Custom leveling system madness help?

Uber Dungeon

First Post
So my Current DM has decided that we can only take 3 classes total including prestige classes.
his method is as fallows; ech class levels by it's individually or you have 3 exp pools that you exp is divided between, for instance; if you had 3 classes the first would require 2000 more exp to level and the second would require 1000 more exp to level and the third would level normally... So the three classes are rogue 1 (2000exp), Wizard 1 (1000exp) and Arcane archer 1 (0exp) (total CL3); aside from that exp offset, they level normally but any gained exp is split between the three classes.
Before that it was level adjustments
and before that a mass of confusing calculations
This is also his first game that he has ever DM'd figures the first thing he does is f**k up the leveling system. Also he is more oriented with 2.0 witch gets annoying to more then 1 person in the group. He doesn't understand prestige classes and it's like pulling teeth explaining them to him. He says he'll read it in the book, I doubt he does, he still doesn't understand:.-(

( I know that arcane archer cannot be gained with a level 2 character, It's just an example)

We (the entire group) have proposed other leveling systems and he stubbornly shoots them down calling them overpowered and makes his S**T even more confusing then it already is (he doesn't realize how overpowered what he's forcing on us is) and eventually we gave in so we could just play. But now that everyone other then me are multi classing it's become more of an issues and if it's not resolved we're probably going to dethrone him as DM because it is making some aspects of the game "not fun" and the DM's job is to keep it fun.

Anyways, I need a good alternative 3.5 based leveling system that levels a little faster then the standard, includes normal exp gained (i.e. 300 x CR ect.)
The group and my self are hoping to get 1 or more good alternatives to propose to him that he may accept so we dont have to crush him :-S
 
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I'm not doing this to be negative, but I am having a hard time figuring out what is going on here other than your DM is doing something wonky with leveling and you want an alternative.
 



If I read your explanation correctly, he's trying to write up the 2nd edition multiclassing system in 3.5, yes?

I'm still not sure what your example would lead to, so maybe you could give a level-by-level (including necessary xp) progression?

Then, we could reply with a comparison with a normal level-by-level progression for that kind of character, and show (as you expect) that your DM's version is overpowered.

@Dandu , @Ghalleon :
I think the problem here is the 'funky' level progression makes multiclassing more powerful than the 3.5 standard version, leaving single-classed characters behind on the powercurve (and the OP is running a single-classed character, thus raising the issue)
 


From the OP, I gather something like this: (ignoring PrC for the moment because it would require taking prereq's into account):

0 XP->Fighter 1/Rogue1(1000 offset)/Wizard1(2000 offset)
3000 XP=1000+1000+1000->1000/0/0-> Fighter 2/Rogue 1/Wizard 1
6000 XP=2000+2000+2000-> 2000/1000/0-> Fighter 2/Rogue 2/Wizard 1
9000 XP=3000+3000+3000-> 3000/2000/1000->Fighter 3/Rogue 2/Wizard 2
12000 XP=4000+4000+4000-> 4000/3000/2000->Fighter 3/Rogue 3/Wizard 2
15000 XP=5000+5000+5000-> 5000/4000/3000->Fighter 3/Rogue 3/Wizard 3
18000 XP = 6000+6000+6000-> 6000/5000/4000->Fighter 4/Rogue 3/Wizard 3

But please correct me if I'm wrong :)

(Note that, using this progression, at 15000 XP a single class character has 6 levels, while a multiclass character using this system effectively has 9 levels)

Maybe the Gestalt rules are more appropriate?
 
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I actually do something kinda similar, for pretty much the same reason. Instead of messing around with different XP pools, all classes use the same XP tables and the number of classes you're advancing in determines which table you use.

But I've been playing this game for ten years and I know what I'm doing. I did the same thing with AD&D in the years leading up to 3e.

Your first time running a game is not the time to introduce massive house rules to the game's internal structure, no matter how familiar you were with the game's predecessor. I still don't understand 4e well enough to tinker with it, mostly because I don't care. If he doesn't understand how Prestige Classes work, he certainly has no business attempting to tinker with the core system yet.

I've seen games with multiclass limits before, and I think it makes a fair bit of sense. Multiclassing in 3.X is ridiculous. But if I'm reading the system right, it looks like he's trying to combine the way it worked in AD&D with the way it worked in 3.X, and then combining them in the worst possible fashion.
 

Story event based? Basically, you level up after certain plot points are reached?

This is pretty much what I've switched to in all of my games. It helps keep the PCs level in check so that they don't out-level everything you've got planned for them.
 

From the OP, I gather something like this: (ignoring PrC for the moment because it would require taking prereq's into account):

0 XP->Fighter 1/Rogue1(1000 offset)/Wizard1(2000 offset)
3000 XP=1000+1000+1000->1000/0/0-> Fighter 2/Rogue 1/Wizard 1
6000 XP=2000+2000+2000-> 2000/1000/0-> Fighter 2/Rogue 2/Wizard 1
9000 XP=3000+3000+3000-> 3000/2000/1000->Fighter 3/Rogue 2/Wizard 2
12000 XP=4000+4000+4000-> 4000/3000/2000->Fighter 3/Rogue 3/Wizard 2
15000 XP=5000+5000+5000-> 5000/4000/3000->Fighter 3/Rogue 3/Wizard 3
18000 XP = 6000+6000+6000-> 6000/5000/4000->Fighter 4/Rogue 3/Wizard 3

But please correct me if I'm wrong :)

(Note that, using this progression, at 15000 XP a single class character has 6 levels, while a multiclass character using this system effectively has 9 levels)

Maybe the Gestalt rules are more appropriate?

That is correct, and everyone in the group agrees that that it's ridiculous Because not everyone wants to multi class, like our druid for instance. having 10th level characters running around with 6th level characters becomes unbalanced. lol
 
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