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Scio
2011-01-29, 10:06 PM
Why does the Locathah have an LA? I mean, Monstrous Humanoid and a swim speed are kind of offset by the 10' land speed, y'know? I want to play a Locathah fisherman in a game, but I'm not sure what's so great about them. Can someone help me out?

The-Mage-King
2011-01-29, 10:11 PM
Why does the Locathah have an LA? I mean, Monstrous Humanoid and a swim speed are kind of offset by the 10' land speed, y'know? I want to play a Locathah fisherman in a game, but I'm not sure what's so great about them. Can someone help me out?

I... have no clue. Looking at them (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/locathah.htm), they're really nothing special, just an aquatic humanoid with two RHD, a faster swim speed than most other creatures, +3 NA, and bonuses to Dex, Int, and Wis.


I can think of somethings that I could do with them, but not much.

Kuma Kode
2011-01-29, 10:12 PM
+2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Wis. That's why. Total +6 modifier to ability scores.

And in a largely aquatic campaign, the 60 ft. swim speed is quite powerful.

Greenish
2011-01-29, 10:13 PM
Because the designers don't want you to play monsters, when you could play pretty races.

[Edit]:
+2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Wis. That's why. Total +6 modifier to ability scores.But they're already saddled with 2 RHD in humanoid. Besides, stat mods aren't so powerful.

Lhurgyof
2011-01-29, 10:24 PM
Yeah, it's probably because of the Unbalanced Stat Mods.

Kuma Kode
2011-01-29, 10:34 PM
But they're already saddled with 2 RHD in humanoid. Besides, stat mods aren't so powerful. I didn't say it was reasonable. I said that was why.

Unbalanced stat modifications are automatically worth a +1 level adjustment. See Hobgoblin (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/hobgoblin.htm).

LOTRfan
2011-01-29, 11:01 PM
Plus, it seems that WotC thought that anything with more than one racial Hit Die deserved at least +1 to Level Adjustment.

awa
2011-01-30, 12:10 AM
I don't think that wizards considered racial hit dice a penalty

Lhurgyof
2011-01-30, 12:35 AM
That's why we just ignore RHD in our game for Monster PC's.

Gorgondantess
2011-01-30, 12:52 AM
This is an injustice that must be rectified. To the Improved Monster Classes cave! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182724)

EDIT: and, lo and behold, a semi-playable Locathah. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10265374&postcount=219)

KillianHawkeye
2011-01-30, 03:45 AM
Well consider that Locathahs are pretty much unplayable outside of an underwater campaign (lacking the amphibious special quality means they can't breathe air).

So, if it's a given that the game will be highly aquatic, then having a 60-foot swim speed and +3 natural armor, combined with the good stat mods, probably is worth a +1 Level Adjustment (at least in the eyes of the designers). It definitely would be worth it if the RHD were removed, I think.

AtomicKitKat
2011-01-30, 01:05 PM
Plus, it seems that WotC thought that anything with more than one racial Hit Die deserved at least +1 to Level Adjustment.

That right there is the biggest problem with WotC design. The way I see it, every racial HD over 1 should already be counted as +1 Level Adjustment(or rather, off-set something worth +1 LA on a 1RHD creature). Also, they hyperinflated the value of Strength.

For ability score balancing purposes, I'd say the following should probably be about the right ratio:

1.5 Int=1.5 Wis=2 Con=2 Dex=2.5 Charisma=3 Strength

sreservoir
2011-01-30, 02:06 PM
That right there is the biggest problem with WotC design. The way I see it, every racial HD over 1 should already be counted as +1 Level Adjustment(or rather, off-set something worth +1 LA on a 1RHD creature). Also, they hyperinflated the value of Strength.

For ability score balancing purposes, I'd say the following should probably be about the right ratio:

1.5 Int=1.5 Wis=2 Con=2 Dex=2.5 Charisma=3 Strength

I think you're overvaluing mental stats. charisma can be a dump stat for basically anyone who doesn't have abilities based on it.

PlzBreakMyCmpAn
2011-01-31, 04:03 PM
Mental stats give good things. His ratios are close enough. Ahem ratio

Also hobgoblins are not the pinnacle of balanced races. See my BG's Optimized Races Compendium for some perspective.