LA Variant (based on page 18, but less restrictive) [Archive] - Wizards Community

LA Variant (based on page 18, but less restrictive) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lady Fierna
06-29-04, 12:03 PM In my opinion, Level Adjustments (not racial hit dice) unduly punish characters who decide to play noncore races. I've concieved a method that might help to fix that. This method allows players of monster characters to catch up earlier than they normally would. A character can buy off his LA with XP so that he won't always be a level or two behind because he wanted to start with the ability to cast (oooh!) dancing lights.

With this variant, character creation and advancement change a bit. Example (using the level independant XP system): Bob decides he wants to make a svirfniblin bard. The DM allows starting characters to begin with 10,500 XP (characters have an ECL of 4 unless they crafted magic items with some of their starting XP). Bob first spends 6,000 XP(total XP required to reach level 3) to buy off his LA of +3, leaving him with 4,500 XP. He spends 1,000 of those points to reach character level 1 (3,500 left), then achieves second level with the expenditure of 2,000 XP (he has 1,500 XP left; not enough to attain level 3). In other words, he bought off his LA at the beginning of character creation. For the first few levels of play, he will be behind, but he will catch up at approximately the time that his racial abilities become less useful. Note that characters cannot buy off racial Hit Dice.

What do you think?
gbnogkfs
06-29-04, 01:11 PM I can't catch a word :confused: :angel:
JoshRodriguez
06-29-04, 03:23 PM It's a good way to approach the problem right at the start of character creation. I approve.
Ertai Planeswalker
06-30-04, 12:57 PM It's a good idea, however, what would you do if all charatcers start at level 1?

In my campaign, which i DM, i allowed my players to have their templates without having to lag in levels, but they have to buy off their LA according to the rules in UA at the earliest levels they are allowed to do so.

This will make characters with a template somewhat more powerfull in the beginning of the game, but any other way doesn't work in my experience, because a 1st level half-celestial paladin simply isn't worth as much as a 4th level paladin. The 1st level charatcer can't take a simple hit without dropping to -1. It ain't pretty.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lady Fierna 06-29-04, 12:03 PM	In my opinion, Level Adjustments (not racial hit dice) unduly punish characters who decide to play noncore races. I've concieved a method that might help to fix that. This method allows players of monster characters to catch up earlier than they normally would. A character can buy off his LA with XP so that he won't always be a level or two behind because he wanted to start with the ability to cast (oooh!) dancing lights. With this variant, character creation and advancement change a bit. Example (using the level independant XP system): Bob decides he wants to make a svirfniblin bard. The DM allows starting characters to begin with 10,500 XP (characters have an ECL of 4 unless they crafted magic items with some of their starting XP). Bob first spends 6,000 XP(total XP required to reach level 3) to buy off his LA of +3, leaving him with 4,500 XP. He spends 1,000 of those points to reach character level 1 (3,500 left), then achieves second level with the expenditure of 2,000 XP (he has 1,500 XP left; not enough to attain level 3). In other words, he bought off his LA at the beginning of character creation. For the first few levels of play, he will be behind, but he will catch up at approximately the time that his racial abilities become less useful. Note that characters cannot buy off racial Hit Dice. What do you think?
gbnogkfs 06-29-04, 01:11 PM	I can't catch a word :confused: :angel:
JoshRodriguez 06-29-04, 03:23 PM	It's a good way to approach the problem right at the start of character creation. I approve.
Ertai Planeswalker 06-30-04, 12:57 PM	It's a good idea, however, what would you do if all charatcers start at level 1? In my campaign, which i DM, i allowed my players to have their templates without having to lag in levels, but they have to buy off their LA according to the rules in UA at the earliest levels they are allowed to do so. This will make characters with a template somewhat more powerfull in the beginning of the game, but any other way doesn't work in my experience, because a 1st level half-celestial paladin simply isn't worth as much as a 4th level paladin. The 1st level charatcer can't take a simple hit without dropping to -1. It ain't pretty.