Ok, how exactly is it done?
If you make a half-human/half celestial creature, what is its effective character level for the purposes of taking other classes?
Ex: you're making a half-celestial paladin. You are only allowed to be effectively an 8th level character. How many paladin levels are you allowed to take?
I've been trying to figure out how this works in Pathfinder, but can't figure it out.
Ok, how exactly is it done?
If you make a half-human/half celestial creature, what is its effective character level for the purposes of taking other classes?
Ex: you're making a half-celestial paladin. You are only allowed to be effectively an 8th level character. How many paladin levels are you allowed to take?
I've been trying to figure out how this works in Pathfinder, but can't figure it out.
That would be because pathfinder got rid of effective character levels. Templates are intended primarily for the DM to enhance NPCs. If you want to play a half-celestial/dragon/fiend/etc.. in Pathfinder, it requires more of a discussion with your DM as to if he/she thinks it is too powerful for the campaign in relation to the other characters.
Whereas some templates, such as werecreatures, were made more playable and comparable with tieflings and other previously +1 ECL races, the half-templates remained the same as far as power boosts go. Depending on the DM, campaign, and other characters, I could imagine your DM allowing a half-celestial as 6th level instead of at 8th level like the other players.
In other words, there is no ECL adjustment. An 8th level Paladin half-human/celestial would be an 8th level character in regards to everything, including XP requirements. However, the ability bonuses, special abilities, flight, and other qualities & defenses may make the character more powerful than the other players at the same level.
These differences can even out over time, but not always. Really, it's more of a DM call than a hard rule in Pathfinder vs 3.X.
okay so according to the monsters as pc section of the bestiary, start reading on the bottom of page 313, it states that we treat cr as level we do not increase level by taking additional hd so we only level with class levels, and that every 3 levels the rest of the party goes up from initial character build we count ourselves as 1 cr lower to a max of 1/2 rounded down of the total cr gained so for the half celestial +1 up until 6 hd where I go up to +2 adjustment
now then with a +1 the party grants that free level at 4th but of course that doesn't matter until I hit 6 hd.
your 8th level paladin would have 7 levels at this point, due to getting that free level now then 4 levels from now he is going to go up another cr so at this point the GM gets to make the all of either you not going up to 11th level and you stay at 10th when everyone levels up to 12th or you go up to 11th and count as 13th, and thus don't level up next level. I would advise the former for balance reasons.
but still the answer to the initial question is once more you are level 7 paladin and you are a half celestial
Sorry to revive this old thread, but i prefer to ask here rather than start a thread for such small question... why do you say to compensate a 8th lvl character you give a half celestial +4 ECL and it can only take 3 class lvls instead of 4? in brief, why 8th class lvls = 4 ECL + 3 class lvls instead of 4 ECL + 4 class lvls?