How do you start off at 1st level with a +123 or 4 level adjustment..

HeavyG said:

I don't know where I read this, but I saw suggestions about doing this and giving the PC a number of negative levels that he can't get rid of except by gaining levels.

In other words, that PC would start with 2 negative levels. Then when he had enough XP to go to second level, he'd lose one of the two and so on.

I've never tried it though. Couldn't judge if it works well or not.

Edit : In the interest of completeness, they would get -1 to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks per negative level. I don't know how they could get the -5 hit points or -1 to effective character level, or else the only drow you could play with those rules would be barbarians or wights. And I don't think it's feasible to have an effective level of 0.

Click to expand...

Giving negative levels would kill most characters with ECL. A half dragon level 1 Fighter only has 1 hit dice. 1 negatice level would kill him.

What he means is an option proposed by, IIRC, Sean K Reynolds in the Savage Progressions article series over at WotC site.

Basically, your LA character start play with a -1 on all attacks, checks and saves for every +1 of LA he has (so a 1st-level Drow begins play with -2 on all these rolls), and 0 XP. He gains XP normally, but must instead of gaining levels, the character reduces the penalty every time he would otherwise gain a level.

For instance, a 1st level hobgoblin fighter (LA+1) starts with 0 XP and a -1 to all checks, attacks and saves. When he reaches 1000 XP, he remains a 1st level fighter, but his penalty drops to 0. When he reaches 3000 XP, he gains his second fighter level, as usual.

Some great points raised in this thread. Let me also add that lack of HD for races with high LA is a problem at mid- to high-level, mainly because of the new Blasphemy spell mechanic. While characters of normal/level HD may be merely dazed, PCs with high LA are likely to be slain outright without a save.

You're my ninja, Klaus. Yes, that's what I meant.

It's certainly more balanced than just letting the character start with the race. Personally, my favorite is Caliban's second option, but that only works for races with racial HDs unfortunately.

Another way is reducing a race's benefits until they are roughly equivalent to a normal player character race, then divide the remaining benefits among the number of ECL levels of the race and the character gets those abilities when he gets to the appropriate level.

For example, drow have :
* +2 to dex, int and cha, -2 to con
* Darkvision 120'
* SR 11 + level
* Immunity to sleep spells
* +2 racial bonus to will saves
* Spell-like abilities: Dancing Lights, Darkness, Faerie Fire.
* Proficiency with hand crossbow, short sword and rapier
* +2 to listen, search, spot
* Light blindness

So a 1st level drow could have:
* +2 to dex, -2 to con
* Darkvision 60'
* Immunity to sleep spells
* +2 racial bonus to will saves
* Proficiency with hand crossbow, short sword and rapier
* +2 to listen, search, spot
* Light blindness

This is about as good as an ordinary elf, so you could create a 1st level drow fighter with those powers.

Then, when you gained enough XP to go to 2nd level (1000 XP), instead of getting a 2nd level of fighter, you would get:
* +2 to Int and Cha
* Darkvision 120'
* Spell-like abilities: Dancing Lights, Darkness, Faerie Fire

And at 3000 XP, you would get:
* SR 11 + character level

At 6000 XP, when you have enough XP for a 4th level character, you could gain a 2nd class level.

I don't know where I saw that way of doing things, but I know I'm not the only who thought of it.

HeavyG said:

Another way is reducing a race's benefits until they are roughly equivalent to a normal player character race, then divide the remaining benefits among the number of ECL levels of the race and the character gets those abilities when he gets to the appropriate level.

For example, drow have :

Click to expand...

Wizard made that themselves.
See here

At the beginning, they are more or less elves, with the following changes:
+2 Int in addition to +2 Dex
Dancing lights
Darkvision (60' only) instead of low-light vision.
Other favoured class, other languages.
No save bonuses
Light blindness.

Dancing lights doesn't really make a difference, and the +2 Int is balanced with lack of save bonuses and light blindness. In usual campaigns, this means a big drawback, after all.

The first racial class level gives you full darkvision (120), faerie fire and SR 5+
The second level gives you cha +2, darkness, save bonuses and full SR (11+)

The "negative levels" option is presented in Players' Guide to Faerun.

There is also an option in Unearthed Arcana to "buy off" ECLs with XP. This can help at higher levels.

If you look on the page 191 of the "Players guide to Faerun" negative level adjustments to allow playing a class at first level. consists of these changes.
A Minus one on both Skill and Ability checks, also on attack rolls, saving throws and level checks, this minus continues with a DC spell checks and or any other ability that allows a saving throw, then if any a -1 to racial armor class or dodge bonus.

The last minus one then goes to dropping the Racial Level Adjustment.
The Negative Level Adjustment to play first level Is Not the same as an attack. This may be a youngster or teenager or simply a "Runt"