Lizardmen and EL question

[Erithtotl]

I have a player who may be playing a Lizardman character, and I want to make sure I have the EL stuff straight. According to the SRD and Monster manual:

Lizardfolk characters possess the following racial traits.
— +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence.
—Medium size.
—A lizardfolk’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Racial Hit Dice: A lizardfolk begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +0.
—Racial Skills: A lizardfolk’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Balance, Jump, and Swim. Lizardfolk have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Jump, and Swim checks.
—Racial Feats: A lizardfolk’s humanoid levels give it one feat.
—Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A lizardfolk is automatically proficient with simple weapons and shields.
— +5 natural armor bonus.
—Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d4).
—Special Qualities (see above): Hold breath.
—Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc.
—Favored Class: Druid.
—Level adjustment +1.


I'm not sure I understand just an EL of +1. +2 str, +2 con with only a -2 int, 2 levels of humanoid, a +5 natural armor bonus, claw/claw/bite, plus bonuses to skills and the ability to hold breath, that seems like some pretty impressive bonuses for just being behind by one level.

On a related question, if I start this person as a 3rd level fighter, then their hit dice will be 2d8 + 3d10. I assume that they get their +1 ability bonus for the 4th hit die, and that next level they get their bonus feat? Or is it calulated differently?

 

[noeuphoria]

The lizardman character has to take 2 racial hit dice. Those 2 hit dice count towards his level (essentially, the character has to take his first 2 levels in "humanoid". So if you had a 3rd level party, the character would come in with no class levels. He would have his 2 racial hit dice, and his adjustment of +1 puts him the same as a 3rd level character. Now, if it was a 5th level party, he could come in with 2 levels of fighter. The racial hit dice are not an advantage, they represent an additional level investment.

 

[sledged]

noeuphoria's got your answer on ECL: Level Adjustment + racial HD + class levels = ECL

On a related question, if I start this person as a 3rd level fighter, then their hit dice will be 2d8 + 3d10. I assume that they get their +1 ability bonus for the 4th hit die, and that next level they get their bonus feat? Or is it calulated differently?

Racial HD are treated the same as class levels for the purpose of feat acquisitions. So when a lizardman takes a class level, he becomes a 3 HD creature and gains his next feat. Look under Chapter 4: Improving Monsters. Don't know exactly where it is in the SRD, but in the MM, it's on page 290. Ability score increases work the same as well, so when the lizardman gets two class levels on top of his two racial HD, he can increase one of his ability scores by one.

 

[Aaron2]

The racial hit dice are not an advantage, they represent an additional level investment.

There more of a disadvantage since monster hit die are way worse than any PC class.


Aaron