JohnSnow
Hero
Long post, but bear with me.
I think this actually very likely IS in the system, although perhaps not in the form you think. In other words, there isn't an "arcane initiate 2" but various feats that provide options for wizard characters, which our multiclass character can benefit from. As an example, the DDXP cleric (Erais) had a special ability called Power of Amaunator that he picked up by spending a feat. My assumption is that this ability has a prerequisite of "cleric." The multiclass article makes it very clear that this feat would be available to any character who had taken Initiate of the Faith. Here's the relevant quote from the article on multiclassing:
I imagine that there will be a number of feats like this, that provide a benefit for members of that class, but also provide a benefit to other PCs. For example, there might be a wizard feat that grants a character more cantrips. Or a fighter feat to improve your attacks, or rogue feats that let you do more with skills, or, or, or...
Make sense?
I believe that feats in 4th Edition either provide static enhancements to your existing options, or open up new options. For example, we know there's a ritual casting feat. We know, based on the DDXP cleric, that there are other options besides Divine Fortune and Turn Undead. For all we know, the cleric "picks 2" from a list of several.
Assuming a similar list exists for the Warlock and Wizard, there might be feats that let them add to the their options. Which, of course, any character who had multiclassed to those classes would qualify for.
For example, what if there are rogue feats that allow a rogue to pick up brutal scoundrel as well as artful dodger?
Hopefully, this all makes sense.
There's an existing feat that makes does something like that. I imagine it's the Fourth Edition translation of a feat available to wizard characters (for which, we established above, our multiclass character qualifies) called "Spell Focus."
Our fighter still lags slightly behind the single-classed wizard, but he can almost make it up, if he wants to.
Those class-specific feats are the aspects of multiclassing I think we aren't seeing. And I think they're the ones that really unlock its potential.
Your fighter with arcane initiate isn't going to have as many fighter options as a single class fighter (one less power, a few points behind on various bonuses due to not taking feats), but it's my belief that if he spends all his feats on his multiclass, he'll have some pretty handy wizarding skills - which, because they don't have all the feat enhancements, won't be quite as good as what a single-classed wizard can do. And, he's still going to have fewer arcane options than a wizard with student of the sword does. Which is as it should be.
Personally, I regard all of this as a feature, rather than a bug.
Actually, I think Dilvish (*ahem* the "Half-Elven") is probably a textbook 4e multiclassed character. He's first and foremost a fighter (clearly) with Arcane Initiate as his half-elven benefit, granting him the arcana skill and magic missile once per encounter. He may also have novice power or adept power (to cover his various fireblasts), may have one utility power (although I can't think of any). I'd say he's also taken the "ritual casting" feat, which covers his 12 Awful Sayings.
Now, you probably need some ability for him to acquire cantrips, but as I said above, I imagine there's a wizard class feat that would allow precisely that.
Stalker0 said:
I think this actually very likely IS in the system, although perhaps not in the form you think. In other words, there isn't an "arcane initiate 2" but various feats that provide options for wizard characters, which our multiclass character can benefit from. As an example, the DDXP cleric (Erais) had a special ability called Power of Amaunator that he picked up by spending a feat. My assumption is that this ability has a prerequisite of "cleric." The multiclass article makes it very clear that this feat would be available to any character who had taken Initiate of the Faith. Here's the relevant quote from the article on multiclassing:
"A character who has taken a class-specific multiclass feat counts as a member of that class for the purpose of meeting prerequisites for taking other feats and qualifying for paragon paths. For example, a character who takes Initiate of the Faith counts as a cleric for the purpose of selecting feats that have cleric as a prerequisite."
I imagine that there will be a number of feats like this, that provide a benefit for members of that class, but also provide a benefit to other PCs. For example, there might be a wizard feat that grants a character more cantrips. Or a fighter feat to improve your attacks, or rogue feats that let you do more with skills, or, or, or...
Make sense?
Stalker0 said:
I believe that feats in 4th Edition either provide static enhancements to your existing options, or open up new options. For example, we know there's a ritual casting feat. We know, based on the DDXP cleric, that there are other options besides Divine Fortune and Turn Undead. For all we know, the cleric "picks 2" from a list of several.
Assuming a similar list exists for the Warlock and Wizard, there might be feats that let them add to the their options. Which, of course, any character who had multiclassed to those classes would qualify for.
For example, what if there are rogue feats that allow a rogue to pick up brutal scoundrel as well as artful dodger?
Hopefully, this all makes sense.
Stalker0 said:
There's an existing feat that makes does something like that. I imagine it's the Fourth Edition translation of a feat available to wizard characters (for which, we established above, our multiclass character qualifies) called "Spell Focus."
Our fighter still lags slightly behind the single-classed wizard, but he can almost make it up, if he wants to.
Those class-specific feats are the aspects of multiclassing I think we aren't seeing. And I think they're the ones that really unlock its potential.
Your fighter with arcane initiate isn't going to have as many fighter options as a single class fighter (one less power, a few points behind on various bonuses due to not taking feats), but it's my belief that if he spends all his feats on his multiclass, he'll have some pretty handy wizarding skills - which, because they don't have all the feat enhancements, won't be quite as good as what a single-classed wizard can do. And, he's still going to have fewer arcane options than a wizard with student of the sword does. Which is as it should be.
Personally, I regard all of this as a feature, rather than a bug.
WolfWood2 said:
Actually, I think Dilvish (*ahem* the "Half-Elven") is probably a textbook 4e multiclassed character. He's first and foremost a fighter (clearly) with Arcane Initiate as his half-elven benefit, granting him the arcana skill and magic missile once per encounter. He may also have novice power or adept power (to cover his various fireblasts), may have one utility power (although I can't think of any). I'd say he's also taken the "ritual casting" feat, which covers his 12 Awful Sayings.
Now, you probably need some ability for him to acquire cantrips, but as I said above, I imagine there's a wizard class feat that would allow precisely that.
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