What Races are worth their LA?

[Moonstone Spider]

The Vampire thread got me thinking on this. What LA+ races or templates are actually worth the penalties of hitdice, saves, skills, etc. and for what classes do they work?

I'd put forward the Pixie as a possible candidate. Small Size, somewhat weak DR and Spell Resistance, fast flight speed, massive attribute boosts to all but STR, several powerful spell-like abilities, permanent invisibility. As a Rogue you can sneak attack every single strike because you're invisible so all your enemies are always flat-footed to you (Aside from the rare fellow with blindfight). +4 or +5 or +6 LA depending on the source you're going to and the pixie abilities you pick.

 

[frankthedm]

Minotaur and Centaur work decently for beat down PCs.

Poison dusk lizard folk are quite potent for rogues.

The main thing is LA is set to be Protective of all the PHB races. This meants LA is set to maintain the atractiveness of Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Half-Orcs, Halflings and Humans. Overpaying for being more than [demi]human is at the core of the LA concept. Couple this with how in 3.5 nearly all choices were balanced expecting powergaming and you have a situation where unless you took the most numerically advantageous creature for your class, you are overpaying for your LA.

 

[Artoomis]

I have generally found that any LA over 1 is a really big deal. The loss of BAB, hit dice and saving throw advancement is areally big deal, which is why I have never used a race with a LA.

It can be fun and balanced, I just find the price too high myself - and tha's a good thing, since if everyone thought it was really worth it we'd all play odd races (if allowed by the DM), right?.

 

[Thanee]

Gloura are worth their +2 LA, especially if they are bards.

Now the question is... what the heck are Gloura.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Given that I now use and like the ability in UA to buy off LAs, I think most LAs of 2 or less are worth it if the race fits the concept. I did a program in Excel that ran out how long it would take for a Drow to catch up to the other characters after buying off their LA and it is really attractively close even within non-Epic grounds. Being behind a evel due to buying of the LA pumps the XP enough that at most you are only 1 level behind the party. That rule alone has really opened up my eyes to using classes with LA of 2 or less.

 

[Question]

Pixie are very good, might be overpowered.

small size, -4 str +8 dex +6 int +4 wis +6 cha. Permanent greater invisibility. DR10/cold iron, low light vision, SR 15, fly 60 ft, nat armor +1 along with a variety of SLA.

Its almost perfect for casters, except that losing 2-3 spell levels is a huge big NO, and permanent invisibility starts getting less and less attractive as you meet foes with true sight, even some such as powerful outsiders with PERMANENT truesight. SR 15 also starts getting less and less effective past level 5 alone. By level 15 it doesnt do anything anymore.

The greatest irony of the pixie is.....its a sorcerer race.......with way too high LA for casters.

Goliaths are an extremely good LA +1 race. Quite possibly overpowered as well. Compare the goliath to planetouched for example......the goliath is an example of what the planetouched should be close to.

+4 str is a huge bonus in the first place, then you get powerful build.....one damage dice increase for your weapons!

Planetouched should probably be templates at the very least, and maybe add an extra +2 somewhere in there.

Half-dragon with +8 str and immunity to an entire element is of course, a huge plus for any fighter type.

Maug(fiend folio) is also quite good, you can get a lot of damage going with high AC, but your HP will be VERY LOW. You will be extremely fragile. If the BBEG starts throwing around high damage spells, you are SCREWED. Especially vs dis-integrate(no con score because you are a construct). The SR only works 45% of the time vs casters of the same level, 0% if someone has arcane mastery.

Poison dusk lizardfolk, mineral water, and feral template is probably too good for just LA +1.

Half-celestial/fiend, just a bit too underpowered for LA +4. They need a small boost, but not much.

 

[Sejs]

Gelatinous Cubes are totally worth their LA. *nod*

 

[Patlin]

On the plus side, the SR is 15 plus class level, not 15 total.

However, just imagine adventuring with a 5th level party and only having one HD... especially as a Sorceror.

 

[Thanee]

At least they can stay out of combat quite easily, especially at 5th-level.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Stalker0]

I think githzerai are worth their +2 when taking monk levels, they get a lot of bonuses that stack well.

The new ibixian (goatman) are good fighter types. They have 3 monsterous hd, but these hd are great fighter HD.

The pixie is overpowered imo...I played through a cheese grinder at dragoncon last year and this year. The pixie rogue was so powerful it was the only race actually banned.