Leveling LA races and classes...

[Kerilstrasz]

According to Savage Species book, you can create a char with race X and instead of add +X LA and have to start the campaign at level X you can start at level 1 and level up the race till it gets to its full power...

1st question is... when do i apply the class? at level 1?after the race level up?or whenever i like?

to be more specific...

there is a race in MM with LA 4
in S.Sp. the same race starts as LA 0 and at race level 5 its identical to MM version...
so..
am i a lvl1"race"/lvl1 Fighter?
am i a lvl5"race"/lvl1 Fighter?
or any combination?

2nd question

I have to level up race to full at once or i can skip race levels and level them later?

i suppose that i cant level them at the same time ofc...

P.S. dont ask why to choose the S.Sp. version.. its obvious that i m asking in case of a campaign with lower than LA +X start.

[Khedrac]

I thought Savage Species covered this but oh well.

You start as a 1 hit dice Monstrous Humanoid (or whatever).
You cannot take levels in anything other than your creature type until you have completed the Savage Species progression for the creature (i.e. until you gain the basic stats of the creature).
Once you have reached the base creature you may then take class levels (and can no longer take levels of the creature type).

[Kerilstrasz]

I thought Savage Species covered this but oh well.

it seems i have to be a bit more scholastic with my reading prosses...
thnx a lot for the info

[Gorgondantess]

I thought Savage Species covered this but oh well.

You start as a 1 hit dice Monstrous Humanoid (or whatever).
You cannot take levels in anything other than your creature type until you have completed the Savage Species progression for the creature (i.e. until you gain the basic stats of the creature).
Once you have reached the base creature you may then take class levels (and can no longer take levels of the creature type).

One problem there: if a race has only one HD, you don't have to take racial hit dice in whatever. It defaults to class. So if it's a race with 1 HD, 4 LA, you spend 4 levels on the LA, and that's it. If it's a race with 2 HD, 4 LA, you have to spend 4 levels on the LA, as well as 2 levels on the RHD.

[Lucid]

I've found this (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207928) to be invaluable when it comes to explaining how LA and monster classes work.