Favored Class alternative

[Li Shenron]

I think this preferable to the flat 20% xp penalty in the core rules.

FLAT? I think you may not remember well how the penalty works in the core rules. It's a cumulative -20% for each class which is more than 1 level behind your highest-level class (not counting the favored class).

An elf fighter 3 / rogue 1 / sorcerer 1 would have a -40%.

An elf fighter 3 / rogue 1 / sorcerer 1 / ranger 1 / bard 1 / druid 1 would have a -100% and would never get Xp anymore.

 

[arnon]

I don't like the penalty for multi-classing and so took it out of play.

"Multi-class to your hearts content," I tell my players, "but you need someone to train you and teach you if it is a specialized sort of class."

arnon

 

[Bront]

thats why I love the crossclass system in Conan d20. there you get a bonus feat every 4 levels you have in your favored class instead of a penalty.

I thought that was a good system. Many of the "races" had multiple favored classes too, which was nice.

 

[Nifft]

I hope you at least noticed that Thanee's HR is about reducing that punishment

Yeah, I did, but my players and I just find ways to avoid multiclass penalties. IMHO any XP penalty is a bad thing.

-- N

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

One good thing about the multiclassing penalty is that it impacts class cherry picking.

Its not that difficult to avoid the penalties while building an odd-ball character concept anyway. I have yet, in about 3 years of 3E, not seen one of my players end up with the penalty.

Silly aside: Could an elf fighter 3 / rogue 1 / sorcerer 1 / ranger 1 / bard 1 / druid 1 / cleric 1 get a -110% and decrease in levels as he/she adventures?.

 

[Li Shenron]

Silly aside: Could an elf fighter 3 / rogue 1 / sorcerer 1 / ranger 1 / bard 1 / druid 1 / cleric 1 get a -110% and decrease in levels as he/she adventures?.

It would be difficult in the first place to get the -120% since before you are at -100% and stuck there

 

[Li Shenron]

Yeah, I did, but my players and I just find ways to avoid multiclass penalties. IMHO any XP penalty is a bad thing.

We too, usually in the form of 1 bonus skill point everytime you level up in your favored class.

What should have been nice of the core multiclassing penalty is if it make a difference in racial populations, but it really doesn't. You don't get more wizards in the elven community and elven wizards aren't better than any other races wizards. Racial bonuses/penalties to stats make much more difference.

 

[Andre]

FLAT? I think you may not remember well how the penalty works in the core rules. It's a cumulative -20% for each class which is more than 1 level behind your highest-level class (not counting the favored class).

You're right, of course. But I should be excused for forgetting this, as no player in his right mind would ever reach -40% or higher.

Then again, there are a lot of players not in their right minds, so...never mind.

 

[smootrk]

I think the racial favorite classes are better defined by their ability score modifiers. Now, if only the score modifiers made more sense. I do not think there needs to be any XP penalty for non-favored classes, as they pay the price already with sub-optimal abilities related to those classes.

Dwarves are stout so fighter classes are more appropriate, and lacking good charisma, they make poor bards or sorcerers, but if they wanted a Bardic Chanting Dwarf Sorcerer... so be it, but they will not be as optimal as a comparable Gnome.

Makes sense to me without having to rely on penalties. I also use a point buy system for character creation, so going against the norm for races is more costly, but it is possible to achieve results that go against the 'grain' for a race... ie High CHA Dwarf for instance.

The examples above can be illustrated with Half-Orc instead of Dwarf... even more pronounced difference.

 

[Nifft]

I think the racial favorite classes are better defined by their ability score modifiers. Now, if only the score modifiers made more sense. I do not think there needs to be any XP penalty for non-favored classes, as they pay the price already with sub-optimal abilities related to those classes.

Yeah... like an Elf Wizard.

Elves really need FC: Rogue, or they need a bunch of other (perhaps alternate) racial abilities.

-- N