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afroakuma
2009-03-14, 08:38 AM
Do their abilities get fixed at the point where the template is applied, and do these reference HD via class levels as well, or only racial HD?

When a half-fiend gains class levels, do these allow it to access new abilities under the template?

Theodoriph
2009-03-14, 09:08 AM
Do their abilities get fixed at the point where the template is applied, and do these reference HD via class levels as well, or only racial HD?

When a half-fiend gains class levels, do these allow it to access new abilities under the template?



I don't know definitively what the answer is, but from the monster manual, I'd say yes, as the half-fiend gains class levels (and thus HD), they can access the new abilities that their template provides them.

I don't know if that's true (though I'm pretty sure (almost 100%) it is.) If it isn't...tell your GM it'd be rather silly to have a +4 LA if you don't have access to the abilities :smallsmile:


EDIT:

Actually that being said you might want to swing a deal with your GM if it'll be a while before you gain access to all the abilities (e.g. you're starting around level 5).

No sense in getting a +4 LA right off the bat if you don't get everything at once. You might want to see if there's a...I don't know the word...but basically you're looking to see if someone's divided the template into levels. So you take one level in the template you get this. You take level 2 in the template you get that.

Since a half fiend is a +4 LA...there would be 4 levels in the template. Then you can take them as appropriate instead of being bashed over the head with a +4 LA right off the bat.

This is very useful if you're starting off at low levels. You can make your own template progression with your DM if you can't find one.


Or you could try dividing up the LA by your HD since the half-fiend's spell-like abilities, immunities and damage reduction are based on HD. So say up to 5 HD and your LA is +2. 6-11 and it's +3, 12 or more HD and it's +4. I'm not saying that's balanced per se...just a thought =D

afroakuma
2009-03-14, 09:20 AM
Well, I'm the DM, and it's for a scaling antagonist, so the LA doesn't concern me too much. I just want to know if a born half-fiend grows in power with class levels.

TheCountAlucard
2009-03-14, 09:22 AM
Since a half fied is a +4 LA...there would be 4 levels in the template. Then you can take them as appropriate instead of being bashed over the head with a +4 LA right off the bat.

I wouldn't advise taking it like a class, though, because you're not getting any BAB, skill points, or saves from your "levels" in it.

OP: Yeah, sounds reasonable that as a half-fiend gains levels, its half-fiend abilities would advance.

Theodoriph
2009-03-14, 09:27 AM
I wouldn't advise taking it like a class, though, because you're not getting any BAB, skill points, or saves from your "levels" in it.

OP: Yeah, sounds reasonable that as a half-fiend gains levels, its half-fiend abilities would advance.



Ack. You're taking it as a class, but you're not really taking it as class :smalltongue:

Let's say you're a half fiend level one fighter.

You're basically a level 5 character...a very crappy level 5 character. =D You also don't have access to all your abilities until your you have another 11+ hit dice.

So instead of being a crappy level one fighter with a +4 adjustment, you divide the template into 4 levels.

You take 2 levels in the template to start off with and 3 levels of fighter. You are now a level 3 fighter with a LA of +2 instead of a level 1 fighter with an LA of +4. In both cases you're the equivalent of a level 5 character...but in the 3 fighter LA +2 cases, you're better equipped to survive early on and can gain more of your half fiend abilities as you go along :smallsmile:

So in a sense you're taking it as a class...but really it's just spreading the level adjustment penalty out over time so you don't get hit with it all the at the beginning. In both cases, your level 20 equivalent character would end up as a fighter 16 with an LA of 4 (assuming anyone would play a half-fiend fighter).




Using this method, you can start playing a half-fiend in a campaign that begins at level 1 or 2, whereas if you apply the +4 LA right at the beginning, you're out of luck and need a new race.

Xenogears
2009-03-14, 01:23 PM
I am also fairly sure that it scales with level. I know of another template (woodling I think? From the Dragon Compendium) that definately scales with level since the example they gave was a base human with class levels and it had abilities equivilant to its full HD. And since woodling is something you are born as unless we assume that the example was also born as a lvl 5 druid then yes it does scale with levels. And if one template does then it is likely they all do.