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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jeff Wilder" data-source="post: 4746778" data-attributes="member: 5122">If you mean that LA is a bigger hit to the character, then yes.  Racial hit dice are weak compared to class hit dice, but at least you're getting something.But this is a pretty big "except."  And note that buying off LA is an optional rule, not a core (or even "splatbook-official" rule.It depends.Are you concerned with character optimization?   Are you going to be a spellcaster, a skill-monkey, or a combat monster?  Is your DM going to allow buying off LA?All of these interact.  For example, if you're going to play a spellcaster, pretty much always avoid anything with racial hit dice.  And only accept even a +1 LA if the benefits to your class are major (or if your DM allows buy-off).  On the other hand, racial hit dice aren't as bad for a combat-oriented character.  On the third hand, a skill-monkey with racial hit dice gets screwed because most racial hit dice give (2+Int mod)*4 skill points for the first HD, and skill monkeys really need that big (8+Int mod)*4 early boost to skills.But going the other way, it can be really fun to play something like, oh, a pixie.  If you're not interested in being a well-oiled machine of a PC, and more interested in exploring some PC oddities, the hit you take from RHD or LA doesn't really matter.It's pretty bad, yes.  Drow have some amazing abilities, and it's hard to argue that anything less than a +2 LA would be fair, but you'll end up being a weak combat character or a gimped caster.  (And there are hidden costs to being a drow.  Like, for example, your party cleric failing his SR check when he tries to heal you in combat ... )  A skill-monkey drow would probably suffer the least, because drow abilities are very useful to them.On the other hand, I played a drow evoker once, and had a fantastic time, so it's really not all about optimization.</blockquote>

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