Dwarven Mineral Warrior Level 1

[SSGoW]

How would a Dwarven Mineral Warrior look at level 1? Since it adds a LA+1 you wouldn't be able to put in a class level, however what would you use for your attack bonus and base saves?

Would you use you Type/Subtype? Thus http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#humanoidType

Soo... At 1st level

+0 BAB
+2 to one good Save (Fort or Will... Most likely Will)
+0 to two bad Saves
2 + Int (X4 at first level)
Simple Weapons
Armor (Heavy Armor and Less)
+ Other Humanoid Traits

+ Dwarven Racial Stuff

+ Mineral Warrior Template stuff


I feel like this is a great first level character, most likely not the best someone can do but I think it really goes with the "Hardy Dwarf Stereotype". Now if only Dwarven Defender wasn't so bad I would take it...

Is there something I'm missing? I feel like there is...

EDIT: One thing I thought to replace Dwarven Defender would be Dwarven Mineral Warrior 1/Fighter 6 (dungeon crasher/shock trooper)/ Warblade (Or Crusader) who focuses on Stone Dragon X

Stone Dragon isn't the best but it would be a neat thing if I could pull it off

[Lateral]

Yeah, you can't use races with LA at level one.

[SSGoW]

Well it isn't a Racial LA, it comes from a Template.

If you have LA 2 and 2 Racial HD you would be a level 4 character with no class levels, correct?

Why doesn't it work at level 1?

[Kaje]

Because you need at least 1 hit die.

[SSGoW]

Because you need at least 1 hit die.

Don't you gain that from being a Humanoid?

"8-sided Hit Dice, or by character class" (from SRD) so a level one humanoid would have 1 Hit Die = 1d8 OR by character class.

[Urpriest]

Because you need at least 1 hit die.

This. You're not a mineral warrior dwarf, you're a mineral warrior dwarf with at least one class level. I recommend that you read my monster guide, link in sig.

[Kaje]

If you have that hit die and +1 LA, then you're not ECL 1.

[KillianHawkeye]

Yeah, even taking a racial HD instead of a class level makes you level 2 with a +1 level adjustment. Your ECL is equal to your total HD (class and racial) plus LA.

[SSGoW]

So I go ..

Dwarven Fighter 1

Add Mineral Warrior when I hit ECL 2

And then when I hit ECL 3 I can take Fighter 2?

Would that be a legal progression?

[Lateral]

You'd have to have somebody use Mineralize Warrior on you, then serve them for a year and a day. Them's the breaks, buddy.

[Studoku]

It's an acquired template, so this would work mechanically. It would involve you doing the necessary IC things during the campaign though- which may not be convenient, especially if you're not in an Underdark campaign.

Alternatively, blag it as something you did before the campaign that takes time/a quest to prove yourself until you get the effects. Talk to your GM about this and figure out a solution.

[SSGoW]

You'd have to have somebody use Mineralize Warrior on you, then serve them for a year and a day. Them's the breaks, buddy.

Well that would make my background easier to create :)

And thanks everyone, I have never used templates before.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

So I go ..

Dwarven Fighter 1

Add Mineral Warrior when I hit ECL 2

And then when I hit ECL 3 I can take Fighter 2?

Would that be a legal progression?

The Mineral Warrior template can only be acquired via the spell Mineralize Warrior found in the same book (Underdark).

Mineralize Warrior is a Sorcerer/Wizard 6 Transmutation. It requires the caster to expend gemstones and other expensive minerals worth 500 gp per HD of the target, as well as 250 XP per HD of the target. At standard NPC spellcasting fees, assuming the minimum caster level of 11, it would cost you at least 2,410 gp. Your character would be automatically compelled to serve the caster for one year plus one day, though he may release you if he chooses.


An alternative can be found in Player's Guide to Faerun, page 190: Powerful Races at 1st Level. Note that RAW you can only use it for level adjusted races which appear in that particular book, but a lenient DM would allow you to use it for another FR race/template such as Mineral Warrior. Your character would start out with the +1 LA and one class level, but you would take a -1 penalty to every d20 roll you make, as well as a -1 to the DCs of any of your abilities which allow a saving throw, and a -1 to any AC bonuses granted by race. Once you have enough XP to reach 2nd level, those penalties vanish, as your XP will match your ECL. You can say the costs of becoming a Mineral Warrior were paid for by the caster, in exchange for your service to him for that one year plus one day.

[Lateral]

Well that would make my background easier to create :)

Yeah, as a background it isn't a problem (and is certainly easy enough to work in). It's when you have to do it in-game that it gets irritating, because you have to spend a year as some NPC's slave.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Well that would make my background easier to create :)

If it's in the background, you're not starting at level 1. I don't see why you'd need to figure out how your character was ECL 1 at some point in his life. It's not like it's mandatory.