Best bang for the buck for a level-adjusted race?

[Starbuck_II]

Sure, both the campaign I play in and the campaign I DM are core + Complete books only. Technically, I also have all the En World "Critters" monster books, although I don't know much about the playable races in there except for a rainbow-winged race that looks very unfun to play, unless I were into Smurfs and Care Bears.

I'd be looking for something plausible for a group of characters using core races. So no towering giants wandering around with a party of 4 humans. This race should be roughly the same size, and able to get into & out of a normal-sized dungeon, and able to walk a town street without having a crowd with pitchforks chasing after. However, some racism or raised eyebrows would be all right. For example, I'd play a drow if I didn't find them uninteresting. They're OK.

So a Domovoi from Frostburn?
Small creature with : 2 HD and 2 LA?
Fire subtype (so immune), at will produde flame and pyrotechnics.
3/day flaming sphere.
pg 122 Frostburn.-2 Str, +4 Dex, +2 Con, +4 Int, +4 Wis, +6 Cha

They look like a small sized (2 foot) dwarf/halfing hybrid (hairy feet, beard, etc). Kinda like a bum, but not.

Humans love them because Domovoi usually are nice enough to start fires in fireplace and keep homes in icey areas warm so they don't freeze.

And why worry about appearance causing trouble buy a Hat of Diguise from DMG: do you know how cheap that is in cost?

 

[s-dub]

I looked at the Aranea but I think that their benefits do not outweigh the cost IIRC. What I remember is:

They can cast multiple spells per round, but only lower level spells.

Their 3 sorc levels come from their racial HD, so then you have to add 4 on top of that I think to get their ECL.

If this is true then Aranea probably wouldn't make a good low level character or a high level character.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'd be looking for something plausible for a group of characters using core races. So no towering giants wandering around with a party of 4 humans. This race should be roughly the same size, and able to get into & out of a normal-sized dungeon, and able to walk a town street without having a crowd with pitchforks chasing after. However, some racism or raised eyebrows would be all right. For example, I'd play a drow if I didn't find them uninteresting. They're OK.

I understand the Drow thing- I've been playing one since they were introduced, and everyone thinks he's a Drizzt clone...which he isn't, predating him by several years and having almost nothing in common with him except being Drow...

As for your criteria for a PC, Planetouched, Genasi and Goblinoid/Orcish variants are probably your best bets. All are well within the parameters of "humanoid" appearance, and almost all of them are +2LA or lower. Githzerai and Githyanki also work well, but may generate a little more hostility, at least as much as Drow. All have some interesting abilities.

In addition, as hinted at above, check out sources like Frostburn and the Races of series. They have some variant races that aren't terribly overpriced and introduce some interesting possibilities. I kind of like the Neanderthal from Frostburn, for instance- a variant Human race.

 

[aboyd]

Thanks Danny & everyone else. This is starting to sound promising. I don't have Frostburn, but the Domovoi is almost exactly what I was hoping for.

You know, I have to admit, ever since playing Planscape Torment, I've really been curious about playing a Githzerai, regardless of whether their LA is a good tradeoff or not. They would be enjoyable to roleplay. I'd be a little scared of when the group is 3rd level and I'm still 1st with 9 HP, but assuming I can survive, it sounds like a fun option.

When you play a LA character, what happens with stat bonuses, which normally come at 4th, 8th, and so on? Do you get them when you reach level 2, because you're level-adjusted to 4th? Or do you wait until you really hit 4th level (and all your allies are probably at 6th level)?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You know, I have to admit, ever since playing Planscape Torment, I've really been curious about playing a Githzerai, regardless of whether their LA is a good tradeoff or not. They would be enjoyable to roleplay. I'd be a little scared of when the group is 3rd level and I'm still 1st with 9 HP, but assuming I can survive, it sounds like a fun option.

Remember, a Githzerai's +6 Dex mod means that as a Monk or in any kind of light-ish armor, he'll be as hard to hit as a Dwarven "Fireplug" in heavy armor. AND he still has Inertial Armor 3/Day for another +4 if he needs it (if he's a spellcaster, for instance).

When you play a LA character, what happens with stat bonuses, which normally come at 4th, 8th, and so on? Do you get them when you reach level 2, because you're level-adjusted to 4th? Or do you wait until you really hit 4th level (and all your allies are probably at 6th level)?

As I understand it, with a PC, you add the LA to their class levels to come up with the PC's ECL. Treat that as the overall PC level- effectively, that LA is like having levels in a class with unusual mechanical benefits. So a PC with 1 class level and a +2LA is ECL 3, so should get his 3rd level Feat. When he gets his 2nd class level, he'll get a stat adjustment, since he's now ECL 4.

However, all Class related abilities depend upon the PC's actual class levels. That ECL 4 PC above would only be entitled to the 2 class levels worth of abilities, not 4.

 

[irdeggman]

As I understand it, with a PC, you add the LA to their class levels to come up with the PC's ECL. Treat that as the overall PC level- effectively, that LA is like having levels in a class with unusual mechanical benefits. So a PC with 1 class level and a +2LA is ECL 3, so should get his 3rd level Feat. When he gets his 2nd class level, he'll get a stat adjustment, since he's now ECL 4.

However, all Class related abilities depend upon the PC's actual class levels. That ECL 4 PC above would only be entitled to the 2 class levels worth of abilities, not 4.

Nope.

Everything is HD related except for starting money and xp.

Everything else is based on HD, level-based feats, (and ability increases), max skill ranks, etc.

DMG pg 172

"Use ECL instead of character level when. . ."

 

[pawsplay]

Catfolk (+4 Dex, +2 Cha) are insanely good as Wilders, Hexblades, Bards, Rogues, and Paladins. For paladins, you can put your dump stat in Dex and your highest stat in Cha.

Hobgoblins are fairly weak for their LA... unless you want to take advantage of their +4 to Move Silently checks. They already get +2 Dex and Con. Ranger, rogue, ninja, or scout. Beguiler or an arcane trickster is good, too, as you can try to be invisible as much as possible.

Aasimar are really only worth it if you can use both their stat bonuses. Paladins and clerics qualify. If you use only one raised ability score, then you have druids, knights, marshals, hexblades, bards, psychic warriors, wilders, and rangers.

Tieflings... have a net penalty, and make terrible sorcerers, strangely. However, they work well as warlocks (+2 Dex) provided you avoid most things that involve a saving throw. Tiefling wizard, tiefling rogue are no-brainers, but don't overlook the swashbuckler, duskblade, or fighter/rogue/duelist. Rogue/wizard/arcane trickster is also pretty good. The bonus to Bluff can help make up for the Cha penalty.

 

[Darklone]

Pixies.

 

[Noir le Lotus]

The Half-Dragon template is really good for fighters : +4 Natural Armor, +8 Str (forn only +3 LA => you can still hit hard), +2 Con, though the firts levels may be really difficult.

 

[milo]

Saint template is pretty good at LA +2. They get a +2 con, +2 wis, and +4 cha. Fast healing = to 1/2 hd, DR that scales with level, immune to cold, electricty, and acid. Get to add wis to AC as insight. And an at will double strength double area Mag Circle vs evil that also acts as a lesser globe of invulnerability. It is from the book of Exalted deeds.