LEVEL ADJUSTMENT VARIANTS

What can you do if you want to play a genasi, a drow, or a svirfneblin, but your party is beginning at 1st level?

Under the basic rules for playing characters with level adjustments, you can't create a 1st-level character of a race powerful enough to have a level adjustment. While Savage Species introduces monster classes that provide a way to play nearly any intelligent monster from 1st level on up, it does not cover the case of a humanoid race with a single racial Hit Die (normally supplanted by Hit Dice from character levels) and a level adjustment of +1 or higher. This situation pertains to a number of the unusual races and subraces.

Two variant systems are presented in the following sections. Both provide ways of starting a character of a powerful race with a 1st-level party of adventurers.

NEGATIVE LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS

Using this variant rule, you can create a 1st-level character using any of the powerful races. Such a character begins play with all of the normal characteristics for his race and all of the normal class features for a 1st-level character of his class. He also begins play with a number of negative level adjustments equal to his race's level adjustment. For each negative level adjustment, he takes the following penalties.

  • -1 on skill checks and ability checks.

  • -1 on attack rolls and saving throws.

  • -1 on level checks (including caster level checks).

  • -1 to the DC for any spell he casts or any other ability he uses that allows a saving throw.

  • -1 to any constant Armor Class bonus granted by race, such as a natural armor bonus or the svirfneblin's constant dodge bonus.

  • -1 to racial level adjustment (to make the character effectively 1st level).

When the character gains enough experience to advance a level, he does not actually gain a class level. Instead, his negative level adjustment is lessened by 1 at each new level attained until it reaches 0. At that point, the character has "bought off" his racial level adjustment. He has one class level and his full racial level adjustment, so his effective character level (ECL) equals 1 + his level adjustment.

For example, a tiefling has a +1 level adjustment, so a 1st-level tiefling character would have a -1 negative level adjustment. Her effective character level is 1st, since her negative level adjustment cancels out her racial level adjustment. When she gains 1,000 XP (enough to advance to 2nd level), she does not gain a class level, but her negative level adjustment is eliminated, making her the equivalent of a 2nd-level character (one class level +1 level adjustment).

Likewise, a 1st-level drow character begins play with a -2 level adjustment. When he gains 1,000 XP, his negative level adjustment is reduced to -1. When he gains a total of 3,000 XP, it is eliminated altogether. At that point, he is the equivalent of a 3rd-level character, with one class level and a +2 level adjustment

LESSER VERSIONS

As an alternative to the use of negative level adjustments to offset racial level adjustments at the lowest character levels, this variant offers different versions of powerful races that aren't as powerful. A "lesser drow," for example, doesn't have all the traits and abilities of a standard drow character, but she can be played as a 1st-level character right alongside characters of other races. Since such characters never have to worry about level adjustments, they are sometimes more enjoyable to play than a character with a negative level adjustment, even if they lack some exciting features of the race.

If you use these lesser racial versions in your campaign, you should use them across the board - for NPCs as well as player characters. Thus, a party that includes a lesser drow should never encounter drow from the Monster Manual in your game. Instead, all the drow in your campaign should be lesser drow. Of course, nobody calls them "lesser drow," since all drow have the same racial characteristics in the game.

LESSER GRAY DWARVES

Lesser duergar have the following racial traits in addition to the standard dwarf abilities, except where noted

  • +2 Constitution, -4 Charisma: Lesser duergar are extremely withdrawn and guarded. These adjustments replace the ability adjustments given for dwarves.

  • Weapon Familiarity: Unlike other dwarves, lesser duergar do not have weapon familiarity with the dwarven waraxe or dwarven urgrosh.

  • +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, phantasms, and paralysis: This trait replaces the dwarf's +2 racial bonus on saves against poison.

  • +2 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks: Lesser gray dwarves excel at stealthy movement.

  • Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day - enlarge person. Caster level equals twice the lesser duergar's class levels (minimum 3rd). These abilities affect only the lesser duergar and whatever he carries.

  • Light Sensitivity: Lesser duergar are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

LESSER DROW

Lesser drow have the following racial traits in addition to the standard elf abilities, except where noted.

  • +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution: The lesser drow have ruthlessly selected for agility at the expense of hardiness over countless generations. These adjustments replace the ability adjustments given for elves.

  • Darkvision: Lesser drow can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and lesser drow can function just fine with no light at all. This ability replaces the low-light vision noted for elves.

  • Weapon Proficiency: Lesser drow are automatically proficient with the hand crossbow, rapier, and short sword. These proficiencies replace those of standard elves.

  • +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like effects.

  • Spell-Like Abilities: A lesser drow with a Charisma score of at least 10 has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day - dancing lights, daze, touch of fatigue. Caster level equals the lesser drow's class levels.

  • Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds lesser drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

  • Favored Class: Wizard (male) or cleric (female). This trait replaces the favored class entry for elves.

LESSER DEEP GNOMES

Lesser svirfneblin have the following racial traits in addition to the standard gnome abilities, except where noted.

  • -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity: Lesser deep gnomes are quick but not terribly strong. These adjustments replace the ability adjustments given for gnomes.

  • Darkvision: Lesser svirfneblin can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and svirfneblin can function just fine with no light at all.

  • Stonecunning: This ability grants a lesser svirfneblin a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A lesser svirfneblin who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a svirfneblin can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A lesser svirfneblin can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Lesser svirfneblin have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.

  • +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects: Lesser svirfneblin are resistant to magic. This trait replaces the +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions given for gnomes.

  • +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all creatures: This trait replaces the +4 dodge bonus against monsters of the giant type given for gnomes.

  • Weapon Familiarity: Lesser svirfneblin may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.

  • Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by lesser svirfneblin.

  • Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day - resistance, daze, lullaby. Caster level equals one-half character level, DC 10 + spell level + Cha modifier.

  • +2 racial bonus on Hide checks: A svirfneblin is an expert at remaining unseen. This bonus improves to +4 underground.

  • Favored Class: Rogue. This trait replaces the favored class entry for gnomes.

LESSER PLANETOUCHED

All lesser planetouched have the following racial trait in common, in addition to all the standard racial traits.

  • Planetouched: Planetouched are humanoids (not outsiders) with the planetouched subtype. They are susceptible to spells and effects that specifically target both humanoids or outsiders. Charm person works against them, and so does banishment. This trait replaces the outsider entry in each planetouched description.