Is it possible to play as a slaad?

[jangartharn1]

Hey guys so my friend wants to play a slaad and also take the class slaad brooder. The problem is that I can't find any racial stats or anything on a red slaad and they have a la 6 adjustment which seems huge so I'm wondering is there any racial stats for a red slaad and if they are playable as a race and last but not least how to deal with that huge la of theirs.

[Jack_Simth]

Hey guys so my friend wants to play a slaad and also take the class slaad brooder. The problem is that I can't find any racial stats or anything on a red slaad and they have a la 6 adjustment which seems huge so I'm wondering is there any racial stats for a red slaad and if they are playable as a race and last but not least how to deal with that huge la of theirs.

If you want to do it by RAW, you'll want to read through Monsters as Races (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm). The huge LA and racial hit dice are basically there to discourage player use. The idea is that it balances the character's racial advantages. It's... usually higher than it ought to be (there's exceptions, some of them pretty glaring), but how much and when? That's very highly table-dependant.

[Troacctid]

Red slaad are playable, they're just really bad because they take up your first 13 levels. There is no good way to deal with this. Slaad Brooder isn't really intended for PCs.

You can determine their racial ability score adjustments according to the usual guidelines:

Except where noted otherwise, each creature is assumed to have the standard array of ability scores before racial adjustments (all 11s and 10s). To determine any creature’s racial ability adjustments, subtract 10 from any even-numbered ability score and subtract 11 from any odd-numbered score. (Exceptions are noted in the Combat section of a creature’s descriptive text.)
A red slaad's ability score adjustments are +10 Str, +4 Dex, +6 Con, -4 Int, -4 Wis, -2 Cha.

[Fii]

If you want to mitigate the LA, you can consider lowering what stat bonuses they get or reducing other numerical racials. Talk to your player about what, if any, racials he could live without.

For example, a Pixie that gave up Greater Invisibility at will would receive a lower LA.

[ryu]

If you want to mitigate the LA, you can consider lowering what stat bonuses they get or reducing other numerical racials. Talk to your player about what, if any, racials he could live without.

For example, a Pixie that gave up Greater Invisibility at will would receive a lower LA.

Or just straight up lower it to something more appropriate without changing stats. It's already agreed upon the LA is too high to be worth it even with the racials given. The simplest answer then would be to find a more reasonable one. LA over 10 is a stupidly huge deal. I fully believe I could make something more worth playing at level 13 as a single classed rogue than many examples of such huge LA. Don't even get me started with what I could do given access to things tier 3 or above.

[Xuldarinar]

I do have to pose a question, which if there is an answer other than no to it might make things easier.

Is there any way to count as a slaad without being one, and thus qualifying for the prestige class?

[ryu]

I do have to pose a question, which if there is an answer other than no to it might make things easier.

Is there any way to count as a slaad without being one, and thus qualifying for the prestige class?

Depends. Do effectively permanencied transformation that could theoretically be dispelled or suppressed count for pre-reqs or LA in your book? If so which if not both? Remember even if person loses the transformation he can only lose his benefits until such time as he transforms again if it counts for pre-reqs. Debatably, depending on what book the prestige class is in it may only prevent him from taking more levels rather than that plus temporarily suppressed abilities.

[Charizander]

Though not officially slaad, neraphim from the 3.5 Planar Handbook are basically LA 0 slaadi. If you're the DM and don't mind him playing a slaad brooder, neraphim are fine as a non-LA slaad race. If you're not the DM, ask if neraphim can be considered slaad for prereqs.

[DrMotives]

Closest I can see is a Mud Slaad from the FF. It has 1 less RHD than a red, no defined LA but is set to be a bit weaker. It should work out to a little easier, but still not the easiest race to deal with. Or, you could see about a Neraphim, possibly push it up with a Slaadi bloodline. This is all DM houseruling territory though.

[ben-zayb]

Though not officially slaad, neraphim from the 3.5 Planar Handbook are basically LA 0 slaadi. If you're the DM and don't mind him playing a slaad brooder, neraphim are fine as a non-LA slaad race. If you're not the DM, ask if neraphim can be considered slaad for prereqs.
+1
This is what I was going to suggest too, if the issue is only cosmetic.

[Troacctid]

no defined LA

A race without a listed LA is not a legal choice for a player character.

[Rubik]

A race without a listed LA is not a legal choice for a player character.So humans aren't a playable race? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#humans)

[RaistlinSees]

A race without a listed LA is not a legal choice for a player character.

This seems inaccurate

[Endarire]

If you want to play a Slaad, ask your GM.

[Lhurgyof]

So humans aren't a playable race? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#humans)


This seems inaccurate

I think he means creatures in the monster manual.

Generally, anything with Advancement: By character class is playable afaik.

[daremetoidareyo]

I do have to pose a question, which if there is an answer other than no to it might make things easier.

Is there any way to count as a slaad without being one, and thus qualifying for the prestige class?

RAW: This is going to be ugly, but the answer is kindof yes. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=826.0) The premise is dumb, but it seems raw.

Changeling with racial emulation feat, who emulates a [Incarnate Construct] [Effigy] slaad can take the class. The class does say "any slaad"

OR

Changeling with the racial emulation feat, who emulates a [Incarnate Construct] [Effigy] mindflayer, takes illithid savant, and then proceeds to eat the brain of a slaad brooder to get it's class abilities.



FLUFF: Slaad brooder lists "any slaad" under it's race requirement. One could take anarchic bloodline (dragon compendium) which posits that you have slaad ancestry. The feat description even offers roleplaying tips for such. Further, under bloodlines text, it reads, "Additional subtypes within each bloodline are also possible—most notably in the draconic bloodline, since a sorcerer's persona and abilities might reflect the specific kind of dragon in her ancestry. In such a case, DMs and players can adapt the base bloodline feat accordingly."

From that feat, if you already an outsider, like a neraph, aasimar, or tiefling, duskling (totemist for natural attacks yo!) or whatever has [outsider] type, if you take the ritual of association from savage species p148, you can take the slaad subtype. This will make you satisfy the "Race: any slaad" issue. All the bloodline effect does is give you more legitimacy as being a member of that race in the same way that half elves can take elf only prestige classes. Nothing in RAW says this, but it is a common characteristic of campaigns that aren't totally RAW-abiding.

[Troacctid]

So humans aren't a playable race? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm#humans)
Humans are explicitly playable, so they're an exception. This is not the case for most monsters.


This seems inaccurate
Here is the relevant rule:

LEVEL ADJUSTMENT
This line is included in the entries of creatures suitable for use as player characters or as cohorts (usually creatures with Intelligence scores of at least 3 and possessing opposable thumbs). Add this number to the creature’s total Hit Dice, including class levels, to get the creature’s effective character level (ECL). A character’s ECL affects the experience the character earns, the amount of experience the character must have before gaining a new level, and the character’s starting equipment. See pages 172, 199, and 209 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information.
Level adjustment is omitted from the mud slaad's entry; it is not suitable for player characters.


Generally, anything with Advancement: By character class is playable afaik.
Nope. Many monsters advance by character class, but are not playable--the Dryad and the Medusa are examples. On the other hand, all player characters can advance by character class, even if their race normally would not.

Even if the creature is of a kind that normally advances by Hit Dice rather than class levels, such as a gargoyle, a PC (as an exceptional individual) can gain class levels rather than Hit Dice.