Half-Stonechild LA

[Herzog]

I am about to start a new campaign, characters will start at lvl 4.

Because of the campaign setting (homebrewn, I will not go into detail here) half-race combinations of any type are quite common, and half-races not present in other campaigns may exist.

Now, since the characters start at lvl 4, LA of 3 or lower is required to be able to add class levels to your character before play.

One of my players was interested in the Stonechild, but since it has a LA of 4, it was not an option. Hence, the half-stonechild. (Yes, I know the stonechild is already a halfbreed. Lets call it a quarter-elemental and skip to the question at hand)

I simply halved all the bonusses except for the +2/-2 ability bonuses, which I kept intact.
I changed the poison and acid immunities to resistance ( acid resistance 5 and poison saving throw bonus +2 ) and removed the 'magic stone' ability.
I changed the preferred class to 'Any' because of the increased human heritage present in the half-stonechild.

Since I was halving all the bonusses, I figured the LA of this creature should also be halved.
So, half-stonechild has an LA of +2.
But now I am starting to wonder. Was that correct?

Any input on what LA this half-stonechild should have?

Herzog.

 

[Herzog]

some additional info:

Half Stonechild:

• +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
• Size: Medium
• Base speed 30 feet
• Darkvision 60 feet
• No Racial Hit Dice
• No Racial Skills
• No Racial Feats
• No Weapon or Armor proficiencies
• Natural armor +2
• +5 DR Acid, +2 ST vs Poison
• Favored Class: Any
• Level adjustment +2 (for now....)

 

[starwed]

My gut feeling is that this is too weak for an LA +2, and could probably get away with being an LA +1.

Compare it to the Goliath. Goliaths get +4 Str, +2 Con, and powerful build. I don't think swapping powerful build for +2 natural armor, slightly better stats, and weak energy resistance knock it up a whole +1 LA.

You'd probably want to compare it to the half-ogre (races of destiny?), which is also LA +2.

 

[Herzog]

as a matter of fact, another player is playing a half-ogre, and I did compare it to the half-ogre.

The half ogre gets +6 to strength and +2 to con, but has 3 penalties (-2 dex, -2 int, -2 cha) to compensate, where the half-stonechild only has 1 penalty.
the half ogre gets larger size (with reach), and +4 to natural armor, where the half-stonechild gets medium size and +2 natural armor.
half-ogre gets no additional resistances, where the half-stonechild gets acid resistance and poison resistance.
both get darkvision and base speed 30.
half-ogre has favored class:barbarian, half-stonchild has favored class:any.

this led me to the conclusion that LA+2 might have been to low.
but then, I haven't compared it to the goliath yet. (might do that later)

Herzog

 

[starwed]

Being of large size is, in and of itself, a huge deal. You get natural reach, increased damage, and a nice bonus on disarm/grapple/trip checks and the like. It's pretty much worth LA +1 its own, despite the penalties to hit and to AC.

And the +6/+2 to Str/Con is probably better than +4/+4. Almost all of the half-ogres abilities synergize to make it a perfect barbarian/fighter. To the type of build which makes best use of the half-ogres strengths, the penalties to Cha/Int are pretty much irrelevant.

Remember that an LA is balanced off the most powerful build possible with the class. The half-ogres abilities all work together to make it an LA +2. The half-stonechild you posted has less weaknesses, but also less strengths, and that means its more inherantly balanced.

 

[Herzog]

Ok, I'm taking your advice and reduce the LA to +1.

Unless, of course, someone else has arguments to the contrary?

Herzog