Are high ECL races worth it?

[Victim]

I don't like the canon ECLs My first level Half-Celestial Cleric was no where near as potent as the 4th level party he was with.

I personally toss out ECLs and use CRs.
"An NPC with a PC class has a Challenge Rating equal to the NPC's level" (DMG, page 167)
"...add the creature's base CR to it's total class levels to get its overall CR." (DMG, page 167)

Therefore, it's a logical conclusion that Level + CR = Effective Level.

... so what if it's contradicted on page 22 ... it's not my job to make the DMG make sense ... just to pick and choose the parts I like.

Using the CR is even worse than ECL. CRs are based on a comparison in the relatively short fight that usually occurs when PC meets monster. Defensive abilities aren't weighted as much as offensive since they won't have as much time to come into play.

Half fiends and half celestials have comparable ability mods and abilities. However, 1/2 fiends are rated at one higher CR despite their similar powers because they get offensive powers. Similarly, how much will fast healing 1 help a creature? In a long 9 round fight, it gets 9 HP back. Wow. Yet much would fast healing help a PC? They'd almost never need rest, would reduce the burden on the cleric, and might result in the party changing tactics to utilize more hit and run attacks. It helps a PC who's going to be around a while much more than it helps a monster that will likely last less than a minute.

While your 1st level cleric is weak in a fourth level party, all one HD things are weak. Gain some more levels and then complain. At party level 9, you'll be level 6. You might be able to fly. You'll be immune to 3 types of elemental damage. Your spells per day and HP will be more comparable to other characters. You'll have access to 4th level spells via a few of your spell like powers.

On the other hand, a 1/2 celestial is CR +1. A level 8 1/2 celestial is much better than a level 9 cleric. While lacking level 5 spells, he'd have much more low level spells because of Wisdom and spell like powers. He could fly. The 1/2 celestial's attacks would hit more often and do more damage. He'd have more HP, immunites and AC. His spells would also be harder to resist so he could get more effective use out of his lower level spells.

The reason the alaghi has +11 ECL is because it gives away 9 HD. Since it has 9 HD, it had better have an ECL of at least 9. An immature alaghi character that wasn't getting any extra HD would probably be around the one or 2 ECL you reccommend. As you listed it, the Alaghi has a bonus to INT, so the average mental stats would be better than a half orc. Despite the lower HD, Monstrous humanoids get better reflex saves than tank classes and might have a better skill list - monsters often get listen and spot as class skills.