How does LA work?

[Ryan Koppenhaver]

At what level would this Minotaur get his first normal ability increase? (i.e. the one you get every 4 levels).

at his 4th Character level.

so it would be Minotaur/Barbarian 4 total ECL=12

Not quite.

From the SRD, under "Monsters as Races":

A monster's total Hit Dice, not its ECL, govern its acquisition of feats and ability score increases.

Consequently, the Minotaur Bbn1 has already gotten his first increase with his fourth racial hit die (and it's already factored into his racial ability scores/adjustments). He'll get his second with his second level of barbarian, which will bring him to 8 total HD (and an ECL of 10).

 

[Gaius Agricola]

So, if the ECL is the part you add to class level to find out the total level of the PC, then what is LA used for?

 

[Sanackranib]

look at the example of "Ogre" in savage species for details on starting a monster character at lower levels. as you advance in levels as a monster the special abilities like greater STR are granted until you are at the full racial abilities. I too recomend aginst allowing advancement until the racial levels have been met.

 

[Kershek]

So, for instance, a Centaur is LA +2 and 4 HD, bringing it to ECL 6. At its 6th level, which is 4 HD, you would think the stats would say to give an ability increase. However, it doesn't. Does it get one at 6th?

 

[Pax]

So, if the ECL is the part you add to class level to find out the total level of the PC, then what is LA used for?

You've gotten a bit confused.

Take the creature's HD. Take their class levels. Add them together; that'stheir ACTUAL character level.

However, to find their ECL ("Effective Character LEvel"), youhave to add the LA ("level adjustment") to their actual character level.

IOW, ECL is the total.

 

[Ryan Koppenhaver]

Pax is right. To reiterate,

Character Level = Racial HD + Class Levels
ECL = Racial HD + Class Levels + Level Adjustment

To remember what you use each one for, remember the "3E" rule:

ECL is for:

• Experience Points
• Expected Equipment value
• Eligibility for Epic feats

Actual character level is used for everything else, notably feat and ability increases.

 

[Li Shenron]

So, if the ECL is the part you add to class level to find out the total level of the PC, then what is LA used for?

Your total HD (race HD + class HD) is used for feats, ability score increases and spell effects.

Your ECL (total HD + LA) is used to calculate the Xp required to advance.

 

[der_kluge]

Minotaur characters possess the following racial traits.
+4 Str, +4 Con, -4 Int, -4 Cha
Medium size
A minotaur’s base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.

Racial Hit Dice: A minotaur begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d10 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, and Will +3.

Racial Skills: A minotaur’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier) x 2.

Minotaurs have a +2 racial bonus on Search, Scent, and Listen checks.

Racial Feats: A minotaur’s monstrous humanoid levels give it one feat.

Weapon Proficiency: A minotaur is proficient with the greataxe and all simple
weapons.

+2 natural armor bonus.

Natural Weapons: Gore (1d8).

Powerful Charge (Ex): A minotaur typically begins a battle by charging at an
opponent, lowering its head to bring its mighty horns into play. In addition to
the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows the beast to make a
single gore attack with a plus equal to his base attack bonus, +2 for charging
that deals 4d6(+any strength modifiers) points of damage.

Natural Cunning (Ex): Although minotaurs are not especially intelligent, they
possess innate cunning and logical ability. This gives them immunity to maze
spells, and prevents them from ever becoming lost.

Level adjustment +1.


This is what I sent to my player. This would give the minotaur an ECL +3, but then I further told him that he could drop the racial feat, the skill points, and the hit dice, and make it ECL +1, and start as a Barbarian8/Minotaur1.

I felt like this made it more in-line as a PC race. He further wanted to decrease the creature's eyesight. In his mind, minotaurs are horribly near-sighted, and have no proficiency with ranged weapons, and have a penalty to thrown weapons, and no bonus to search skills. I gave him a +2 to his Scent skill (house ruled new skill), and gave him a bonus blind-fight feat to make up for those sight penalties.

Thoughts?

 

[Tonguez]

Darkvision out to 60 feet.

I gave him a +2 to his Scent skill (house ruled new skill), and gave him a bonus blind-fight feat to make up for those sight penalties.

Thoughts?

That +4 to Str alone makes it ECL+1 imho and really nothing has been done to take this away. Now personally I don't think ECL+1 is unbalanced overall however with its other SA/SQs (natural weapons, Powerful Charge and Cunning) make it more than ECL 1 (I'd problem take away the Charge but allow Minotaur characters to take an improved Charge feat)

I think giving the Blindsight feat was too much compensation and personally I'd make him take it using the bonus Racial Feat if he so chooses.

Also if your going with nearsighted then Darkvision to 60 feat needs to be deleted.

Otherwise good job.

 

[der_kluge]

Hadn't considered the darkvision thing. Yea, that makes sense if he's near-sighted. Thanks