level 1 monster PCs

[zyborg]

Are there any 'good' monsters in 3.5 or 4th edition of D&D that can be player classes at level 1 or 2, right off the bat without customization?

[AslanCross]

Lesser Aasimar and Lesser Tiefling from Races of Faerun. They're just like their regular core counterparts, except they're Humanoids instead of Native Outsiders. They have LA +0.

I'd also say Hobgoblin, but that needs some customization (it has an underserved LA +1).

You could also go Orc if you want to be a barbarian. +4 Strength is tasty at Lv 1.

[Touchy]

in 4e, generally monsters are a bit worse than their counterparts(No feat support), but some of them make up for it with strong racials(Read: Kobolds and Bugbears). However, they have the advantage over 3.5 in the fact that you can play right off the bat, with no racial levels or anything(They play exactly the same as a normal character, afterall). They reside in the backs of MM1 and MM2(Most of the MM1 ones weren't really "monsters" but races they haven't officially detailed at the time.)

Only two monster races have feat support, Gnoll(Dragon magazine) and Minotaur (Players Handbook 3).

Unfortunately, I doubt any of the other monster races will get much love anytime soon.

[mobdrazhar]

Thri-Kreen in 4e DS campaign setting is good at level 1 as you basically get free quick draw without the initiative bonus

[zyborg]

These are pretty cool. Thanks.

[Mystic Muse]

For 3.5 there's always Homebrew

There's over 160 monsters done by now.

[Strawberries]

There is also this list of LA 0 races for 3.5 Credit goes to Skeppio for posting this in a pbp (and I shamelessly stole his link).