Monsters as PC's

[Bonehoard Taffer]

Say for instance a player was playing a monster as a PC and the monster was a CR 1. As I understand it, you would use that monster as a regular 1st level character. Just as if the player played one of the standard PC races (elf, dwarf, halfling, etc). However the CR 1 monster in this case also comes with a feat. Should that feat be considered that characters standard 1st level feat, or a bonus feat? Opinions?

 

[RogueJK]

Say for instance a player was playing a monster as a PC and the monster was a CR 1. As I understand it, you would use that monster as a regular 1st level character. Just as if the player played one of the standard PC races (elf, dwarf, halfling, etc). However the CR 1 monster in this case also comes with a feat. Should that feat be considered that characters standard 1st level feat, or a bonus feat? Opinions?

Actually CR has nothing to do with it. What you're looking for is ECL (Effective Character Level). This is used to determine what equivalent level character the monster is. For example, an ECL +1 race with a single level of any class would be equivalent to a 2nd level character.

For more information on playing a monster character, check out Soldarin's page at http://www.webspawner.com/users/soldarin/index.html

It explains most of the details on playing a monster character, including figuring their racial feats.

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

Actually CR has nothing to do with it. What you're looking for is ECL (Effective Character Level). This is used to determine what equivalent level character the monster is. For example, an ECL +1 race with a single level of any class would be equivalent to a 2nd level character.

For more information on playing a monster character, check out Soldarin's page at http://www.webspawner.com/users/soldarin/index.html

It explains most of the details on playing a monster character, including figuring their racial feats.

I figure for a 1/2 to 1 HD monster the ECL is pretty much a non issue because the ECL isn't going to be any different than that of a standard PC. Thanks though for the url.

 

[AGGEMAM]

I figure for a 1/2 to 1 HD monster the ECL is pretty much a non issue because the ECL isn't going to be any different than that of a standard PC. Thanks though for the url.

A 1/2 HD monster?

 

[hong]

A 1/2 HD monster?

You know: kobolds; cats; commoners....

 

[AGGEMAM]

So what he is saying is that 1/2 and 1 HD monster shouldn't have an ECL rating, right?

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

Technically speaking, I guess they would have ECLs as per the rules, but I just can't see it factoring too much into a game unless I sent in a million of em.

The monster is going to ultimately be used as an NPC, and I can't say for sure how much others of its species we impact the campaign. Right now I have no real plans for the monster race as a whole.

 

[AGGEMAM]

On which planet have you been living the last year or so ??

ECL+ ratings is ONLY used when making PCs.

CR+ ratings is ONLY used when making NPCs.

It's two entirely different things.

Example:

A PC drow has ECL +2

A NPC drow with core class levels has CR +1

A NPC drow with NPC class levels has CR +0 (actually +½, rounded up)

 

[Snoweel]

Yeah, it's all to do with the fact that PC's have to spread the use of their abilities out through the course of an adventure, where an ability usable "at will" can be extremely unbalanced, while an NPC only appearing in one encounter might not benefit so much from an ability usable at will, especially if it's not combat related.

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

On which planet have you been living the last year or so ??

Something must be rotten in Denmark for me to get snippy answers like that. All I did was ask a frickin question. Geez Louise.