Level adjustment

[Liquidsabre]

The LA "buy-back" is a steal. Given the way lower level party members gain more XP, it's well worth the expense.

Actually this was one of worries of using the UA Variant: Reducing LA. We started seeing an over abundance of +1 LA races in new PCs in the group as it is in fact quite good for just +1 LA (3,000 XP at 4th level). Less desirable for LA +3 and higher since it takes a lot longer to utilize this variant. Because of this I'm considering increasing the cost for the first +1 LA.

For the feat Practised Spellcaster I always thought allowing the feat to add +4 caster levels up to maximum HD *or* maximum ECL (to be chosen when this feat is selected - so a multiclassed caster with racial LA might want to take the feat twice while a multiclassed caster or a caster with a racial LA might both wish to take the feat). As it is though, I much rather use some kind of Magic Rating (UA Variant) instead so casters may not have the higher level spell access but still have a decently competent caster level for their character level.

 

[Nail]

Actually this was one of worries of using the UA Variant: Reducing LA. We started seeing an over abundance of +1 LA races in new PCs in the group as it is in fact quite good for just +1 LA (3,000 XP at 4th level).

Exactly.

It's relatively easy to "make up the difference" in the lower levels. And consider how a "one-shot" PC could be built at higher levels; just pay the XP cost and be the same level as everyone else (minus a few XP).

Now alot of the advantage of paying for a +1 LA race is based on how useful the racial abilities are at higher level. SR -- for example -- is useful at every level, whereas skill bonuses and some ability score adjustments would not be. Even wings wouldn't be that useful at high level (as everyone can magically fly anyway).

 

[Kestrel]

As a GM, I would simply ask, why do you want to be a drow? Because they are cool and have a neat background? Or because you like the leet abilities they get?

If its the former, then take standard elf abilities and lose drow specials because you went to the surface. Still got the cool history and can be as powerful as the other players. If its the latter, take the LA hit and deal with it.

(No tone in this, just a statement of how I would handle)

 

[Nail]

As a GM, I would simply ask, why do you want to be a drow? Because they are cool and have a neat background? Or because you like the leet abilities they get?

DM: "Why do you want to be a drow?"

Player: "They're just so cool, and 'cause I've got a great "outcast" background."

DM: "Okay then."

Player: "......and they've got such cool abilities!"

 

[JiffyPopTart]

You could be a regular elf who was kidnapped by the drow and later escaped. That way you can have no LA and not be behind.

Alternately you could pick a regular elf and actually BE a drow but say you were raised at an early age by regular elves and as such have their rulesset.

DS

 

[Seeten]

You could be a regular elf who was kidnapped by the drow and later escaped. That way you can have no LA and not be behind.

Alternately you could pick a regular elf and actually BE a drow but say you were raised at an early age by regular elves and as such have their rulesset.

DS

Or, you could be a human, cursed by the gods to look like a drow for a crime committed by your father's father's forefather's forehead.

That way, you get to be the best possible Wizard race, you "look" like a drow, and ...

Or, you could be a human, with a hat of disguise, which you choose to make yourself look drow, because...your not to bright?

Or, a changeling, who always looks like a drow because he finds it challenging.

Or, you could accept that LA adjustments make you a ridiculously bad wizard, and try for a whole new concept.

 

[Sejs]

(all with DM approval, of course):

Use the lesser drow variant rule in the back of the Player's Guide to Faerun. Same great better-because-its-underdark taste, half the calories. And half the LA.

Then use the LA buyback rules from UA and pony up 3k exp at 3rd level to shed your remaining +1 LA.

Mind you, your racial abilities will be less pronounced, but that's not what you're after.... right?

 

[Kestrel]

DM: "Why do you want to be a drow?"

Player: "They're just so cool, and 'cause I've got a great "outcast" background."

DM: "Okay then."

Player: "......and they've got such cool abilities!"

9 times out of 10

 

[Krelios]

What DM is going to allow you to planeshift somewhere safe and get free xp/loot by spamming astral projection on "sucide runs" over and over?

The same one who let you play a Mind Flayer to begin with?

 

[erc1971]

I have never been very happy with the Level Adjustments in D20.

For your big, brutish fighters they are right on the money IMO. +2 LA for Half-Ogre. Perfect. The CON and STR bonuses will help make up for lack of hit die and BAB, giving you a character that can still be effective despite being down 2 levels.

However, the instant you move to a race that works for anything other than the sterotype of the "Me Grog, me smash!" type of character, you are going to severely nerfing your character's effectiveness.

Drow: +2 LA. OUCH! (BTW: hearing they are adjusting to +1, reasonable, cool ) SR by RAW should give the Drow an LA of -1. It is more of a hinderance than a boon. (Figher at 3 hit points, about to get full attacked by Red Dragon. "Heal" spell bounces ) (We houserule this ability heavily) Darkvision is useless as everyone else in the party is going to need a lightsource, and in addition, it won't even help you in the slightest inside the Darkness spell, arg!. This means you are paying 2 levels for +2 to INT and CHA. Unless you are a Warmage (and with the PHB2, Beguiler), you are getting next to nothing for your 2 levels.

Winged Elf: 3 levels!!! 3 levels for the ability to fly and some DEX bonus?! Midly helpful for an archer, but I would still rather have all my levels and wait until the party wizard can cast the Fly spell. Besides, Raptorians have no LA and earn the abilities of this race over time. If feel as if the insanely high LA was applied to this race since Flying is something normally unavailable until level 5, meaning you are destroying your character to gain a neat ability a few levels earlier that has almost no affect after 4 levels. With some extra thought put into a few early adventures by the DM, this race could easily be LA +1.

Am I way off base, or do others feel the same way?

Eric