How would it work exaclty?
The half-celestial as an example increases the monster CR by +1 or +2 or +3 depending on the HD of the creature.
What about a character?
My guess is it would not increase at all, cause there is the rule about lowering the "ECL" there. But let's say I have a +5 Template or something like that, would that lowering "ECL" rule still work?
I'm used to play with lots of templates in my groups, so it would be cool to have some insight into how it would work now, although we are pretty screwed creating most of them...
I am interested in this subject too. Does PF have any official way to convert PCs who have Templates?
If not, I'm sure it won't be a huge deal to figure it out between me and the DM but just wanting to know if PF has any way of handling it yet.
This might be on topic, but no guarentees...when dealing with a template critter such as a half-outsider, especially a half-celestial or half-fiend, what happens when you put a Helm of Opposite Alignment on such a critter (I'm especially thinking about sentients, such as humanoids that could become PCs)? How does the item "roll against" any Spell Resistance to function, or does it just not go off at all? If it works, does it affect the template powers (an afflicted half-celestial now goes around Smiting Good and having evil Spell-Like Abilities, for example [on the other hand, a half-celestial's celestial parent might step in for an intervention, whereas a half-fiend's might not care]), or is blood thicker than cursed items? Granted, that particular cursed item requires 9th-level magic (miracle, wish, etc.) to "cure" the victim...
Inquiring minds want to know!
Luckily, I have had players in my game take these templates and I have a solution that many agree with.
for example,
1/2 celestial
CR: HD 5 or less, as base creature + 1; HD 6–10, as base
creature + 2; HD 11 or more, as base creature + 3.
when the player is 1st level through 5th, *HD*
treat them for gaining levels as if they were 1 level higher, or CR
so in this experiment, when they reached enough XP for them to reach 7th level, they would in fact be 6th.
once they have their 6th HD, treat them as if they were 2 levels higher, ext for 11+
So unless you go epic or *mythic*, your character with the template will be 17th level in his class when the party gets to THEIR 20th level.
Unless you are going with the 3.5's Unearthed Arcana(D&D) optional rule on page 18 to be able to "buy off" level adjustments.
Table 1–1: Reducing Level Adjustments
Starting~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Number of Class Levels Necessary for
Level~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Level Adjustment Reduction
Adjustment~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(Not Including Racial Hit Dice)
+1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3
+2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~6, 9
+3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~9, 15, 18
+4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~12
+5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~15
+6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~18
EXPERIENCE POINT COST
Each time a character’s level adjustment is eligible to be reduced,
the character may pay an XP cost to take advantage of the reduction.
The character must pay an amount of XP equal to (his
current ECL – 1) × 1,000. This amount is immediately deducted
from the character’s XP total. The deduction should reduce the
character’s effective character level (ECL) by 1. (If this deduction
would not reduce the character’s ECL by 1, the character’s
XP total is set at the maximum of the level below his current
ECL instead.) This XP cost can’t be reversed in any way, and the
payment must be voluntary on the part of the character.
Notice in the above rules how you can only buy off 1 level if it is a CR+4 or higher.
I basically used the the same type of system as Sean. Half-celestial would be minimum level 2 start (1 Half-celestial/1 Class level) and when the player hits 5 HD (level 6), his next level is lost to his template so at 7 he would be (Half Celestial 2/ Class levels 5) and again at 14 he would look like (Half-Celestial 3/ Class levels 11).
Recently had to enforce this on a group member that thought they would get half-celestial for 1 level adjustment due to taking the base +1 CR based on HD.