[3e] Gaining template and level adjustment

[Mr L.]

Let's say that certain player (say on level 5) has been bitten by a werewolf and become a lycan. According to DM manual werewolf has +3 level adjustment, so efective level of our player is 8. Now, how would you count exp needed to gain next level? In general I have few ideas, but can't find anything in rule books...

1. Don't care at all. I can't find proper rules, but it would be unfair to other players who stay less powerful now.
2. Assume that player in order to advance to class level 6 needs to be efective level 9 (6+3 LA), so now he needs to have 45k of exp to gain level (gain 35k of experience), while rest of team needs only 15k (gain 5k), I don't like this either...
3. Any better solutions? How do you deal with such things in your campaigns?

Thanks for answers.

[tyckspoon]

Does he want to remain a lycanthrope? If not, I would ignore the LA and just make sure he has an opportunity in the near future to get the curse removed.

If he does, then..

2. Assume that player in order to advance to class level 6 needs to be efective level 9 (6+3 LA), so now he needs to have 45k of exp to gain level (gain 35k of experience), while rest of team needs only 15k (gain 5k), I don't like this either...

this would be how the RAW operates (slightly worse, actually- becoming a lycanthrope also sticks you with the Racial HD of the base animal, so your player would have a net adjustment of 4- 2 Animal Hit Dice, and 2 LA for being an Afflicted Lycanthrope.) Yes, it kinda sucks, which is why I recommend just getting it cured and ignored the whole LA thing; if it doesn't get cured, then any plans he had for his character's future growth are completely wrecked.

[Jarveiyan]

To clarify somethings when calculating ECL you take into account RHD + LA, and there are 2 LA's for lycanthrope; +2 for afflicted, +3 for natural. Actually at class level 5 your PC is lvl 9 - 5 class + 2 RHD + 2 afflicted. your PC would need 55K xp. I have had to deal with players wanting to play lycanthropes, I had them dump the RHD, however keep the LA. Whenever you decide to look for power be ready to pay the price. If you'r having a problem with this providing a way out to your PC would be the best suggestion from me to you(there are ways to cure the afflicted).

[HunterOfJello]

It is also worth noting that the Werewolf template has a highly inflated level adjustment. The benefits are nowhere near the cost of increasing a character ECL by +5. There are +1 LA templates that give better benefits than the 2 RHD and +3 LA of the Werewolf.


The original LAs in the Monster Manuals seem to be partially designed so that no one would ever play that type of character. The lycanthrope tempaltes massively punish a character for getting afflicted and force the character to go remove it before they can even make a basic attempt at gaining experience as a normal PC ever again.

[Jarveiyan]

It is also worth noting that the Werewolf template has a highly inflated level adjustment. The benefits are nowhere near the cost of increasing a character ECL by +5. There are +1 LA templates that give better benefits than the 2 RHD and +3 LA of the Werewolf.


The original LAs in the Monster Manuals seem to be partially designed so that no one would ever play that type of character. The lycanthrope tempaltes massively punish a character for getting afflicted and force the character to go remove it before they can even make a basic attempt at gaining experience as a normal PC ever again.

Not going to discuss whether or not it's worth it...and as for normal PC, this isn't a normal PC now is it? That is until it gets the affliction dealt with.

[BowStreetRunner]

This is actually addressed in the FAQ. I'm not going to drag it out to quote directly - you can look it up online if you want. But the recommendation that was made is that the PC continues to accrue XP but is treated as a character of class level + LA and will not gain another level until XP total is high enough to reach the next level after that. So a level 10 character with a +2 LA would need enough XP for level 13 to level again.

If the character manages to get rid of their LA, they still keep any XP they gained and may end up immediately leveling as a result.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

That's what Savage Progressions (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/sp) were made for. He gains no benefit whatsoever, as long as he's afflicted he may wake up to find out he's transformed and killed something innocent but doesn't remember it (and doesn't gain anything for it). If he wants to stay a Werewolf he can gradually unlock its abilities via the template class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a). Note that a Werewolf also has racial HD which also count toward his character level. He'll probably have to invest heavily into the Control Shape skill detailed at the end of the Lycanthrope monster entry (www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lycanthrope.htm).

[Mr L.]

Right, I forgot about racial HD. Thanks for answers :smallsmile:

Is there any good explanation of these rules in 3e rule books? In DM manual there are not many things regarding this issue. I found something in Monster Manual II, but it does not exactly cover kind of situation in which player gains template meanwhile campaign...

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Gaining a Template Midcampaign (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a), it's at that Savage Progressions link I gave.