Level adjustment/playing as monsters in D&D 3.5

[Darkmantle26]

I have a very limited understanding of level adjustment in D&D 3.5. What I know is that if I wanted to be a vampire, I would count as 8 levels higher. Now, I've been led to believe that level advancement has something to do with playing as a monster. Let's take a monster like a red dragon Wyrmling (I think they have a level adjustment of +4) Meaning if I played as one and took a class level on top of that, I would be considered a level 5 character. But how would I determine the ability scores? Would I roll for them like normal or would I take the ability scores strait from the monster's stat block? and does being a monster race affect hit dice in any way? Template creatures are easier to play as because they tell you all the differences in the books, but there is normally still the level adjustment which always confuses me

 

[Greenfield]

In the MM listing for most creatures, there's a "Character Adjustment" entry . (Referenced in MM II, but omitted from the entries, for some reason).

To determine the ECL of such a creature, take the hit dice and add the character adjustment.

So a Werewolf has a character Adjustment of 3, and 3 hit dice, so it's total Effective Character Level is 6. You want to run a Werewolf Rogue? 1st level of Rogue, plus 6 levels of ECL adjustment means you're effectively a 7th level character.

As for ability scores: Adjustments are always in 2 point increments, with base scores either 10 or 11.

Let's look at the Red Dragon Wyrmling. Character Adjustment is +4, and it has 7 D12 hit dice. That means it ECL is 12. 1st level PC would be a 13th level character.

Its Strength is 17, an odd number so its base was 11. STR +6
Its Dexterity is 10, an even number so its base is 10. DEX +0
Its Constitution is 15, an odd number so its base is 11. CON +4
Its Intelligence is 10, an even number so its base is 10. INT +0
Its Wisdom is 11, an odd number, so its base is 11. WIS +0
Its Charisma is 10, an even number, so its base is 10. CHA +0

Now roll your dice or do your point buy or whatever method you normally use for PCs. Add the ability modifiers as shown above, and those are your stats.

Roll your hit dice as well and apply the CON modifier for your final CON.

And that's how it works.