Humans and Multiclassing, Opinions?

[Abstraction]

I don't really see the problem. Any race can multiclass in two classes without penalty as long as one of those is a favored class. Any race can multiclass in any number of classes as long as all the non-favored classes remain within one level of each other. Over and above all that, prestige classes are not counted at all when determining if a character gets penalties. I think you'd just about have to be trying to in order to get a penalty.

 

[wingsandsword]

I think you'd just about have to be trying to in order to get a penalty.

First, thanks to all for your suggestions and comments. This will probably become a general house rule in all my games, because I'm coming to like the idea more and more as I think about it.

Second, XP penalties are coming up in my game right now. One PC is a Elf/Half Dragon (Crystal) Druid. (Yes, I know Half-Crystal isn't normal, but it was part of the character concept and 3.5 Half-Dragons are so modular, just make the elemental resistance and breath weapons Cold based and the rest is roleplaying). Since Gem Dragons are the psionic dragons, she wanted to cultivate some psionic powers and wanted a level of psion. Neither Druid nor Psion are the favored class for an Elf, so she'd suffer a permanent 20% XP penalty for doing something that's within her character concept and roleplaying, and I don't like that one bit. Every PC in this campaign is an Elf, except for one Half-Elf who is a single classed monk but considering multiclassing.

Thus, I want to make the rules fit the game by eliminating multiclassing penalties, while not removing a racial advantage of Humans and Half Elves. The thing I like most about 3rd Edition over 1st/2nd is that there are a lot fewer arbitrary restrictions imposed, and this seems like one, so I'd like to ditch it but in a balanced way.

Third, I don't want to give a blanket skill point bonus, since I already give +2 skill points/level to all classes (I added the Gamble skill from Star Wars, Research from d20 Modern, and Language skill rules from the EverQuest RPG which requires ranks in languages), so my PC's already get a good number of skill points, and that would also help single-classed characters. I'd like an advantage that really only comes into play if you multiclass, like the old one did and this does. I also don't want to reward stereotypes by giving bonus feats for staying in favored classes.

3.x multiclassing and it's Favored Classes are a significant improvement over earlier editions, but as other d20 games without favored classes (d20 Modern, Star Wars, Wheel of Time, Spycraft, ect) have showed me, it's really not needed for the system or for balance.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Actually, the restriction on multiclassing does make a significant difference as soon as one starts really multiclassing. Take a heavily multiclassed paladin/templar for instance.

As a human, one might choose to go: Pal 4/Ftr 2/Mnk 2/Templar x

That combination minimizes the BAB loss while still gaining a large number of feats and ending up with both evasion and mettle.

As pretty much any other race, that option isn't available without suffering xp penalties.
Since you can't go back to either paladin or monk after leaving the classes, and being more than one level separated leaves you with xp penalties, there's no way to efficiently take four levels of paladin. In order to avoid xp penalties, the character needs to get their other class levels at 3rd and, in order to add paladin levels without an xp penalty, those other levels can't be higher than 2nd. So, getting Divine Might with the multiclassed paladin/templar as without favored class: any requires cleric levels. Ftr 2/Clr 2/Mnk 2/Pal 3/Templar x loses another point of BAB, but it's the only way that a non-favored class any character can do it.

This is not uncommon in prestige class builds. A bladesinger or arcane archer can be built as a fighter/wizard, fighter/sorcerer, fighter/bard, barbarian/bard, etc. However, the only efficient combos available to elves are wizard combos (except for wood elves, who can be ranger/sorcerers without penalty). It's also possible to be more heavily multiclassed (Fighter/ranger/barbarian/mage class) but that delays entry to the p-class. If you want to be a fighter/sorcerer or fighter/bard, bladesinger or arcane archer, half-elf is the best way to go.

As might be guessed, it's only an issue when multi-classing comes up, but when it does, favored class has a pretty big impact on multi-classing options.

 

[Abstraction]

I really have to disagree. It might mean you need to take just one more level in something, or just two more levels overall. Not too bad a "penalty" to avoid XP penalties.

Remember that ANY race can multiclass as, say, fighter-sorceror without penalty as long as they keep the classes at near-equal level.

 

[irdeggman]

Star Wars does have a multiclassing penalty. -2 off defense adjustment for every class taken. Pretty much negates the 20% penalty and it immediatly applies vice the "keep the levels within 1 of each other" rule for D&D.

 

[Staffan]

Star Wars does have a multiclassing penalty. -2 off defense adjustment for every class taken. Pretty much negates the 20% penalty and it immediatly applies vice the "keep the levels within 1 of each other" rule for D&D.

I don't have my Star Wars book handy at the moment, but I think that's because all the classes start with +2 or better defense adjustment (it might even be equal to 2+base Reflex save). Basically, you're getting a +2 freebie at first level, just like you get quadruple skill points at first level. The multiclass "penalty" is there to prevent you from cashing in on that first-level bonus multiple times.

 

[Corinth]

The SW penalty to Defense also doesn't apply to prestige classes, so this variant in all ways works as the XP penalty does in D&D.

 

[hong]

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

What he said.

 

[argo]

I like the variant rule from the d20 Conan RPG. If you take levels in your race's favored class you gain a bonus feat at class level 1, 5 and 10. So in this system an Elf wizard 1 would gain a bonus feat while an Elf rog 1 would not, and an Elf wiz 4/rog 1 would not get a bonus feat but an Elf wiz 5/rog 1 would. Races with Favored Class: Any can stack all their class levels when counting towards bonus feats so they always get a bonus feat at 1, 5 and 10 regardless of how they multiclass.

I like this because it rewards players for playing archtypal characters instead of punishing them for breaking with archtype.

Hope that helps.

 

[Staffan]

The SW penalty to Defense also doesn't apply to prestige classes, so this variant in all ways works as the XP penalty does in D&D.

The prestige classes don't start out with the +2 freebie to defense that the base classes do. In effect, they already account for not having class level 1 being character level 1.