud entail (even further than the LA+4 already does) this is generally a bad idea.
Neutronium_Dragon
09-05-07, 08:25 PM Does he want to play the character because it's a lycanthrope, or is he simply interested in a catlike character? If it's the latter, the catfolk in Races of the Wild would probably be easier to work into a game. (It's only ECL +1.) Alternately, the anthropomorphic tiger in Savage Species would also work, though it's ECL +3.

If he wants to play a lycanthrope then the Savage Progressions articles would be one way to do it, though the alternate rules for Lycanthropes in SKR's Curse of the Moon also work, since they're designed with low/no-LA playable ones in mind.
Shaggy_Shaggs
09-05-07, 11:58 PM Shifter race (Eberron Campaign Setting) into Weretouched Master prestige class (same book) can get you pretty close to being a weretiger, gradually. Your player might want to try that.
Alyss
09-06-07, 06:12 AM I thought as much. Thanks for the help, I'll refer my player to the Savage Progressions link.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Alyss 09-05-07, 09:56 AM	A player of mine wants to be a weretiger. Because the level cap for the new campaign is 4, he's opted to drop the racial hit dice, leaving him with 9hp. As he's going for a natural lycanthrope, he can change shape at will, and therefore turn into a large creature that, in hybrid form, can weild a greatsword and deal 3d6+6 damage (due to the strength increase). My question is this: even without the racial hit dice, has this player ended up with an overpowerful character?
Ovistavin 09-05-07, 10:17 AM	You might want to check out the Savage Progressions articles. There is a link in my sig. It breaks the Lycanthrope tempate into two template classes (one for Lycanthrope and one for the animal HD).
Dragonlord20000 09-05-07, 10:28 AM	You can't just "drop" racial hit dice, its part of the formula. That said Ovistavin is right, use the Savage Progression Articles for the character, they are just better balanced.
Captain_Kobold 09-05-07, 11:07 AM	Seconding what Dragonlord said: the LA is based on the character having those racial HD. Because the racial HD are weaker than class levels, if you remove them, you should actually raise the LA to compensate. Due to the loss of hit points and survivability this woud entail (even further than the LA+4 already does) this is generally a bad idea.
Neutronium_Dragon 09-05-07, 08:25 PM	Does he want to play the character because it's a lycanthrope, or is he simply interested in a catlike character? If it's the latter, the catfolk in Races of the Wild would probably be easier to work into a game. (It's only ECL +1.) Alternately, the anthropomorphic tiger in Savage Species would also work, though it's ECL +3. If he wants to play a lycanthrope then the Savage Progressions articles would be one way to do it, though the alternate rules for Lycanthropes in SKR's Curse of the Moon also work, since they're designed with low/no-LA playable ones in mind.
Shaggy_Shaggs 09-05-07, 11:58 PM	Shifter race (Eberron Campaign Setting) into Weretouched Master prestige class (same book) can get you pretty close to being a weretiger, gradually. Your player might want to try that.
Alyss 09-06-07, 06:12 AM	I thought as much. Thanks for the help, I'll refer my player to the Savage Progressions link.