hobgoblin and ECL


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Two stat bonuses, no penalties? Darkvision? +4 Move Silently?

No penalties?

Sure, it's a moderately weak ECL +1, but then again, so is the Dwarf, mathematically.

-TRRW
 



+2 Dex and +2 Con makes it stronger than some of the other core races. Add in the 60ft Darkvision and the +4 to Move Silently and some might say that they are better than some of them. Assimars and Tieflings are in a similar situation. They have +2, +2 to two stats and a few other bonuses for their +1 LA.

Olaf the Stout
 

lets see aasimar and tiefling both have 3 energy resistances at 5 light/dark 1/day..2 +2 skills and 2 +2 stats and darkvision tieflings also get a -2 stat.....and lets see hobgoblines get 2 +2 stats ,darkvision and a +4 skill...but not spelllike powers or resistance..humm seems fair dont it
 


Hobgoblins definitely fall on the weak side of LA +1. The main reason they're stuck there is that unequal stat bonuses (ie. no penalties) = At least LA +1, automatically. I'm no fan of it, personally, and the Dwarf gets a tidier haul at LA +0 and can basically ignore its only stat penalty anyway (Charisma).

In Eberron games I tend to just rule them LA +0, but with a 32 point baseline as opposed to the assumed 25, games I run are inevitably higher powered than the hypothetical WoTC norm anyway.
 

yeah i've always ran them as LA +0 myself only done it twice but never seemed to have been an issue ..the no state pen never seemed to even up to a +1 LA to me but hey im odd so i thought i'd see what everone else thought on it
 

In general, +2 to two ability scores is worth about a level.

Take a look at +2 con, +2 int. It gives more benifit than a basic level does. Better hp and skillpoints over time, increased fort save bonus, +1 to all int based skills. Thats the equivelant of a level and a few feats (or standard racial features) for the extra hp/skill points.

Now assuming that dex is as valuable as int, and most say it is, then +2 dex +2 con is as valuable as a level.
In the long term you get +1 defence, +19 hp, +1 fort amd reflex save, +1 to attack with ranged weapons, +1 to all dex based skills, +4 to ms and darkvision. Thats worth a level and a couple feats (or standard racial features) so it seems balanced to me at +1 LA.
 

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