Homebrew Race in need of LA +1 ??

[Icyshadowlord]

Okay, I have read into the Level Adjustment estimations and such from books like Savage Species, but I still don't know if my homebrew race counts as having LA +1 or not.

Also, mercy on me, I am new here XD

So, here are the base stats:

- +2 Wis, -2 Dex.

- Medium Humanoid

- Darkvision, Base Speed 30 ft, natural weapon (Gore, 1d4 damage)

- Powerful Build (Ex), the ability that both Goliaths and Half-Giants have. (Can use weapons one size category larger without penalty, and they treat themselves as large for bonuses against charge and other size-dependent conditions if it is useful to them)

- Automatic proficiency with Greataxe and Greatclub.

- +2 Diplomacy, Search and Spot.

- Like a Minotaur, they never get lost and can Track targets. ( I guess the real racial would be like that of a Half-Minotaur, aka also a +4 Intelligence bonus to saves against the Maze spell)

So, there are all the racials my homebrew race has. I figured that what would really make them have a +1 Level Adjustment would be the Powerful Build ability, but yeah.

 

[Drammor]

Just out of curiosity here, I see some racial traits, but otherwise no description of what this race is. Perhaps the other members don't need it, but what is this race? I mean, what do they look like, and if relevant, what niche do they fill in the world?

 

[ValhallaGH]

Does it have more and better features than a Dwarf? No.

LA +0.

 

[Icyshadowlord]

Just out of curiosity here, I see some racial traits, but otherwise no description of what this race is. Perhaps the other members don't need it, but what is this race? I mean, what do they look like, and if relevant, what niche do they fill in the world?

Well, it's a race related to Minotaurs, though if I made it outright clear what they were, I might not be taken seriously. Though knowing how wacky some ideas like the Slaadi and other such examples are in D&D canon, I might be wrong about that.

But either way, I do notice that someone said LA +0, which I was hoping for. XD (Though I hope more opinions show up)

 

[Drammor]

Oh, the tauren, then? Anyway, that doesn't matter. It does definitely look like an LA +0, as it is. It does kind of feel like it's missing something, though.

 

[Icyshadowlord]

Well, not really Tauren...more humanoid, and the race only has females. *Hides*

And what might you mean by missing something? (Also, still feeling funny to have admitted that I made partly bovine amazons as a race. XD )

Also, on another board, people said that Powerful Build would give me a +1 LA, if not even a +2, which I find kind of odd.

 

[CuRoi]

Well....if they're bovine amazons, they might be missing an udder...

But seriously, I'd say the powerful build ability is worth -considering- an LA. The "never get lost" and free Tracking feat could be powerful as well - but that is completely campaign dependent. I don't think there's any way I'd put it at +2 LA. I think that's a bit off. Maybe that is coming from DM's that have had problems with "Powerful Build". Damage dice for Large two handed weapons can get pretty impressive and if the player decides to be a Grappler they're looking at +8 grapple right out of the gate if they say, make a Monk : ) I can definitely see a *potential* for problems (like say the "Ok, I want a 20 foot long spiked chain" guy), but since this race is not stacking strength bonuses on top of powerful build, I'm not sure it's as big of a concern to me.

I'd say it's + zero to -maybe- +1 but I don't think you will find a hard and fast answer. It's up to the DM (you, correct?) and the power level of the campaign. You may just need to play it and see how it goes. Obviously, I would strongly reccommend retroactively adding a +1 without seriously annoying any players that take the race. So if you have some concerns, start it with a +1, gauge if anyone thinks it is worth it, and later removing the LA (or adjusting the racial abilities with some input from your "testers") . It would be like Christmas if they got a free level all of a sudden : ) I know that's not the smoothest way to do it, but anytime you introduce whole new races, feats, spells, etc. there's bound to be some tweaking.

 

[Sekhmet]

This race is close to being LA1, but I'd still put it at LA0.
Bump it's stats to +2, +2, -2 and you've got an LA1 almost certainly.

 

[Icyshadowlord]

To clarify a few things, I am not the DM and I am well-aware of the potential game-breaking the feats like Track and direction intuiting abilites might bring with them, but I do not plan to really ABUSE such abilities. I would rather see them as something of a situational convenience.

Lastly, I did expect the Powerful Build to cause the most debate concering the level adjustment. But yeah, it seems that the majority consider it a LA +0 or a borderline LA +1. Though as said many times, it's up to the DM. XD

P.S. I see what you did there with the udder joke =P

 

[Empirate]

That race is without a doubt LA+0. Really, level adjustments should be worth... a whole class level!
Does powerful build make up for even a Fighter level? Remember, with a LA +X race you'll always be behind the others in feats, saves, BAB, skills, HP... not to speak of actual class features.
So you get bonuses on a few combat maneuvers, and deal a little more base damage with a big weapon - that's not a big deal. Neither is the tracking thing, which won't come up often. I see that as more of a flavor thing.

Really, leave the race as is, and leave out any LA!