Comprehensive Multiclassing RE-Revision

[Exen Trik]

Yes yes I know, yet another multiclassing thread.
I thought I'd try a holistic approach, and revise both the feats and paragon pathing options, as well as add a Dual Class option.

Let me know what you think.


ARCANE INITIATE [Multiclass Wizard]
Prerequisite: Int 13, Arcana skill, Use Ritual
Benefit: Use any one Wizard At-Will power once per encounter; learn 1 Cantrip usable At-Will; can use Wands, Rods or Orbs as implements
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use your wizard at-will power once more per encounter.

INITIATE OF THE FAITH [Multiclass Cleric]
Prerequisite: Wis 13, Religion skill
Benefit: You can use Healing Word as a cleric once per day, but not more than once per encounter; can use holy symbol as implement.
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use your Healing Word power once more per day, but no more than once per encounter.

PACT INITIATE [Multiclass Warlock]
Prerequisite: Con 13 (Star or Infernal pact) or Cha 13 (Fey pact)
Choose Star, Demon or Fey pact
Benefit: You can use your pacts at-will power once per encounter, you qualify for that pacts paragon paths; In addition you can use a Rod, Wand or Pact blade as arcane implements.
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use your pacts at-will power once more per encounter.

STUDENT OF THE SWORD [Multiclass Fighter]
Prerequisite: Str 13, Proficiency in any Military weapon
Benefit: Use Combat Challenge* once per encounter.
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use your Combat Challenge once more per encounter.

SNEAK OF SHADOWS [Multiclass Rogue]
Prerequisite: Dex 13, Thievery skill
Benefit: Use Sneak Attack once per encounter
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use Sneak Attack power once more per encounter.

SOLDIER OF THE FAITH [Multiclass Paladin]
Prerequisite: Str 13, Cha 13, Religion skill
Benefit: Divine Challenge once per encounter; can use holy symbol or Holy avenger as implement
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use your Divine Challenge power once more per day, but no more than once per encounter.

STUDENT OF BATTLE [Multiclass Warlord]
Prerequisite: Str 13, Cha 13 or Int 13, Proficiency in any Military weapon
Benefit: Inspiring Word once per day, but not more than once per encounter
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use your Inspiring Word power once more per day, but no more than once per encounter.

WARRIOR OF THE WILD [Multiclass Ranger]
Prerequisite: Str 13 (Two-blade) or Dex 13 (Archery), Dungeoneering or Nature skills
Choose either Two-blade fighting style or Archery fighting style
Benefit (Two bladed style): You can use Hunters Quarry* once per encounter and you qualify for Two Weapon Fighting Ranger Paragon Paths
Benefit (Archery): You can use Hunters Quarry* once per encounter and you qualify for Archer Ranger Paragon Paths
Special: For each one of the three multiclass power swap feats you take, you can use Hunters Quarry once more per encounter.

*The marks are the short one round duration types.


DUAL CLASS
A Dual Class character is one that has studied the techniques of two classes equally, if not fully. They choose two classes to be component classes, which determine the features of the Dual Class.

Role: Any or Hybrid

Power Source: Any or Hybrid

Weapons: Any that both component classes would normally get

Armor: Any that both component classes would normally get

Defense Bonus: +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will

Hit Points at First Level: Varies according to the roles of the component classes:
Normally: 12 + Con modifier
Defender/Defender: 15 + Con modifier
Any/Controller: 10 + Con modifier

Hit Points per Level Gained: Varies according to the roles of the component classes:
Normally: 5
Defender/Defender: 6
Any/Controller: 4

Healing Surges: Varies according to the roles of the component classes (Only the best applies):
Normally: 6 + Con modifier
Defender/Defender: 9 + Con modifier
Any/Defender: 8 + Con modifier
Any/Leader: 7 + Con modifier

Skills: Gain the automatic skills of the component classes, plus any three from either class list.


Class Features

The following are features of the Dual Class, if that component class is chosen:
Cleric: Use Holy Symbols as divine implements
Fighter: None
Paladin: Use Holy Symbols or Holy Avengers as divine implement s
Ranger: Fighting Style (Choose either: Two-Bladed fighting style and use one handed weapons in the off hand, or Archery Style and the class feature Prime Shot)
Rogue:None
Warlock: Use Wands, Rods or Pact Blades as arcane implements, Pact (Choose Fey, Infernal or Star pact)
Warlord: None
Wizard: Use Wands, Rods or Orbs as arcane implements

Mix It Up: At-will as a minor action, a Dual Class character can for one round access some features of either one of his component classes. This is needed to use any power or feature of the component class, as well as receive benefits to powers such as from Rogue Tactics. The duration of any mark used only lasts as long as a minor action is spent each turn.

Cleric: Healers Lore, Healing Word 1/encounter, Channel Divinity 1/day
Fighter: Combat Challenge, Combat Superiority 1/encounter
Paladin: Divine Challenge, Lay on Hands 1/day, Channel Divinity 1/day
Ranger: Hunters Quarry
Rogue: Sneak Attack, Rogue Tactics (Choose Artful Dodger or Brutal Scoundrel)
Warlock: Warlocks Curse, Pact boon 1/encounter
Warlord: Inspiring Word 1/encounter, Commanding Presence (Choose Inspiring Presence or Tactical Presence)
Wizard: Cantrips (Choose any two), Arcane Implement Mastery 1/day

Hybrid Technique: One per encounter for one round you can freely access the class features of both of your component classes at once. This allows you to, for example, both use hunters quarry on an enemy and use sneak attack in the same round.


Powers

At-Will powers: Choose one at-will power from each of your component classes. If one is a warlock, you may choose either you pacts associated at will or Eldrich Blast. If you get a bonus at-will power, it can be chosen for either class.

Encounter, Daily and Utility powers: You can choose these powers from either component class list.



Novice Duality
Prerequisite: Dual Class, 4th level
Select one level of encounter powers that you know. Instead of a single power, choose one from each component class. You don't gain an additional use of that level of encounter powers, but you can select either power every time you use it.

Acolyte Duality
Prerequisite: Dual Class, 8th level
Select one level of Utility powers that you know. Instead of a single power, choose one from each component class. You don't gain an additional use of that level of utility powers, but you can select either power every time you use it.

Adept Duality
Prerequisite: Dual Class, 10th level
Select one level of daily powers that you know. Instead of a single power, choose one from each component class. You don't gain an additional use of that level of daily powers, but you can select either power every time you use it.



Paragon Path: WALKER OF TWO PATHS
Prerequisites: Either:
Any [Multiclass] Feat and the Novice Power, Acolyte Power and Adept Power feats.
Or:
Dual Class and the Novice Duality, Acolyte Duality and Adept Duality feats.

Bonus At-Will Power (11th level): You gain one bonus at will power, chosen from your secondary classes list. If dual classed, this can be from either component class.

Bonus Encounter Power (11th level): You gain one bonus encounter power of 7th level or lower, chosen from your secondary classes list. If dual classed, this can be from either component class.

Bonus Utility Power (12th level): You gain one bonus encounter power of 10th level or lower, chosen from your secondary classes list. If dual classed, this can be from either component class.

Master of Two Paths(16th Level): The per encounter or per day benefit of your multiclass feat becomes usable once per round or once per encounter, respectively.
If dual classed, the Mix It Up feature becomes usable as a free action, rather than minor action.

Bonus Daily Power (20th level): You gain one bonus daily power of 19th level or lower, chosen from your secondary classes list. If dual classed, this can be from either component class.

 

[generalhenry]

Int mod times per day

It breaks one of the most elegant design points of 4E

0, 1, infinite

There are very few exceptions.


The dual classing does have merit, though I'll bet you can build unbalanced characters with it.

 

[magustenebrarum]

It breaks one of the most elegant design points of 4E

0, 1, infinite

There are very few exceptions.

Even so, I like it a lot. Keeping track of how many times you have used sneak attack in this encounter is a little much, and getting to do it your dex mod is way too powerful. It isn't balanced with other feats. You've done a decent job with changing the pre-reqs to simulate this, however it only really worked for the rogue, because if you aren't a rogue you had to use a feat to take Theivery (I'm presuming when you say "theivery skill" you mean trained in the theivery skill), but a Wizard with a high wis can multiclass into cleric as his first feat...which is just nasty.

You could make these feats "greater" feats, requiring the original feats to take, which would alleviate some of the balance issues, but not all of them.

Even if you do that, anyone who is level 8 is going to be multiclass. The only reason not to is if all your stats are less than 13. I suppose this isn't a problem if that's the type of campaign you want. If you wanted to alleviate that, you could also put it "specialization" feats (conflicitng with multiclass feats), which would mean some people wouldn't multiclass. Of course, you'd want more than one so not all people with one class were the same...

For example:
Wizard Specialist [specialist]
Prerequisite: Wizard class, no multiclass or specialist feats
Benefit: Gain an additional at-will power
Special: You cannot take this feat if you already have any multiclass or specialist feats.

Elemental Specialist [specialist]
Prerequisite: Wizard class
Benefit: Once per encounter, you may substitute any elemental keyword on a power for one of the following: thundering, fire, cold, lightning, acid
Special: The element you can substitute for must be selected when taking this feat. You cannot take this feat if you already have any multiclass or specialist feats.



I have no thoughts on dual-classing

 

[generalhenry]

if you aren't a rogue you had to use a feat to take Theivery

Warlocks have it as a class skill

 

[Archus]

Dual classing is too open for abuse because of combination of class abilities. There is a good reason the multiclassing as it exists now limits what you can combine. For example the Ranger/Rogue Hunter's Quarry combined with Sneak Attack giving +3d6 extra damage at 1st and +8d6 damage at 21st.

Some dual classing options are really sub prime compared to others.

The multiclassing prerequisites are not equal. Wizard for example requires three feats to pick up because you must first buy rituals and arcana (unless your class has it). But the multiclassing feats need some overhaul since they are superior enough to the skill feat that if there is a skill you want in another class, you might as well multiclass to get some extra bennies. And there are some things you just don't get.

 

[Stalker0]

Here's the bottom line: You CANNOT make strong multiclassing through one feat alone.

I understand where you are coming from, you feel that multiclassing is too limited, and you want to beef it up. I too feel that multiclassing doesn't blend enough.

However, if you look at the current multiclass feats, and just look at them from a feat perspective, you will come to realize that they are actually extremely potent 4e feats, some of the best there are. If you increase their power any further, which is what you have done here, they suddenly become must have feats. People would be crazy not to take them.

So a single feat is not the answer. You could develop a system that requires multiple feats to get the full effect, or something that requires the initial class to give up something when gaining the new multiclass power. There are lots of ways to do it, but a single feat is not one of them.

 

[Exen Trik]

Heh, I started wanting to make the multiclass feats not be redundant with skills, then I wanted to add a little more too them, and then got hooked on the idea of stat based synergy... seems I'm not used to the 4e system balancing act just yet.

Well, moving on, the stat based mechanic is scrapped now. Instead, you gain additional uses with each power swap feat you take. I'm not sure if that is still too strong, but the power swap feats struck me as somewhat underpowered, and it caps out at 4 uses maximum which I hope isn't too out of wack.

The Dual Class got the nerf bat as well, as they can only access some class features of only one class at a time via Mix It Up, and at the cost of a minor action. Hybrid Technique lets them use features of both classes once per encounter

The paragon path was brought in line with the other changes and toned down considerably. Master of two paths now either grants muticlassers unlimited uses of their encounter or daily powers, or makes the Dual Class ability Mix It Up a free action.