From what I am aware of, when creating a monster race level up template, you add the base HD of the monster to the Level Adjustment of the race to get the total levels for that template.
In the D&D 3.5 MM there is a Werewolf Lord listed. The Werewolf Lord has 6 racial HD and a Level Adjustment of +3, meaning that it gets all of it's abilities over 9 levels, at least according to the rules. However, WoTC contradicted this rule in the release of the Werewolf Lord Template here Savage Progressions: Ghost and Werewolf Template Classes, completely ignoring the level adjustment of the creature and allowing it to gain all of it's abilities over 6 levels. The abilites between these two Werewolf Lords are identical, meaning that the template that WoTC released is a bit overpowered.
Also, in the Forgetten Reamls book "Races of Faerun", they created a template for Lycanthropes. This particular template is exactly the same as the version in the MM 3.5, exept for the level adjustment. According to MM 3.5, natural lycanthropes have a level adjustment of +3 while afflicted lycanthropes have a level adjustment of +2. In "Races of Faerun", natural lycanthropes have a level adjustment of +2, while afflicted lycanthropes have a level adjustment of +1. As I stated above, the lycanthrope in "Races of Faerun" is identicle to the lycanthrope in MM 3.5.
Races of Faerun was published in March of 2003 while MM 3.5 was published in July of 2003. This puts the books 3 months apart.
Now, the whole point of this post is to help me determine which one is balanced. I have players who wish to play lycanthropes, one is a Werewolf Lord, and I would like to know just which set of rules would be more accurate. Let me know what you guys think.
Diffrences in Rules for 3.5
Generally, I'd go for the lower LA, since high LA screws up players in the long run.
As a compromise, use the higher one and let players buy them off via the Unearthed Arcana rules, p. 18? It inflicts penalties (LA) at low levels, when the increased stats count much more, and reduces the penalties at high levels, when the stats lose their significant advantage.
As a compromise, use the higher one and let players buy them off via the Unearthed Arcana rules, p. 18? It inflicts penalties (LA) at low levels, when the increased stats count much more, and reduces the penalties at high levels, when the stats lose their significant advantage.