EmperorNortonII
2012-11-18, 11:40 PM
So, in an upcoming game, I'm going to be playing a Dread Necromancer. Playing a necromancer for more than a single session's been a dream ever since my very first D&D game, 12 years ago, when I played a Halloween game as my very first tabletop game session ever. Needless to say, I'm excited. Also, as I mentioned in my last thread, it's been at last 5 years since I last played D&D.
So, while I initially decided human would be my best bet for a race that wasn't short (intolerable!!!), my ST actually suggested that I play a drow when I pointed out there wasn't a race (in a book I own) without a LA I could justify taking. Then, came the ST suggestion, and the lack of sweet, sweet 3rd level spells at start (mostly Vampiric Touch, for the extra HP, albeit temporary, since I am fragile like a talcum vase). SR is tempting, since my saves are largely junk, and a 7d6 Fireball (my level, and fair game from an encounter with a wizard) will likely kill me. False Life's not bad, but has a small upper limit.
At any rate, going with this suggestion could have me starting as drow, buying off the LA, getting new LA at 11th or so when I decide I want to be a lich, and getting a new LA. Now, I don't see anything in Unearthed Arcana which prevents a buy-off in a second LA race/template (in this case, at 12th or when I get the template, though I'd like to pull it off at 11th). I could be missing something, which is why I'm asking y'all. It seems kinda cheesy to begin with, but it's also 1) perfectly reasonable RP-wise, 2) partially ST-suggested (I want to end in lichdom), and 3) still would leave me behind your typical wizard, cleric, or druid in terms of power, so far as I can see.
Can I do this, RAW? Does anyone else think it's as twinky as it initially seems to me, or is the lack of getting higher-level spells ASAP balancing enough to make it reasonable?
So, while I initially decided human would be my best bet for a race that wasn't short (intolerable!!!), my ST actually suggested that I play a drow when I pointed out there wasn't a race (in a book I own) without a LA I could justify taking. Then, came the ST suggestion, and the lack of sweet, sweet 3rd level spells at start (mostly Vampiric Touch, for the extra HP, albeit temporary, since I am fragile like a talcum vase). SR is tempting, since my saves are largely junk, and a 7d6 Fireball (my level, and fair game from an encounter with a wizard) will likely kill me. False Life's not bad, but has a small upper limit.
At any rate, going with this suggestion could have me starting as drow, buying off the LA, getting new LA at 11th or so when I decide I want to be a lich, and getting a new LA. Now, I don't see anything in Unearthed Arcana which prevents a buy-off in a second LA race/template (in this case, at 12th or when I get the template, though I'd like to pull it off at 11th). I could be missing something, which is why I'm asking y'all. It seems kinda cheesy to begin with, but it's also 1) perfectly reasonable RP-wise, 2) partially ST-suggested (I want to end in lichdom), and 3) still would leave me behind your typical wizard, cleric, or druid in terms of power, so far as I can see.
Can I do this, RAW? Does anyone else think it's as twinky as it initially seems to me, or is the lack of getting higher-level spells ASAP balancing enough to make it reasonable?