Pixie LA=4?

[Pinotage]

I've been looking at the pixie as a player race since in a game I'm in one of the other players has chosen to play one. Is the LA correct? It just seems so low for what you get. LA+6 or even +8 would make more sense. If it is correct, just how do you kill a Pixie/Sorceror 8 (ECL 12) with 28 point buy in stats? The Charisma goes through the roof, DR, SR, permanent invisibility, con boosts to hp, etc.

Is it just me or does the LA look very low?

Pinotage

 

[Thanee]

But you know that an ECL 12 Pixie Sorcerer only has 4th instead of 6th level spells and only about 2/3 of the hit points, yes? Two fewer feats, too (9th and 12th level).

I think the LA is pretty fair. Like most LA races, the benefits are great at early levels, but lessen more and more the higher you go.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Pinotage]

Yes, but with a Charisma of 30, your save DCs are incredible even on 1st level spells, hence making them almost as effective as higher level spells. Charm Person DC 21 on a will save is not something even mages can easily achieve. It's still very difficult to kill one of those. I suppose a 12th level mage with spell penetration and see invisibility could do the job, but in a party of fighter, cleric, rogue, bard, the pixie just seems to overshadow everbody else in the power department.

Pinotage

 

[Thanee]

I really fail to see that.

The spells are definitely not as effective as those of a human sorcerer of the same effective level. Maybe half as effective, and even that is a stretch. +3 DC versus -2 spell levels and -4 caster levels?

If you compare with a star elf you even only have a +2 DC.

Bye
Thanee

 

[GimbleRaulnor]

Most races with a LA of +1 or higher get off bad as a spellcaster. But what if one were to play a pixie rogue for example? That's where the invisibility starts to count for real.

Compared to the LA +3 svirfneblins they're definitely overpowered. Are there any other High LA races they can be compared to?

 

[Pinotage]

I really fail to see that.

The spells are definitely not as effective as those of a human sorcerer of the same effective level. Maybe half as effective, and even that is a stretch. +3 DC versus -2 spell levels and -4 caster levels?

If you compare with a star elf you even only have a +2 DC.

Bye
Thanee

Yes, but you have to compare the +2 DC, -2 spell levels and -4 caster levels against the rest of the package as well. SR 23, DR 10/cold iron, spell-like abilities (detect thoughts alone can be a headache), Greater Invisibility, etc. Are those 6th level spells really worth it compared to the raw firepower with high Cha and bucketloads of spellcastings? I can see your point, and it's a good one.

Pinotage

 

[Thanee]

At that point, I would prefer the higher level spells, yes.

The abilities are all lower level stuff, 5th and 6th level spells are simply more powerful than that.

At low levels the Pixie is probably incredibly powerful, tho. But the extremely low hit points are the biggest downside then.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Rystil Arden]

At that point, I would prefer the higher level spells, yes.

The abilities are all lower level stuff, 5th and 6th level spells are simply more powerful than that.

At low levels the Pixie is probably incredibly powerful, tho. But the extremely low hit points are the biggest downside then.

Bye
Thanee

Thanee's analysis is accurate. I've seen a pixie arcanist and a pixie rogue (and others, its always the same player who does it) in my games. The arcanist was terribly weak compared to the other characters, but the rogue was quite useful. The main problem is that at level 5, when the pixie's powers are strongest, she has like 6 HP.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Yes, a Pixie in the party will make some kinds of encounters a joke. The other side of the coin is that the Pixie PC can easily be killed in encounters that are cakewalks for the party.

 

[two]

Absolutely any area-effect spell can kill a pixie on a failed save.

If the pixie is a wizard, any given fireball (even WITH a made save) will probably kill it if it penetrates their relatively low SR.

If I played a Pixie, I'd be complely paranoid. Seems much too fragile to be at all fun.