Templates with CR

[Zellsantal]

I'm thinking of making a character in the 3.5 system and some temples have catch my eye, however I see some have CR on them onto of LA with it. For an example the Lich have CR +2 and LA +4, now just say I am making a level 20 cleric and with this in mind would my cleric level be 14 and the rest of my levels being lich make him into a level 20 character? Or does the CR count at all with making a character?

[NontheistCleric]

CR does not count if you are making a PC. It's a separate measurement for NPCs, to gauge how difficult it would be for them to fought by the PCs, with the designers' default assumption being a group of four PCs, all relatively unoptimized and filling the roles of fighter, rogue, healing-focused cleric and blaster wizard.

LA does indeed get added on to your class levels (and racial HD, if you have any) to determine your Effective Character Level (ECL), so a 20th level lich could only have 16 class levels.

[GrayDeath]

Indeed.

To simplify: If you are building NPC, use CR, if you are building PC`s, use LA.

Addendum: You might also consider the ptional Rules of LA Buyoff and mayhap this forums Rework of the (oftentimes horrendously bad) LA.

Have fun.

[Zellsantal]

Thanks for the help guys, that clear a lot of things up for me.