What happens when a PC gains a template w/ level adjustment?

[Chaldfont]

This just happened in our game last night. Two of us were afflicted with a magical poison that gave us a weaker version of the half-dragon template. It has a level adjustment of one, so our DM just had us reset our XP to next level to the next highest level (e.g. my PC is 6th level, in order to take his next level, he has to earn enough xp to reach 8th level).

Of course, the DM is always right. But how would you do it?

 

[Insight]

I suppose there is possibly an official way to handle this, but honestly, if the DM didn't come up with a reasonable way to remove this template at the end of the adventure (in other words, he intends it to be permanent), then he must either a) not care that these characters are 1 level higher in essence, or b) has a way to balance it out.

What I would do is keep the PCs' XP where it is, and just tell them OK you're 7th level now (or whatever), so you can't gain another class level til you have whatever the threshold is for 8th (not looking at my books right now so bear with me). So if your characters are at the bottom of 6th, it's going to be a while. But balance wise, it's pretty fair, because you have in essence gained a level before everone else in the group.

This might be slightly off-topic, but I think it's kinda lame for the DM to permanently give you a template that has a level bump without a reasonable way to remove it. That is, unless he/she had discussed it with you prior and you guys said it was ok.

 

[Mordane76]

There were rules for such occurences in Savage Species. Now, this supplement is still 3.0, but those rules have not been updated to 3.5E as far as I know, so they are still the last 'official' word on how such things are handled.

 

[iwatt]

This might be slightly off-topic, but I think it's kinda lame for the DM to permanently give you a template that has a level bump without a reasonable way to remove it. That is, unless he/she had discussed it with you prior and you guys said it was ok.

I handle it the same way as you do.

But I don't think it's "lame", unless you railroaded the PC. But if he contract lycanthropy...he either becomes an NPC, can get the curse lifted, or live on. No drama here. If he's killed by a undead, he can become an NPC, get the curse lifted, or become a sntient undead. Also, all within the normal scope of DnD.

The thing is, adventurers run risks. You have to live with them.

 

[Kast]

This just happened in our game last night. Two of us were afflicted with a magical poison that gave us a weaker version of the half-dragon template. It has a level adjustment of one, so our DM just had us reset our XP to next level to the next highest level (e.g. my PC is 6th level, in order to take his next level, he has to earn enough xp to reach 8th level).

Of course, the DM is always right. But how would you do it?

You're DM has essentially given you a level-up before you actually qualify, so I wouldn't worry about it power-wise.

However, if I was doing it, I would have done it ala Savage Species.
I would have broken the changes into two sets. Ones that you get right away and then the rest when you reach 7th level. Essentially you are required to take 1 level of the modified half-dragon template.

Take a look at the Aasimar or Duergar (They are both +1 LA races) in this article on the WotC site for what I mean.

 

[kirinke]

Hmm. If my DM did that to my character, I'd run with it. But then I'm just about as twisted when it comes to my characters as he is.

Perhaps the change wasn't in the poison insomuch as how it interacted with your character's body. Perhaps he/she already had the latent abilities and this poison merely brought them out. Thus, it's permanent.

 

[Thanee]

I'd also do it that way. XP stay the same. New level is achieved, when your XP is enough to get beyond your current ECL, which can be quite a long time, depending on the LA.

But also there should be some consensus between player and DM to turn the character that way.

Bye
Thanee

 

[the Jester]

There's a pc in my campaign who was an elf fighter/cleric in 2e. At the climax of the big 2e final adventure, his god granted him a boon and made him an angel. When the pc came out of retirement in 3e, I gave him the half-celestial template and he's been working off the xp ever since. I think he's finally about to gain a level, though. (Assaulting Asmodeus at home and all that, you know.)

 

[Brain]

A question to those who treat it as one big level. What would happen if the character in question read one of those tomes that grants them a level or a similar effect that doesn't mention a specific amount of xp but rather raises them a level?

 

[Thanee]

That's a hypothetical question, which does not need an answer.

Well, I'd probably just give appropriate XP for one "level step", but not raise the actual level.
Similar with level loss (especially, level loss does not increase your XP ).

Bye
Thanee