How terrible is the multiclass XP penalty?

[Particle_Man]

If your DM won't help you, maybe take 3 levels of fighter to "Balance out" and then try to find a rangerish prestige class? Otherwise, just keep the ranger and fighter classes even once you balance out, to keep the xp penalty away.

 

[ElvishBard]

The comments about cultural vs. physical attributes makes sense to me, but I'm afraid it won't help me because we've already had one PC reincarnated as a halfling in this campaign! He adjusted his stats by the RAW so the precedent is set. (There was no XP issue for him because he wasn't multi-classed.)

We've been discussing whether we should kill the other PCs and get them reincarnated as halflings too. I think that would be fair.

What do you mean, precedent has been set? The character was single classed, and unless he multiclassed later precedent has not been set on this issue. If you mean the physical stats, then yes they change and no one is saying that they wouldn't. What everyone is saying is that your upbringing wouldn't have changed, and you shouldn't gain the favored class rogue because that is part of the halfling culture, and you didn't grow up in that culture so it shouldn't effect you.

 

[Len]

If your DM won't help you, maybe take 3 levels of fighter to "Balance out" and then try to find a rangerish prestige class? Otherwise, just keep the ranger and fighter classes even once you balance out, to keep the xp penalty away.

That's what I really don't want to do. It just rubs me the wrong way to say "My favored class is now Rogue, so I feel like a more capable Fighter!"

 

[Len]

What do you mean, precedent has been set? The character was single classed, and unless he multiclassed later precedent has not been set on this issue.

I was thinking of other things (e.g. racial save bonus as per seans23's suggestion), but I guess they don't apply in this particular game. The other reincarnated character was also human, and the human bonuses (feat and skill points) are things that you do explicitly get to keep by the RAW. The favored class is not mentioned one way or another, so we assumed it changed.

 

[TheGogmagog]

Hmm, I was thinking that the favored class did change, but I may have been reading this:
which refers specifically to ability score changes.

After rereading it closer, it's a weak argument, it sais 'all abilities' and only excludes racial language. It could also backfire in the dm's decision on what abilites make sense to keep from previous race, and what to add in new race.

A wish or miracle should be able to restore your original race. There's that to look forward to. :\

 

[Infiniti2000]

So, why did you get reincarnated and not raised if you knew that you would, most likely anyway, have to deal with a 20% multiclass penalty? Isn't that the risk you willingly took?

 

[anon]

die again

In the long run it is probably better to die again soon and lose your remaining fighter level (if your DM will let you choose which class to lose that is).

Reincarnate: the only bring them back from the dead spell that will make your friends hate you.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

So I have a few questions.

1. What did you do when you were confronted with a 20% XP penalty after reincarnation?

2. How far behind the other PCs will my character be? My DM uses the 3.5 method of calculating XP, so lower level characters get more XP. That will partially offset the 20% penalty. So I'm guessing I'll usually be 1 level behind the others. (I figure I'd fall 2 levels behind if I was getting the same XP as everyone else.)

3. How crappy is it to always be a level behind the other PCs?

Answers from my pov.

1. Just got to take it on the chin if the reincarnate spell is allowed as written.
2. Yup that looks about right.
3. Very crappy indeed, the party has to alter tactics to compensate.

 

[Thanee]

1. What did you do when you were confronted with a 20% XP penalty after reincarnation?

Never happened... Yet...

2. How far behind the other PCs will my character be? My DM uses the 3.5 method of calculating XP, so lower level characters get more XP. That will partially offset the 20% penalty. So I'm guessing I'll usually be 1 level behind the others. (I figure I'd fall 2 levels behind if I was getting the same XP as everyone else.)

If you are lower level you gain more XP, that usually balances out pretty nicely, so it's almost a non-issue.

3. How crappy is it to always be a level behind the other PCs?

One level behind is not too bad. Two levels behind is bearable. More should be avoided.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

The favored class is not mentioned one way or another, so we assumed it changed.

I would actually keep the favored class, it makes no sense to change it, you were raised and trained as a human.

I would just ask your DM to also keep favored class as is.

Bye
Thanee