Question about LA buyoff...

[Gargravarr]

I'm joining an existing group of level 8 (CL/ECL = 8) characters and am allowed to create one for the same level. I want to create one retroactively with level adjustments but I've never used templates before and I'm not sure if I understand the buyoff rules correctly, so please bear with me ;)

Assume the following:

Group is now at 30000 XP and just got into Level 8.

My character should use 2 templates, starting one with LA+2 and one later with LA+1 but taken when the first level of LA+2 is bought off...

Level 1, inherited template LA+2.

When reaching class level 6 (ECL 8) I would buyoff 1 LA, so -7000 XP.
(Assuming I'd have 30000 XP like everybody else I'd be class level 6 (ECL 7) with a total of 21000 XP after buyoff, correct? This is because 30000-7000, so 23000 but max XP for Level 6 is 21000 XP? I'm confused here, what's the total XP I initially substract the XP buyoff from? I guess I'm wrong here.)

Furthermore, I'd like to take the 2nd template (aquired) now and add the LA+1, so class level 6, ECL 8. Can now buyoff next LA at class level 12 (CL 6+(3xLA2)).

I assume I understand the LA buyoff wrong, still not grasping it so appreciate your help!

Basically I just need to know at what class level and with how many XP I enter the party where everybody is level 8 now.

Cheers!

[Yora]

If I read it correctly, you are having two LAs of +1 at the same time at one point. That certainly makes things rather complicated and I don't think is really adressed anywhere in the LA-Buyoff rules.

But I think as a character with 30,000 XP and an LA of +2, you just get the ability to reduce LA by 1 for a cost of 7,000 XP.
After that, you are 6th level with LA+1 and 23,000 XP.

Going by the strict rules, you could not add another LA +1 template, because as a 6th level character with LA +2, you would have to have 28,000 XP, which you don't have. You would be 5,000 XP over your limit.

[Rhynn]

You need a ruling from your DM. I'd probably make you either get both templates before class level 6 to simplify things (buy-off at 9th, 15th, 18th), but might let you buy them off at 6th, 9th, and 12th. Hard to say.

You bought off your first LA at class level 6/ECL 8/28,000 XP, costing you 7,000 XP, putting you at class level 6/ECL 7/21,000 XP. Whether you get the excess 2,000 XP or not is up to your DM. Then you add +1 LA, to a total of LA +2, putting you back at class level 6/ECL 8, and 13,000-15,000 XP away from getting to class level 7/ECL 9 (36,000 XP). Once you work your way up to class level 9/ECL 11 (55,000 XP), you can reduce your LA again, and the next time will be... sometime. You really need your DM's ruling here, plain and simple.

Edit: I don't really think it's "unfair" to get to be ECL 8 with 21,000-23,000 XP, because if XP is done properly by the book, you're getting less than you would as ECL 7 (basically, everybody's XP is supposed to be calculated based on their own level; add up the XP for each CR defeated based on your own level, and divide it by the number of people in the party; you don't use average level to calculate XP per CR). The trick with LA buyoff is that you can actually catch up to the rest of the party, but you won't even start catching up until maybe 12th or 15th level (or 18th, I don't know, up to your DM).

[Gargravarr]

If I read it correctly, you are having two LAs of +1 at the same time at one point.

This is correct.


But I think as a character with 30,000 XP and an LA of +2, you just get the ability to reduce LA by 1 for a cost of 7,000 XP.
After that, you are 6th level with LA+1 and 23,000 XP.

This is confusing to me. With 23,000 XP, wouldn't I be 7th level?

Then I found this:


Even if the XP payment would not reduce him to 5th level—for instance, if his XP total after reaching 6th level were 20,000 or more—his XP total can't remain above the maximum for 5th level, which is 10,000.

Source: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm

So max for 6th level is 21,000 XP, hence I thought I'd simply have 21,000 XP and the 'overlapping' XP is just lost at this point or I'm simply misreading that sentence.


Going by the strict rules, you could not add another LA +1 template, because as a 6th level character with LA +2, you would have to have 28,000 XP, which you don't have. You would be 5,000 XP over your limit.

You've lost me, haha :D

The DM has suggested I take both templates at Level 1, so LA+3 and buying off the first LA at Level 9. I'd then be 5th level with ECL 8.

I was hoping that with above logic I could buyoff earlier, since the 2nd template is aquired and not required to be taken with the other template which is of inherited type.

[Yora]

The assumption is that your character gained XP over a long duration of time.

At the moment the character got 28,000 XP, he would pay 7,000 XP and instead of bcomming 6th level +2 LA, he becomes 6th level +1 LA with 21,000 XP.
After that, he continues getting 2,000 additional XP for a total of 23,000 XP.