Half-Dragon

[Nathan P. Mahney]

Aha! No wonder I couldn't find it - I don't own a 3.5 Monster Manual. Off to d20srd.org, methinks. I'll probably go with the actual template, as opposed to the PrC - I don't think this will be a long term player.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

I suggest allowing it only via the Dragon Disciple PrC for PCs, and not just allowing them to take the template and say that's that.

Depending on the other PCs' levels, it might be better to gradually add the template over the three levels with no increase in the character's original class. Our DM that allows crazy templates has allowed us to "buy" off the level losses with XP. I don't recall the formula but it's based on level and the amount increases the higher level you're wanting to buy off.

 

[Betelgeuse]

a bit more of the same from a different direction. the half dragon in question is planning to be a half dragon/elven wizard. to be 4th level like the rest of the party the wizard should be first level right? +3 level adjustment and 1 wizard. but my main sticking point at the moment is the hit dice/points. the template says add one to the racial hd and not increase class hd. pc's don't have racial hd. that means that everyone else will have 4hd but this half dragon will only have 1d4+con. not sounding like the best of ideas anymore.
any other input?

 

[IcyCool]

a bit more of the same from a different direction. the half dragon in question is planning to be a half dragon/elven wizard. to be 4th level like the rest of the party the wizard should be first level right? +3 level adjustment and 1 wizard. but my main sticking point at the moment is the hit dice/points. the template says add one to the racial hd and not increase class hd. pc's don't have racial hd. that means that everyone else will have 4hd but this half dragon will only have 1d4+con. not sounding like the best of ideas anymore.
any other input?

If you are going for a spellcaster, I wouldn't recommend any templates. You don't want to take a caster level hit like that. If you are dead set on it, take a look at the Draconomicon (specifically, the Draconic creature template), and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting (at their various flavors of half-dragon (they don't call it half-dragon though)). All of those half a smaller LA, which means a smaller Caster level hit.

If you aren't going for a spellcaster, I still wouldn't recommend the template until high levels, as you'll lose out on 3 HD, which can be very difficult at low levels. (as you have already discovered).

If you want to go the Dragon Disciple route, you'll note that it is more useful to a fighter type character. Take one level of sorcerer, or a couple levels of bard, and then the rest in whatever fighting type class you want until you can jump into the prestige class.

Edit - Welcome to the board, by the way.