Adding templates to a character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adding templates to a character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Crono
12-27-03, 02:55 PM Alright, I want to make the BBEG of my campaign half dragon.
The question is, how exactly do templates work? Do you just add it with no level penalty? Er, what I mean is, say you make an aasmair character, you have to start at level 2 with 1 class level..
So, if you add the half dragon template to a human, should he have to start at say, level 5? Thanks in advance

Edit: Level adjustments, that's what their called ^_^
Kalidor
12-27-03, 03:14 PM Level Adjustments only apply to characters, not NPCs. In most cases, there will be a CR adjustment to add to the NPC in question. In the case of the Half Dragon, its

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature + 2 (minimum 3).

So a 15th level Half-Dragon human Wizard will be a CR 17 creature
Crono
12-27-03, 04:23 PM Thanks alot! ^_^

But what if one of my players wants to run a Half-Dragon? What would the level adjustment be? +2?
Herr Doktor
12-27-03, 04:55 PM The level adjustment would be +3, if you have the Monster Manual flip to the half-dragon template and check out the end of that section.

It lists the LA and CR Modifier.
Crono
12-27-03, 05:06 PM Hmm, thanks for the info, but in my 3e MM it only lists CR, are you using 3.5?
Kalidor
12-27-03, 06:37 PM Yeah, LA is really a concept that has been refined in 3.5 and is a bit more clunky in 3.0

Best thing to do is check the SRD for monsters and/or get the Savage Species book if you're unsure. If you are really that unsure, I wouldn't allow it for players until you're more comfortable with it.
Crono
12-27-03, 09:10 PM Thanks for all the help guys! :)
I was thinking about picking up Savage Species anyways
Lord_Apollyon
12-27-03, 09:34 PM SVG Species games are really tough to run by the books, such as DMG. A lot of templates can really break characters beyond what was intended. For example, half dragons and half fiends can shred orcs and goblins without breaking a sweat.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Crono 12-27-03, 02:55 PM	Alright, I want to make the BBEG of my campaign half dragon. The question is, how exactly do templates work? Do you just add it with no level penalty? Er, what I mean is, say you make an aasmair character, you have to start at level 2 with 1 class level.. So, if you add the half dragon template to a human, should he have to start at say, level 5? Thanks in advance Edit: Level adjustments, that's what their called ^_^
Kalidor 12-27-03, 03:14 PM	Level Adjustments only apply to characters, not NPCs. In most cases, there will be a CR adjustment to add to the NPC in question. In the case of the Half Dragon, its Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature + 2 (minimum 3). So a 15th level Half-Dragon human Wizard will be a CR 17 creature
Crono 12-27-03, 04:23 PM	Thanks alot! ^_^ But what if one of my players wants to run a Half-Dragon? What would the level adjustment be? +2?
Herr Doktor 12-27-03, 04:55 PM	The level adjustment would be +3, if you have the Monster Manual flip to the half-dragon template and check out the end of that section. It lists the LA and CR Modifier.
Crono 12-27-03, 05:06 PM	Hmm, thanks for the info, but in my 3e MM it only lists CR, are you using 3.5?
Kalidor 12-27-03, 06:37 PM	Yeah, LA is really a concept that has been refined in 3.5 and is a bit more clunky in 3.0 Best thing to do is check the SRD for monsters and/or get the Savage Species book if you're unsure. If you are really that unsure, I wouldn't allow it for players until you're more comfortable with it.
Crono 12-27-03, 09:10 PM	Thanks for all the help guys! :) I was thinking about picking up Savage Species anyways
Lord_Apollyon 12-27-03, 09:34 PM	SVG Species games are really tough to run by the books, such as DMG. A lot of templates can really break characters beyond what was intended. For example, half dragons and half fiends can shred orcs and goblins without breaking a sweat.