Kitsune LA?

[Yael]

From the Creatures of Rokugan book, page 37, there comes a fey creature known as the Kitsune.
They can enter the form of a fox, and revert, at will. They can also transform into a 9-tailed fox that can speak, and specifically can use his nine tails to produce somatic components for spellcasting. Kitsune have access to the Druid class (that is otherwise forbidden in OA/Rokugan and gets standard Ranger's spellcasting (again, also not allowed).
They have some minor SLAs once per day (animal friendship, dancing lights, entangle, ghost sound, pass without trace, silent image, and speak with animals (canines only); CL equals HD.

They have even ability scores and the Spirit subtype.

Now, I don't see this would be that overpowered, but it grants the surrogate spellcasting feat, and aren't humanoids, but fey (spirit). They are listed as CR 1, so it would be wise to set them to LA+1, right? Or are they fine the way they are for PC races?

[Inevitability]

Seems like a tibbit/hengeyokai with some extra goodies to me. A decent LA +1.

[Gale]

Personally, I would be willing to allow a player to play a Kitsune without any LA. I don't feel the race possesses anything that would allow anyone to drastically outperform their fellow party members; its abilities are all fairly tame.

Although, going by the examples given in the books this race fits perfectly as LA +1.

[Aquillion]

Personally, I would be willing to allow a player to play a Kitsune without any LA. I don't feel the race possesses anything that would allow anyone to drastically outperform their fellow party members; its abilities are all fairly tame.

Although, going by the examples given in the books this race fits perfectly as LA +1.I feel the SLAs and transformations would put them clearly above any non-LA race at low levels (compare the SLAs to what a first-level caster gets, say, and remember that this is on top of what they get from their class.)

The problem is that it rapidly becomes much less valuable, but that's typical for almost all LA races; that's what LA buyoff is for. Those small benefits are definitely worth a bit of XP even at higher levels.

[Firest Kathon]

If you are weary about the LA; you could port over the Pathfinder Kitsune (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/uncommon-races/arg-kitsune). They are Humanoid (Kitsune, Shapechanger) and have less SLAs (only Dancing Lights), but can get better ones by taking a feat (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/racial-feats/magical-tail-kitsune) (multiple times).

[Troacctid]

Animal Friendship was updated into a class feature rather than a spell, so this would mean they get an animal companion with an effective Druid level equal to their HD? That is pretty strong.

[Draconium]

Animal Friendship was updated into a class feature rather than a spell, so this would mean they get an animal companion with an effective Druid level equal to their HD? That is pretty strong.

I think it would be more likely that it gets replaces with Charm Animal or some other Druid 1 spell as a SLA.

[AnachroNinja]

Animal Friendship is a much more powerful spell the Charm Animal. It's purpose really was to provide an animal companion for druids, so presumably the 3.0 designers intended the kitsune to have an animal companion as a druid. It's very powerful, but flavorful and possibly justifies the LA.

[Coidzor]

If you want less LA but to preserve the animal companion feel, there's Wild Cohort, I suppose. Maybe swapping out for Natural Bond if they take levels in a class that grants an animal companion.

What's this about Ranger casting, though? Does it have a bunch of SLAs and cast as a Ranger of X level? Does it add Ranger spells to the druid spell list if they take levels in Druid?

[Yael]

If you want less LA but to preserve the animal companion feel, there's Wild Cohort, I suppose. Maybe swapping out for Natural Bond if they take levels in a class that grants an animal companion.

What's this about Ranger casting, though? Does it have a bunch of SLAs and cast as a Ranger of X level? Does it add Ranger spells to the druid spell list if they take levels in Druid?

In Rokugan (OA, too), Rangers do not have access to divine spellcasting, and there are no druids to take as heroic levels (except for some fey, such as this one, or the Tanuki).

[atemu1234]

I think it would be more likely that it gets replaces with Charm Animal or some other Druid 1 spell as a SLA.


Animal Friendship is a much more powerful spell the Charm Animal. It's purpose really was to provide an animal companion for druids, so presumably the 3.0 designers intended the kitsune to have an animal companion as a druid. It's very powerful, but flavorful and possibly justifies the LA.

Yeah, but I'd argue it caps as a level one animal companion (so basically a level one druid, minus spells). LA +2 is fitting if you go this route, at least in my opinion.

Otherwise? Change it to charm animal, call it LA +1, and if you want a Kitsune with an animal companion, play a druid or ranger.

[Troacctid]

Yeah, but I'd argue it caps as a level one animal companion (so basically a level one druid, minus spells).
Your argument would be contrary to the rules, then. Animal Friendship gave you a number of animal companions based on your caster level, which in this case is equal to your HD, not 1. It's not a coincidence that rangers, who have half the caster level of druids, also have half the animal companion progression—that's preserved directly from the old Animal Friendship rules.

[Coidzor]

In Rokugan (OA, too), Rangers do not have access to divine spellcasting, and there are no druids to take as heroic levels (except for some fey, such as this one, or the Tanuki).

That doesn't actually answer my question, though.

Are you saying that when they take levels in Ranger, they get the spellcasting too instead of being stuck as spell-less Rangers without at least the goodies of trading it away for a spell-less Ranger variant/ACF?

Are you saying that Kitsunes have racial spellcasting off of the Ranger spell list, like how Dragons and Rakshasas (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/rakshasa.htm)have racial spellcasting as Sorcerers, Glouras have racial spellcasting as Bards, and Nymphs (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/nymph.htm)have racial spellcasting as Druids?