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kentma57
2007-11-16, 07:25 PM
Does anyone have any idea what the LA on an awakened tree would be, and how would it work depending on size/HD?

I want to make a weeping willow bard/monk, I play magical music to draw you in and then I make 1000 graple atempts, you can guess how it goes from there.

Chronos
2007-11-16, 07:37 PM
Recent discussion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61284).

Nobody in that other thread said anything about a level adjustment, but you will get a heck of a lot of racial hit dice, which are almost as bad, if you want actual class levels.

tyckspoon
2007-11-16, 07:48 PM
What size tree? A Small tree only gets 1 racial HD, which would be replaced with a class level; for that one, you're getting the benefits of being Plant type and a little Natural Armor bonus without having to suffer sucky monster-type hit dice. I'd eyeball that at around +2 LA.

A Medium tree has 2 racial HD; that's a significant penalty, but the benefits are still pretty nice. I'd probably set that one as +1 LA in addition to the Plant-type HD.

Large and larger trees have enough racial hit dice that I wouldn't put an LA on top of that. Having 4 or more crappy HD (Plant: 3/4 BAB, good Fort save, d8 HD, 2 skill points) that don't give you class features is enough of a trade.

Your Cha/Wis/Int are set by the spell that awakens you; see if you can get your DM to let you generate your Str/Con/Dex normally. The basic Str/Dex for Animated Objects is not very good for a player character, and Con is a nonability, so that's going to have to be determined somehow.


then I make 1000 graple atempts
I'm guessing this is probably hyperbole, but since an Awakened tree acts as an animated object (This part of the SRD is relevant to your interests (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/animatedObject.htm)) you'll only get 1 natural attack and grapple check. You could argue for a willow to have the Constrict special ability, however, which is very handy for a grappler.

kentma57
2007-11-16, 08:25 PM
Great info tyckspoon.

Mewtarthio
2007-11-16, 11:15 PM
Where will you wear your magic items?

Greenfaun
2007-11-16, 11:53 PM
Where will you wear your magic items?

Tie a yellow ribbon belt of giant strength 'round the old oak tree?

kentma57
2007-11-17, 08:37 AM
And I think a weeping willow could wear rings.

KillianHawkeye
2007-11-18, 09:01 AM
What size tree? A Small tree only gets 1 racial HD, which would be replaced with a class level; for that one, you're getting the benefits of being Plant type and a little Natural Armor bonus without having to suffer sucky monster-type hit dice. I'd eyeball that at around +2 LA.

Actually, 1HD Plant creatures do not trade in the racial HD when they take class levels. I think 1HD Humanoids are the only ones who get to do that.

kamikasei
2007-11-18, 09:37 AM
Actually, 1HD Plant creatures do not trade in the racial HD when they take class levels. I think 1HD Humanoids are the only ones who get to do that.

Are you sure of this? The rules appear rather strangely worded. In two places on d20srd.org (Improving Monsters (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#humanoidsandClassLevels) and Monsters as Races (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm#humanoidsandClassLevels)) there is a heading for "Humanoids and Class Levels", but the text under the heading refers only to "Creatures with 1 or less HD".

Do you know of a more definitive statement elsewhere?

Iku Rex
2007-11-18, 09:49 AM
Do you know of a more definitive statement elsewhere?From the Official 3.5 FAQ:


How many Hit Dice does my 1st-level pixie rogue have?
What would his effective character level be?
Unless noted otherwise, all 1-HD creatures lose their racial
HD when they gain class levels. Thus, your pixie would have 1
HD (from his rogue level).
His effective character level (ECL) would be 5 (1 for his
HD, plus 4 for his level adjustment), unless he also possessed
the Otto’s irresistible dance spell-like ability, in which case his
ECL would be 7 (1 HD +6 level adjustment). This value shows
how powerful a pixie is in campaign play (and is used to
determine how many XP he needs to gain levels, as well as the
pixie PC’s starting wealth), but it has no bearing on most ingame
effects.

kamikasei
2007-11-18, 09:58 AM
Thanks, Iku. That's what I thought, so I guess the quotes I linked are indeed meant to be given the more general of the possible interpretations. Perhaps they're under "Humanoids and Class Levels" simply because it's usually humanoids that have 1HD.