Humans and Multiclassing, Opinions?

[wingsandsword]

Okay, I would like to encourage more free multiclassing in my games, specifically both myself and my players dislike the XP penalties for multiclassing outside preferred classes. We would like to eliminate this rule in our games, however, I am keenly interested in balance, and would like to come up with a way to preserve what is otherwise a significant advantage of Humans and Half-Elves (they multiclass better than other races), while not giving them something overly powerful. What we are considering, is giving eliminating favored classes altogether, and letting characters multiclass freely (within PrC prereqs, alignment restrictions, and in-game training/requirements). The idea is to replace the "Favored Class: Any" in any race where it comes up with the following.

"Adaptive Learning: Humans/Half Elves are remarkably flexible in what they can learn. At 1st Level choose a skill from your list of class skills. This skill is always a class skill for you no matter what classes you take later on.

Example: Mei the Monk is particularly talented with the acrobatic training she recieved in her monastery growing up. At 1st Level she selects Tumble from her list of Monk class skills to be a permanent class skill. At 2nd level she leaves the monastery and joins a clerical order of her faith. For all her cleric levels and every level she takes in any class thereafter, she only has to spend 1 skill point per rank she buys in Tumble."

So, I was wondering: What others think about this idea as a way to balance Humans and Half Elves in an open multiclassing environment?

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

You'd have to take a look at prestige class prereqs. A fair number of classes are balanced by the notion that x ranks in y skill requires such and such a class for early entry.

 

[wingsandsword]

You'd have to take a look at prestige class prereqs. A fair number of classes are balanced by the notion that x ranks in y skill requires such and such a class for early entry.

This in no way makes you eligible for PrC's earlier, it just saves you skill points. At most, it helps low intelligence PC's (or PC's in low skill point classes) qualify for PrC's that have stiff skill requirements, but it doesn't fundamentally change the nature of meeting PrC requirements (some suggestions from my gaming group I shot down included a 2nd bonus feat, maximum skill ranks of 4+level instead of 3+level, a 10% racial XP bonus, and being able to ignore any one game-mechanic PrC prerequisite, all of which I thought were anywhere from potentially broken to just insane).

In the above example, if the monk didn't have this ability when she multiclassed into cleric, she could still spend 2 skill points to go from 4 ranks in Tumble to 5 Ranks, since your maximum is based on if it was ever a class skill for you, not if it's currently a class skill for you. Instead with this rule instead she can only spend 1 skill point to do so.

Players Handbook (v 3.5) Page 62. "Regardless of whether a skill is purchased as a class or cross-class skill, if it is a class skill for any of your classes, your maximum rank equals your total character level +3"

 

[Thanee]

This in no way makes you eligible for PrC's earlier, it just saves you skill points.

It does. If you do not have a class, which has the skill as a class skill.

But I doubt, that this is so bad, really.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Tatsukun]

Thanee is right, you could get into a PrC earlier. If you want to play a Kensei, you need 5 ranks in ride and diplomacy (and other stuff). For a fighter that means 7th level becasue diplomacy is cross class.

So what about getting rid of the bonus skill point and favored class and just have them choose a skill to add an unnamed bonus equal to thier level to. That would be about the same but not be 'ranks' for the purpose of Prc.

Anyway, good luck

-Tatsu

 

[irdeggman]

Yes the prestige class issue will come more often than is realized. The newer ones start to rely on the rank for cross class skills (including the cost see the fighter issue or one of the spellcasting classes also) to keep them unavailable until 6th level (5th level to meet the prerequisites and at 6th level the PrC could be taken).

Another option is to grant them an additional bonus feat. Now this gives them an early advantage (a pretty sizeable one) but it falls off as the levels progress.

Another option is to give humans and half-elves a modified ability adjustment - but that is most likely imbalanced since that usually corresponds to a LA.

 

[Thanee]

"Adaptive Learning: Humans/Half Elves are remarkably flexible in what they can learn. At 1st Level choose a skill from your list of class skills. This skill is always a class skill for you no matter what classes you take later on.

Ahh... didn't really notice that part... then please forget, what I have written above.

Why not just give them 2 extra skill points per level (half-elves 1)? Simple and effective.

Bye
Thanee

 

[smetzger]

1st I think this should be in House Rules.

I don't think humans need any bonuses to compensate. In general Half-Elves could use a little boost.

 

[Li Shenron]

I have ditched the Xp penalties and given 1 bonus skill point in each level of your favored class.

I don't think the human/half-elf favored class issue is such an advantage that it necessarily requires a compensation however. It's just nice because you don't need to bother about keeping the different classes within 1 level, but it's rarely a significative advantage.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Conan "d20" has an interesting take on favoured classes - rather than penalties, they give bonuses to those who stay within a favoured class... one bonus feat for every 5 levels in a favoured class.

You could implement this wholesale and then allow humans and half-elves to treat whatever their highest class level is as their favoured class.

Cheers