Templates and Special Abilities by Hit Die

[Cedric]

Ok, so I'm thinking about using the Half-Fey Template from Fiend Folio, updated for a 3.5e game.

I've never done this before, I typically just pick a core race and go with it.

What I don't understand is...the Half-Fey gets all of these special abilities (spell-like abilities I think) by Hit Die...

So, if my base race is elf and I add the half-fey template, my ECL is 2 from the +2 LA, right?

So if everyone else started at 3rd level...and I was an Elf, Half-Fey Sorcerer Level 1, I'd be on par with them?

Now, here's my real question though...as I take more levels in Sorcerer, my "hit dice" go up. Do I gain the Special Abilities listed? Or, are those special abilities related to "half-fey" hit dice, and I don't get them because I'm taking Class Levels?

HD Abilities
1–2...Charm person at will, hypnotism 1/day, faerie fire or glitterdust
1/day
3–4...Detect law 3/day, sleep or enthrall 1/day
5–6...Protection from law 3/day, Tasha’a hideous laughter or
suggestion 1/day
7–8...Confusion or emotion 1/day
9–10...Eyebite or lesser geas 1/day
11–12...Dominate person or hold monster 1/day
13–14...Mass invisibility 1/day
15–16...Geas/quest or mass suggestion 1/day
17–18...Insanity or mass charm 1/day
19+...Otto’s irresistible dance 1/day

 

[Vascant]

Without opening a book, as your class level increases as do the new abilities you may qualify for.

 

[Wolf72]

not sure about those two ... but if you're a fiendish/celestial (or half-variants) you don't get different abilities with an increase in level ... only with an increase in 'monster' type hd.

a bugbear would get the benefits of a template based on 3hd.


a 7th lvl bugbear rogue would still get the benefits of a template based on 3hd.

at least as far as I can remember.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

So, if my base race is elf and I add the half-fey template, my ECL is 2 from the +2 LA, right?

This is correct, your ECL (before counting any of your class levels) is 2, so as a 1st level sorcerer, your ECl will be 3.

So if everyone else started at 3rd level...and I was an Elf, Half-Fey Sorcerer Level 1, I'd be on par with them?

Yes and no...

In some ways you will be very powerful. Your spell save DCs will be competitive with those of 3rd level characters, due to the Half-Fey's increased Charisma. However, you'll still only have (a very few) first level spells, so you're going to be much weaker than a 3rd level caster in that regard. You'll also have only 4 (+Con modifier) hit points, so you're going to be even more fragile than a normal sorcerer. Generally, it is considered to be very suboptimal to use an ECL race with a spellcasting class. Depending on the other characters in your group, you may or may not feel very outclassed.

Now, here's my real question though...as I take more levels in Sorcerer, my "hit dice" go up. Do I gain the Special Abilities listed? Or, are those special abilities related to "half-fey" hit dice, and I don't get them because I'm taking Class Levels?

HD Abilities
1–2...Charm person at will, hypnotism 1/day, faerie fire or glitterdust
1/day
3–4...Detect law 3/day, sleep or enthrall 1/day
5–6...Protection from law 3/day, Tasha’a hideous laughter or
suggestion 1/day
7–8...Confusion or emotion 1/day
9–10...Eyebite or lesser geas 1/day
11–12...Dominate person or hold monster 1/day
13–14...Mass invisibility 1/day
15–16...Geas/quest or mass suggestion 1/day
17–18...Insanity or mass charm 1/day
19+...Otto’s irresistible dance 1/day

Technically, I believe that these abilities apply to your Racial Hit Dice only (i.e. 1 HD). Check with your DM, however, to be sure, since this is not a clear-cut issue.

 

[Alzrius]

Now, here's my real question though...as I take more levels in Sorcerer, my "hit dice" go up. Do I gain the Special Abilities listed? Or, are those special abilities related to "half-fey" hit dice, and I don't get them because I'm taking Class Levels?

You gain the special abilities for the amount of Hit Dice you have, whether they're Hit Dice from class levels or racial Hit Dice.

The Monster Manual's examples for the Half-Celestial and Half-Fiendish templates both use characters with class levels, and both examples gain all of the spell-like abilities for the number of Hit Dice they have. That seems to make it pretty clear how templates with cumulative abilities per Hit Dice are supposed to operate.

 

[Wolf72]

I stand corrected! ... in my defense, been waaay out of loop for a few years other than lurking.

 

[Runestar]

Do note that there are in fact a few templates which grant benefits based off your racial HD (rather than total number of HD, which can include class lvs), such as half-dragon, feral and the BOED version of half-celestial.

But unless stated otherwise, HD refers to the sum of your racial HD (if any) and class lvs.

 

[Wolf72]

hey that's right ... for the half-dragon, the increase in HD only works for racial levels (monster HD not paragon) ... so that'd be one exception