(Discussion) General Part VI

[Pbartender]

New races are not a problem (we do have the 'mountain goblins' lying around here somewhere), it's the Level Adjust.

Despite the XP penalty to advancing levels, LA creatures provide a distinct boost in powers to your typical 1st-level character and give a significant head start.

Simply put, if we allowed people to start characters with level adjusts, then we'd also have to let people start characters with higher levels too... That opens a big can of worms and it isn't what LEW is about. Current players have been working hard for months to gain a couple levels for their characters, and it would be decidely unfair and insulting to them, in particular, if we started allowing free level adjustment boosts.

There are enough 0 LA races to make anyone happy, we really don't need races with level adjustment. If there is something that you really want that isn't covered by the available races, then type it up as a 0 LA race, and make a proposal out of it.

 

[DM-Rocco]

So then would I start a new post on the forum or type it in here?

 

[Kangaxx]

I can't speak for the judges here, since I'm not one, but in one of my campaigns I would never allow a race with 0 LA and a bonus to a mental stat. The benefits it gives to a low level spellcaster (higher save DCs and more bonus spells, potentially another bonus spell at 1st level, in addition to the normal benefits of a higher stat) are greater than what racial mods should provide. This is why there's no races with mental bonuses in the PHB.

 

[The Goblin King]

So then would I start a new post on the forum or type it in here?

In its own thread. The title should be something like '(Proprosal) Star Elves'

 

[Kahuna Burger]

New races are not a problem (we do have the 'mountain goblins' lying around here somewhere), it's the Level Adjust.

Despite the XP penalty to advancing levels, LA creatures provide a distinct boost in powers to your typical 1st-level character and give a significant head start.

Simply put, if we allowed people to start characters with level adjusts, then we'd also have to let people start characters with higher levels too... That opens a big can of worms and it isn't what LEW is about. Current players have been working hard for months to gain a couple levels for their characters, and it would be decidely unfair and insulting to them, in particular, if we started allowing free level adjustment boosts.

There's no need for the level boost to be free. A couple of different proposals have been floated to allow level adjusted races. One would be allowing those who choose to retire or not raise a leveled character to bring in a new one at equivelent XP. This would continue to reward seniority (not a priority of mine, but seemingly a core value of LEW) and allow members of CCCA* to explore new ideas without overrunning Enworld with characters.
*Compulsive Character Creators Anonymous

A second idea would be to break any LA race down into racial levels. A player who wanted an Asimar cleric PC, for instance, could start out with one cleric level, no stat adjustments, darkvision and the +2 bonus to spot and listen, and be basicly balanced with a human cleric1. When the character leveled normally, he would gain no hit die or skill points, but get the +2 to wis and cha, energy resistances and daylight use and be considered a 2nd level character for all XP purposes. Or the split could be done differently, but if an impartial judge approved the 1st level version, I don't see a problem. For a race with a +2 LA, it would probably be safer to go cleric1, race1, cleric2, race2 as an advancement so they don't get killed by a goblin sneeze at 3rd level, but its not really that hard to do fairly.

There are enough 0 LA races to make anyone happy, we really don't need races with level adjustment. If there is something that you really want that isn't covered by the available races, then type it up as a 0 LA race, and make a proposal out of it.

I disagree with this line of thought entirely. Theoretically everyone could be "happy" with only humans, or only phb races, or whatever, but in practice people come up with character ideas and want to try them out. If we come up with one or two methods of making sure no one is getting a level of power they didn't "earn", there is no reason to exclude LA+ races.

Kahuna Burger

 

[Knight Otu]

I find myself in favor of the retirement option for races with racial hit dice and/or a level adjustment higher than +0.

There are a few other options. From what I heard (and read on the WotC site), the Player's Guide to Faerun has two options - one, lesser versions, but that would require that all members of that race are the lesser version.

Two, negative level adjustments. I'm not sure about them. I wonder if anyone has tested them in their games?

 

[DM-Rocco]

Kangaxx, I disagree with you on that point, one extra spell for a higher INT is nothing when compared to the consistant use of an extra 1 damage from having a higher STR or the better AC from having a higher DEX. A higher DEX is also useful for lots of skills, more than any other ability in the game. The DMG gives rules for creating new races and doesn't say stay away from mental races unless you give them a level adjustment.

Thanks guys, I am going to post a new race or two on another thread sometime tonight or tomorrow. I will also include ideas for getting around the LA.

I think that it would be a good idea to use the retirment idea, however, seeing how hard it is to get into an adventure, that might take for ever.

 

[Uriel]

I will be unable to post until late Tuesday.

Sorry all.

-Uriel

 

[Otakkun]

Well, if there was a poll about it, I'd vote for either no LA races to max +1. it's just easier that way.

Star Elves? Couldn't it be a completely new race? I hate elfitis. Half Elans maybe

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I don't think this is important enough to require a full proposal, but I'm giving a slightly non standard item as treasure in one of my games, and I figured I better stat it out here in case anyone could see strong objections to a player owning it. Its basicly an Imovable Rod with the added functionality of being able to extend from both ends to form a 10 foot pole. (its part of the treasure from a circus based on some musing about how very cool an acrobat trained with an imovable rod could be, espciaily if it could be extended to form part of a pair of uneven bars (or whatever that gymnastics equiptment is called). So basicly, its this:

Acrobat's Rod: This rod is an iron bar with a small button on each end. When one button is pushed (a move action), the rod does not move from where it is, even if staying in place defies gravity. Thus, the owner can lift or place the rod wherever he wishes, push the button, and let go. When the second button is pushed (also a move action), the rod extends in each direction, to form a 10 foot pole. These two functionalities can be used seperately or together in any order. A 'placed' acrobat's rod can support up to 8,000 pounds before falling to the ground. If a creature pushes against the center of the rod, it must make a DC 30 Strength check to move the rod up to 10 feet in a single round. An extended, placed rod can be turned up to a one quarter rotation in one round with a DC 25 strength check applied against one end.
Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Rod, levitate, shrink item; Price 7,000 gp.

The one in my campaign has been used as a rough weapon by placing it and extending it into a charging beast, and I could include rules for that sort of thing, or it can be made clear that its a flavor use (which to a certain extent could be done with the none expanding version as well) and subject to the whim of the particular DM. Its largly a utility item, though like drawing a weapon, I'm inclined to say that pushing a button can be a free action when combined with a move action (works better for tumbling that way).

Kahuna Burger