ephemeron
Explorer
I played a dual-classed character once, but he started play that way -- as a 1st level MU with a couple levels of Fighter in his background -- and in the long run, the only real difference it made was some extra hit points.
I'd guess that the stat requirements for dual-classing were intended to keep it rare. (Not the only place in 1e that stat requirements are intended as a balancing mechanism; the rationale for, say, paladins having more powers than other classes is that statistically, you're going to have to roll up a lot of characters before you get one who qualifies to be a paladin.) Rolling 4d6 drop one for stats doesn't give a lot of 17's or 18's, and unless you're aiming for a 1e bard or otherwise planning to dual-class, there's not a lot of incentive to put a 15 in your prime requisite and the 17 somewhere else.
Comparing dual-classing to 3e multiclassing just shows that power-balancing characters who change classes is hard and we don't have a solution to the problem yet, I think. 1e characters could become useful in their new classes much more quickly than their 3e counterparts, but it's just weird that the same XP total could produce either a 10th-level Fighter or a character who combines all the abilities of a 9th level Fighter and a 10th level MU.
I'd guess that the stat requirements for dual-classing were intended to keep it rare. (Not the only place in 1e that stat requirements are intended as a balancing mechanism; the rationale for, say, paladins having more powers than other classes is that statistically, you're going to have to roll up a lot of characters before you get one who qualifies to be a paladin.) Rolling 4d6 drop one for stats doesn't give a lot of 17's or 18's, and unless you're aiming for a 1e bard or otherwise planning to dual-class, there's not a lot of incentive to put a 15 in your prime requisite and the 17 somewhere else.
Comparing dual-classing to 3e multiclassing just shows that power-balancing characters who change classes is hard and we don't have a solution to the problem yet, I think. 1e characters could become useful in their new classes much more quickly than their 3e counterparts, but it's just weird that the same XP total could produce either a 10th-level Fighter or a character who combines all the abilities of a 9th level Fighter and a 10th level MU.
