Overpowered Races/Templates

[VGLordR2]

As you've probably deduced from the title, I'm wondering which races are too powerful for their level adjustment. I want to see what crazy things have been published over the years. So, what races and templates make a character too good?

[hamishspence]

Half-ogre and half-Minotaur (Dragon 313) and Mineral Warrior (Underdark) are all LA+1 templates reputed to be a little too good. Feral from Savage Species is sometimes mentioned.

[Glimbur]

Human is pretty darn good. You normally get ~7 feats in your career, aside from class bonus feats, so another one at level 1 can always be useful. This is diminished somewhat if flaws are allowed. An extra skill point may not seem like much, but with Complete Scoundrel and skill tricks it is also at least a little useful.

[Soranar]

Well it always depends on what you choose to do but, according to each role:

any

human (very versatile)
illumians (the power word options can be pretty strong)
strongheart halflings (there's a build using them for just about any role, even melee)
dragonborn of bahamut (again, powerful considering the cost)


Melee warriors

water orcs (high stat bonuses)
warforged (ton of immunities)
dwarves (mostly due to their race only options)

Sneaks and casters (their preferred stats often overlap)

Whispergnomes
A few type of elves (mainly those without a CON penalty)
Necropolitan (to offset the low hit dice and CON)

psionics

Elans should almost be LA +1


LA + templates are almost never worth it for caster classes but can certainly be usable for other types of build.

[Hiro Protagonest]

...Anthropomorphic bat on a druid?

It really depends. In a group with a lesser aasimar cleric, human wizard, and water orc dragonborn barbarian/warblade, a tiefling factotum would be weak, but a lesser tiefling factotum would be par. On the other hand, in a group with an aasimar cleric, a half-orc barbarian/warblade, and an elf wizard, a whisper gnome factotum would be a bit more powerful.

Ultimately, the classes matter more. An elf wizard could beat a water orc barbarian/warblade, with only slightly more resource expidenture than a human or grey elf wizard.

[DeusMortuusEst]

The saint template is very powerful for la +2. Outsider, wis to AC, a bunch of immunities, always on double strenght magic circle against evil and lesser globe of invulnerability, tongues, +2 DC on all special attacks, DR, fast healing and good ability mods.

EDIT: And some SLA:s as well, and extra damage against evil creatures.

[Menteith]

Loth-Touched, Mineral Warrior, Half-Minotaur, Incarnate Construct, and Dark are some of the better templates around; whether they're overpowered is going to depend on the power level of the campaign.

[etrpgb]

Petal +2LA for +8 Charisma and Tiny.

[hamishspence]

It has "cohort" in its LA section though- implying it can't be used as a PC race without a specific ruling from the DM.

[etrpgb]

Well... yeah. But in this kind of game it actually applies to everything.