What about the Spriggan?

[CIDE]

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/spriggan
^--- This guy right here.

Or the 3.5 version but I can't find a method of hosting it. Regardless, not much of a difference between the two games.

Anyway, I'm aware that the Spriggan as-is isn't playable. That's not exactly going to stop me and the DM agrees with working it in as a possible race for a later evil game. In this case I'm unsure on a build; I just know I'd want to use a Spriggan to switch some things up out of all the uncivilized evil races that will be included.

Don't worry about a Level Adjust (DM probably won't have me use one), If it's D20 then the book is allowed, and starting level is likely 1-3.

What would be a decent build for this race? Rogue is pretty obvious but I've had some horrible luck with them in the past. I'd just want to capitalize on the odd racial power the Spriggan has with maximum efficiency. So the smell of Pepperjack is mildly encouraged.

So, any ideas from ya'll?

[eggynack]

Actually, the spriggan in the fiend folio is playable, just not at your level. It has an LA of 2 and 5 RHD, so a minimum level of 8. The only two uses I can see are using the small form for rogueing and using the large form for tripping, though neither use seems especially useful. It can also do that whole warlock at will shatter thing, so that may come in handy.

[Starbuck_II]

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/spriggan
^--- This guy right here.

Or the 3.5 version but I can't find a method of hosting it. Regardless, not much of a difference between the two games.

Anyway, I'm aware that the Spriggan as-is isn't playable. That's not exactly going to stop me and the DM agrees with working it in as a possible race for a later evil game. In this case I'm unsure on a build; I just know I'd want to use a Spriggan to switch some things up out of all the uncivilized evil races that will be included.

Don't worry about a Level Adjust (DM probably won't have me use one), If it's D20 then the book is allowed, and starting level is likely 1-3.

What would be a decent build for this race? Rogue is pretty obvious but I've had some horrible luck with them in the past. I'd just want to capitalize on the odd racial power the Spriggan has with maximum efficiency. So the smell of Pepperjack is mildly encouraged.

So, any ideas from ya'll?

The PF versiuon is playable.
PF doesn't use LA. THey use CR as ECL.
They had 4 HD, but only CR 3 (usually fine in a level 3 game, but since HD higher, I'd use that).
So you should be fine as a 4th level Spriggan in a 4th level party.
In a 5th level game, you can have a class level.

[CIDE]

I never saw the Fiend Folio version. I'll have to take a peek.

As for trading in the CR/ECL for a LA equivalent and everything the DM may just ignore that. It depends entirely on the party and if we have some heavier optimization and my proposed build wouldn't keep up (I tend to lean towards roleplay over rollplay. Just occasionally turn my chips nacho flavored) then I'd play the spriggan like a non-LA race and have a full 3 class levels in a level 3 game.

Basically, it's case-by-case.

I hadn't thought of the tripping for the larger size. But like you said it's not all that great a combo. I'm not against a more generic route either; I just wanted the mechanics to fit the fluffiness of the character's race too.

Can't always get what you want, eh?

[eggynack]

With la and rhd, the race seems fairly mediocre. 7 class levels aren't really worth 3 spell like abilities and 3d6. I'm not sure how this kind of thing works in pathfinder, but I doubt the trade off is worth it in that system either. Without any la, this seems pretty far on the cheesy end of the spectrum. Assuming you go in with 18 strength base you get 30 strength on a level 1 character and large size when in the large form. The minor bonuses in small form are something decent to fall back on, but large is the go to form. Just do something meleeish and go to town. Depending on book availability that can mean something like a warblade, or possibly the chain tripping guy I mentioned earlier. You could even play a psychic warrior to get expansion pushing you to huge for more trip based fun. It's a good path because you threaten a large area, and with expansion and improved trip your mod is about 23 if my math is right. Dungeon crasher fighter is always fun too. Basically, if there are three things melee guys love, it's large size, high strength and high con. Spriggan gets all three of those and apparently gets them for free.

[Benly]

If you're using the Pathfinder-style level 3-4 equivalent the spriggan is a pretty acceptable beatstick for its level. Go with your favorite melee class and pound faces in melee, swap off to small form for scouting with your great dex and stealth bonuses. Rogue seems like a losing proposition for this guy, except possibly as a dip to pick up trapfinding if you end up as the party's primary scout in small form (which is entirely manageable).

[Urpriest]

Well, if your DM is ignoring LA/RHD, it would be helpful to know what in particular would be done. For example, if you get all the RHD, ability adjustments, etc., but your ECL is just calculated from class levels, then that's a very different situation from if you lose the RHD and get a "balanced" set of ability score adjustments. We really need to know how it's going to work to give useful advice.