Templates in Pathfinder

[Silva Stormrage]

Hey quick question. I normally play 3.5 and in a pathfinder campaign my DM stated that ALL templates are not for PC's. Not that certain templates are overpowered and he won't allow them but in Pathfinder PC's aren't ever supposed to get templates. I was confused wether or not that is true (Yes he can rule whatever he wants it is his game but I am curious on wether or not this is the case for standard pathfinder games)

Thanks for the help

[Yanisa]

As far as I know it's the same as 3.5... I don't think they changed the rules about it but kept the general feeling of: 'it is possible at the DM discretion' (and it seems he made his stance).

To elaborate: Pathfinder kinda ditched the LA and seems to avoid monsters as playable characters. They released some minor rules for it (relevant link (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races#TOC-Monsters-as-PCs); no mention of templates though), then never ever talked about it again. They seem to favor their Race Point system and the rules associated with that for playing "monsters" as a PC.
I guess templates, who are mostly intended for and associated with monsters/NPCs, went the same route. They are there, and if your DM allows it you can play them, but the game favors different options.

Also skimming trough the list of templates (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates) most really don't seemed to be designed to pick up by the core races. Then again, drunk (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/drunk-cr--1) is a template in pathfinder. So make of that what you will.

[Silva Stormrage]

Hm, okay thats what I thought as well. Oh well. If anyone else has any comments that would be great too.

[Alent]

Hm, okay thats what I thought as well. Oh well. If anyone else has any comments that would be great too.

I can't speak to it's authenticity or location, but somewhere in one of the rules or paizo forum threads I recall reading that the +CR mod of templates was intended to be the +LA of said template.

Even if it's not an actual rule, the +CR usually tends to match the +LA of it's equivalent 3.5 template, making it a reasonable houserule if not official. Most of the templates I've seen are 3rd party, anyway.

And I think the Drunk template mentioned above is from a third party 3.5 adventure module. The source link takes you to a "pathfinder compatible" book.

[Yanisa]

I can't speak to it's authenticity or location, but somewhere in one of the rules or paizo forum threads I recall reading that the +CR mod of templates was intended to be the +LA of said template.

Even if it's not an actual rule, the +CR usually tends to match the +LA of it's equivalent 3.5 template, making it a reasonable houserule if not official. Most of the templates I've seen are 3rd party, anyway.

Well pathfinder has no LA and uses CR as ECL during character creation. Adding a template to a monster that just adds CR and abilities but no HD, increases the ECL without the benefits of gaining a level/RHD. Which is basically like how LA functioned in 3.5...

So yeah, in a sense the CR of a template is the LA, except that PF doesn't have LA.


And I think the Drunk template mentioned above is from a third party 3.5 adventure module. The source link takes you to a "pathfinder compatible" book.
Oops, my bad. I skimmed the page and figured it was one of those many many outside of the core splash books based on the name of the book. But it's third party.
In my defense many other third parties pages are more clear about being third party (like this one (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/poisonous-creature-cr-1)).

[Alent]

Oops, my bad. I skimmed the page and figured it was one of those many many outside of the core splash books based on the name of the book. But it's third party.
In my defense many other third parties pages are more clear about being third party (like this one (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/poisonous-creature-cr-1)).

Don't feel too bad, I thought the 3pp tomb of horrors update's Dire template was core for 2 years.