Races with HD?

[Boodi]

Hello,
I've got a race which has 7HD Fey and 2 level adjustment. We're starting at level 11 so how many class levels can I get?

Does it mean I get Bard 9, Bard 4, Bard 2?
and what bonuses does the 7hd give me?

Thanks

[Dhavaer]

You would get 2 class levels.

The racial HD give you hit points, BAB, skills, saves, feats and I think ability increases.

[SadisticFishing]

Yeah, the racial hit dice are exactly like class levels, read the MM1 for information on what Fey gives, I'm not sure off the top of my head.

[Overlard]

Fey hit dice are pretty poor. At least most of them get good abilities to make up for it.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

The racial HD give you hit points, BAB, skills, saves, feats and I think ability increases.

For starting racial HD, the ability increase for every four levels is generally assumed to be reflected in the initial ability adjustments. See "Ability Score Arrays:Ability Score Improvement" on p. 290 of the Monster Manual.

and what bonuses does the 7hd give me?

The fey type grants d6 HD, poor BAB, good Reflex and Will saves, (6+Int) skill points, low-light vision, and simple weapon proficiency.

So, for a 7 HD fey, you are getting:

• 7d6 + 7 * (Con mod) hp
• BAB +3
• Base Fort +2
• Base Reflex +5
• Base Will +5
• (6 + Int mod) * 10 skill points (Class skills are those skills listed in the fey's monster or racial entry)
• Three feats
• Low-light vision (unless otherwise noted).
• Proficiency in simple weapons and any other weapons noted in the fey's monster or racial entry.
• Proficiency in armor mentioned in the fey's monster or racial entry, if any. Otherwise no armor proficiency.
• Fey eat, sleep, and breathe.
• Any specific abilities that this particular type of fey is listed as having.

[AtomicKitKat]

If, as I suspect, you're using the Gloura from Underdark or something like it, and it says "has the spells of a X-level Bard", then yes, you will get the spells of an X+class levels Bard. Note that this is somewhat inconsistant. Some sources say that your racial HD-supplied "effective levels" of a class also influence Familiar benefits...

[Boodi]

wow.. I am using gloura :) Is there an option to ignore the 7HD and instead get the class levels. Unearthly grace is very nice :)

Thanks to everyone who replied

[Douglas]

No, having to take the sucky hit dice is part of the cost of getting all the nice racial abilities.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Yeah, there's no way to eliminate racial hit dice. Unlike Level Adjustment, those are considered Real Levels. Though it should be noted that particularaly sucky racial HD should theoretically be compensated for with a correspondingly lower LA.

Now, just so it's said: Remember, Unearthed Arcana includes rules for reducing level adjustment. Once you reach Bard 6 at ECL 15, you can pay off one point of level adjustment. Then, when you reach Bard 9 at ECL 17 (because you already paid off one point of LA), you can completely eliminate the level adjustment.

And, yeah, if the race includes "spellcasting as a bard," it stacks with actual bardic spellcasting. So you'd start out with the bardic music and bardic knowledge abilities of a level two bard, but have the spellcasting ability of a much higher level bard.

[Fax Celestis]

Actually, if the race includes "spellcasting as an X", you can walk right into prestige classes designed for X. See also: Drossang Tachlash, Redspawn Arcaniss Spellwarp Sniper.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Actually, if the race includes "spellcasting as an X", you can walk right into prestige classes designed for X.

Assuming of course that the PrC's prerequisite is only based on that spellcasting and doesn't use another class feature the race does not provide as a further qualifier.

[Fax Celestis]

Assuming of course that the PrC's prerequisite is only based on that spellcasting and doesn't use another class feature the race does not provide as a further qualifier.

Well, true. Still, though, it makes for some interesting class builds.

[AtomicKitKat]

Personally, I'd gladly take the Gloura RHD. Fey HD are overall comparable to Bard, except for the suckier BAB. At least you're not sucking down Humanoid or Giant HD.