Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Quenditar 01-31-05, 12:51 AM	In the campaign I'm playing in, my DM decided to ignore the normal LA rules and ruled that a character with an LA simply started at the appropriate level with the appropriate experience total. We were starting at level 3, so the +1 LA characters started at level 2 (with 1000 xp) and the +2 LA character started at level 1 (with 0 xp). This system, IMO, hasn't worked terribly well; my character (with the +2 LA) is now only one level behind the humans and seems a bit overpowered compared to the characters with +1 LA, which until the end of the last session were also one level behind. I've heard of other systems, particularly the XP debt system (which seems a lot like the system my DM uses, but a bit fairer) and Unearthed Arcana's LA buyoff system. What do people think of these compared to the standard system and my DM's?
Kintara 01-31-05, 01:16 AM	Well, the one your DM uses is very favorable. The Unearthed Arcana system is similar, but instead of paying for it "up front" you pay it down later (thus, it costs more). I haven't playtested the LA buyoff system, so I can't say for sure if it's well balanced, but it seems like a good system to me. The trouble with any creature deserving of a level adjustment is that it's just a difficult thing to balance. Some abilities have more staying power than others. But then some classes seem to as well, so maybe it's all just a big muddle. ;)
Quenditar 01-31-05, 03:27 AM	Personally, I'd like to try out an XP debt system, especially since several of the special abilities I have lose utility fairly quickly with advancing level. My complaint is about the decreasing penalties attached to a higher LA under my DM's system.
eggplantm 02-02-05, 10:50 AM	I'm not sure what the unearthed arcana system is. I use the one in the player's guide to faerun. This system starts a character off with a LA penalty equal to the LA adjustment that applies to attacks, damage, saves, skills, Natural Armor (if any) and DC for racial abilities. Every time you level up, you buy off a level adjustment penalty instead of taking another level in a class. Thus, a +1 LA character has no penalty at 2nd level but still only has one hit die. Your character, with a +2 LA, when he reached enough experience to be a third level character would be equivalent to a first level character without any level adjustment. At 4th level, you can now take another level in your class. This system sticks to the way the LA adjustment was meant to be played but also allows you to play them at much lower level. Note, that for LA races with racial hit dice, you should always break them up savage species style.
Kintara 02-02-05, 12:41 PM	I'm not sure what the unearthed arcana system is. I use the one in the player's guide to faerun. This system starts a character off with a LA penalty equal to the LA adjustment that applies to attacks, damage, saves, skills, Natural Armor (if any) and DC for racial abilities. Every time you level up, you buy off a level adjustment penalty instead of taking another level in a class. Thus, a +1 LA character has no penalty at 2nd level but still only has one hit die. Your character, with a +2 LA, when he reached enough experience to be a third level character would be equivalent to a first level character without any level adjustment. At 4th level, you can now take another level in your class. This system sticks to the way the LA adjustment was meant to be played but also allows you to play them at much lower level. Note, that for LA races with racial hit dice, you should always break them up savage species style.Hmmm, and I'm assuming that his LA still counts for the amount of XP he needs to attain, like normal for Level Adjustment?