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Level Adjustments & Buying Them Off

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BonkemBerin:
Level adjustments have existed for a long time in D&D, and for good reason. A drow should not be treated as an equal creature to any other elf; their darkvision, +2 dex/int/cha and innate spell resistance makes them a far superior creature to anyone of the basic races. While these advantages are obvious, the disadvantage of playing a race that has its ECL increased by 2 does hurt. This is where D&D's creators came up with the solution: buying off your LA with XP~

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm

There comes a point in a character's life where their LA is nothing but a harsh debuff. There are some exceptions - one being my character Erin, whose bonuses benefit a paladin so perfectly that she more or less matches her ECL+2 penalty (but still feels more like a +1.5). Any non-paladin Aasimar is doomed to be inferior to a same-level character regardless of class, and this is where Level Adjustments are a real problem. There is no reward other than the prestige of playing a special character. And while I absolutely love that players can choose to be a unique race, it is a bit unfair that an inherently superior race is in fact weaker. An example of this is Tiefling. Their +2 intelligence makes them a far better wizard, but they will be 2, 3, 4 levels behind to an actual wizard. After level 5, their bonuses do nothing to make them a stronger class. Drow are much the same, since their intelligence and charisma never quite mix into any one class.

The idea is to soften the penalty. It's not my hope to see the inherently stronger races come out on top: I want them to be able to match their non-level-adjusted counterparts. Being able to bring a penalty down from 2 to 1 is a HUGE bonus that does a lot to equalize the balance.

That was the hope and idea, anyway. Make a race that is request-only, able to match non ECL+X races by considering their bonus stats.

Thanks!


I would also like to add some other considerations?

- Not every special race would/should play a class that reaps the rewards of their bonuses.
Softening the penalty gives more incentive to play a tiefling or drow cleric, an aasimar wizard, etc.

- ECL+2 is harsh even in the early game.
Your benefits are barely felt: +2 wisdom is an extra spell slot and a +1 DC, on a server where most things are about buffing. Even a drow's inherent Spell Resist has barely any function in PVE, where very few enemies care to cast spells. For minor bonuses you need to kill things that are two levels higher than what you'd normally fight. This is fair, it's tough, it's kind of cool. But there is never a reward, not even an equalizer.

Thundron:
My personal opinion is that there is little reason to be anything else than human or dwarf, maybe gnome or half-orc.. (some sub race might actually be good, like half-vistani) other than RP. All other classes are weaker. Especially all level adjusted races. Who would win lvl18 Drow sorcerer or lvl20 human sorcerer? Is that even fair comparison? Well maybe 2 levels at that level is small, and better player would win, but perhaps you see the point. ECL races struggle all ready with leveling so I feel it would be fine to keep XP penalty, but remove lvl penalty. 🤔

Or just that pay off the penalty. As above.

Ophie Kitty:
I'd be inclined for a system change that retained your maximum level adjustment, still altered level for how much experience / progression it takes for you to level, but at least allowed for a character to retain their base character level, without adjustment, in how it determines what you still gain experience from & how much experience you gain.

As Bonkem suggested, a character with ECL +2 does not gain experience from any monster that has an equal or lower CR to their base class level. (A level 3 character with +2 ECL does not game experience from an allip, a shadow, or any bandit shy the leaders, for example, despite all of those being a rather difficult challenge, mechanically, for a typical level 3 character.)

Iyer:
Savage species supplement got it right I think with racial classes, but I doubt it could or even would be implemented here. It's an easier pill to swallow when instead of capped out as level 18 drow, you'd have say, level 2drow/18sorcerer.

Thundron:

--- Quote from: Iyer on March 21, 2019, 06:48:25 AM ---Savage species supplement got it right I think with racial classes, but I doubt it could or even would be implemented here. It's an easier pill to swallow when instead of capped out as level 18 drow, you'd have say, level 2drow/18sorcerer.

--- End quote ---

I would say 2drow/18sorc would give hd of drow which I believe is d6, and bab and saves and skills.. My thought, would it be possible to add to player skin some skills related to specific race and Hotpoint and so on.. for example drow would get additional 2 HP at lvl1 and +1 to ref save, +2 to influence, then at lvl18 +4 HP +2 antagonize +1 will save or so..

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