Level Adjustment?? In Pathfinder

[Morithias]

Okay. From what I've managed to gather (but I can't find it on the PSRD itself) in pathfinder, CR has basically replaced LA. A CR 7 Demon is equivalent to a level 7 human cleric.

So I was looking up drow and found the Drow Noble. Challenge Rating 3, Level 3 cleric....with insane stats.

+4 dex +2 int +2 wis +2 cha -2 con, tons of spell-likes, spell resistance, etc.

Am I reading this right that this race is RAW available at level 1 as a base race? Or is there something major that I'm missing?

[Andreaz]

I think Nobles are a subtype of drow that aren't meant to be a player race.

[Yora]

Technically CR 3 is for a 3rd level cleric and you can't just remove the cleric levels to get to CR 0.

CR for NPCs in Pathfinder is "Class level -1". From which one could conclude that Drow Nobles are are CR "Class level -1 +1" and they effectively have an LA of +1 compared to common drow.
Which the designer says is their intention. (http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz1oeq?Bestiary-Drow-vs-Noble-Drow#10)

[Morithias]

Technically CR 3 is for a 3rd level cleric and you can't just remove the cleric levels to get to CR 0.

CR for NPCs in Pathfinder is "Class level -1". From which one could conclude that Drow Nobles are are CR "Class level -1 +1" and they effectively have an LA of +1 compared to common drow.
Which the designer says is their intention. (http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz1oeq?Bestiary-Drow-vs-Noble-Drow#10)

You've been helping me a lot in the past few threads. Thanks for the answer!

[navar100]

It would be a house rule, but in some cases it might be better to use the different XP progression charts. For example, an LA +1 character might instead use the slow progression if everyone else uses the medium progression. If someone is LA +2, he can use slow while everyone else uses fast.

Suit to taste, of course. Perhaps player real-world gaming experience or PC class would be a factor. For example, a newbie human Elf Fighter player gets to use fast progression while experienced Drow Conjurer uses slow progression and the Human Paladin player uses medium progression.

[Chromascope3D]

I don't think there is a level adjustment in Pathfinder, and Drow Nobles are the exception in the Bestiary player races. I'd assume that it would have an adjustment of +3 or +4.

Speaking of which, you may find this interesting (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedRaceGuide/featuredRaces/drow.html).

[Ravenica]

well drow noble is a template and not usable in pfs play, so it comes down to DM discretion, but I usually run it at a +1 LA

[Metahuman1]

Ok, here's a question. There are races that are advanced players guide or third party but in the SRD (And thus as near as I can tell generally considered good enough to work.), that are pretty powerful compared to the core races. Do these have any kind of advancement slow down?

I case we want a couple of examples, Aasimar and Half Oger.

[Ravenica]

APG races have no level or advancement adjustment

[peacenlove]

In the advanced race guide you can find rules for creating races viable for play with up to 2 "Level adjustment" (30 race points). Also "LA" works differently, it is bought off automatically 1 point at 6th level and another at 11th level IIRC.
Drow noble I think is LA +3 due to the sheer number of spell like abilities it has, bumping its cost prohibitely high. IMO it should be LA +2 with the pathfinder ruleset.

[Chromascope3D]

Ok, here's a question. There are races that are advanced players guide or third party but in the SRD (And thus as near as I can tell generally considered good enough to work.), that are pretty powerful compared to the core races. Do these have any kind of advancement slow down?

I case we want a couple of examples, Aasimar and Half Oger.

Just like any supplement, it's up to the DM to limit. I usually see the flying and elemental races cut.

[Hyde]

In the right proper "Drow Noble" entry, there is a line that essentially reads "You can ask your DM if you can play a Drow noble, but the answer should be no."

Anyway, it's true that pathfinder has some funny ideas about CR and LA. They're not terribly far off for most creatures, mostly the straightforward bruiser types, but when you start getting into creatures with powers and abilities....

Well, for example, a certain squid-faced monster would be a CR 8 creature sitting on nine levels of Psion (Or a similar number of sorc levels, but the psionic version is a far more example of stupid) and a psychotic amount of ability adjustments.

Nevermind the part where they suggest the Monstrous PC gets a bonus level every three levels or so up to something like a quarter of it's CR.

No, they didn't think it through at all.