How does ECL work?

[Nvvyn]

A player in my campaign wishes to play an Earth genasi Barbarian. How does this work? all the players start at 1st level? so he would effectively be 0th level, but what does he retain as a 0th level chaafcter? and when he levels to 1st level (a humans 2nd level), what does he get?? does he get an extra HD and all??

 

[Crothian]

It mean on the XP chart you are second level. You start with 1000xp, and don't gain a level till 3000xp.

 

[VorpalBunny]

Exactly. Since according to the FRCS, genasi are ECL +1; this means that their first level is "genasi". In other words, any run of the mill genasi is a 1st-level character. When he starts his adventuring career and becomes a 1st-level barbarian, he is in effect a 2nd-level character (1 "level" of genasi + 1 level of barbarian). So to advance to 2nd-level barbarian, he'd need enough experience for a total of 3 levels - just like multiclassing.

 

[Crothian]

You can start out 0th level using the apprentice level optional rule in the DMG. That of course would be up to you and your DM.

 

[Caliber]

As Crothian already mentioned, I would allow a +1 ECL character to start at Apprentice level in one class. When everyone elses becomes level 2, he will reach level 1.