Magical beast race for player characters [3.5]

[ThiagoMartell]

Do you guys know of any magical beats race for player characters at low LA (preferably +0)? Couldn't find it through a google search and can't really remember any.

[VGLordR2]

The best way that I know of is to apply the Shadow Creature template to a base creature. It's LA +2, and I think it's found in Manual of the Planes. It's actually a pretty good template overall, so I think the LA is worth it.

[Roguenewb]

A quick trip to the master race list doesn't reveal any LA 0 options to become a Magical Beast.

Pray-tell, why does a player want to be a magical beast?

[gorfnab]

Beguiler - Shining South page 60

[VGLordR2]

Beguiler - Shining South page 60

Isn't the Beguiler a cohort-only race?

[gorfnab]

Isn't the Beguiler a cohort-only race?
Technically yes. But it is really fun to play as a PC. In two separate campaigns I have managed to play a Beguiler (race) Beguiler (class). Each time it was a blast to play. Playing a Magic Beast, such as Beguiler, does bring some issues to the table. Gear wise there are different slots to consider, such as for armor you have to have it be purchased like barding for an exotic animal. Also there is role playing aspect of most NPCs treating/interacting with the Magic Beast as they would a familiar or animal companion as opposed to a PC.

[ThiagoMartell]

A quick trip to the master race list doesn't reveal any LA 0 options to become a Magical Beast.

Pray-tell, why does a player want to be a magical beast?

It's for TO purposes, actually. Trying to find alternative ways to qualify for Rapidstrike.


The best way that I know of is to apply the Shadow Creature template to a base creature. It's LA +2, and I think it's found in Manual of the Planes. It's actually a pretty good template overall, so I think the LA is worth it.

But you would need an animal as a base creature, and they don't have listed LA...

[VGLordR2]

But you would need an animal as a base creature, and they don't have listed LA...

Shadow Creature can be applied to "any corporeal creature".

[ThiagoMartell]

Shadow Creature can be applied to "any corporeal creature".

Yes, but that does not mean a shadow lion has listed LA.

[VGLordR2]

Yes, but that does not mean a shadow lion has listed LA.

Shadow creature is a template. It can be applied to "any corporeal creature". In D&D terms, a creature is not necessarily an animal. For example, humans are considered creatures. Therefore, the Shadow Creature template can be applied to them.

[karkus]

you could try these 3, but keep in mind that the only way I could think of to do this is by being an Awoken animal as well as having these templates.

in the sourcebook Savage Species, which is based solely around being a monstrous character, there are many templates, but here are a few that work:

{scrubbed}

that link will take you to the pdf version of the book, starting on page 111, which is Chapter 10, Templates.

the Monstrous Beast template is found on page 122 and has +2 level adjustment. this template creates animals and vermin that possess breath weapons as well as a number of special attacks.

Multiheaded Creature may be found on page 124, and has level adjustments ranging from as low as +2 to as astronomically high as +41. however, the +41 LA only applies when you have 30 heads that can all shoot fire, regenerate, etc., so you should only worry about having 2 (arguably) mundane heads for the +2 LA.

finally, the Winged Creature template can be found on page 137 and has +2 level adjustment. as the name suggests, it is a creature that possesses wings. this is perhaps the simplest of the 3 I have listed.

sorry if that was a little long. hope it helps

[Lonely Tylenol]

Shadow creature is a template. It can be applied to "any corporeal creature". In D&D terms, a creature is not necessarily an animal. For example, humans are considered creatures. Therefore, the Shadow Creature template can be applied to them.

Yes, but the template doesn't change a creature's type unless they are animals or vermin (in which case they do become magical beasts).

The problem, then, becomes whether or not you can find a low-LA playable race or creature that is an animal or vermin (which isn't likely, as they rarely, if ever, have an INT of more than 2, and PCs have a minimum INT of 3)...

[ThiagoMartell]

Shadow creature is a template. It can be applied to "any corporeal creature". In D&D terms, a creature is not necessarily an animal. For example, humans are considered creatures. Therefore, the Shadow Creature template can be applied to them.
Shadow Creatures makes any creature became a magical beats? I was sure it only did that when applied to animals.

[Urpriest]

Karkus, none of those work for exactly the reasons stated above. There is no LA for awakened animals.

Shadow Creature, similarly, is a problem unless you apply it to a vermin. There are vermin with low LA, but they're really obvious typos from Monsters of Faerun.

Beguiler, as mentioned, works if you allow cohort-only.

One of the lowest actually playable magical beasts I'm aware of is the Krenshar. The SRD says that they're cohort-only, but that was never established in the errata, so technically they're still available to non-cohorts.

[ThiagoMartell]

On a sidenote, is there any monster that gets invocations or eldritch blast?

[VGLordR2]

Yes, but the template doesn't change a creature's type unless they are animals or vermin (in which case they do become magical beasts).

The problem, then, becomes whether or not you can find a low-LA playable race or creature that is an animal or vermin (which isn't likely, as they rarely, if ever, have an INT of more than 2, and PCs have a minimum INT of 3)...

Oh, whoops. I was thinking of the template in Manual of the Planes, which changes all creatures to Magical Beasts (this version did not give an LA). Lords of Madness has the current version, which only applies to Animals or Vermin. They both have the same name, and I was going from memory.

So, I've successfully contributed nothing to this thread.

[Roguenewb]

damn, magical beast is hard to get. My brain is racking trying to remember the player vermin race that's out there. I feel like I can remember one.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Is the Dragon Magazine Compendium race Diopsid an insect? I know Thri-Kreen aren't (and thus it's unlikely that Diopsid are), but worth asking (I am away from books)...

[ThiagoMartell]

I'm guessing 3.0 Reincarnate would work, but that's just a curiosity

[Pyromancer999]

I believe you're looking for Tibbits. Look it up.

[ThiagoMartell]

I believe you're looking for Tibbits. Look it up.

Tibbits are humanoids.

[Techwarrior]

Aranea, from MM1 is a Magical Beast (Shapeshifter) type that is specifically called out as a player race. However with 3 RHD and +4 LA, your likely not all that interested. They do have some neat features though, and cast as 3rd level sorcerers. Overall, its probably not precisely what your looking for, though it is fun in its own way, especially if you can talk the DM into giving up some of the abilities for reduced LA, or see if they think it's actually worth 4 LA (I don't, it should maybe be LA 2 with the RHD).

[TheGeckoKing]

A Fiendish Hairy Spider (MoF + 3.5 Update) would be a LA +2 Fine Magical Beast, not that I can imagine it being a playable race or anything.

[Darrin]

Shadow Creatures makes any creature became a magical beats? I was sure it only did that when applied to animals.

The 3.0 version of Shadow Creature turns any living corporeal being into a magical beast. However, this template was updated to 3.5 in Lords of Madness, and now has the following wording:

"Animals or vermin with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged."

There might be another way, but it's extremely shoddy from a rules standpoint. Start with an anthropomorphic snake or lizard (Savage Species), and then apply the Ti-Khana template from Fiend Folio, which:

"can be applied to any lizard, dinosaur, snake, or any animal or magical beast that is reptilian. The creature’s type becomes magical beast."

[Psyren]

Tibbits are humanoids.

Monstrous Humanoids actually, though that doesn't help you much.

Make him a Totemist :smalltongue:

[ThiagoMartell]

Aranea, from MM1 is a Magical Beast (Shapeshifter) type that is specifically called out as a player race. However with 3 RHD and +4 LA, your likely not all that interested. They do have some neat features though, and cast as 3rd level sorcerers. Overall, its probably not precisely what your looking for, though it is fun in its own way, especially if you can talk the DM into giving up some of the abilities for reduced LA, or see if they think it's actually worth 4 LA (I don't, it should maybe be LA 2 with the RHD).
I had already considered araneas, but the LA really hurts. I'll probably play around with using a aranea as a big bad's right hand using ToB + Rapidstrike or something like that.


The 3.0 version of Shadow Creature turns any living corporeal being into a magical beast. However, this template was updated to 3.5 in Lords of Madness, and now has the following wording:

"Animals or vermin with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged."

There might be another way, but it's extremely shoddy from a rules standpoint. Start with an anthropomorphic snake or lizard (Savage Species), and then apply the Ti-Khana template from Fiend Folio, which:

"can be applied to any lizard, dinosaur, snake, or any animal or magical beast that is reptilian. The creature’s type becomes magical beast."
Hm, Ti-Khana sounds nice. I'll look it up when I get home. Thanks, Darrin.

[Darrin]

It's for TO purposes, actually. Trying to find alternative ways to qualify for Rapidstrike.

Aberration is probably a better route. First, there's Synads that are already LA +0. Then there's a few templates that can turn you into an aberration:

Arachnoid (FR Underdark)
Corrupted by the Abyss (Expedition to the Demonweb Pits)
Gelatinous (Savage Species... heckuva Int hit, though)
Half-Illithid (Fiend Folio/FR Underdark)
Insectile (Savage Species)
Spellwarped (MM3)

[Duke of URL]

The lowest ECL magical beast I've been able to find is an Abrian (Fiend Folio) at 2 RHD, +1 LA. Basically looking like a love child of an ostrich and velociraptor, it isn't listed as cohort-only, so I guess it qualifies as a PC race, even if it visually seems ill-suited.

[ThiagoMartell]

Aberration is probably a better route. First, there's Synads that are already LA +0. Then there's a few templates that can turn you into an aberration:

Didn't even remember synads were aberrations. There are are also elans and daelkyr halfbloods. Aberration is the easy choice, I'm just looking for other options.

[Arbane]

LA 0 Magical Beasts, you say....? (http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Ponyfinder) :smallbiggrin: