Alternate Spellcaster Multiclassing Rule

[Quip]

The has been much debate as to how to handle multiclass spellcasters, some people houserule the stacking of caster levels, WotC has their mystic theurge, and some just say "maybe fix it in 4th edition". Well, I think I've come up with something that works quite well. Give it a read and tell me what you think.


Fist off, I just want to say that I'm making one key assumption here: that a 20th level caster is roughly equal in power to being 15th level caster in two classes. Its not a proportion I've playtested myself, but have seen as being perferred in the discusions I've read. If this proportion is disagreed upon, my method can be adjusted to fit personal opinions of its uses.


Alight here we go:

For every two levels in each spellcasting class you have, you add up to one spellcasting level in every other class. This applies once from each class that you have access to, and adds with each one. For a Clr 10/Wiz 10, his 10 cleric levels add 5 caster levels to his wizard spellcasting, and likewise his wizard levels add 5 to his cleric spellcasting, so that he effectively casts spells as a 15th level cleric and a 15th level wizard.

A Clr 6/Drd 6/Wiz 6 adds 3 from each class to each of the two others, as folows:

Cleric levels adds +3 Druid spellcasting levels and +3 Wizard spellcasting levels
Druid levels adds +3 Cleric spellcasting levels and +3 Wizard spellcasting levels
Wizard levels adds +3 Cleric spellcasting levels and +3 Druid spellcasting levels

This results in an 18th level character who casts spells as a Clr 12/Drd 12/Wiz 12.


These calculation assume that all spellcasting classes are equal. But what if they were not? Without further rules, an 18th level cleric would take a level of wizard and immediately casts spells as a 10th level wizard! Obviously, not something we want to happen. So here comes the second rule: no class can add more spellcasting than that class can provide in return. Thus, that 18th level cleric would be not add any spellcasting levels to its wizard level, since that wizard level can not add levels to the cleric class. If a second level of wizard was taken then the cleric levels would be able to add one level to the wizard class, as would the wizard add one to its clerical spellcasting.

For a final example, here's a calculation of a Wiz 12/Clr 6/Drd 2:

Wizard levels add +3 Cleric spellcasting levels and +1 Druid spellcasting level
Cleric levels add +3 Wizard spellcasting levels and +1 Druid spellcasting level
Druid levels add +1 Wizard spellcasting level and +1 Cleric spellcasting level

Resulting effective caster levels: Wiz 16/Clr 10/Drd 4


Classes with 1/2 spellcasting levels aren't treated any differently: a Pal 10/Clr 10 would cast spells as a 15th level paladin and a 15th level cleric. But a Pal 3 wouldn't count for any levels at all, since they don't have access to spells at that level.


Note: I dont think I should have to say it, but if you were using this system do *not* allow the Mystic Theurge into your game


Alright thats all I got on that, now I'm going to bed and I'll see what you say come morning.

 

[Chacal]

Interesting. I was advocating something similar, but limited to the caster level . I was taking non-spellcasting classes into account though. I'm tempted to say it's a bit much, but spellcasting classes lose so much when mutilclassing ) I'll keep this typo in, since it fits )
I'm wondering about the combo 14/6 becoming 17/9, though.
With your system, one can really be tempted to exchange 1 arcane progression level with 2 divine progression levels : you lose almost nothing from the arcane, and gain all the divine casters goodies ( for clerics it's 2 gd saves, D8, arms, domains bonus).
But this is more a problem of balance between arcane and divine classes, and not from your system.

Chacal