Author Topic: Monster of Legend: Fixing that Level Adjustment  (Read 3046 times)

Offline Nick

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Monster of Legend: Fixing that Level Adjustment
« on: December 06, 2014, 11:07:35 PM »
Okay, so the level adjustment is +7 for the monster of legend.  I was so crushed when I found that it wasn't +2 anymore.  I put that template on everything because of that super low level adjustment. *sigh*


Then I had an idea.  Basically, you start off with a +2 (or +3) LA template.  This template gives +10 strength, +6 dexterity, +10 constitution, +4 intelligence, +4 wisdom, and +6 charisma (as it did in the SRD).  In addition, you also receive Improved Initiative and Multiattack (if you have natural weapons) as bonus feats, a +3 racial bonus to all saving throws, a minimum racial HD size of d8, and a +5 natural armor bonus to Armor Class.  Any natural weapons increase to that same default damage table (that's what I think the monster of legend template was supposed to do, but it was worded as if you just magically grew claws, super fangs, slam...parts?, and gore capability).  The base creature becomes an Outsider, but it does not gain darkvision out to 60 ft., nor does it gain racial levels as an outsider does.  It is only treated as an outsider when determining if a spell, power, or another effect can affect the base creature or not.  A ranger with Favored Enemy of Outsider with the native subtype or any alignment subtype, for example, would treat the base creature as such an outsider.  However, the alignment descriptor chosen must be the same as the base creature's alignment on that axis (for example, a ranger favoring chaotic outsiders would target a chaotic good, evil, or neutral monster of legend, but not a lawful good, evil, or neutral monster of legend, even though the monster of legend doesn't necessarily have such descriptors).  A monster of legend is also considered to be an outsider for determining possibilities for bringing it back to life after death.

For an increased level adjustment, you can choose one or more of the following abilities.  For each ability you choose, the level adjustment increases by 0+1 for each ability you've already chosen, including the one you just chose (if you choose two abilities, it would be 0+1(1)=1, and then 0+1(2)=2, and 2+1=3, for a total enhancement of +3).  You cannot choose more than four abilities:  Breath Weapon*, Frightful Presence, Poison*, Raging Blood*, spellcasting ability of a 5th level cleric with no bonus domain spells and access to Protection and War and Strength domains (no special abilities from any of these domains, but I think it wouldn't be too much for the monster of legend to treat the deity's favored weapon as a simple weapon.....it's a little unconventional, but I think it doesn't trip up anything).

*This counts as a natural weapon, and would be affected by the Greater Damage ability (see below), but only the first time it is chosen.

1 ability chosen from this list: +1 LA
2 abilities chosen from this list: +3 LA
3 abilities chosen from this list: +6 LA
4 abilities chosen from this list: +10 LA

For another increase the level adjustment as described below, you can choose two or more of the following abilities.  : Damage Reduction 10/+1 (this ability may be chosen twice to change it to 10/+2, four times to change it to 10/+3, or eight times to 10/+4), Enhanced Attributes (increase all DCs of attacks, abilities, spells, powers, etc., by 4.  This may be chosen more than once, but the bonus only increases by 2 each time it's chosen after the first time), Fast Healing 5, Greater Damage (this ability may be chosen more than once and applies to all natural weapons), partial action as if from a continuous haste effect (can be chosen twice to create an actual continuous haste effect), immune to two of the following (can be chosen more than once) [acid, electricity, fear, poison, polymorphing, mind-affecting effects] or only one of those and able to see in any type of darkness (including magical darkness) out to 60ft., Reflective hide (as written for a spell turning effect), Regrow limbs, Spell Resistance equal to 10+1/2 effective character level, Power Resistance equal to 10+1/2 ECL.


1 ability chosen: +0.5 (not possible, but essentially it would make the player character lose one level of a character class as if it were a +1 level adjustment, but at the same time not gain experience or earn treasure as if it were a +1 level adjustment.  This is rather silly and is not to be done ever.  Just pick another ability.)
2 abilities chosen: +1
3 abilities chosen: +2
4 abilities chosen: +4
5 abilities chosen: +6
6 abilities chosen: +9
You cannot choose more than six abilities.

If the level adjustment reaches 6, the racial bonus to saving throws increases by 1 to a +4 racial bonus.
For every 3 more level adjustment increases, the racial bonus to saving throws increases by 1.
If the level adjustment is equal to or greater than 8, the monster of legend cannot be a Player Character.

So basically, if you choose one ability from the first set of abilities and 2 from the second set, it becomes a +4 (or +5) level adjustment template.

Now I don't think this is the final version of this.  I mean, this is a forum site, so hopefully I'll get some responses with suggestions and whatnot  :flutter
« Last Edit: December 07, 2014, 04:17:24 PM by Nick »
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Offline SolEiji

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Re: Monster of Legend: Fixing that Level Adjustment
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2014, 12:28:42 AM »
While I can't comment in detail (due to lack of focus tonight) I can say there is one problem you probably should keep an eye out for.  That is, LA's penalty is exponential, not linear, and subsequently the benefits typically must be as well.  Which makes high LA things really difficult to balance as well.  Typically I find it starts getting crazy at LA 3 and beyond.

Anyway the thing I mean is that the lack of hp, attack, skills... etc, while a -1 to this or a -1 to that is fine, it becomes worse and worse the higher the number gets.  So you're unlikely to find a really smooth and certain value for things like "breath weapons" or "+6 This" or "+10 that" that remains consistent across the board.

When I get more time, I'll try and return to this so I can help more.
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Offline YouLostMe

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Re: Monster of Legend: Fixing that Level Adjustment
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2014, 02:05:47 AM »
Then I had an idea.  Basically, you start off with a +2 (or +3) LA template.  This template gives +10 strength, +6 dexterity, +10 constitution, +4 intelligence, +4 wisdom, and +4 charisma.  In addition, you also receive Improved Initiative and Multiattack as bonus feats, a +3 bonus to all saving throws, a minimum HD size of d8, natural weapons (claw, bite, gore, and slam), and a +5 natural armor bonus.
This is so good that I would even consider losing 2 levels of a fullcasting class for it. Which is to say, it's probably too good.

Offline Nick

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Re: Monster of Legend: Fixing that Level Adjustment
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2014, 03:46:06 PM »
This is so good that I would even consider losing 2 levels of a fullcasting class for it. Which is to say, it's probably too good.


Good point.  That's why I was thinking it might be better to start out at a +3 Level Adjustment, but I was hesitant to, since the Half-Dragon template is a +3 level adjustment, and that gives you a flight speed if you're large, a breath weapon, an energy immunity, increases the natural armor by +4, grants a bite and claw attack, increases the HD of racial levels by one size, and gives +6 strength, +2 con, +2 int, +2 cha.  I decided that the base for the Monster of Legend wasn't as good as that, since the benefits from the half-dragon can be used in places outside of combat, where the monster of legend one only offers combat capability (except for the stat bonuses to the mental abilities).  Also, the natural armor of the half-dragon increases it by 4, whereas the monster of legend gives a +5 natural armor bonus, which wouldn't stack where the half-dragon's version would.


But I do see your point, and will change it to a +3 or a +4.  Which do you think is better?
The legacy of an epic bard - you're remembered and praised throughout time, but most of your readers in the future are unmotivated teenagers that think your work stinks.