Hmmm.
I had originally pegged being "Big" to being very close to an Ogre, and it looks like I was fairly close to the mark. Since I would be concentrating on buying off the "adjustment" instead of the actual HD, I'll compare the Ogre's LA benefits against what would be mine in the long run:
If an Ogre gets an LA of +2 from this:
* +10 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.
* Large size. -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
* Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
* An ogre’s base land speed is 40 feet.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* +5 natural armor bonus.
Would it be fair/safe to assume that it stacks up well against this LA of +3?
* +8 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution.
* Large size. -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
* Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
* +3 natural armor bonus.
In other words, do the darkvision and the extra movement cancel out the Int and Cha penalties?
By the time I was finished, the PC would be a 15 HD character equivelent to a level 18 PC, and would look something like this:
S 22 (24 w/ bonus)
D 14
C 20
I 13
W 14
C 14 (16 w/ bonus)
HP: 173
BAB 14, Adjusted to hit +21 (melee), +15 (ranged)
AC: like that of the proverbial broad side of a barn
The real question, then, is would this extra size be worth the opportunity cost for the PC (which, up until this point, had been a even mix of melee and ranged relying on versatility in combat), or would a trio of extra warrior class levels be a better choice?