XP and PCs gaining Templates

[irdeggman]

Agreed, it is just like taking a race with high LA, except the LA is being applied mid-campaign instead of at character creation.

Except that the examples (all based on starting characters) have starting xp based on the ECL (including LA as well as racial hit die).

From the FAQ

A succubus with four levels of wizard is an ECL 16 character (6 HD, LA +6, 4 class levels). How many experience points does she have, and how many does she need to become a 5th-level wizard? How much wealth should she have if I’m creating her as a new character to play?

Use your character’s Effective Character Level (ECL) to determine XP needed to gain a new level.

If you were creating a 4th-level succubus wizard from scratch, she’d have 120,000 XP (normal for a 16th-level character), and she’d need to earn another 16,000 to reach 17th level and take another level of wizard (or any other class), just like any other 16th-level character.

Assuming your campaign uses the normal wealth guidelines, your 4th-level succubus wizard should have about 260,000 gp worth of gear and treasure, as appropriate for being 16th level. After all, she’s likely adventuring with other 16th level characters, so it’s only fair for her to have a similar amount of gear.

 

[seans23]

Except that the examples (all based on starting characters) have starting xp based on the ECL (including LA as well as racial hit die).

From the FAQ

So.. a lvl 1 half-dragon fighter 4000xp to get to level 2, not 10000, right?
(effectively stating with 6000xp)

 

[irdeggman]

So.. a lvl 1 half-dragon fighter 4000xp to get to level 2, not 10000, right?
(effectively stating with 6000xp)

Per the FAQ (for a starting character) that is how it works. This opens up all kinds of questions and issues about gaining a LA template mid career. I would use the savage progressions class levels from the WotC site to account for this myself, although not all possibilities are covered there is at least something to go on.

Otherwise the party's EL has taken a huge increase all at once and the PC gains a massive power gain, while the rest of the group gets nothing - except a greater chance of dying because of the increased equal EL to Partly Level.

 

[robberbaron]

So.. a lvl 1 half-dragon fighter 4000xp to get to level 2, not 10000, right?
(effectively stating with 6000xp)

A lvl 1 half-dragon fighter is a 4th level character, with a minimum of 6000XP, so he needs a total of 10000XP to get to 5th level (2nd level fighter).

I assume that the rest of the party would be 4th level as well. If not I'd consider starting him at 0XP and make him work to buy off the template benefit.

 

[irdeggman]

A lvl 1 half-dragon fighter is a 4th level character, with a minimum of 6000XP, so he needs a total of 10000XP to get to 5th level (2nd level fighter).

Right he would need to gain another 4000 xp to go up a level.