Making Hobgoblins ECL2

[Duff]

I've tried before, but I think this is simpler and easier to balance...
Each Hob gets the racial ability "militant upbringing" - 2 feats free, Toughness and Weapon focus in a weapon they are proficient in.
Adds to their "hobgoblinyness" and gives the boost they need.
If it's too much, we could give each hob the choice of the two, If they need more, maybe the Endurance feat as well?

Thoughts?

[Ponce]

Just drop their +1 LA. A militant upbringing is a result of class levels, not race - give them levels in fighter or warblade if you want that.

[Satyr]

Hoblgoblins as they are written wthout the LA would be acceptable first level characters. "Monsters" as player characters in D&D are regularly much worse than the supposed "good" people, because WOTC came to the idea to punish players who want to play the uglies or so. The only necessary change for the hobgoblin is to get rid of the level adjustment and perhaps you could replace the +4 bonus to Move Silently with +2 bonus to Move Silently and Hide, to create a more even approach.

[Duff]

True, but the guideline is "positive stat modifyer means ECL 2 or more"

[Satyr]

In this case, take a look at the Serpents and Sewers Hobgoblin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5649971&postcount=10); while the write-up was not intended to be balanced against the standard races, it is most likely on the lower side of the LA+1 territory. Just add anything you feel fitting from the further advancement scheme to the main body of the write-up until you feel it works out for you.

[Harperfan7]

I always ignored the LA +1 for hobgoblins. So what if they don't have any negative ability score mods? A MM orc is more dangerous than an MM hobgoblin in my book.