In Development: Spellcaster multiclassing fix

[Purzel]

I've tried around a while to find some formula or table, that could fix one aspect of the multiclassing of spellcasters: the casterlevel used to determine the spells per day and spells known.
I know the MT prestige class and the other ideas D&D3.5 introduced. But i've came up with this:

First i need some variables:

X = Level when the character started to multiclass
TOT = Total character level (all spellcaster AND all non-spellcaster levels too)
CLASS = current spellcaster class level​

A character gains a bonus to the casterlevel of a class. This bonus can be calculated in this way:

(Bonus to class) = (TOT-CLASS-X)/2 or (CLASS), whichever is lower.

Example: Wizard10/Cleric10 who started multiclassing first in level 2

X=2
TOT=20

Bonus to Wizard Casterlevel = (20-10-2)/2 = 4
Bonus to Cleric Casterlevel = (20-10-2)/2 = 4

So this 20th level character can cast like a 14th level character (7th level spells) in both classes
(NOTE: the character turns undead like a 10th level cleric, has a familiar and bonus feats like a 10th level wizard)
Gives up (compared to 20th level caster): 9th and 8th level spells
Gains:7th level spells of a second class​

Example: Wizard16/Cleric4 who started multiclassing first in level 2

X=2
TOT=20

Bonus to Wizard Casterlevel = (20-16-2)/2 = 1
Bonus to Cleric Casterlevel = (20-4-2)/2 = 6
or Cleric Classlevel=4 (which is lower than 6)

So this 20th level character can cast like a 17th level Wizard (9th level spells)
and like a (4+4) 8th level Cleric (4th level spells).
Gives up: Three 9th level spells
Gains:4th level spells of a second class​

Example: Wizard19/Cleric1 who started multiclassing first in level 2

X=2
TOT=20

Bonus to Wizard Casterlevel = (20-19-2)/2 = -0.5 (rounded to 0)
Bonus to Cleric Casterlevel = (20-1-2)/2 = 8.5 (rounded to 8)
or Cleric Classlevel=1 (which is lower than 8)

So this 20th level character can cast like a 19th level Wizard (9th level spells)
and like a (1+1) 2th level Cleric (1th level spells).
Gives up: One 9th level spell
Gains:1st level spells of a second class​

As you see, the characters produced by this house rule are not too powerful. Compared to straight casters they give up their best spells (up to 2 spell levels) to get access to (low-level) spells of a second class.

The variable X (see above) is important to prevent characters from multiclassing into a spellcaster class late in his career and gaining all the benefits way too quickly. The later a character multiclasses, the worse will be his casterlevel boni.

This houserule produces fairly balanced characters even with spellcaster/non-spellcaster combinations. And it can be even used with three or more coreclasses used in the multiclassing.

I've checked, that the house rule produces balance over the range of 20 levels. Here some examples from the high, middle and early levels:

Example: Wizard8/Cleric7 who started multiclassing first in level 2

X=2
TOT=15

Bonus to Wizard Casterlevel = (15-8-2)/2 = 2.5 (rounded down to 2)
Bonus to Cleric Casterlevel = (15-7-2)/2 = 3

So this 15th level character can cast like a 10th level character (5th level spells) in both classes
Gives up (compared to 15th level caster): 8th, 7th and 6th level spells
Gains:5th level spells of a second class​

Example: Wizard5/Cleric5 who started multiclassing first in level 2

X=2
TOT=10

Bonus to Wizard Casterlevel = (10-5-2)/2 = 1.5 (rounded down to 1)
Bonus to Cleric Casterlevel = (10-5-2)/2 = 1.5 (rounded down to 1)

So this 10th level character can cast like a 6th level character (3rd level spells) in both classes
Gives up (compared to 10th level caster): 5th and 4th level spells
Gains:3rd level spells of a second class​

Example: Wizard4/Cleric1 who started multiclassing first in level 2

X=2
TOT=5

Bonus to Wizard Casterlevel = (5-4-2)/2 = -0.5 (rounded to 0)
Bonus to Cleric Casterlevel = (5-1-2)/2 = 1

So this 5th level character can cast like a 4th level wizard (2nd level spells) and like a 2nd level cleric (1st level spells)
Gives up (compared to 5th level caster): 3rd level spells
Gains:1st level spells of a second class​

Now i need your help and advice:

I want to develop and verify this houserule, please help

The big weakness of the houserule is the complexity of the calculations. There's nothing comparable like this anywhere in the D&D rules. And the calculations need to be redone every gained level.

Another not very obvious weakness is the setting of variable X (see above). I've been thinking about setting it fixed to 2. Variable X can affect the development of late-multiclassed characters dramatically.

What problems do you see with this houserule? I haven't playtested it yet. Too weak? To powerful?

Did i make an error somewhere?

Can you try to munchkin this houserule?

AND finally: i'm looking for a better way to describe this rule. My english is not good enough to write it down properly.

 

[TwoSix]

You don't need the variable of "level where first started multiclassing". Just always make it 2.

 

[reapersaurus]

why should a wizard advance in wizard spellcasting if he takes a class OTHER than wizard?

I don't expect a paladin's abilities to increase if he takes a different class....

 

[Purzel]

why should a wizard advance in wizard spellcasting if he takes a class OTHER than wizard?

If he takes a class other than wizard, the bonus to his wizard class will be so minor that it will always be rounded down to 0. Only after 4 levels of advancing in the other class such a character would get a +1 bonus.

This is logical because even if he advances as a fighter, he's using his wizards spells all the time too, pratices them, and thus getting a benefit as wizard even if he level-ups in a different class.

I don't expect a paladin's abilities to increase if he takes a different class....

Bad example. A paladin who takes a new class is an Ex-Paladin.

 

[Purzel]

You don't need the variable of "level where first started multiclassing". Just always make it 2.

The problem: If a 19 level fighter takes one level of wizard for example, then the formula provides him with a +1 bonus to his wizard casterlevel. Thus he's gain 2 levels by taking one level.

That's why i think i must keep the variable X.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

In my opinion spells known and spell per day don't need to go up with multiclass levels only caster level does. The way I see it a Fighter 15/ Wizard 5 only needs to have a higher caster level, not more spells.

Caster level is something which I see as being the equivalent of BAB for casters, multiclassing you still increase BAB though at different rates, you don't gain extra bonus feats, rage, and so on. In spellcasting multiclass I would have spells per day and known stay at their levels, like bonus fighter feats do when fighters multiclass. But caster level should go up.

And it shouldn't matter when they got the spellcasting class, because it screws over a bunch high HD monstrous characters.

 

[reapersaurus]

Bad example. A paladin who takes a new class is an Ex-Paladin.

You're 'hiding' behind the most commonly house-ruled "rule" in all of D&D? (that paladins can't multiclass)

 

[Purzel]

why should a wizard advance in wizard spellcasting if he takes a class OTHER than wizard?

I don't expect a paladin's abilities to increase if he takes a different class....

Okay, another attempt to explain why i am working on this houserule.

I'm doing this because multiclassed spellcasters suck. They lack behind straight spellcasters way too much. Non-spellcasters on the other hand can multiclass almost freely. The figther-types gain BAB +1 each level, that's all they need.

Spellcasters loose when they multiclass. Especially casterlevel and high-level spells. My attempt on a houserule tries to make spellcaster multiclassing less bad.

You're 'hiding' behind the most commonly house-ruled "rule" in all of D&D? (that paladins can't multiclass)

First: i'm not hiding behind paladin. I'm making a houserule, that works good with the core-rules. I cannot try to make a houserule that fit any other houseruling.
And anyways, i don't think that multiclassing paladins is as common as you might think .

Second: Like i said in my first respond to your reply, a character who has a spellcaster class doesn't give it up just because he takes a different class. There are character concepts (like the MT) that WANT to synergy different kinds of magic (i.e.: arcane and divine).
I just want to make this without a prestige class (which gives a character casterlevel, but makes him loose more powerful undead turning and a better familiar). And my attempt is even more general, it works with all spellcaster-non-spellcaster combinations too.

Third: Allowing multiclassing is still a DM-decision . If he thinks, that the multiclassing of (lets says Paladin and Wizard) doesn't work, it doesn't work.
I want to build a houserule that's small and easy (maybe not very realistic, but easy to play, that's the flair of most D&D rules), i don't want to add in all kinds of exceptions, when this rule applies and when not. I don't want to tell a DM that he MUST ALLOW a paladin-wizard to gain benefits on his casterlevel.

Hope you're understanding what i want to try with the houserule. And i hope that you will tell me, how to make it better.

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

It seems to me that this should work, but I would agree that their is little reason to have X be anything other than 2.

So a 19th level fighter takes 1 level of Wizard and now casts as if he was a 2nd level Wizard. Gasp! How unbalancing. I do not see this as a problem. Take the reverse example the 19th level wizard takes a level of Fighter and his BAB goes to +10/+5. That's not fair either, after all all other 1st lvl Fighters have a BAB of +1! See. Not trying to be rude but it fits in with your paradigm as I see it.

Interesting and a good job on this.

 

[Purzel]

So a 19th level fighter takes 1 level of Wizard and now casts as if he was a 2nd level Wizard. Gasp! How unbalancing. I do not see this as a problem.

Ahh, hmm, lemme make you another example, that might show you, when it's unbalancing:

Example: Fighter 4 takes a Level of Wizard

With X fixed to 2:
Bonus to Wizard Caster Level: (4-2)/2=1

With X defined as the level of first multiclassing (here X=5):
Bonus to Wizard Caster Level: (4-5)/2=-0.5 (rounded to 0)
​

As you see, it doesn't work only with a 19th level character, 4 levels in a different level is enough to gain a bonus to casterlevel, if X is fixed to 2.

Or do you think a 5th level character with 4 levels of fighter and spells like a 2th level wizard is balanced?