Dinosaur PC?

[dob]

I'm going to run a silly high LA character adventure and one of my players is looking to play as a dinosaur. I support these hijinx, and am wondering as to the easiest and most effective mechanics to support it. Should we look to the awakened animal route, the lycanthrope route, or something else?

Another guy wants to play as a choker. By the point guidelines, the LA works out to +6, but he thinks +4 is probably more fair. Me, I'm thinking +3. Any opinions?

[Volthawk]

Well ,there is this method (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Races_of_War_(3.5e_Sourcebook)/Playing_Unusual_Races#Converting_Monsters_Into_Cha racters). Just be careful with under-CRed monsters.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I'd said awakened is the best route, though I don't sure what kind of HD would be appropiate....

[The Glyphstone]

There was a thread a while back with a Velociraptor Swordsage. Made of win, but the campaign died too early.

[Xallace]

Awakened. Tyrannosaurus Shadowdancer.

Just sayin'.

[Grumman]

If you download the Serpent Kingdoms Web Enhancement, there are a few dinosaur-like humanoids. If it was me, I'd say it's either that or the lycanthrope, as I can't stand the idea of awakened animals as PCs.

Another idea: how about modifying the Divine Minion template or a PrC (Bear Warrior, perhaps?) to allow someone to Wild Shape into a 'raptor?

RE: the Choker. Remember that it gets 3.0 style Haste. If it's a spellcaster or martial initiator it will be getting twice as many standard actions every round.

[Skaven]

Depending on the character you could do away with LA entirely if they have a high natural HD, which is a penalty enough in and of itself.

[Greenish]

Depending on the character you could do away with LA entirely if they have a high natural HD, which is a penalty enough in and of itself.Choker gets 3 aberration RHD, which are rather poor. I don't feel like reverse-engineering the stat bonuses from SRD, but other than Quickness it doesn't seem to have much going for it.

You might make it +0 LA / RHD and just remove the quickness.

[Starbuck_II]

Apply animorphic template from Savage species? Normally you are Furry, but now you are a Scaly.

[dob]

For the choker, we're now thinking LA+0 is actually fair, if we nerf the quickness to only apply a the surprise round. That fits in with the choker modus operandi. Having to take 3 levels of choker, essentially, to get that, improved grab, stealthy, natural armor, the silenced constrict effect, and some climbing bonuses, eh, seems about right? For racial stat adjustments, maybe +2 DEX, -6 INT?

I note the velociraptor swordsage went basically this route, though 3 levels to get the raptor effects seems a bit low. Any thoughts about that? I don't mind awakened animals, they are a fantasy staple.

[LOTRfan]

Saurials are good for dinosaur player characters. Here's a link for 3.5 saurials

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frx/20030528a

If your player wants a carnivorous dinosaur, I'd suggest the anthropomorphic template from savage species and adding the Saurial traits.

[Mattarias, King.]

I have a book called the "Complete Guide to Velociraptors" that is.. Well, what it says on the tin. Dunno where I got it, but it has rules for playing raptors in 3.5, even classes for them. Maybe try to look that up or find a PDF or something? It's a very fun book, though my group refuses to want to play a dinosaur game. >>;

[Lycanthromancer]

I'd reflavor a non-psionic thri-kreen (ie, no psi-like abilities), keep the 2 monstrous humanoid HD, nix the last remaining point of LA, and reduce him down to one pair of claws (rather than four arms with claws).

That's about right, I'd say.

Keep the poison, bonus to Jump, and other racial traits.

Voila, an intelligent velociraptor.

Don't have much to say about the choker, unfortunately.

[Rixx]

Axe Paladin and Dinosaur Fighter!

(Make it happen.)

[The Glyphstone]

For a low or no-LA choker, howbout replace Quickness with the Dire Tortoise's ability to always act in the surprise round, even if they wouldn't normally, then get an extra action during the surprise round if they would get to act.