Creating a "lesser" Githzerai at LA +0

[Tilenas]

I've wanted to play a githzerai character for some time, but was always put off by their Level Adjustment (+2). The PGtF introduced me to the concept of "lesser" races, i.e. stripped-down variants of powerful races that have no LA.
In the process of converting the githzerai, I've run into some problems, and I'd like to hear your suggestions on how to make a flavourful githzerai at +0 LA.

The issues I'm facing:
- ability score modification: the gith's uneven scores (+6 dex, +2 wis, -2 int) clearly account for +1 LA. Yet I can't decide about how to even them out and still stay true to the concept Githzerai. One reason for this:
- diffuse archetype: Planescape's (or AD&D's) githzerai had different ability modifications (+1 Dex, Int; -1 Str, Wis), very much at odds with 3.x's incarnation of the race.
- resistances: githzerai possess spell resistance, unless psionics are used, in which case it becomes psionic resistance, which may or may not be useful against magic. Addtionally, AD&D gith had magic resistance, which couldn't be lowered and had the potential to be a serious pain in the neck. Spell resistance accounts for another +1 LA.
- psi-like abilities and defenses: In the 3.5 MM, gith had a hefty +4 armor bonus from their inertial armor. Both MM and EPH githzerai have a variety of spell/psi-like abilities, later including Plane Shift. EPH giths also gain 3 bonus power points. How much do the MM/EPH variants' psi-powers weigh in terms of LA?

So, which of these do you deem necessary for the githzerai and how would you incorporate each while keeping the race balanced compared to the PHB races?

[Ahnehnois]

I think if you went +2 Dex/-2 Int and changed the SR/PR to a save bonus in line with the dwarf's, you might have a starting point. You might change the SLA's a bit, but since an INT penalty compounds over levels, if you put the SLA's in a progression that are gained as the character levels, it might cancel that out.

[Dannyalcatraz]

Honestly, I wouldn't start with the "lesser" races.

The Savage Species (SS) concept of the monster (racial) class is in many ways a better fit...especially if you do it the way Monte Cook did it in his Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved (AU/AE) setting.

Essentially, you pare down the race to a one that would be balanced for a +0LA race, then break up the remaining benefits that race gains that would normally give it a LA over several "racial" levels. These racial levels don't count towards favored class penalties, but DO count as PC levels.

In the original SS form, the PC would have to take all of those levels first before taking any class levels. And in addition, those levels didn't necessarily grant everything a normal class level might, like HD.

In AU/AE, the levels are fully fleshed-out levels with HD and all at each level. However, a PC 1) need not take any levels in that "Racial class" before taking a character class, 2) need not take them all at the same time, and 3) need not take them at all- just like a regular character class. Use the MM list of types and subtypes to determine HD type, BAB & save progressions, weapon & armor proficiencies, etc. for their racial levels.

(While not a rigid rule, I personally design 1 racial level per +LA.)

Once I designed a standard +2LA racial class for the more common Githzerai race, then and only then would I bother considering Githzerai from other sources that might be lesser or greater than what we see in the MM or XPH.

In the case of the standard Githzerai, I'd give them:

1) a +2Dex -2Int and +1 Wis adjustment, +1PP, Darkvision, Power Resistance = HD +3*, their automatic & bonus languages, PLAs 1/day Inertial armor, Psionic daze, Catfall, Concussion Blast (Manifester level 1/2 HD -2, minimum 1st*), and Favored Class: Monk at the base (+0LA) racial level,

2) +2Dex at the 1st racial level, +1 PP, +1 use/day of the PLAs, and

3) +2Dex and +1 Wis, +1 use/day of the PLAs, and add PLA plane shift 1/day when PC is 11th level at the 2nd racial level.


* This was lowered because by virtue of these racial class levels, a Githzerai will have +2HD that they normally wouldn't have.

[Tilenas]

Originally Posted by Ahnehnois

I think if you went +2 Dex/-2 Int and changed the SR/PR to a save bonus in line with the dwarf's, you might have a starting point.

That's what the PGtF variants of drow and svirfneblin do, isn't it. I like that very much actually, as I'm thinking of changing SR into a save bonus anyway.

Originally Posted by Dannyalcatraz

The Savage Species (SS) concept of the monster (racial) class is in many ways a better fit...especially if you do it the way Monte Cook did it in his Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved (AU/AE) setting.
[...]
In AU/AE, the levels are fully fleshed-out levels with HD and all at each level. However, a PC 1) need not take any levels in that "Racial class" before taking a character class, 2) need not take them all at the same time, and 3) need not take them at all- just like a regular character class. Use the MM list of types and subtypes to determine HD type, BAB & save progressions, weapon & armor proficiencies, etc. for their racial levels.

So does this mean that you can start right off the bat as a Level-1 character and either choose to take class levels or come closer to the racial archetype?
This would be beneficial inasmuch as it would let you keep the stats from the MM for all NPCs of that particular race, yet still allow adventuring without that nasty LA.

[Dannyalcatraz]

Originally Posted by Tilenas

So does this mean that you can start right off the bat as a Level-1 character and either choose to take class levels or come closer to the racial archetype?
This would be beneficial inasmuch as it would let you keep the stats from the MM for all NPCs of that particular race, yet still allow adventuring without that nasty LA.

Yep- you start off as any other PC with a +0LA race. You then choose either a class or a racial level and go from there. You need never take a racial level if you don't wish to, but you still qualify for racial feats.

[Wolf72]

basically create a paragon class for the gith/yanki/zerai ...

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yep- they do have a lot in common with the Paragon classes. The difference is, of course, that the Paragon classes boost a race beyond its LA.

Now, if you look in AE, Monte took his racial classes in that direction. In addition to the original 3 level racial classes, each race had further evolutions available to them, again with fully statted levels.