Allowing Pathfinder races as LA +0 3.5 races?

[atemu1234]

Would this be acceptable? I'm DM, so no issue with asking one, but would it still be something with semblance of balance?

[Jeff the Green]

Compared to the most powerful 3.5 races (humans, dwarves, lesser planetouched, dragonborn water orc, grey elf, whisper gnome, strongheart halfling, and dragonwrought kobolds) they're probably alright. Compared to the rest, most of them are considerably more powerful.

[Erik Vale]

PF races are more powerful almost 100% of the time. If you allow them, you need to allow people to retroactively change race, and it may be worth bumping up certain 3.5 races. I'd assign LA at race points of:
1-14=0
15-24=+1 [Exception, Syrinx and Strix, both having average 60ft flight speeds are probably worth 2LA, because flight.]
25-34=+2
35+=+3

And that stops at 35+ because 40 is the highest non-monster race.

[Novawurmson]

Reduce stat boosters to a net gain of +0 and you're a good chunk of the way there. What race in particular? There might already be a good 3.5 equivalent or an easy way to tweak and backport it.

[Psyren]

Reduce stat boosters to a net gain of +0 and you're a good chunk of the way there. What race in particular? There might already be a good 3.5 equivalent or an easy way to tweak and backport it.

I don't think he's saying "can I power down the PF races to 3.5" - I think he wants to use the PF races in 3.5 as-is, and is asking if that will unbalance the game.

The answer is no, it'll be fine - and in fact doing this will allow you to remove LA from some 3.5 races because they won't be above-average power anymore.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

I don't think he's saying "can I power down the PF races to 3.5" - I think he wants to use the PF races in 3.5 as-is, and is asking if that will unbalance the game.

The answer is no, it'll be fine - and in fact doing this will allow you to remove LA from some 3.5 races because they won't be above-average power anymore.

I'm with Psyren here. Replacing the bog standard 3.5 races with their PF counterparts gives a nice boost to just about everyone at low levels without affecting how hard most of the fights will be.