Ways to become a .....

[Inevitability]

In this thread, I hope to find some ways to gain a strange creature type without having to spend many resources (money, XP, LA) on it.

I'll start of with some ways already known to me. If you know of an easier/cheaper way to gain a certain type, please post it.

Aberration: Elan (+0 LA)
Animal: Permanent item of Aspect of the Wolf (Price?)
Construct: Warforged (+0 LA)
Deathless: Sacred Watcher (+5 LA)
Dragon: Dragonwrought Kobold (+0 LA)
Elemental: Smoke element creature (+4 LA)
Fey: Unseelie Fey (+0 LA)
Giant: Half-giant (+1 LA)
Humanoid: Incarnate Construct warforged (-2 LA)
Magical Beast: Beguiler (+0 LA?)
Monstrous Humanoid: Tibbit (+0 LA)
Ooze: Sentry Ooze Skitterhaunt Hairy Spider (+0 LA)
Outsider: Neraphim (+0 LA)
Plant: Myconic junior worker (+2 LA)
Undead: Necropolitian (Lose 1 level, which can be regained)
Vermin: Hairy Spider (+0 LA)


So if you know how to be one of these types at less cost then is currently listed, feel free to post!

[Temotei]

The Dragonwrought feat (Races of the Dragon) is the easiest way I know of becoming a dragon. You have to be a kobold of 1st level to take it.

[Inevitability]

Added it. I can't believe I forgot dragonwroughts!

[Khedrac]

Do you count class levels as expensive or cheap? Quite a lot of classes give Outsider (e.g. Alienist 10) and several give Undead (e.g. Dry Lich 10).

[Hand_of_Vecna]

It's one of those dark corner tings we don't always bring up, but Unseelie Fey is a template that is dubiously +1 LA and makes you fey.be a PC is going to change it to magical beast.

I highly doubt you'll find a source of animal, anything that gives an animal enough permanent Int to be a PC will change it to at least Magical Beast.

If Native Outsider is good enough there are plenty of 0-1 LA Races.

For Full Outsider I like Bladeling from MM2 it's awkwardly 1 HD and ECL 1. You could argue to take the 1HD away and treat it as a 0LA race, but it's entry specificaly calls out playing them with the HD at ECL 1. Their pretty broken as is with DR, two resistences at 5, Acid Immunity, Natural Armor and the Outsider type.

Elans from XPH/srd are LA 0 Abberations.

[Ansem]

The Dragonwrought feat (Races of the Dragon) is the easiest way I know of becoming a dragon. You have to be a kobold of 1st level to take it.

Be prepared for high debate when using this though, as it's only basis rest on the fact that a single table was published in a book that even conflicts with many other sources.

[Rubik]

Aberrate is a spell in the BoVD which turns the target into an aberration, with type and everything. This is handy when you want to manifest Fusion on a creature not of your type but don't want to alter its abilities first with a Polymorph effect. Just Aberrate it and yourself, and voila! You are both aberrations for the duration of the spell. Also, Polymorph, PAO, Shapechange, and Metamorphosis all change your type and subtype.

[thethird]

It's one of those dark corner tings we don't always bring up, but Unseelie Fey is a template that is dubiously +1 LA and makes you fey

it is quite clearly la 0.

[Inevitability]

Do you count class levels as expensive or cheap? Quite a lot of classes give Outsider (e.g. Alienist 10) and several give Undead (e.g. Dry Lich 10).

Depends. If the class is generally seen as bad, then it is expensive. Classes that are regarded as top-notch anyway aren't.

[Rubik]

Neraph is a LA 0 outsider from the Planar Handbook.

The Otherworldly feat turns you into an outsider as well.

[Dread_Head]

Abberation: Elans(XPH) are LA0
Fey: Killoren(RoW) & Dusklings (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050907a&page=2)(MoI) are LA0 along with possibly one or two others and the aforementioned Unseelie Template which is LA0.
Outsider: Neraphim (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040613a&page=2)(PlH) are LA0.

[Dread_Head]

Be prepared for high debate when using this though, as it's only basis rest on the fact that a single table was published in a book that even conflicts with many other sources.

It explicitly causes you to change your type to Dragon, which works for the purpose of this thread which is based on type. The True Dragon debate has nothing to do with this.

[Werephilosopher]

The Human Heritage (http://dndtools.eu/feats/races-of-destiny--81/human-heritage--1416/) feat makes you humanoid.

[kardar233]

Using the Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) races you can be an Outsider or Fey without LA as long as you don't take the pseudo-level that gives the extra abilities and adjustments.

[Darrin]

Aspect of the wolf (Spell Compendium) changes your type to animal. Only lasts 10 minutes/CL, but there are a couple combos from there that might stick after the spell wears off.

[Inevitability]

Hm...

How expensive would a permanent item of Aspect of the Wolf be?

[Vedhin]

There's a Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=mogk4n9rb8kodn2544kunb91d4&topic=181).

It lacks the Sentry Ooze Skitterhaunt (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20021123a) Hairy Spider, a LA +0 ooze.

[Necroticplague]

Their's a way for less than 1 LA to become a giant. If you pick a Large, humanoid-shaped creature, you can apply dustform and incarnate construct to turn it into a giant for net +0 LA.

[Vedhin]

Their's a way for less than 1 LA to become a giant. If you pick a Large, humanoid-shaped creature, you can apply dustform and incarnate construct to turn it into a giant for net +0 LA.

That reminds me-- Complete Psionic has a Half-Giant racial class, but I can't find anything specifying you can't multiclass instead of taking it.

[Gildedragon]

For plant there is the cactacae race from dragon 352

[Inevitability]

Necroticplague, please be more specific.

Guigarci, what is that races' LA and RHD?

[Vedhin]

Necroticplague, please be more specific.

Guigarci, what is that races' LA and RHD?

No RHD, +2 LA. They also use a weapon that's a crossbow that launches buzzsaws.

[Gildedragon]

No RHD
LA of 2

Edit: Swordsaged

As to necroticplague's giant
Large creature (la+1 or +2) -> apply the Dustform template (la+0, now a large construct) -> apply incarnate construct template (la-2, large constructs turn into giant type)

[Slipperychicken]

You can also become a Wight by being killed by negative levels. If your GM lets you play as that wight (you still keep an Int score, so I presume it's like vampirism), it's really convenient because every living creature you kill thereafter becomes a wight under your command.

[Vedhin]

No RHD
LA of 2

Edit: Swordsaged

As to necroticplague's giant
Large creature (la+1 or +2) -> apply the Dustform template (la+0, now a large construct) -> apply incarnate construct template (la-2, large constructs turn into giant type)

Dustform is +2 LA.

[Curmudgeon]

Human Heritage (Races of Destiny, page 152) makes you a Humanoid (human).

As far as I know, there are just 2 feats which change your type (the other being Dragonwrought).

[Zanos]

Be prepared for high debate when using this though, as it's only basis rest on the fact that a single table was published in a book that even conflicts with many other sources.
Whether or not it makes you a true dragon is up for debate. That it gives you the dragon type is not, because it says it does exactly that in the second sentence of the feat.

Hm...

How expensive would a permanent item of Aspect of the Wolf be?
(Spell Level * Caster Level * 2000gp * Duration Mod) (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) for a continuous custom item. Duration mod is 1.5 for a 10min/level spell, so it would cost 3000gp in this case. All custom items are subject to DM approval though.

[torrasque666]

it is quite clearly la 0.

I could have sworn I saw somewhere that if an LA is not mentioned, rather than LA 0 or LA -, it is not a playable creature/template.

[Vedhin]

I could have sworn I saw somewhere that if an LA is not mentioned, rather than LA 0 or LA -, it is not a playable creature/template.

True for races. For templates, anything unlisted is unchanged, so no listed La defaults to the same LA as the original creature.

[Werephilosopher]

Myconids are mushroom people from MMII. They're plant creatures that have age categories, they youngest of which has only 1 RHD. No LA listed, because it's 3.0- I believe the 3.5 update gave them +2 LA.

[torrasque666]

True for races. For templates, anything unlisted is unchanged, so no listed La defaults to the same LA as the original creature.

If that were true why would Unseelie Fey include things like

Organization: As base creature
Challenge Rating: As base creature

if since these were unchanged there was no need to reference them?

Or the amphibious template with its LA+0 which according to your statement is unnecessary as it is unchanged. Or any other template with LA+0.

[Necroticplague]

If that were true why would Unseelie Fey include things like

Organization: As base creature
Challenge Rating: As base creature

if since these were unchanged there was no need to reference them?

Or the amphibious template with its LA+0 which according to your statement is unnecessary as it is unchanged. Or any other template with LA+0.

Similarly, this argument can be turned around easily: if not mentioning the LA means the template is unplayable for PCs, why does LA - exist at all, instead of just leaving out the LA entries of everything unsuitable for PCs?

[Curmudgeon]

For templates, anything unlisted is unchanged, so no listed La defaults to the same LA as the original creature.
Your conclusion is invalid because you overlooked the important qualifier (Monster Manual, page 291):
Generally, if a template does not cause a change to a certain statistic, that entry is missing from the template description. Rather than defaulting to being playable with no LA change, it defaults to an individual DM's call. It could be LA +0 or LA —. That's a pretty big difference.

[otakumick]

The stat block of the sample creature clearly has a level adjustment of 0 where the template was added to a race with level adjustment 0 this is evidence in favor of the no change to base creatures level adjustment camp in regards to Unseelie Fey.

[Vedhin]

Your conclusion is invalid because you overlooked the important qualifier (Monster Manual, page 291): Rather than defaulting to being playable with no LA change, it defaults to an individual DM's call. It could be LA +0 or LA —. That's a pretty big difference.

Well, unfortunately RAW is murky here. Unseelie Fey is possible, provided the DM rule it is a playable template.

There's also the example Unseelie Fey Gnome with LA +0, but example characters are notoriously unreliable. You can at least say that an Unseelie Fey Gnome is a LA +0 Fey.

[ShurikVch]

Aberration:
Daelkyr Half-Blood (+0 LA)
Corrupted Creature (template, technically +0 LA)
Aberrant Paragon 3

Construct:
Warforged Scout (+0 LA)
Exiled Modron (+1 LA)

Deathless:
Sacred watcher (+5 LA)
Risen Martyr 1

Dragon:
Baaz (2 HD, +1 LA)
Feeder (2 HD, +1 LA)
Frost Draconian (2 HD, +1 LA)
Deshada Dragon, Wyrmling (+1 LA)

Elemental:
Stone Spike (3 HD, +2 LA)

Fey:
Duskling (+0 LA)
Faun (+0 LA)
Gruwaar (+0 LA)
Jermlaine (+0 LA)
Jaebrin (+1 LA)
Uldra (+1 LA)
Forestfolk (4 HD, LA +1)

Giant:
Eneko (+1 LA)
Taer (2 HD, +1 LA)

Magical Beast:
Tressym (+0 LA)
Worg (4 HD, +1 LA)

Monstrous Humanoid:
Lupin (+0 LA)
Muckdweller (+0 LA)
Black Orc (+0 LA)
Tkel (+0 LA)
Asabi (3 HD, LA +1)

Outsider:
Otherworldly (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-guide-to-faerun--22/otherworldly--2102/)
Ghostwalk Ghost (+0 LA)
Glimmerfolk (+0 LA)
Knight of the Sacred Seal 5

Plant:
Needlefolk (3 HD, +1 LA)

Undead:
Cauldron Spawn (template, technically +0 LA)
Grim Psion (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030628b) 1

[Rubik]

Synad, from CPsi, is another psionic LA 0 aberration.

Too bad puppeteers aren't playable races. Those would be awesome.

The ghost savage progression turns you undead for +1 LA.

[Inevitability]

I added a few new things to the list. It looks like we got all of the types already, now we just have to find ways to get them cheaper. Can anyone think of something?

[Karnith]

Dragon Magazine #347 offers a few para-elemental templates (Ice Element creature, Ooze Element creature, and Smoke Element creature) that give the Elemental type for LA +4, which is marginally better than the ECL 5 Stone Spike. Manual of the Planes offers similar elemental templates, of which Air Element, Fire Element, and Water Element were given LA +4 in that book's 3.5 update booklet.

As far as the Giant type goes, there are those Cyclopean races from Dragon Magazine #323, which some people argue are LA +0 Giants (presumably because they really want Primordial Menta Cyclopeans to work). I don't buy it myself, because they are never actually stated to be a certain creature type (thanks, editing!), but it's worth mentioning.

Also, if people don't want to accept Unseelie Fey, the template class versions of Feytouched and Half-Fey (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) work, too, since you aren't required to take the levels.

[Inevitability]

Dragon Magazine #347 offers a few para-elemental templates (Ice Element creature, Ooze Element creature, and Smoke Element creature) that give the Elemental type for LA +4, which is marginally better than the ECL 5 Stone Spike. Manual of the Planes offers similar elemental templates, of which Air Element, Fire Element, and Water Element were given LA +4 in that book's 3.5 update booklet.

As far as the Giant type goes, there are those Cyclopean races from Dragon Magazine #323, which some people argue are LA +0 Giants (presumably because they really want Primordial Menta Cyclopeans to work). I don't buy it myself, because they are never actually stated to be a certain creature type (thanks, editing!), but it's worth mentioning.

Also, if people don't want to accept Unseelie Fey, the template class versions of Feytouched and Half-Fey (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) work, too, since you aren't required to take the levels.

Added the Smoke element creature.