Need help/ideas for awakened animal pc

[Terwox]

Alright. This is going to sound a little wacky, and I guess it is, but, oh well.

Ok. In a FR game I'm planning on running, a friend wants to play something a little different. We both threw some ideas around, and came up with an awakened dire badger sorceror/techsmith. (Eh, the story works. If the game goes through, I'll explain in a story hour or something.)
For his familiar, he'll be using his badger son. Got that, heh.

Anyway, mainly, looking for what the EL for the race should be, whether I should make him use a feat to just be able to cast w/ paws instead of using still spell, etc. Whether a feat to let him suppress his unstoppable rage whenever he gets damaged would work... etc. ideas please!

 

[AGGEMAM]

There is one on WotC webpage under Perilous Portals or something, it is a awakened cat familiar NPC.

 

[Terwox]

Alright, here's what we're working with so far.
Awakened Dire badgers get: 3d8 hit die, +6listen/spot, +4str, +6 dex, +8con, +2 wis, the scent feat, and +1d3charisma (from the spell awaken.)

We're using monte cook's sorceror variant, btw.

I decided on an EL of 3, as these are far beyond drow (who are a weak EL2, yes,) and somewhat close to half-dragons and half-celestials, who are EL 3.

So, my questions change: Is EL+3 fair? Is letting him cast w/o a feat alright? (Is 10k gold for an item that grants him thumbs, for casting and tinkering, while wearing it [2nd level spell alter self, 3rd level caster, use activated] fair?) Should I grant him the +2 BAB from the two HD of dire badger? (I know I'm supposed to. I just don't know if that would bump it up to el+4.)

Having a tenth level equivalent character that's a sorceror with 120 or so hps does seem a bit unwieldy. But, if he gets hurt (and, with having to get custom armor just to get padded if possible, and monte cook's sorceror not getting shield til 2, etc, it'll happen) he flies into that blind rage that he can't end.

I think ogres are el+5, and they're somewhat comparable... but, I just don't know if it's really fair. I'll run this character by the other players as soon as I can.

I'm not looking for a general dire badger EL, just one that applies to this character. Also remember that this alt.sorceror doesn't get tenser's transformation... (iirc)

so, what sounds fair? the player and I just want the char to be roughly balanced, be it under or over, with the other chars. Speaking of that, they're starting at char level 10 for somewhat of a group prelude (after individual preludes for how they got to that level) and advancing semiquickly to 15, then normal slower progression will occur. So that's the levels to worry about for the ECL.

 

[Crothian]

Ecl is more like 4 or 5 because the templates and races you are comparing this to do not get HD included. That's a big boost, those extra HD are. I'd require a feat to be able to cast spells that nees somantic components, verbal and material are going to fine for you since you can speak and the Monte Sorcerer takes care of the material components.

He gets everything that the 3 HD of animal give him: BAB, saving throws, skills, feats, everything.

10K for an item to allow him to cast seems fine. I'd just allow it to allow him to cast without worrying to much on the why.

 

[Terwox]

Hm. You're right...
didn't think those HD granted saves...
Hm.
Well, how about this: What if I count it as though he was a 1HD creature, and just not grant him those things -- no 3d8+8 HD, no+2BAB. no save bonuses.
(ah, I forgot to mention, but I'll probably give him a minor vulnerability to fire. Maybe +1damage /two die, min +1? Not really for balancing, so much as a raging badger that's also on fire is just that much... better.)
If treated like that, as a 1hd race, would ECL+3 be fair?
Not by the book, but, shrug.

 

[Crothian]

+6listen/spot, +4str, +6 dex, +8con, +2 wis, the scent feat, and +1d3charisma

This seems about ecl +3. Do they get anything else? I leant out my copoy of the MM yesterday, so I can't look it up.

Out of pure curisoity why sorcerer? I sulute that class as the obvious choice 9 out of 10 people would take is a combot oriented character.

 

[Terwox]

Ah, it fits his story -- I'll throw the character into the rogue's gallery once we're done generating him.

But, in short -- the druid who awakened him was adventuring with a techsmith, whom the badger continually followed around. Druid sees badger is special (most badgers don't follow around machines, after all) and it becomes his companion. After awhile, the druid awakens him.

At least, that's what the badger remembers.
(Still working on the full true story myself.)

edit -- oh yeah, those mods are what all they get. thanks for the help!