A little help with ECL and Level Adjust [Archive] - Wizards Community

A little help with ECL and Level Adjust [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Doorknob_Prophet
08-08-05, 10:54 PM I am currently running a game with four players, one of the players being myself who acts as more of a support player than anything.

We have quite the motley crew...

Wood Elf - Samurai (player)
Drow - Wizard (player)
Doppleganger - Rogue (player)
Raptoran {good lich} - Cleric

With the level adjusts, I am confused of how to run things, but this is the system I am using... Please read over and tell me if it seems okay.

Every character began at 3rd level in a class, except for the doppleganger which I said had to start as its monster level equivelent of 4th since it has monstrous hit die of 4. That was the rule I had used... Any level adjust as long as there were no monstrous hit die. He really wanted to play as it, so I made that minor exception.

However everyone at 3rd level, I had everyone start with 3rd level experience and treated the level adjust as the experience they had to reach before they were able to get to their next level.

The Drow needed 6th level experience to become level 4.
The Doppleganger started with the same experience but actually counted as a level 1 creature even though it has the ECL of 4 and needed 5th level experience to get to level 2.
The wood elf is normal for all purpose.
The good lich which has an added level adjust of 4 on top of its 3rd level, being 7, needed 8th level experience to get to level 4.

I know that this is all probably wrong, but does it seem like it would work out okay.

:confused:
Talanall
08-08-05, 10:59 PM I'll give you the formula which is relevant.

ECL = (racial hit dice + level adjustment) + class level

The order of operations is as I presented it.

A doppelganger straight out of the book would look like this:

ECL = (4 + 4) + class level
ECL = 8+ class level.

Thus, you can play a doppelganger straight out of the Monster Manual if you are part of a level 8 party. A doppelganger rog 1 is the equivalent of a human rog 9. Is this any clearer?
Doorknob_Prophet
08-09-05, 10:38 PM This does help quite a bit with the doppleganger portion of it, and I think it may completely tick off the buddy playing as it. Ah well, such is done in the game of D&D. :D
Talanall
08-09-05, 11:14 PM Glad to hear it. I'm always pleased to trample upon a player's hopes and dre . . . um. To . . . help. Yes. Right. I'm always glad to help. Yeah.
Lord Ian Stark
08-09-05, 11:26 PM Are you going to have the elf and drow add a few character levels to equal out the ECL of the other two?

Just FYI the Lich I think had to be a caster level of 11 to become one.

IMO looking at your party, I think you may have some trouble of the characters walking all over anything you throw at them unless it is 3 or 4 more CR higher than there party level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Doorknob_Prophet 08-08-05, 10:54 PM	I am currently running a game with four players, one of the players being myself who acts as more of a support player than anything. We have quite the motley crew... Wood Elf - Samurai (player) Drow - Wizard (player) Doppleganger - Rogue (player) Raptoran {good lich} - Cleric With the level adjusts, I am confused of how to run things, but this is the system I am using... Please read over and tell me if it seems okay. Every character began at 3rd level in a class, except for the doppleganger which I said had to start as its monster level equivelent of 4th since it has monstrous hit die of 4. That was the rule I had used... Any level adjust as long as there were no monstrous hit die. He really wanted to play as it, so I made that minor exception. However everyone at 3rd level, I had everyone start with 3rd level experience and treated the level adjust as the experience they had to reach before they were able to get to their next level. The Drow needed 6th level experience to become level 4. The Doppleganger started with the same experience but actually counted as a level 1 creature even though it has the ECL of 4 and needed 5th level experience to get to level 2. The wood elf is normal for all purpose. The good lich which has an added level adjust of 4 on top of its 3rd level, being 7, needed 8th level experience to get to level 4. I know that this is all probably wrong, but does it seem like it would work out okay. :confused:
Talanall 08-08-05, 10:59 PM	I'll give you the formula which is relevant. ECL = (racial hit dice + level adjustment) + class level The order of operations is as I presented it. A doppelganger straight out of the book would look like this: ECL = (4 + 4) + class level ECL = 8+ class level. Thus, you can play a doppelganger straight out of the Monster Manual if you are part of a level 8 party. A doppelganger rog 1 is the equivalent of a human rog 9. Is this any clearer?
Doorknob_Prophet 08-09-05, 10:38 PM	This does help quite a bit with the doppleganger portion of it, and I think it may completely tick off the buddy playing as it. Ah well, such is done in the game of D&D. :D
Talanall 08-09-05, 11:14 PM	Glad to hear it. I'm always pleased to trample upon a player's hopes and dre . . . um. To . . . help. Yes. Right. I'm always glad to help. Yeah.
Lord Ian Stark 08-09-05, 11:26 PM	Are you going to have the elf and drow add a few character levels to equal out the ECL of the other two? Just FYI the Lich I think had to be a caster level of 11 to become one. IMO looking at your party, I think you may have some trouble of the characters walking all over anything you throw at them unless it is 3 or 4 more CR higher than there party level.