Multi-classing, yay or nay?

[Summer-Knight925]

Similar to my other thread about miniatures, should RPGs offer multi-classing or is it something players can do without?

I think this is going to be obvious, but hey, it's worth asking.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My favorite RPG, HERO, is a classless system, as is my 3rd fave (M&M).

#2 is 3.5Ed, with the other editions having a place in my top 10. 85% of my D&D characters across all editions are multi- or dual-classed.

IMHO, if you're going to have a class-based system, you should have some way of expanding PC capabilities beyond a narrowly defined class role.

 

[Pentius]

This one is a little more flexible, for me. I tend to enjoy multiclassing when it's there, but if a system is built without it, I don't mind. Something to keep in mind here though, is that I've never been big on "Heavy Multiclassing", so to speak. 4e's feat based stuff is the porridge that's just right for me. I haven't(and probably won't) ever made a Hybrid. I never used dual classing back in AD&D1e. I never cherry picked levels of things much in 3.5, though I occasionally had a character with levels in more than one thing(Base class and PrC, usually).

 

[Elf Witch]

When the game is class based game then yes you need it to be able to have a wider range of character choices.

I do think that cherry picking is annoying but easily handled by houserules.

 

[jonesy]

Multi-classing is necessary when you are playing a class-based RPG, and the classes available do not allow the creation of the character concept that a player would like to play and her DM would allow, but a combination of some of the existing classes would. Otherwise a completely new class might be better. But really it's about options for the player, and multi-classing itself is irrelevant if the options otherwise exist.

 

[MrMyth]

I like having multiclassing... I just so rarely see it done well. If you can make it happen without unbalancing the system, then I absolutely want it. But if not... would rather err on the side of caution.

 

[Lanefan]

In general, my vote is 'nay'; though with a caveat that I don't mind there being more core classes rather than less.

Most of the time, from what I've seen, multi-class characters are a result of someone trying to game the system to gain whatever advantage may be there, or perceived to be there.

And in situations where a party is short more than one "role" e.g. hasn't got a thief and hasn't got an arcane caster, I'd prefer to see those holes filled with two characters rather than one doing both. I don't mind big parties.

I've also found in the past that if everyone is single-class it builds in a sense of party interdependence; each character has specific strengths and weaknesses* and are somewhat forced to rely on each other at different times.

* - if a single-class character has no weaknesses, it's time to redesign that class.

Lan-"single-class Fighter for 27 years"-efan

 

[thecasualoblivion]

I'm in favor of multiclassing, as long as it doesn't negatively affect the class system. AD&D and 4E did a pretty good job of allowing multiclassing without it harming the core class system. 3E did a bad job at this.

 

[Summer-Knight925]

I ask because I am working on creating a game and the classes are very basic..but I have an idea

there are four classes (warrior, mage, thief, priest)

but each has 2 separate 'sub-classes' (warrior=Knight and Beserker, mage=wizard and warlock, thief=ranger and assassin, preist=druid and cleric)

you can only multiclass if you choose a basic class (warrior/mage/thief/priest) AND you can only choose 1 class

now of the four races (again, basic races) elves and dwarves have restrictions for class, elves cannot be priests and dwarves cannot be mages

obviously humans can be whatever (one of their strengths is adaptability) and the other race 'little-folk' represent hobbits and halflings and gnomes...a restriction didn't seem right

but these are just my thoughts, I'll probably get hated on for them

 

[Lanefan]

now of the four races (again, basic races) elves and dwarves have restrictions for class, elves cannot be priests and dwarves cannot be mages

obviously humans can be whatever (one of their strengths is adaptability) and the other race 'little-folk' represent hobbits and halflings and gnomes...a restriction didn't seem right

but these are just my thoughts, I'll probably get hated on for them

No hate here, just a question:

Do your Elves not have deities? Because if they do, then it's only logical those deities are going to support priests. Elven priests.

Suggestion, if you want to try something a bit more unusual: Elves cannot be warriors. They win their battles by guile, spell, and stealth...

Lanefan