Gestalting and LA

[The Amazing Dingo]

We're going to be beginning a game soon and with only two PCs we took into consideration the Gestalt rules to bump up the power level for the PCs a bit. There are several factors into this (this way the DM doesn't have to prepare as many NPCs to keep the part up at the appropriate level and the PCs can still take on challenges more appropriate with their level, etc.). However, a question came up concerning Gestalting with Racial LA.

How do these two ideas mesh? Per the rules, the Racial LA have no Gestalting ability. Similarly, if you are beginning play at level 11 for 0 Racial LA character, then counting a +4 Racial Class as a +2 does not keep with balance either.

Any suggestions here? Anyone out there used the Gestalt rules and ran into this problem?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Li Shenron]

I think most would count the LA against the levels of one of the two classes only.

For example, a 5lv gestalt Drow fighter/cleric may be Ftr5/Clr3 or Clr5/Ftr3.

Not sure if this is too good anyway. OTOH I think that some have suggested this way already in other threads.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

Why not use the Savage Species Monster Class progressions as one of the classes? After you've finished up the class keep advancing the monster hit die or switch to a standard class.

 

[Vurt]

In my current campaign, we apply the LA against both gestalt classes, mostly to keep the bookkeeping simple. Since you have to rebalance the opposition anyway to deal with your particular group of gestalt characters, it's not too bad.

That said, there's also another rule we use from Unearthed Arcana that lets you buy off increments of the LA with experience points at regular intervals, to eventually drop it down to LA+0. The combination works well, IMHO.

Cheers,
Vurt

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I just reduce LA by one for every three full levels, and allow PCs to buy off LA with experience points.

Not that anyone in my group plays anything with an LA, anyway.

edit: Worth noting, though, unless the race is an Outsider or a Dragon, I allow them to combine their racial HD with their Favored Class.

 

[Crothian]

there ar some great feats for a gestalt character in complete adventurer...they weren't designed for those characters, but they work super well

 

[arscott]

Gestalt LA:
Use an LA race with an LA template applied, and let the two overlap.

 

[The Amazing Dingo]

Thank you all very much for the suggestions. We are definately discussing them and more are always welcome.

Gestalt LA:
Use an LA race with an LA template applied, and let the two overlap.

I'm pointing this one out because it was our initial decision to try this. However, both think it is a bit too powerful. When you gestalt character levels you are often getting an overlap in a few areas, whether it be the BAB or the Saves...somewhere you are loosing some of the power of those levels. When you stack the Race and Template there is over no overlap. Thats why we began to look into different areas.