Building A ECL of 5

[BlackSeed_Vash]

Greetings! I am about to join a new campainge and the Dm has stated that following rules for character creation.
1) None of the standard or subvarients of those standard races can be used. Orcs do not count as standard/sub race.
2) The character must have one and only one class level.
3) We are allowed any monster race within the MM and MM2, as well as any templet avaliable there.
4) The total ECL may not exceed 5. (Ie. HD + LA + 1 class lvl equals or less than ECL 5)

What I would like to know is what race or race with templet you guys would suggest.
I'll be building a Fighter or a Monk, depending on what I finally decide upon.

EDITED

 

[Andras]

Bugbear
3 monsterous HD
1 Class HD
LA+1
ECL 5

 

[Dracandross]

Sounds like it would be good idea to have monsterous HDs in addition to that 1 class lvl. But lets forget that.

Half dragon template (adj+3)
class 1
Any race with +1 adj (aasimar, thiefling)

or
Wererat (adj 3, natural hd 1)
class lvl 1

- Dracandross

 

[comrade raoul]

Ooh, try the "maralurk" in Sandstorm (p. 170), whose LA of +1 is probably significantly too low. Small monstrous humanoid, 3 hit dice, but it gets, pretty amazingly, +3 natural armor, a +2d6 sneak attack ability, great ability adjustments (+2 Str, +6 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Wis, and +4 Cha), assassin-like poison use and a DC 11 + Cha bonus death attack, 60 foot darkvision, a "nauseating breath" ability, and Point Blank Shot and Rapid Shot as bonus feats. Stunningly awesome choice.

 

[rowport]

Wererat (adj 3, natural hd 1)
class lvl 1

I am currently playing a Wererat Monk. While it was rough for the low-levels (using the template levels from WOTC's web site), now at mid-levels he is pretty effective. If you start at ECL5 you will enjoy this combo. The lycantropes' WIS bonus synergizes well with the Monk AC bonus, and the Wererat's DEX and mobility (Climb speed!) work even better still, especially with Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. Your hit points are a bit low, losing two levels of HD and only 2d8 for Monk and Dire Rat racial HD, but your DR/Silver helps compensate quite a bit, and your AC is great!

If you go this path, you should check with your DM on:
1. use of natural weapons after flurry (applying all penalties on all attacks)- the FAQ says 'yes', but there is lots of debate
2. use of magic items while in animal or hybrid shapes- again, the FAQ says (said?) 'yes', but it is muddy now with the changes to polymorph/wild shape/shapechange, etc.

 

[IndyPendant]

Half-Dragon (MM1, +3 ECL) Goliath (Races of Stone +1 ECL) Tank-type. If you mean that the ECL cannot exceed +5 (i.e. 1 class level = ECL 6) then even better: Half-Ogre (Races of Destiny, +2 ECL) instead of Goliath.

For a caster...hrm. I'd probably just go Half-Celestial (MM1, ECL +4).

 

[Stalker0]

How about the classic Githzerai monk 3?

+6 dex, +2 wisdom, -2 int.
You'll have SR 8 and the big one, a +4 armor bonus to AC, compensating for the monks normally low AC.

This guy has an AC 7 higher than a human monk 5.

 

[IndyPendant]

--Catfolk (Races of the Wild, +1 ECL) - Dex +4, Move 40, Nat Armour +1, some other minor stuff..
--Half-Dragon (MM1, +3ECL) - Whole ton'a useful goodies.

A...scaled...furrie...buttkicker...

*twitch*

 

[Andras]

4 posts failed to comply with the OP, good going y'all.

 

[BlackSeed_Vash]

Seriously contemplating taking Orc [1HD +0KA] and WereSnake, Constricting (Natural) [+3 LA] or WereCheetah (Natural) [+3 LA] and then going with Warrior.