racial hit dice [Archive] - Wizards Community

racial hit dice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GoliathLollipop
12-09-07, 05:43 PM Do you agree that certain playable races should have racial hit dice? Would you prefer it if that wasn't the case in 4e? Do most of you play using racial hit dice if the race has them?
Bester
12-10-07, 02:09 PM Do you agree that certain playable races should have racial hit dice? Would you prefer it if that wasn't the case in 4e? Do most of you play using racial hit dice if the race has them?I'll take racial hit dice over a level adjustment any day. Racial hit dice provide an in crease in BAB, hit points, skill points, and saves. Level adjustments get you nothing (well, except for the bonuses that cause them).
Megamanxero
12-14-07, 12:09 PM The problem, I feel, with racial hit dice is that they limit PCs to playing only fighter style classes. In the savage species it mentions that ECLs are supposed to be relative. With that said a sahaugin mutant with racial hit dice that is fighter based, will never be out done by a sahaugin mage with racial hit dice. I personally think that playing without the hit dice is pretty ballanced, as long as you get the level adjustment right.
Melpomene
12-14-07, 03:09 PM In my experience, most racial HD aren't worth the level (dragons are the major exception to this.) I allow my players to buy racial HD at a discounted rate, which makes many different types of monsters more viable.

I would *not* reccomend removing them altogether, as it would create an odd, mushy amalgum of enemies and opponants. Giving players more options has to, at some point, take a backseat to having convincing and useful monsters to antagonize them.
runestar
12-14-07, 06:45 PM It depends.

Racial HD will help mitigate LA (in theory at least). For example, a creature with say, 4 racial HD will have a lower LA than another statistically identical creature sans the racial HD.

At the end of the day, done correctly, neither one should be obviously better or worse than the other. More racial HD may mean more hp, bab etc, but it also means less room for class lvs, which may grant useful abilities.:)
AtsuiShoto
12-15-07, 04:23 PM I would happily take 2 racial hitdice over a +1 LA, unless that LA could be bought off at level 3.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GoliathLollipop 12-09-07, 05:43 PM	Do you agree that certain playable races should have racial hit dice? Would you prefer it if that wasn't the case in 4e? Do most of you play using racial hit dice if the race has them?
Bester 12-10-07, 02:09 PM	Do you agree that certain playable races should have racial hit dice? Would you prefer it if that wasn't the case in 4e? Do most of you play using racial hit dice if the race has them?I'll take racial hit dice over a level adjustment any day. Racial hit dice provide an in crease in BAB, hit points, skill points, and saves. Level adjustments get you nothing (well, except for the bonuses that cause them).
Megamanxero 12-14-07, 12:09 PM	The problem, I feel, with racial hit dice is that they limit PCs to playing only fighter style classes. In the savage species it mentions that ECLs are supposed to be relative. With that said a sahaugin mutant with racial hit dice that is fighter based, will never be out done by a sahaugin mage with racial hit dice. I personally think that playing without the hit dice is pretty ballanced, as long as you get the level adjustment right.
Melpomene 12-14-07, 03:09 PM	In my experience, most racial HD aren't worth the level (dragons are the major exception to this.) I allow my players to buy racial HD at a discounted rate, which makes many different types of monsters more viable. I would not reccomend removing them altogether, as it would create an odd, mushy amalgum of enemies and opponants. Giving players more options has to, at some point, take a backseat to having convincing and useful monsters to antagonize them.
runestar 12-14-07, 06:45 PM	It depends. Racial HD will help mitigate LA (in theory at least). For example, a creature with say, 4 racial HD will have a lower LA than another statistically identical creature sans the racial HD. At the end of the day, done correctly, neither one should be obviously better or worse than the other. More racial HD may mean more hp, bab etc, but it also means less room for class lvs, which may grant useful abilities.:)
AtsuiShoto 12-15-07, 04:23 PM	I would happily take 2 racial hitdice over a +1 LA, unless that LA could be bought off at level 3.