Level Adjust Buyoff

[bartman]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone could explain to me how LA Buyoff works? I tried reading UA but it just confuses me a bit.

Also, I do not know if I am understanding level adjust properly. My group works it as a "lost level" of sorts, for example, if I wanted to play a 5th level fighter who happens to be an Aasimar, who as a +1 LA, I would be a 4th level fighter, with the 1 level of Aasimar. when I level, I would take my 5th fighter level.

going with that method, then the UA way of reducing your LA seems very confusing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[Kylarra]

You have it sort of right, but sort of not.
Obligatory link (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingleveladjustments.htm).

To put it in your terms, what would happen is upon reaching level 3 (ECL 4) as an Aasimar fighter, you'd pay 3000 exp ((ecl-1)*1000) and remove your "aasimar level", making you just a level 3 fighter with no adjustment.

Or to put it in other terms, you're giving up a level's worth of exp at stated intervals to remove that "adjustment level" from your ECL.

[bartman]

OK, i think I understand now, I give up so much XP to basically lose a level(the LA), but make it up by gaining more XP each combat than my party members.

Thank you, now I just have to see if my DM will let m do it..

[tyckspoon]

OK, i think I understand now, I give up so much XP to basically lose a level(the LA), but make it up by gaining more XP each combat than my party members.

Thank you, now I just have to see if my DM will let m do it..

Yup. You trade off being an absolute level behind for being a certain number of XP behind. That becomes a better deal the higher level the group gets; for example, if you make it to level 10- if you still have the LA, you have to earn an additional 11k XP over the rest of your party to get your 10th class level. If you made the buyoff, instead you only have to get 3k more to get the same class level. And as you've noticed, if your DM distributes XP according to the RAW, you will close or eliminate that gap as you level.

[bartman]

ok, this makes things alot easier to understand. Now for my next question, if I wanted to play a pixie, with a +4 LA, when would I be able to completely buy it off? The table on the SRD website only sys level 12, but for a +3 you would buy off our first at level 9, second at 15, and third at 18. Can anyone explain this more for me?

Thank you

[Kris Strife]

The buyoff points happen every 3 * LA levels.

[Kylarra]

ok, this makes things alot easier to understand. Now for my next question, if I wanted to play a pixie, with a +4 LA, when would I be able to completely buy it off? The table on the SRD website only sys level 12, but for a +3 you would buy off our first at level 9, second at 15, and third at 18. Can anyone explain this more for me?

Thank you12/21/27/30
As mentioned before it's every 3*LA levels, so your first one is at 12 (4*3) and then the next is 9 levels later (3*3) at 21 (12+9) and so on.

[bartman]

Thank you all

It seems like too much for me to go with the pixie for this campaign, but maybe something to think of in our other longer-running campaign if i need a new character.

thank you all once again for all the help

[Jastermereel]

Since the question was answered, I'm going to hop in, before this thread dies, with a related question:

I'm running an XP-less campaign. Players level when it makes sense in the story (at the end of each "chapter"). Two of the four players are +1LA: a Goliath barbarian and a Catfolk bard. Would it make sense to "forgive" the LA at some point? Without XP there won't be a point where, being one class level behind everyone else they'd be getting more XP and thus leveling faster and thus eventually catching up. They'd just be one class level behind everyone even as the LA becomes less and less worth it.

Is there a reasonable place I should just have them double level so as to catch up with the rest (and ignore the LA)?. They're all Level 3 (or 2+1LA) currently. Would it seem reasonable/fair (to the others as well) to just have them all advance to level 5 at the same time or should the +1 LA creep into obsolescence forever?

[Kylarra]

I'd just kill the LA at some point. Maybe around ecl 6 or so just autoforgive it.

[PhoenixRivers]

I'd just kill the LA at some point. Maybe around ecl 6 or so just autoforgive it.

If you do this, I recommend allowing the LA players to kill the LA, but level them 1 session after everyone else for a while, maybe 2 levels after you forgive.

[Kylarra]

Alternatively give everyone else some sort of bonus as you forgive their LA too, like a free [decent] feat or some other RP rewards.

The magical spring of whatchamacallit has granted you great powers. Goliath and Catfolk gain knowledge beyond their years (exp), and the other two get feats or +1 to a stat or something.

[Curmudgeon]

Is there a reasonable place I should just have them double level so as to catch up with the rest (and ignore the LA)?
No, not really. If you're spacing your level-ups that far apart, you're better off keeping them 1 level behind forever. If you get to some major accomplishment point you might consider it, but you're going to have to give all the other characters something else in addition to their single level boost: a free bonus feat, or maybe some custom item that's well-suited to the character.