Trying to wrap my head around lycanthropes

[Gregor]

Hello Enworlders, I once again humbly request your sagacious advice!

As the thread title implies, I am trying to wrap my head around the lycanthrope template (the one that appears in Races of Faerun, not the MM) - someone with races of faerun handy would be most helpful.

According to Races of Faerun, when a character is afflicted with lycanthopy, they receive the lycanthrope template. As part of the template, they acquire what essentially appears to be a "level" in the root animal of the lycanthrope - in this case, a dire rat (for wererat). They add the animal's hit die, BAB, feats, skills, etc. The level adjustment for an afflicted wererat template is +1.

SO, if I had a level 1 rogue, he would take the additional "rat" class and then suffer the +1LA, making him ECL 3?

Sorry if I am unclear, im just really confused.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Yes, and how you handle a sudden increase in ECL in a PC is not defined well. You have these options:

1. Ignore the new ECL and just use the old ECL. This makes the affliction sort of like a reward and is IMO the worst choice.

2. Use the new ECL and require the PC to gain XP to the new ECL+1 before levelling again. This is the most conservative option, and IMO is the best one because he shows why it's a 'curse' and not a reward. You won't have players screaming, "Bite me! Bite me! I want to be a wererat, too!"

3. Use some sort of Savage Progression (a la Savage Species). This is the easiest to swallows for PCs if the PC plans on keeping the affliction.

 

[Gregor]

Thanks for the quick reply Infiniti,

Do you think the wererat template on a first level rogue would make that character much more powerful than the rest of his party (PH races and classes at level 3)? This is how they would start the game...should the wererat character still have to achieve XP at ECL+1 to make it fair? OR, in your opinion, is the discrepancy in power only an issue when a character becomes afflicted during the campaign and therefore sets him above the effective level of the rest of the party?

 

[Infiniti2000]

The ECL of a rogue 1 wererat is 3 and therefore okay to join a party of ECL 3 (if the LA is +1, +1 HD, +1 class level). The other party members could be all human fighter 3, or aasimar paladin 2, or whatever ECL 3 they want and the DM allows.

My previous post was geared towards the idea that the PC was ECL 1 in a party of ECL 1 PCs and suddenly got inflicted. I'm sorry to have misunderstood the question.

 

[Gregor]

My previous post was geared towards the idea that the PC was ECL 1 in a party of ECL 1 PCs and suddenly got inflicted. I'm sorry to have misunderstood the question.

No problem, it was probably my lack of clarity as opposed to your misunderstanding

I appreciate all your help.