Drow ECL

[teepo]

I may be wrong in this so if I am please disregard.

I started a Drow wizard, coincidentally the ECL help file uses one of them as an example.

In the help file it states that the ECL for a drow is 5. In my character sheet it states my ECL is 6 as a Level 1 Wizard. Is this accurate?

Sources:

"help ecl"

Effective Character Level (ECL)
===============================
In order to balance out the racial advantages of some non-human races that
can be played as PCs, a level adjustment is added to their actual level in
order to determine their Effective Character Level (ECL). In calculations
determining their level advancement, this ECL is employed in place of their
actual level. Thus consider a just-created full-blooded Drow wizard, level

1. Drow are a powerful race and have a level adjustment of 5. As a
consequence, this first level wizard starts with the experience points of a
5th level wizard, and must gain the experience points normally required to
attain sixth level in order to realize the advantages that normally accrue to
a second-level wizard. The level adjustment is static and decided by the PCs
race; consequently, this Drow wizard will require the experience of a level
50 PC in order to attain level 45, and once they reach that point they will
be unable to progress further - as if they had reached level 50 (because, in
effect, they have - their ECL is now 50).

* This DOES make it harder to start a PC of a race with a large level
adjustment. It also prevents them from topping out at a point where they are
far more powerful than others PCs of their level and guild.

score sheet (name and other IC sensitive information blocked out)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
************************************************************
Class: wizard Level: 1 (ECL: 6) Hours Played: ***
Race: drow Size: medium Gender: ***
Handedness: Right Height: *** Weight: ***
Align: *** Deity: ***
Glory: *** Stat Points: 0 Feat Points: 0
Carry Weight: *** Load: light Items: 0/6
--------------------+--------------------------------------------------------
Ability Scores | Armour Class
STR *** Bonus: *** | head *** Shield: ***
DEX *** Bonus: *** | body *** Size: ***
CON *** Bonus:*** | arms *** Natural: ***
INT *** Bonus: *** | hands *** Deflection: ***
WIS *** Bonus: *** | waist ***
CHA *** Bonus: *** | legs *** Spell Failure: ***
| feet *** Armour Penalty: ***
--------------------+--------------------------------------------------------
Saving Throws | Combat Stats
Fortitude: *** | AB: 1st: ***
Reflex: *** | Primary Weapon: *** Hit Bonus: *** Critical: ***
Will: *** |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Tamryn]

Either the game or the help file is wrong here.

this first level wizard starts with the experience points of a
5th level wizard, and must gain the experience points normally required to
attain sixth level in order to realize the advantages that normally accrue to
a second-level wizard

However, a level 1 drow has the equivalent level of a 6th level character:

Code: Select all

 Tamryntest the young adventurer (A tall young female drow)
 Class: fighter              Level: 1  (ECL: 6)     Hours Played: 10    
 Race: drow                   Size: medium                 Gender: female

To achieve the benefits of second level, she would have to advance to seventh level.

I assume the problem here is in the help file, but since with the FK level scaling we don't follow D&D ECLs, I'm not entirely sure either way.