Hello everyone, I wanted to see about using a Dark Stalker as a PC, I only want his spell like abilities and the poison use. I have looked at the humanoid table for constructing creatures and I understand it, but its the adding of the spell like abilities that is getting me. I am posting mostly for the reason that an Aasimar or Tiefling for example have no "level adjustment" but have several low level resistances and a once per day spell like ability. The Dark Stalker's at will abilities are good so I can understand a higher adjustment, anyone have any advice?
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I had a character play one of these. I dropped everything except the spell-like abilities and the supernatural abilities. I allowed the spell-like but cast at his character lvl. I ended up dropping him 2 levels behind the party with only 2 humanoid racial HD (BAB, skills and save) + his class levels. The abilities play a big difference at all levels since they are at will and the deeper darkness and see in darkness are a huge advantage. He also had the light blindnessbut wasn't much of a weakness due to the darkness abilities.
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Level adjustments were removed in Pathfinder. You would have a few options.
1. Run them as-is, using the hit dice as racial levels.
2. Impose some penalty on them, further increasing their effective level
Option 1 lets you have the option of creating a scale of 6 racial levels, granting various abilities at different levels. Here is a very rough write-up....
Base Racial Mods:
Dex: +4, Int: -2
Racial Modifiers: +4 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
Weaknesses: light blindness
Dark Stalker Racial Class
Level 1: Sneak Attack 1d6; Poison Use (Ex); Darkvision
Level 2: Detect Magic at-will(Sp)
Level 3: Sneak Attack 2d6
Level 4: Fog Cloud at-will(Sp),
Level 5: Sneak Attack 3d6,
Level 6: Death Throes (Su), See in Darkness (Su), Deeper Darkness at-will(Sp)
Thanks for the responses, both options seem balanced and viable, Shar Tahl, your answer reminds me of the 3.5's Savage Species (which I have used before in previous campaigns) and works. Thomas LeBlanc you're solution is based off of the templates in the back of the beastiary for building monster races I believe. I will talk to my Dm and see which option he will prefer. On a final note I was doing a bit more research for comparison and the Drow Noble seems to have quite a few stat boosts, at will magical abilities and powerful spell resistance. To quote the Beastiary "Drow nobles are defined by their class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice. A drow noble's challenge rating is equal to her class level. Drow nobles possess all of the racial traits listed above for drow character. Just wondering where the balance between the two comes in?
There is no Level Adjustment in Pathfinder. The creatures in the Bestiaries are meant as opponents, not player options.
So you are saying this would have been better in the advice forum? or homebrew?
Greg
I have said what I have said. These are your words, not mine. Do not try to assign to me what are your own thoughts.So you are saying this would have been better in the advice forum? or homebrew?
Greg
Fair nuff.
My thoughts, never would allow it in a campaign of mine. However, since allowed or not allowed wasn't the original question...
Hello everyone, I wanted to see about using a Dark Stalker as a PC, I only want his spell like abilities and the poison use. I have looked at the humanoid table for constructing creatures and I understand it, but its the adding of the spell like abilities that is getting me. I am posting mostly for the reason that an Aasimar or Tiefling for example have no "level adjustment" but have several low level resistances and a once per day spell like ability. The Dark Stalker's at will abilities are good so I can understand a higher adjustment, anyone have any advice?
So, I would go with Thomas' idea. This seems to coincide closer to your original intent. Especially if your group is using the beastiary suggested modifications as well for their characters. Are you the only one in your group going to be playing a beastiary character? If not, I'd like to hear more about this group, sounds interesting. And in a later post, you mentioned reading about noble drow, is this going to be a underworld campaign?
Greg being curious.
I had a character play one of these. I dropped everything except the spell-like abilities and the supernatural abilities. I allowed the spell-like but cast at his character lvl. I ended up dropping him 2 levels behind the party with only 2 humanoid racial HD (BAB, skills and save) + his class levels. The abilities play a big difference at all levels since they are at will and the deeper darkness and see in darkness are a huge advantage. He also had the light blindnessbut wasn't much of a weakness due to the darkness abilities.
From what I have seen of playing characters with level adjustments, adding humanoid HD is a great option. It basically lets you treat the race as its own little prestige class, which keeps the abilities balanced against "normal" characters, and doesn't dock them their needed HP/Saves/BAB like using 3.5 EL does.
Lots of varied responses, thanks for all the input. My character and his history was to help the DM with a hook for my group. Things have changed around and I am still looking at different races to play for a campaign of my own (we take turns every few months to help prevent DM fatigue) I think a party of monsters would be a interesting switch. When and if we do I think I will look into Thomas LeBlancs option and break them down. Shar Tahl I read your James Jacobs link and found it helpful, thanks.
Lord of Admonition page 406 of the Core Book states about monsters to be used as pc's and later states that some are not really made to be played with a group of normals (which I can agree too) but they do list the level difference for the other party members being a level higher (aka level adjustment so to speak) for balance. I understand they are powerful and can lead to broken builds but I am a power gamer and could do that with whatever build of regular races and classes I want anyway. I have been playing RPG's (paper and dice) for about 16 years, a little change here and there is welcome to keep things interesting.
Finally Greg, it was going to lead to the Underdark (I have read about 30 some odd books relating to it, plus plenty of rpg books and such) part of the difference about the change in plans is that I argued that our party would be killed in a very brutal fashion (we are only 5th, almost 6th) and would not be prepared for the Predator around every corner and under every stone that is the Underdark. I stated it should be something that a higher level party should attempt so hence the change.