Will
First Post
I realize Paizo is rather cool on the idea of monster PCs, but for those out there really keen on the idea, here's a very simple mini-system.
Racial HD buys off LA as follows:
1/2 LA per level: Animal, Construct, Fey, Humanoid, Plant, Undead
1/4 LA per level: Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid
(Outsider is about equal to PC class, Dragon is worth possibly even more, depending, so aren't listed)
Anything with racial HD has essentially already paid off LA. If you'd rather handle LA a different way, you could trade it back in when creating a monster PC.
So an ogre has 4 Humanoid (Giant in 3.5, but it's pretty much the same) racial HD and LA of +2. He could either trade in the humanoid Racial HD and have LA of +4, or could continue leveling as a Humanoid, buying off LA over 4 more levels.
If you are using ECL/3.5-style LA, you will gain HD two at a time with the 1/2 LA HD.
That is, if the ogre has 4 Humanoid HD and LA +2, his ECL is 6. Adding 2 humanoid HD buys off LA by 1, netting ECL 7... so 'gain a level, gain 2 HD.'
If you are using LA as negative levels, then you simply buy them off over time.
Racial HD are favored class if they match your type. You can take other racial HD as long as it's vaguely reasonable, which might be a good idea if you are a Monstrous Humanoid or Magical Beast.
Lycanthropes may trade in their animal side's HD in exchange for LA, or gain extra animal HD to buy off their LA.
Racial HD buys off LA as follows:
1/2 LA per level: Animal, Construct, Fey, Humanoid, Plant, Undead
1/4 LA per level: Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid
(Outsider is about equal to PC class, Dragon is worth possibly even more, depending, so aren't listed)
Anything with racial HD has essentially already paid off LA. If you'd rather handle LA a different way, you could trade it back in when creating a monster PC.
So an ogre has 4 Humanoid (Giant in 3.5, but it's pretty much the same) racial HD and LA of +2. He could either trade in the humanoid Racial HD and have LA of +4, or could continue leveling as a Humanoid, buying off LA over 4 more levels.
If you are using ECL/3.5-style LA, you will gain HD two at a time with the 1/2 LA HD.
That is, if the ogre has 4 Humanoid HD and LA +2, his ECL is 6. Adding 2 humanoid HD buys off LA by 1, netting ECL 7... so 'gain a level, gain 2 HD.'
If you are using LA as negative levels, then you simply buy them off over time.
Racial HD are favored class if they match your type. You can take other racial HD as long as it's vaguely reasonable, which might be a good idea if you are a Monstrous Humanoid or Magical Beast.
Lycanthropes may trade in their animal side's HD in exchange for LA, or gain extra animal HD to buy off their LA.
