[SS] Tiefling "Monster Class"

[evildm]

Hey all,

Despite the Tiefling being an LA +1 (ECL 2) creature. I thought up a way so players could play them at first level. Simple as this...

Race: Pick Tiefling, as normal.
Class: Pick an actual class (fighter, cleric, etc).

Instead of applying all the racial traits of the Tiefling, just apply the following:

Racial Abilities:
- +2 Int, -2 Cha
- Medium-size
- Base speed 30ft
- +2 Racial bonus on Bluff and Hide
- Darkvision 60ft
- Outsider
- Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus: Any (except secret)
- Favored Class Rogue

Then, once the character reaches enough XP for level 2, DO NOT level them up, instead apply the following:

- +2 Dex
- Cold, Fire, and Electricity resistance 5
- Darkness (sp) 1/day


That's all there is to it. Hope people like it. You can do this with any ECL creature that only has 1 HD that it exchanges. Just use SS to find out what makes up the LA and split it up. Let them pick their class as first level, and then layer on the abilities at each "level" after that.

Oh, and sorry if somebody's already done this, I didn't look very hard, but I still looked (and didn't find anything).

 

[evildm]

I know it hasn't been very long, but nobody has an opinion on my post?

Oh, and BUMP!

 

[Caliber]

Looks good to me.

 

[Emongnome]

I posted a similar thread (used drow as my example, this forum), but my intention for the post was to see if I missed something in the rules (specifically SS) about 1 HD, +1 or higher level adjustment monsters as 1st level characters. What you suggest is perfectly reasonable, as is near any option in a way. So long as at 2nd level, you have all your racial abilities and 1 level of the class of your choice, how you get there is totally up to you.

Anyway, another option to spread things out a little more smoothly is to use the optional rules in the DMG for 1st level multi-class characters (pg 40). Take your racial abilities and split them up as you see fit between 1st and second level, your class features are split as per the variant rules. Perhaps this is more complicated, but just a suggestion.

 

[evildm]

...just a suggestion.

Hehe, definitely a good suggestion. If a little complex. I'll take a look at it and see what it comes out like. See if I can come up with some guidelines on doing it.

Your Drow thread is partially what inspired me, I just turned a few things around and saw what I could come up with. I also posted my idea for handling Drow in the same way in your thread.

I agree as well, that I think it's kinda weird they didn't cover this in SS. I also think they should've better used the chapter describing how to make a minotaur character using the monster class to actually describe how to make a monster class in the first place. Oh well, that's where we come in, to fill in the blanks.

 

[CRGreathouse]

The second level looks weak. The least you could do is move the racial bonus to 2nd...

 

[evildm]

The second level looks weak. The least you could do is move the racial bonus to 2nd...

Well, I wanted the Int bonus to be on the first level to avoid any loss of skill points after the first level. And I had to put the Cha penalty in the first level to balance it out. I couldn't put the Dex bonus in the first level because that makes the scores unbalanced (+1 LA).

Darkness MUST go in the second level because it counts as a +1 LA (can't be cast by a 1st level sorceror). Same thing with the Resistances which add up to +2 LA.

I COULD move the skill bonuses to level 2, but they're not really a big benefit or not (as far as LA's are concerned), so I might as well give them at level 1.

Besides, the second level doesn't have to be lucrative at all, because a Tiefling character is forced to take it, much like a Monster Class. So I put the most powerful stuff in second level.

Thanks for the suggestions though. I did look it over, but I don't think I'll be changing it around. Feel free to change it around for your games though. That's the idea of sharing this stuff, after all.

 

[Caliber]

This is completely OT but ...

since a Tiefling apparently gets several LAs (you mentioned about +4) why are they +1?

Obviously what they do get isn't worth 4 levels but if thats what SS says ...

Anyone want to clear that up for me a little?

 

[evildm]

This is completely OT but ...

since a Tiefling apparently gets several LAs (you mentioned about +4) why are they +1?

Obviously what they do get isn't worth 4 levels but if thats what SS says ...

Anyone want to clear that up for me a little?

I'd say it's completely on-topic.

SS says to use rule of thumb and compare a 1st-level character of this race (using their favored or optimal class) vs an equal level character with the same class.

So in this case, you'd compare an LA +4 Tiefling with 1 level of Rogue with a 5th level rogue. Which one would you rather play? The rogue, obviously. So you knock the Tiefling's LA down 1 and compare again. Keep doing it until the choice is no longer so clear.

They do this several times in the book. I would've preferred a more strict or mathematical way of determining LA, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Still, SS is useful in that it gives some ideas on how you can judge it.

 

[Lord Ravinous]

If it was me, and someone wanted to use Tiefling at 1st level, just give them the base stats on the MM Tiefling, make them count as a first level PC, then allow them to take a level after they've acheived 1,000 exp.

To allow for some customization, let the player place most of the skill points (what small handful there is) and say they're proficient w/ all simple weapons. Then turn em loose, they'll have a decent HD and all that jazz, and theres no need for the "u get this stuff now, but u cant level up" stuff to worry about, that'd confuse me in the end.

Thats my two copper pieces.

EDIT: or u could let em slap an NPC class on there if it wouldnt be too game altering, possibly lower their Hp in the process.