Multi-classing- Rich Baker

[Sadrik]

*Multiclassing "isn't like it was in 3e."
*Baker "considered half-elf" for his character's new race "just because they multiclass well," but in the end went with human.

My guess is multi-classing is going to be some sort of Gestalt-like mechanic... harkening back to 2nd and 1st ed.

There could also be ability lists for each class and a 10th level character would get 10 abilities depending on their class(es). The character selects abilities from those class lists but at the cost of the character's "caster level" is lowered in both classes. So, a finite power number of powers split between two (or more classes) and reduced "caster level" would balance the increased versatility.

Example: A 10th level fighter/warlock will have 10 abilities and they can select from both classes ability lists. So, a 10th level fighter would have 10 martial fighter abilities and a 10th level warlock would have 10 arcane warlock abilities- the fighter/warlock must split the 10 abilities between both classes. Also, for the advantage of versatility their "caster level" would be reduced. And there are a million ways to do that.

 

[Patlin]

I hope and expect that they will maintain the flexibiilty of 3.x multiclassing, even if the mechanics are different. It'll be interesting to see how they do it.

 

[BASHMAN]

My guess is that multiclassing will be like it was in Bo9S.

 

[Bagpuss]

I think you are close but in his description of his 10th-level Warlord he said...

Anyway, that seems like plenty for now… and I’ll spare you the description of my second-guessing about whether I should have gone wizard first and then multiclassed into warlord instead of the other way around.

Which implies there is a difference to which class you choose first. He made no mention of the second class when describing his character as a 10th-level human Warlord. Which sort of implies the primary class is much more important than the secondary one.

Perhaps like 1st level multiclass was in 3.0 where if you took the hit dice of one class you took the skills as well. So a 1st level rogue/fighter had more skills but less hit points than a 1st level fighter/rogue.

Or perhaps if you decide to be a multiclass Warlord/Wizard just lets you pick the talents from one tree on the Wizard list. If you went a Wizard/Warlord you could get the talents from one tree on the Warlord list.

It's hard to say how multiclassing will work when we don't even know how the base classes work.

 

[Bagpuss]

My guess is that multiclassing will be like it was in Bo9S.

What was it like in that?

 

[Cadfan]

Bo9S used a maneuver system for which a character had something resembling a caster level. I forget what it was called. Point is, you totaled it up by adding all your levels in classes which had maneuvers as class abilities, plus 1/2 your levels in classes which did not.

So a Fighter 4 Warblade 8 had an equivalent of a "caster level" of 10. Likewise, a Fighter 12 who picked up a maneuver from a feat would use it as if he had a "caster level" equivalent of 6.

Also, Warblades could take Fighter only feats as if they were a fighter of two levels lower.

Both of these changes made it a lot more attractive to multiclass between fighter and someone who used maneuvers.

 

[FourthBear]

It's a personal preference, but I hope that whatever they do with multiclassing, I hope that the route to the *most* effective types of characters come from sticking with a single class. I don't want multiclassed characters to be crippled or useless, but I also don't want them only a step behind a specialist for the cost of a single level/feat/whatever. I hope that dipping into another class means that you gain one or two class abilties that are significantly, but not drastically, weaker than a single class character. So a Fighter11/Wizard1 has a couple of spells, casts them as a 6th level Wizard (adding half levels of non-related classes), but can't just invest his money into his spellbooks and learn all of the 0-1st level spells.

 

[Sadrik]

I think you are close but in his description of his 10th-level Warlord he said...

Anyway, that seems like plenty for now… and I’ll spare you the description of my second-guessing about whether I should have gone wizard first and then multiclassed into warlord instead of the other way around.

Which implies there is a difference to which class you choose first. He made no mention of the second class when describing his character as a 10th-level human Warlord. Which sort of implies the primary class is much more important than the secondary one.

Or perhaps if you decide to be a multiclass Warlord/Wizard just lets you pick the talents from one tree on the Wizard list. If you went a Wizard/Warlord you could get the talents from one tree on the Warlord list.

Excellent points, the easiest multi-class format would be this- a character gets a class ability at every level. If a character went to 8th level as a fighter- they would select 8 fighter abilities. Then if they picked up warlock and gained 2 levels in that class they would have 2 warlock abilities. Very simply. Then "caster level" could be like the Bo9S add 1/2 your other levels to the other class for what level you cast your spells. So the 8/2 fighter/warlock would be CL 9 for his martial abilities and CL 6 for his warlock abilities.


I really doubt that characters will get a class ability every level more likely they will get one every other level. Because they are also going to get feats (which are apparently defined as non-combat abilities) and racial abilities. I don't think there will be any more ability boosts because looking at the spined devil stats he gets half his level added to his stat modifiers.

I am curious how the spells and maneuvers will factor into characters abilities. For example will that simply be a class feature or will it be based on the abilities you take? Wizards learn 2 spells per level as a class feature- will that be a class feature or will you have to take an ability to learn new spells (same with fighter maneuvers, warlock invocations- etc.)?

 

[Li Shenron]

At some point they mentioned "siloing of abilities", perhaps it could come in handy. Maybe you get 3 silos, and if you multiclass you switch a silo with one from the second class.

Or maybe it's just an "ability swap" system, but I cannot see yet how does it work at every level...

 

[LEHaskell]

At some point they mentioned "siloing of abilities", perhaps it could come in handy. Maybe you get 3 silos, and if you multiclass you switch a silo with one from the second class.

Or maybe it's just an "ability swap" system, but I cannot see yet how does it work at every level...

Off the top of my head I'd guess that silos might be related to the "power sources" -- arcane, martial, divine. Abilities could be related to one of the power sources, classes have access to one (possibly two) power sources. Choosing two classes with over-lapping sources would allow you to stack the abilities or follow talent trees (or however they choose to "grow" abilities); choosing classes with non-overlapping sources would allow you more diverse abilities.