making a monster char [Archive] - Wizards Community

making a monster char [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
akinckillerchris
09-03-07, 12:51 PM when making a monster char lets say i wann make an ogre
do i add HD + LA or just LA i was always confused about that..some ppl say just la some ppl say hd and la..can someone clerify this for me? because i saw a monster in the MM5 and it has like 16hd and is a la of 3 does that mean i would have to be lvl 20 to be a class and its abilities it gets isnt all that uber powerfull i mean just being lvl 5 would be good being that race...
Nirid
09-03-07, 01:44 PM To determine the monsters ECL (Effective Character Level) you add is Racial HD (the ones listed in it's entry) and it's Level Adjustment.

If a monster has 4 HD and a LA of +2 it would require your party to be 6th level to play it. You would get all the wealth of a 6th level character, but you feats, skill, etc are based off your actual level/HD.
Rustmonster
09-03-07, 04:04 PM HD+LA=ECL

One thing I have concidered but never really tried was to allow monsters to "hide" LA in HD. If your HD is higher/equal to the LA, the LA is ignored. If LA is higher, the difference between the two is added to the ECL along with the HD. The theory is that HD and LA are like half levels, not worth a class level alone, but HD always stay the same as the monsters base HD.
Prime32
09-03-07, 05:25 PM Having an LA is often a bad thing, since your HD is lower than the other party members (which makes you vulnerable to certain spells, etc.). WotC don't really want people to play monsters. Some people replace LA with commoner levels, which seems a good fix. (A race with 4 HD and an LA of +2 would have to take 2 levels of commoner, but would still only be allowed in a 6th-level party)
Einvaldurinn_mikli
09-03-07, 05:38 PM HD+LA=ECL

One thing I have concidered but never really tried was to allow monsters to "hide" LA in HD. If your HD is higher/equal to the LA, the LA is ignored. If LA is higher, the difference between the two is added to the ECL along with the HD. The theory is that HD and LA are like half levels, not worth a class level alone, but HD always stay the same as the monsters base HD.

I've been working on a similar mechanic for the monster classes I've been creating. (Making lots of them for an upcoming campaign, haven't posted them. They are good though.) Most people don't seem to realize that with the current system you have to pay for your abilities *twice* so to speak. Once with the crappy racial HD and then the LA.
Rustmonster
09-03-07, 06:20 PM I've been working on a similar mechanic for the monster classes I've been creating. (Making lots of them for an upcoming campaign, haven't posted them. They are good though.) Most people don't seem to realize that with the current system you have to pay for your abilities *twice* so to speak. Once with the crappy racial HD and then the LA.

I've heard that in 4th edition, they will make racial abilties come with class levels, so in a while, maybe we won't need to make alternate systems.:D

Will you be posting these monster classes on the boards? I'd love to see them, and I've actually made a revised mohrg monster class I will post eventually. I always thought monster classes were a nifty idea.
Rustmonster
09-03-07, 06:21 PM Having an LA is often a bad thing, since your HD is lower than the other party members (which makes you vulnerable to certain spells, etc.). WotC don't really want people to play monsters. Some people replace LA with commoner levels, which seems a good fix. (A race with 4 HD and an LA of +2 would have to take 2 levels of commoner, but would still only be allowed in a 6th-level party)

I actually kinda like this idea. It removes the HD problem without being overpowered. I'll have to try it out.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
akinckillerchris 09-03-07, 12:51 PM	when making a monster char lets say i wann make an ogre do i add HD + LA or just LA i was always confused about that..some ppl say just la some ppl say hd and la..can someone clerify this for me? because i saw a monster in the MM5 and it has like 16hd and is a la of 3 does that mean i would have to be lvl 20 to be a class and its abilities it gets isnt all that uber powerfull i mean just being lvl 5 would be good being that race...
Nirid 09-03-07, 01:44 PM	To determine the monsters ECL (Effective Character Level) you add is Racial HD (the ones listed in it's entry) and it's Level Adjustment. If a monster has 4 HD and a LA of +2 it would require your party to be 6th level to play it. You would get all the wealth of a 6th level character, but you feats, skill, etc are based off your actual level/HD.
Rustmonster 09-03-07, 04:04 PM	HD+LA=ECL One thing I have concidered but never really tried was to allow monsters to "hide" LA in HD. If your HD is higher/equal to the LA, the LA is ignored. If LA is higher, the difference between the two is added to the ECL along with the HD. The theory is that HD and LA are like half levels, not worth a class level alone, but HD always stay the same as the monsters base HD.
Prime32 09-03-07, 05:25 PM	Having an LA is often a bad thing, since your HD is lower than the other party members (which makes you vulnerable to certain spells, etc.). WotC don't really want people to play monsters. Some people replace LA with commoner levels, which seems a good fix. (A race with 4 HD and an LA of +2 would have to take 2 levels of commoner, but would still only be allowed in a 6th-level party)
Einvaldurinn_mikli 09-03-07, 05:38 PM	HD+LA=ECL One thing I have concidered but never really tried was to allow monsters to "hide" LA in HD. If your HD is higher/equal to the LA, the LA is ignored. If LA is higher, the difference between the two is added to the ECL along with the HD. The theory is that HD and LA are like half levels, not worth a class level alone, but HD always stay the same as the monsters base HD. I've been working on a similar mechanic for the monster classes I've been creating. (Making lots of them for an upcoming campaign, haven't posted them. They are good though.) Most people don't seem to realize that with the current system you have to pay for your abilities twice so to speak. Once with the crappy racial HD and then the LA.
Rustmonster 09-03-07, 06:20 PM	I've been working on a similar mechanic for the monster classes I've been creating. (Making lots of them for an upcoming campaign, haven't posted them. They are good though.) Most people don't seem to realize that with the current system you have to pay for your abilities twice so to speak. Once with the crappy racial HD and then the LA. I've heard that in 4th edition, they will make racial abilties come with class levels, so in a while, maybe we won't need to make alternate systems.:D Will you be posting these monster classes on the boards? I'd love to see them, and I've actually made a revised mohrg monster class I will post eventually. I always thought monster classes were a nifty idea.
Rustmonster 09-03-07, 06:21 PM	Having an LA is often a bad thing, since your HD is lower than the other party members (which makes you vulnerable to certain spells, etc.). WotC don't really want people to play monsters. Some people replace LA with commoner levels, which seems a good fix. (A race with 4 HD and an LA of +2 would have to take 2 levels of commoner, but would still only be allowed in a 6th-level party) I actually kinda like this idea. It removes the HD problem without being overpowered. I'll have to try it out.