level adjustment

[herb1347]

Hello, I got some questions.
If I choose a race that has a level adjustment, how do I deal with this since its not just an addition to you CR.
If I'm a sixteenth level character now with at least 120,000exp. And I choose a race that adds a +2 level adjustment do I.....

A. Become a 16th level character that needs 171,000exp (19th level) to become a 17th level character. OR

B. I become a 14th level character (since I only have 120,000exp) who needs 136,000exp (17th level) to become a 15th level character.

thanks

 

[mikebr99]

Welcome!!!!

And the answer is B.

 

[dcollins]

By the Core Rules, it's actually something else.

* You're "allowed" to create a 2 ECL race with 14 character levels when the DM allows 16th-level characters to enter play.
* This character is actually considered to be total level of 14 + racial HD (assuming more than 1) for purposes of XP.

See DMG p. 24 under "Experience for Monsters", paragraph 2.

 

[Jeremy]

The author of the DMG, Monte Cook has voiced the failings of the DMG method for dealing with monstrous characters that dcollin's listed. The updated version of this was in the FRCS and works slightly better.

The most recent updated version was printed in dragon magazine.

None of that helps you of course, so go here.

http://www.webspawner.com/users/enbsoldarin/index.html

This will cover just about everything you want to know about level adjustments.

The way I recommend you handle the XP of a newly ECL character is either the B choice (which is basically like getting an advance on 2 levels, you get all the benefits up front and then pay it off over the next couple of levels), or if the DM is really lenient take your XP / XP Needed for Next Level and make it proportionately the same as New XP / XP needed for 17th level.

So if you are at 94,500 XP out of 105,000 currently and you gain +2 ECL, adjust your new XP to 122,400 XP out of 136,000. Meaning you need 14,000 XP to level instead of 10,000 now representing your slower advancement but without the XP hole of needing 3 levels worth of XP to catch up.

But that'd take a rather lenient DM.

In any case, read up before you make your decision at the above link.