Eight New Multiclass Feats

[Verision]

First, some background. (Background sblocked for your convenience)
[sblock]I'm running a 4e campaign, currently going through the H series of adventures with 4 characters: human cleric; human ranger; tiefling worlock; dragonborn fighter (DMPC); and an occasional 5th player: eladrin wizard.

My players are mostly enjoying 4e, but some of them haven't really become attached to their characters the way they used to in 3.x. I'm not really sure what the reason for this is, to tell you the truth.

Anyway, ever since the Forgotten Realms books have come out, one of my players (the human cleric) has been itching to play a genasi wizard. He really likes the genasi and just recently realized how good some of the class features of the the wizard are (mostly the cantrips, which our occasional eladrin wizard always seems to forget). His enthusiasm for the genasi wizard is basically the enthusiasm he (and everyone else) used to show for their characters in 3.x and, since I find this type of enthusiasm for a character concept really enriches the D&D experience, I want to let him make the switch.

The problem: What the heck are we going to do without a leader? I find the PCs really need the healing the leader class provides and I'm not sure that combat will go well without one.

So, I've come up with three potential solutions to this probem.

1) Reclass my DMPC dragonborn as a leader (I.e. remake the character)
Problem: Now we have no defender, which is just as big a problem as not having a leader. I suppose I could make the dragonborn a warlord that fights up front; this would mitigate the problem but I'm not too enthusiastic about doing it.

2) Have the player who wants to play the genasi wizard play two characters (I.E. The new wizard and the old cleric. NOTE: This was his idea). This could work, but it does make roleplaying a little harder ("Which of your characters just said that?"). If the human ranger also wanted to play two characters, then I would either give him my dragonborn fighter, or at least get him to make his second character a defender, since we will need one.
(Note: I won't let the other players take two characters simply because they haven't been playing D&D all that long and I don't think they would handle it as well as the cleric and the ranger)
Now, this could work, and if everyone involved agrees then this is probably what will happen. Still, I need a back up plan in case this solution is shot down (and truthfully, I'd rather that everyone just plays one character, so I'm trying to find a way for that to happen)

3) Have my dragonborn fighter multiclass into one of the leader classes; probably the cleric.
Problem: A fighter/cleric doesn't really get that much healing, which is the one big thing I think my group needs from the leader. Plus, I'm really not impressed with the multiclassing in 4e (healing word as a daily for muticlass cleric? That's pretty crappy)
Solution: Well, we've finally gotten around to the point of this thread: Making extra multiclass feats to add more of the secondary class to the multiclassed character. I started with the cleric, since that's the one I'm probably going to use, and decided I should make the rest.
[/sblock]

So, here are my extra multiclassing feats for the classes in the PHB. There are eight feats, one for each class. I believe I will add a level requirement to the prerequisites; I just haven't decided what level to make it.
Tell me what you think. I am more concerned as to whether the feats are balanced compared to each other then whether the feats make multiclassed characters more powerful than non-multiclasses characters. Still, feel free to tell me "OMG, too powerful". (It's not like you'd hold back if I told you not to anyway )

Initiate of the Faith II
Prerequisite: Initiate of the Faith
Benefit: You can use the cleric's healing word ability once per encounter

Student of the Sword II
Prerequisite: Student of the Sword
Benefit: An enemy struck by your attack of opportunity stops moving if a move provoked the attack of opportunity.

Soldier of the Faith II
Prerequisite: Soldier of the Faith
Benefit: You can use the paladin's divine challenge power twice per encounter

Warrior of the Wild II
Prerequisite: Warrior of the Wild
Benefit: You can use the ranger's Hunter's Quarry class feature twice per encounter. The target you mark as your quarry remains your quarry until the end of your next turn.

Sneak of Shadows II
Prerequisite: Sneak of Shadows
Benefit: You can use the rogue's Sneak Attack class feature twice per encounter

Pact Initiate II
Prerequisite: Pact Initiate
Benefit: Once per encounter you can use the warlock's curse class feature. The target you set your curse on remains cursed until the end of your next turn.

Student of Battle II
Prerequisite: Student of Battle
Benefit: You can use the warlord's Inspiring Word power once per encounter.

Arcane Initiate II
Prerequisite: Arcane Initiate
Benefit: Gain the use of all the wizard's cantrips.

 

[Paul Strack]

The Arcane Initiate II seems underpowered compared to the rest. Maybe you should allow using the wizard at-will twice per encounter instead.

 

[keterys]

Curious: Do you want the warlock feat to also give you the pact benefit? Presumably it'll also only last until EOYNT like the hunter's.

Totally agree that the wizard is a serious lame duck on this list. In truth, it could probably give all of the cantrips at-will and many would find it less satisfying than some of the other powers, but a single one once per encounter is just too little.

At any rate, I'm not totally sure on the level of power but I don't think it will completely break your game so that's something at least.

As a suggestion, give the group some type of quest bonus or somesuch that gives them healing words. In one of my games, they can give each other a healing word effect once a day, for instance.

 

[aurance]

They generally seem okay, but I agree with the others on the weakness of the Wizard feat.

 

[knightofround]

Student of the sword is perhaps a bit too good when combined with reach weapons. But if you make these feats paragon tier or higher it would balance them out.

I like the idea of wizards getting cantrips; why not simply have the multiclass feat grant all the cantrips at will? That would somewhat balance out the lack of damage-dealing power. I always thought it was silly that PCs who multiclassed into wizard could swap in a epic-tier power but yet couldn't cast a single cantrip.

As a side-note, another solution I've found for leaderless parties is to grant all PCs one extra second wind per encounter. And then giving Paladins/Fighters/Swordmages additional second winds equal to their constitution modifier/2. However, for balance purposes the +2 all defenses and the dwarven racial bonus was removed from the bonus second winds.

 

[That One Guy]

[sblock=FixOne]What level are the players? If they're 8, I have a solution for you. If they're 6, it might need some fudge. If they're under 6... try to make sure the party cleric dies by then. At 6 let the fighter MC cleric pick up the utility swap (early) and grab Bastion of Health. Also, Power Swap for L.1 Enc. Healing Strike might be a good idea too.

Also, moving healing from 1/Day to 1/Encounter is a huge jump. I would argue having an item that has a daily use of allowing an extra Healing Word (regardless of normal costs and rules) would make more sense. In example, consider the Wraithblade (from a Dragon... I don't remember which #... but it's Ari's Ashen Cult article) which allows a rogue another sneak attack in that round - and/or encounter if the rogue has S.A. from multiclassing. A holy symbol around the fighter's neck could allow another Healing Word/day.

So, w/ symbol that would be two Healing Words/Day. Bastion of Health would allow a minor action to trigger a HS 1/Encounter and Healing Strike would allow a way to trigger a HS 1/Encounter - but is a bit of a gamble.[/sblock]

[sblock=FixTwo]How does the genasi person feel about a genasi swordmage? What about one w/ the level 4 AV item Hedge Wizard's Gloves which allows the use of Mage Hand and (the best cantrip) Prestidigitation - @Will?[/sblock]

[sblock=FixThree]If the party feels they need more healing, let them pick up the multiclass feats or start letting them find healing potions on minions.[/sblock]

[sblock=Reasoning]I am hesitant to agree with fixing the multiclass feats before seeing what WotC's fix in Martial Power is - which supposedly will have more multiclass feats. If it does not fix the problem... then fix away. Still disagree about pushing 1/Day to 1/Enc... but... if it would upset the fun of the game too much w/out the fix - do it. 'Cause there's no way to see if the inexperienced players will feel like the game is unfair to them due to their lack of multiple characters and even if they're not - they'll get less table time. I would say that the two players using multiple characters, but not everyone else, would be a worse call than the upgrading of Healing Word. However, letting them hire NPC healers, defenders, etc. that could be directed w/ minor actions (similar to the figurines of wondrous power in the AV) would be a good call. This could disrupt the balance of power, but it would be more fair to the newbie PCs.[/sblock]

 

[keterys]

Actually - you could give them a pet/figurine that can do healing actions, but only when someone else uses an action to trigger it.

Like a little unicorn figurine that runs around and heals people twice an encounter, but people have to use their move action to move it up to someone, and minor or standard to activate the heal.

 

[Verision]

The Arcane Initiate II seems underpowered compared to the rest. Maybe you should allow using the wizard at-will twice per encounter instead.

Totally agree that the wizard is a serious lame duck on this list. In truth, it could probably give all of the cantrips at-will and many would find it less satisfying than some of the other powers, but a single one once per encounter is just too little.

A number of you seem to think the wizard feat is underpowered. I originally thought that giving the full range of catrips at-will would be too much, but maybe not. I think I will change the wizard feat too:

Arcane Initiate II
Prerequisite: Arcane Initiate
Benefit: Gain the use of all the wizard's cantrips.

Curious: Do you want the warlock feat to also give you the pact benefit?

No, I thought that giving them the curse itself (and the extra damage associated with it) was more than enough. Do you think it should give the pact benefit?

Presumably it'll also only last until EOYNT like the hunter's.

I'm not quite sure what you mean here (well, I assume EOYNT=end of your next turn) but the hunter's quarry ability lasts until the end of the encounter (or until the enemy dies, or until you designate a new quarry) not until EOYNT.

...but I don't think it will completely break your game so that's something at least.

That's good to hear. I like a bit of power gaming, but you can really go too far with power gaming, which really destroys the challenge and the fun.

As a suggestion, give the group some type of quest bonus or somesuch that gives them healing words. In one of my games, they can give each other a healing word effect once a day, for instance.

Not sure how well that would work with my particular group. They only use their second winds as a last resort (I.E. they wait until the cleric is completely out of healing powers) and I can't see the Ranger or the Warlock taking an action to heal a comrade.

Student of the sword is perhaps a bit too good when combined with reach weapons. But if you make these feats paragon tier or higher it would balance them out.

From the Player's Handbook:

"Reach: With a reach weapon, you can attack enemies that are 2 squares away from you as well as adjacent enemies, with no attack penalty. You can still make opportunity attacks only against adjacent enemies. Likewise, you can flank only an adjacent enemy."

Unless there is errata for this that I am unaware of, you don't get threatening reach from a reach weapon, so I don't see why the feat would be too powerful when combined with reach weapons.

As a side-note, another solution I've found for leaderless parties is to grant all PCs one extra second wind per encounter. And then giving Paladins/Fighters/Swordmages additional second winds equal to their constitution modifier/2. However, for balance purposes the +2 all defenses and the dwarven racial bonus was removed from the bonus second winds.

That's a good idea, and it would definitely help...I'll have to think on that.

[sblock=FixOne]What level are the players? If they're 8, I have a solution for you. If they're 6, it might need some fudge. If they're under 6... try to make sure the party cleric dies by then. At 6 let the fighter MC cleric pick up the utility swap (early) and grab Bastion of Health. Also, Power Swap for L.1 Enc. Healing Strike might be a good idea too.

Also, moving healing from 1/Day to 1/Encounter is a huge jump. I would argue having an item that has a daily use of allowing an extra Healing Word (regardless of normal costs and rules) would make more sense. In example, consider the Wraithblade (from a Dragon... I don't remember which #... but it's Ari's Ashen Cult article) which allows a rogue another sneak attack in that round - and/or encounter if the rogue has S.A. from multiclassing. A holy symbol around the fighter's neck could allow another Healing Word/day.

So, w/ symbol that would be two Healing Words/Day. Bastion of Health would allow a minor action to trigger a HS 1/Encounter and Healing Strike would allow a way to trigger a HS 1/Encounter - but is a bit of a gamble.[/sblock]

The characters are currently 6th level, about to finish Thunderspire Mountain and move on to Pyramid of Shadows (I think that's what H3 is called).
I do see what you are saying about 1/day to 1/encounter being a big jump, but twice/day isn't much of an increase if you are fighting 3-4 combat encounters a day. Especially if you are used to having a cleric cast two healing words/battle (along with both Bastion of Health, which the cleric just got). That is the main reason I wanted to make these feats: give a way for a multiclass character to partially (mostly?) replace a leader; at least as far as healing goes.

[sblock=FixTwo]How does the genasi person feel about a genasi swordmage? What about one w/ the level 4 AV item Hedge Wizard's Gloves which allows the use of Mage Hand and (the best cantrip) Prestidigitation - @Will?[/sblock]

He really wants to play a genasi wizard and I really don't want to stand in the way.

[sblock=FixThree]If the party feels they need more healing, let them pick up the multiclass feats or start letting them find healing potions on minions.[/sblock]

My PCs hate healing potions (I don't like them myself, that much). If they at least gave you your full healing surge value, instead of 10 hp, then I would prolly just tell my group to load up on healing potions. But I don't think that'll go over too well with the healing potions as they are currently.

[sblock=Reasoning]I am hesitant to agree with fixing the multiclass feats before seeing what WotC's fix in Martial Power is - which supposedly will have more multiclass feats. If it does not fix the problem... then fix away. Still disagree about pushing 1/Day to 1/Enc... but... if it would upset the fun of the game too much w/out the fix - do it. 'Cause there's no way to see if the inexperienced players will feel like the game is unfair to them due to their lack of multiple characters and even if they're not - they'll get less table time. I would say that the two players using multiple characters, but not everyone else, would be a worse call than the upgrading of Healing Word. However, letting them hire NPC healers, defenders, etc. that could be directed w/ minor actions (similar to the figurines of wondrous power in the AV) would be a good call. This could disrupt the balance of power, but it would be more fair to the newbie PCs.[/sblock]

I didn't know Martial Power was going to have more multiclassing feats...though I don't see why a Martial power book would have multiclass feats for non-martial classes, which means I may have to wait for the Divine book to fix my problem, and I don't think I can wait that long.
I see your point about how the inexperienced players might feel shafted by the other players getting to play two characters....plus, I talked to the Ranger the other day and he'd really rather not play two characters or have the cleric play two characters (apparently they did this once before, years ago, and the roleplaying just got too complicated).
Hiring NPCs might work too...but I am already playing a DMPC (the dragonborn fighter) and a constant NPC (Splug from KotS, who has been following the players ever since they got him drunk and gave him a +1 magic shortsword) and I really don't want to play another NPC. Then again, maybe I can just give Splug a level of cleric, or just 1 healing word per encounter, and forget about multiclassing the Fighter.

Actually - you could give them a pet/figurine that can do healing actions, but only when someone else uses an action to trigger it.
Like a little unicorn figurine that runs around and heals people twice an encounter, but people have to use their move action to move it up to someone, and minor or standard to activate the heal.

This could work, but if I was going to give my PCs a way to get extra healing for themselves, I would probably just go with the extra second wind suggestion above.

Thank you all for the feedback.

 

[keterys]

Multiclass Hunter's Quarry lasts only until the end of your next turn. See the errata (it was one of the first things errata-ed, after they realized they'd explained poorly). I actually suspect they meant for you to only get damage from it once, like sneak attack, but screwed up.

 

[Verision]

Stupid Freaking Errata

Multiclass Hunter's Quarry lasts only until the end of your next turn. See the errata (it was one of the first things errata-ed, after they realized they'd explained poorly). I actually suspect they meant for you to only get damage from it once, like sneak attack, but screwed up.

*grumble-grumble stupid freaking errata makes me wonder why I bothered buying the books grumble-grumble*

Well, if that's the case, maybe the Warrior of the Wild II feat should just allow the Hunter's Quarry to last until the end of battle. That way you would get the extra damage on one enemy until the enemy is dead. I think that would put it closer to the Pact Initiate II and Sneak of Shadows II feats in terms of power. What do you think?

Edit: After thinking about this a bit more, I think that Warrior of the Wild II should be:

Warrior of the Wild II
Prerequisite: Warrior of the Wild
Benefit: You can use the ranger's Hunter's Quarry class feature twice per encounter. The target you mark as your quarry remains your quarry until the end of your next turn.


And Pact Initiate II should be modified to the following:

Pact Initiate II
Prerequisite: Pact Initiate
Benefit: Once per encounter you can use the warlock's curse class feature. The target you set your curse on remains cursed until the end of your next turn.