LA in a gestalt build

[SilverLeaf167]

AFAIK, there aren't any real rules for how LA works in gestalt games, but a common interpretation and one I prefer is that it only applies to one side of the gestalt (since this goes a long way towards making monstrous characters feasible): for example, you could be a Class 5 // LA 5 instead of the LA taking up your whole build.

Thus, this topic is more of a query on what the playground considers reasonable (assuming the above ruling is used): should the LA be applied to the start or end of the build? This is an issue that never matters in a normal game, but in a gestalt game being a
Sorcerer 9 // Paladin 1/LA 8
can be way different from a
Sorcerer 9 // LA 8/Paladin 1
since it affects how well and how early you can fill prerequisites. Personally, I would prefer the former approach, basically because it would work well for a build I'm thinking of. :smalltongue:

What do you think? Which one do you use in your games, if either?

[only1doug]

IMO LA should be applied before class levels as you cannot take levels until the LA has been completely accounted for.

[jindra34]

IMO LA should be applied before class levels as you cannot take levels until the LA has been completely accounted for.

I think an exception could be made for templates gained during play. But still there having them added as quickly as possible.

[Sacrieur]

LA should be bought off the minute you apply the template.

[RFLS]

Initial LA is applied before class levels; LA gained during play is added on top of existing class levels or LA. To answer your initial question, yes, LA only takes one side of a gestalt build. For your example, assuming you started as a race with LA 8, then yes, it would be Sorcerer 9//LA8/Paladin 1

[Vaz]

Don' t forget RHD either when you use high LA races.

For example if you a Mineral Warrior Template for +1, it is inherited, so you apply that first. Then you gain 4 class levels, so that is ECL5, with 5//1/4. You could then gain the Were- template for +2(?), so that makes you 5//1/4/2, and then as you gain levels, you would only gain levels on the left hand side.

[Gotterdammerung]

Gestalt does not have "sides", at least not the gestalt alternate rules provided in the unearthed arcana. This is a common misconception of gestalt. In actuality you take 2 classes and merge them into 1 class and then take a level of that new hyper-class. The merging also only applies to "standard D&D classes". Racial HD and LA's are not standard D&D classes.

Having said that, since the unearthed arcana is all about enhancing your game with customizes alternative rules, I doubt it is in poor taste for your DM to alter the alternate rules.

In the games I run personally, I allow RHD and LA's to be stacked together with standard D&D classes. And it is definitely fair to do so. But as written, you can't do that.

[TuggyNE]

LA should be bought off the minute you apply the template.

That isn't necessarily possible; LA can only be bought off at certain specific levels, and only when you are actually leveling up.

Of course, it's probably not a bad idea to relax those restrictions a bit.