saint template with Reducing Level Adjustments questions

[Zhepna]

Hi,

when I reach lvl 6 and have all the requirements to take the saint template, I'll do it. My dm allows the Reducing Level Adjustments which make me pay xp instead of level adjustement.

I was wondering how does it works with the level adjustement since I'm not at lvl 1.

Since I'm level 6 and it's a +2 template, can I already put it at +1 instead of +2 and pay the xp penalty?
If I do it, do I become level 5 ?

After that, it'll be to level 9 since it's a +2 template.

thanks for the information and have a nice day.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Reducing Level Adjustments (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm)

"Once the total of a character's class levels (not including any Hit Dice from his creature type or his level adjustment) reaches three times his level adjustment, his level adjustment is eligible to be decreased by 1."

It doesn't say you need to gain the levels after gaining the level adjustment.

However, if you're 6th level with the xp of a 6th level character (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/xp.htm) when gaining the Saint template, you'll be ECL 8 with the xp of a 6th level character. So while you can immediately buy off one point of the LA, it will cost you 7,000 xp to do so, which is more than an entire level's worth of experience for you, thus you can't do it until you can afford it. That basically means you need to have enough experience points to still have enough to be ECL 7 after buying off that point of LA, which is the minimum to reach 8th level. You're basically gaining two levels worth of power early, then waiting for your xp to catch back up to it before buying it off.