question of level mod?

[Belgarath]

I am developing a race loosely based on the Cheysuli by Jennifer Roberson. Here is what I have so far

Animal Link: the Cheysuli can choose any medium or smaller animal to link to. This works exactly like a familiar using the character level unless the half hit points is less than the animals normal hit points. If the Cheysuli is a sorcerer or wizard, then he gets an addtional animal with all the wizard abilities for the familiar.

Shapechange: the Cheysuli may polymorph self to the kind of animal he/she is linked to. This ability does not apply to any familiars the character may have.

Earth Cure: the Cheysuli can cure his/her con bonus times character level per day. These points may be spread out between healings if desired.



Now my question is this. Is this race powerful enough to warrent giving it a +1 ECL?

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

Yes, it is better than a hengiyoki. It probably is a +2 especially if they can polymorph more than once a day.

Consider a dire badger, medium viper, eagle (extra HD), black bear. Or if they want to spy it could be much worse. Mouse, sparrow, bat, or rat can move undetected.

Consider a mouse assasin running through the walls and delivering a death attack bite to a sleeping victim.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Well... They essentially double their Con modifier bonus to HP with Earth Cure, which is incredibly significant. I'd say +2, maybe even +3, with the knowledge that there's no way to totally balance this off as is.