Can Prestige classes incur multi-class XP penalties?

[Ninja-to]

As the title...

 

[irdeggman]

No.

Per the FAQ (i.e., Sage Advice) it was an error of ommisison in the DMG to leave that part out (i.e., no penalty).

In the previous version of the D&D game, having levels
in a prestige class never caused you to pay the experience
penalty for being a multiclass character without uneven
class levels. (The prestige class levels didn’t count when
checking to see if you had a penalty.) The section on
prestige classes in the new Dungeon Master’s Guide no
longer mentions that you don’t suffer an experience penalty
for having levels in a prestige class. Is this a change or an
error?

It’s an error. Having levels in a prestige class won’t give
you an experience penalty.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Although, since it's not part of the errata, it does incur a penalty. I don't know if anyone chooses to run it that way or houserule it like the rest of us.

 

[Garrett]

Just a note though...the Fochlucan Lyrist in the Complete Adventurer has a line in the Unbound Section (Under Class Features) that says 'A Lyrist also suffers no Experience penalty for Multiclassing'

Now that could apply to the Ex-Druid thing...which to me, doesnt make much sense with that wording.
Or that prestige classes do in fact, incur exp penalties.
/shrug

Just note that i used the lyrist because it popped into my head. Though I got the line directly from the book.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Another interprietation that springs to mind is that it essentally gives "Favored Class: All" to a character that takes the class. I'd have to see the PrC to validate it, though.

 

[dedicated]

I think what thirdwizard said is right, because, think about it. if you have 1 main class and go into 5 small prestige classes should that mean you don't gain any more XP? prestige classes normally advance the characters main specialty (spells for wizards, combat for fighters, etc.) so why would they occur XP penalties, which are explained by saying the character has trouble keeping his classes abilities straight?

 

[irdeggman]

I think what thirdwizard said is right, because, think about it. if you have 1 main class and go into 5 small prestige classes should that mean you don't gain any more XP? prestige classes normally advance the characters main specialty (spells for wizards, combat for fighters, etc.) so why would they occur XP penalties, which are explained by saying the character has trouble keeping his classes abilities straight?

Whoops, you seem to have misinterpreted the 20% exp penalty. It is not cumulative. The penalty is never more than 20%, the number of classes that are out of whack (i.e., more than 1 level apart) determines how long the penalty is incurred.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Actually, the penalty is 20% per class that's out of whack.

So, if you've got two out-of-whack classes, you get a 40% XP penalty.

 

[irdeggman]

Although, since it's not part of the errata, it does incur a penalty. I don't know if anyone chooses to run it that way or houserule it like the rest of us.

Here we go again. Refusing to accept the FAQ (i.e., Sage Advice) as "official".

Note that in the 3.0 DMG it specifically stated that Pr Cl did not incur the normal multiclassing penalty (DMG pg 27).

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Here we go again. Refusing to accept the FAQ (i.e., Sage Advice) as "official".

That's because it isn't! (TM)