Using Monsters as PC's

[shishimo]

firstly hello all,

I am having a dispute, Im told this is not one of their house rules and i disagree. Now we are making characters equal to a max of level 4. Now they are telling me that i have to add the number of hit to the level adjustment and that is the level of the creature.

EX: Gnoll has, HD 2d8+2, LA +1.

They say that this would equal level 3 with no class. This is where is disagree. Doesnt this just indicate that i would be equal to 1 + my class level, exp wise, thus being equal to a level 4 with 3 levels of barbarian?

 

[Iku Rex]

They're right, you're wrong.

Add a monster’s level adjustment to its Hit Dice and class levels to get the creature’s effective character level, or ECL.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm

 

[frankthedm]

firstly hello all,

I am having a dispute, Im told this is not one of their house rules and i disagree. Now we are making characters equal to a max of level 4. Now they are telling me that i have to add the number of hit to the level adjustment and that is the level of the creature.

EX: Gnoll has, HD 2d8+2, LA +1.

They say that this would equal level 3 with no class. This is where is disagree. Doesnt this just indicate that i would be equal to 1 + my class level, exp wise, thus being equal to a level 4 with 3 levels of barbarian?

A Gnoll barbarian 1 would be a 4th level PC. { 1 LA + 2 Humaniod hit dice + 1 Barbarian level.

Gnolls were built to be foes not PCs.

 

[shishimo]

...

Would that be why it says it starts with two levels of humanoid?

 

[javcs]

Would that be why it says it starts with two levels of humanoid?

Yep.

 

[phindar]

Monstrous humanoid levels are a bit of a screw-job. Look to Savage Species, it has rules for starting monster characters out at lower levels. Personally, I'd prefer to see more LA +0 monsters, because I just like monsters. I can understand needing to restict mechanical bonuses within the system, but I don't think players should be punished for what are essentially thematic decisions. (Sometimes, you just want to look like a gnoll.)

If you want to play a dogman and you don't want to take the gnoll LA hit, see if your GM will let you play a Sibeccai from AE. They're a starting PC race. Or, see if you can ditch the MH levels.

 

[frankthedm]

Monstrous humanoid levels are a bit of a screw-job.

Humaniod level are the screw job. At least monterous humaniods give full bab, Reflex saves and will saves {Melee's weak saves]

 

[zypherillius]

Humaniod level are the screw job. At least monterous humaniods give full bab, Reflex saves and will saves {Melee's weak saves]

aint that the truth, the level adjustment on the doppelganger eats playing up, but they provide for better builds, espcially out of the box characters like a fighter. three levels of swashbuckler, a few of fighter than into kensai makes for quite a unique build, espically after three levels of warshaper. *sigh*