A question about monster templates for PCs

[TremorFang]

I am about to be in a lv 3 pathfinder game and I would like to play as a werewolf. I already looked over the template "rules" but I am a bit confused on a few things.

1) - Am I correct in believing that the CR +1 for the Lycanthrope is added to my characters level at character creation? Or is it CR +2? Don't quite understand.

1A) - If so, then lets say I wanted to play a barbarian. Would a level 3 human / werewolf character have only 2 levels in barbarian with the werewolf making up the 3rd level. Or would it be a full 3 levels of barbarian.

1B) - If that is true, how would feats, HD, and other components work if you don't have 1 level out of 3?

2) - Is using a monster template, such as a werewolf balanced enough that it is fair for the other players?

2A) - If not then how can it be made to be more balanced / fair.

3) - Do I build my base character, the human barbarian with feats, items, attributes and hit dice before I add the werewolf aspect? Even though I plan on being a werewolf that inherited its lycanthropy.

Sorry for all of the questions, just really want to play a werewolf. Love those natural attacks and howling and such.

 

[Salthorae]

According to this page

You would be a Level 2 Barbarian Werewolf as the template is CR +1 for powerful creatures like that as a PC, and 2+1=3 at your stated levels...

As always you need to run it by the DM first though.

1B) You would still get Feats based on monster HD if the creature had any, in this case they don't as it's just the template on top of your class/humanoid HD.

2) Pathfinder templates are much more balanced than 3.5. In this example, the werewolf can be any HD and doesn't gain all that much in teh way of bonuses. In 3.5 a werewolf would have to be a minimum of 5th level creature and you wouldn't have any class levels, but your bonuses to stats were much more significant.

3) - You would apply the template to your human and then add the class levels and such.

 

[TremorFang]

Awesome. Thanks for the info.