Help I've been transformed into a rabbit! (and need a LA!)

[Prometheus]

Background: I want to introduce a character into a mid-low level campaign (6th-9th) that is a human bounty hunting fighter that has been polymorphed into a rabbit by a wicked witch/demon. Instead of just accepting it, or learning a different skill, he stubbornly insists to continue as a fight even as a rabbit, as he strives to get his old body back and a defeat the foe that had bested him.

The normal Baleful Polymorph spell is a little wierd, nonsensical, and complicated (also my infliction is permanent) so me and the DM are houseruling him like a rabbit as the base race, with the exception of retaining Human mental abilities, race features and speech. Here's what I figured for the following, but need to know what level adjustment it would be (especially taking into account being a fighter)
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Features
1.Tiny Size
-- +2 attack bonus, +2 AC bonus
-- +8 Hide bonus
-- -8 Bull Rush and Grapple
-- Easier Escape Artist, harder Jump (overcome by rabbit racial skills)
-- More vulnerable to Snatch and Swallow Whole
-- No threatened Area
-- Reduced weapon damage
2. Rabbit Paws (figured)
-- Treat both paws as a one hand for weapon sizes and holding, but not for Strength Bonus to Damage, Power Attack, Disarm, etc.
3.Human bonus feat and skill point/level retained (figured)
4. Ability Scores
-NPC Rabbit-Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10...
-PC rabbit -7 Str penalty, + 5 dex bonus, human mental attributes
5. Racial Features (figured)
- May use Dex bonus for Climb and Jump checks
- +4 Hide, additional +4 in lightly colored regions (to represent the effect of armor on reducing camoflague apply armor check another time, up to my bonus)
- +8 Jump (may take 10 any time, not impeded by height)
- +4 Listen, +8 Survival (when foraging)
- 30 ft speed (hopping merrily :P)
- 1d2 natural bite attack
- low-light vision
- Rabbit language (applies only to other rabbits)
- fur provides no natural armor bonus, but provides qualification for Improved Natural Armor feat
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What I've figured so far
1 and 2 vaguely balance out:
-A Human Fighter with Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) and shield: 1d10 (5.5 ave) +Str 19-20/x2 and +2 shield bonus
-A Rabbit Fighter with Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword): 1d6 (3.5 ave) +Str*1.5 19-20/x2, +2 attack size bonus (translated to +4 damage with Power Attack), +2 size bonus to AC
--No shield to enhance (more expensive to only enhance armor/accessories) but AC bonus retained with touch attacks and damage actually 2 point higher with Power Attack
-Assuming a weapon that is too big for a normal tiny creature threatens a 5 ft range instead of no range (-2 size, +1 size, analogous to a light/ or one-handed weapon on anomral person)
-Hide, Grapple, Escape Artist and Jump cancel out
-Hopefully I won't fight and Rocs or Purple Worms (in which case I use my Hide skill with all my tiny bunny heart)

So what Level Adjustment would be fair?

[Erk]

None... you aren't gaining anything potent at all. Use as-is; your GM must be aware of the dangers of allowing a Tiny character, and your tininess is really your only strength. If you were a rogue I would be concerned, but as a fighter it's not really an advantage.

I think you have the attribute modifiers wrong though. They are usually even numbers. I have no time to look 'em up though :)

Also, awesome character.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, on a case by case basis:

1.Tiny Size
-- +2 attack bonus, +2 AC bonus
-- +8 Hide bonus
-- -8 Bull Rush and Grapple
-- Easier Escape Artist, harder Jump (overcome by rabbit racial skills)
-- More vulnerable to Snatch and Swallow Whole
-- No threatened Area
-- Reduced weapon damage
Worth +0. Benefits and drawbacks are included in size already. Also remember that tiny creatures have to enter their opponent's square to attack them, which provokes an attack of opportunity.

2. Rabbit Paws (figured)
-- Treat both paws as a one hand for weapon sizes and holding, but not for Strength Bonus to Damage, Power Attack, Disarm, etc.
There's more to it than this: there's a variety of magical items you won't be able to use, and armor will have to be custom made for you (probably costing as barding does, for a x4 cost).

3.Human bonus feat and skill point/level retained (figured)
Still +0

4. Ability Scores
-NPC Rabbit-Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10...
-PC rabbit -7 Str penalty, + 5 dex bonus, human mental attributes
That should be Str -8, Dex +4. You subtract 11 from odd, 10 from even numbers to determine modifiers. Total mods of +0 or less = +0 LA.

5. Racial Features (figured)
- May use Dex bonus for Climb and Jump checks
- +4 Hide, additional +4 in lightly colored regions (to represent the effect of armor on reducing camoflague apply armor check another time, up to my bonus)
- +8 Jump (may take 10 any time, not impeded by height)
- +4 Listen, +8 Survival (when foraging)
- 30 ft speed (hopping merrily :P)
- 1d2 natural bite attack
- low-light vision
- Rabbit language (applies only to other rabbits)
- fur provides no natural armor bonus, but provides qualification for Improved Natural Armor feat
All of that's pretty +0. I'd say get yourself a 5' burrow speed if you could, since rabbits like to dig holes.

[Prometheus]

Well, I guess what I'm mostly asking is if it would be appropriate for a negative level adjustment, or whether it is is close enough to neutral that a couple things like the afforementioned burrow (dirt) 5 ft speed would be enough to make the difference.

[Dryad]

get rid of the dex to climb... Rabbits just don't climb.

As for negative level adjustments: Just not done, sorry. (Kobolds are CR 1/4, while normal lvl adj. +0 are at least CR 1/2.)
Besides, if you get what you want, a human shape, you wouldn't want to be better at everything than your party. Flavour play is loads of fun; powerplay isn't.

But yes; go for burrow! :smallsmile:

Just be careful; you've lost the ability to speak.. That's troublesome. if you don't have a druid or nature cleric at hand.. But since you're a rabbit, a gnome would do, too. Though I'm not certain you'd want to be in a party with one of those...
"Hey, hey! Wanna join my guild?! Willya, willya?!!" :smallbiggrin:

[Fax Celestis]

There is no "negative" LA. It'd be too difficult to implement without having twinker-munchkins come out of the woodwork.

Another creature to look at as a race would be Tressym (3.0 in the Faerun corebook, updated to 3.5 in Lost Empires of Faerun). They're basically winged cats with poison abilities.

[Erk]

but a winged poisonous cat is nowhere near as hilarious as a tiny bunny fighter holding a tiny greatsword in both his tiny paws.

And he specifically said he kept his speech :)

Replace dex-to-climb with a 5' burrow speed, I agree. And instead of asking for a -ve LA see if you can get a bonus to STR or something, representing your intense training since turning into a bunny. And maybe tweak a few more powers to suit your new body without making it unbunnylike. Like see if you can get Dodge as a free feat, +4 to spot and listen on flying enemies only, and favoured enemy vs. canines.

[DracoDei]

I don't think a rabbit can quite dig at a foot a second... but then again they did give burrow speeds to badgers so it would be reasonably consistant.
Dodge would be nice, especially as a stepping stone to Mobility, if you need to enter enemies squares to attack.

[Erk]

I don't think a rabbit can quite dig at a foot a second... but then again they did give burrow speeds to badgers so it would be reasonably consistant.
Dodge would be nice, especially as a stepping stone to Mobility, if you need to enter enemies squares to attack.

To be honest, I don't think rabbit paws are too suited to wielding greatswords - even mini ones - either :) it's all for effect, and tunneling 5' per round seems like something a warrior-bunny could do.

[JackMage666]

You should also have to make a Will Save every day to keep from becoming more rabbit-like in mannerisms (eating carrots, digging wholes, mating like a crazy person). Nothing to drastic, just little changes in perceptions that would slowly go away after you return to human form.

[sigurd]

Gotta have a luck bonus! He's got 4 rabbits feet!


Sigurd

[DracoDei]

To be honest, I don't think rabbit paws are too suited to wielding greatswords - even mini ones - either :)

That is what the 'Opposable' enchantment is for. It was in Masters of the Wild for 3.0... don't know if it made the jump to 3.5

[DracoDei]

You should also have to make a Will Save every day to keep from becoming more rabbit-like in mannerisms (eating carrots, digging wholes, mating like a crazy person). Nothing to drastic, just little changes in perceptions that would slowly go away after you return to human form.
He has been a rabbit long enough that he would have mostly stabilized I should think. Maybe one a year at most.

[Prometheus]

Thanks a lot for your input everyone!

I knew kobolds and other creatures used to have a negative LA, but I guess that is one of the 3.5 adjustments. I'm fine playing with what I have, even if I ultimately end up with a handicap. Like Dryad said, I've played enough D&D to resist the temptation to powerplay

Changes I will make
-5 ft burrow speed (dirt and soft-ground only, no run)
-remove dex climb (I'll Jump anyway)
-Add Dodge as a bonus feat
- +1 luck bonus to all saves

Yeah, I've pretty much assumed that some parts would of his personality would remain humanoid and some parts not:
-Losing the taste for meat, but still insisting on drink alcohol
-Being "multisexual" - Go from one moment saying "Yes, that's right you sexy elves, pet the cute little bunny" to "Damn! If theres a bunny honey if I've ever seen one! Let me see ya hop."