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View Full Version : Aranea and LA



The_Shaman
2006-11-14, 06:44 PM
I saw the aranea in the SRD and SS, and it sounds like a fun concept. However, I get the feeling it wasn't meant for a PC.

The LA seems quite high. Even with 3 inbuilt levels of sorcerer, a +4 when you have no SR/DR, no particular speed (except in spider form, when you lose a lot of your "normal" power without weapons and voice for spellcasting) feels a bit too much. Consireding what spell-like abilities most other races with such LA have, it's basically balanced - if not lower. Just To add to that, many races with inbuilt caster levels - drider, lillend, rakshasa, to name but a few - have LAs no higher than these levels, and I don't see why the aranea should be an exception. At least, that's how it seems to me. +3 would still be high, but passable. As it is it makes a very nice cohort, but not a great PC.

Then again... Has anyone tried it?

Ashheart
2006-12-11, 06:33 AM
I do agree, having played an aranea myself.
when I played it I did so purely for kicks but your arguments seem correct.

I do believe that there is room for a little Munchining but if you use the restriction given in the creatures description (does not use fire magic) I think you already ballanced.

Good luck with your spidery character!