Viable Choices from Savage Species, Monster PCs

[ThinkMinty]

So, Savage Species is just awesome on a conceptual level, but from what I've heard, the crunch is kinda...not as much. However, there's probably something good in it, so...which monsters do work as PCs?

Also, did Paizo/Pathfinder try to do their own Savage Species-esque thing?

[ZamielVanWeber]

Generally monsters "don't work" as PCS because very little compares with class levels. Most monsters have hit dice (worse than class levels) and level adjustment (oh boy does that stink).

That being said the feral template is extremely strong for +1 and is occasionally banned for being so strong. Ghaele eladrin also keeps up decently until 14 when it stops progressing cleric casting. Trumpet archon is actually stronger than a cleric for a level.

I would also like to note that generally all of them work. How much you would want to use them really depends on the game's power level.

[unseenmage]

In my sig you'll find a list of every playable (it has a Level Adjustment) monster in 3.5 as well as every playable template. There's also Level Adjustment buyoff that lets a character spend xp to reduce their Level Adjustment. Only LA 3 and under can be bought off by level 20 though.

Pathfinder has a system by which every creature is playable based on its CR (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/monstersAsPCs.html). There's still an effective level adjustment though and only CR 2 and under creatures get full class levels by level 20.

[ThinkMinty]

In my sig you'll find a list of every playable (it has a Level Adjustment) monster in 3.5 as well as every playable template. There's also Level Adjustment buyoff that lets a character spend xp to reduce their Level Adjustment. Only LA 3 and under can be bought off by level 20 though.

Pathfinder has a system by which every creature is playable based on its CR (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/monstersAsPCs.html). There's still an effective level adjustment though and only CR 2 and under creatures get full class levels by level 20.

Thanks, I bookmarked that all up.

[ShurikVch]

Ambush Drake (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fc/20060728a) and Ethereal Filcher (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fc/20060224a) are have LA: +0

Also, I heard Mind Flayer is a somewhat OK - for a monstrous class

[Flickerdart]

Generally you'll want to adhere to a couple of rules when selecting a monstrous PC that's workable:

LA under 3. By the LA buyoff rules, higher LA than that can't be bought off completely. Some people might suggest shenanigans like taking 1 racial level at a time and then immediately buying it off, it's gonna be hard to get that past many DMs (and doesn't work with SS non-template monster classes at all, because those you must take from the start and to completion).
Outsider or Dragon HD. Full BAB, a ton of skill points, and nice saving throws make these HD almost as good as class levels. Dragon and Outsider are also advantageous creature types for alter self.
As few RHD as possible. Even dragon HD are still crummy. Generally you will want a total ECL of less than 6 so you can get into PrCs on time. There are no monsters worth taking levels in 1-20.
Scaling abilities. Nothing sucks worse than paying a chunk of LA for something that becomes obsolete by level 10. SLAs based on HD are very solid, which makes templates like Phrenic and Half-Fey quite valuable
Unique abilities that synergize with a character class you will take later. Think about exceptional ability scores, quick at-will flight, powers like the blink dog's superior dimension door. If you can get an ability as a PC class, it's usually not worth going through a monster for it.