(Multi. VS Straight Classing) How do you take your Levels?

[Pielorinho]

As near as I can tell, sorcerers are foolish not to take a PrC when offered: about all they'll lose is new familiar abilities, which is neither woo nor hoo.

Wizards are almost as foolish: the extra few feats aren't really a whole lot, and are usually outweighed by PrC benefits.

Clerics usually lose turning abilities and domain powers: this is more of a tradeoff.

Bards lose bardic knowledge -- not such a big deal. Generally they should take a PrC.

Druids lose special abilities. Big tradeoff, not to be taken lightly.

All of the above, however, should think very carefully before taking another core class: loss of spell levels is a big, big deal.

Fighters, barbarians, rangers, and paladins can safely MC among the classes in this group: most classes are somewhat front-loaded, and the benefits are fairly equal for going up a level in any of them, and all apply to kicking butt.

Often, a level or three of rogue or monk is a good idea for a melee person, to get evasion and sneak attack damage (or wis bonus and unarmed strike and evasion). In exchange, you give up a point of BAB, an important tradeoff.

In my games, spellcasters tend to be single-classed, or have one or two levels of another class at most, unless they qualify for a PrC; if they do qualify, they tend to pour all future levels into the PrC.

Nonspellcasters MC much more freely, often having relatively equal levels in several classes.

Daniel

 

[Duorin III]

The espontaneous way

I think that the characters of any group MUSt to follow a normal and expontaneous way of leading their lifes. Its more intersting let them do what the character wants or need in acording with the conditions of the campaign. Doing that, you will see in the end (20 level or higter), that the characters are unique in a very special way of class or perssonality, with their own stories to tell.

 

[EricNoah]

Eric, I also forced my players to take 1 level of Cleric, Paladin, or Druid so they could all be in the same church. I ended up with straight Clerics, Paladins, and Druids. This has happened with two different sets of players.

I went the other way 'round. Each PC started 1st level in their "main class" (fighter, ranger, rogue, wizard, etc.) and then at 2nd level took the cleric level in order to become an "initiate" of the church.

 

[Ravellion]

Re: vani

Well, I am playing a rogue that is a FANATICAL
servant of Pelor. He has no skill at Knowledge
(religion) and he is CG, but he will do whatever
the clerics of Pelor want (basically, he got converted after having both Mummy Rot and a permanent ability drain from Wraiths on him. That was a NASTY underground battle). I thought about making him a Holy Liberator but didn't feel the need in the end. So perhaps you could just put in the background of the PCs that they serve
the church, without needing to be clergy of it.

I'm with you there Particle Man. I think it is very likely that a temple guard is a straight fighter - perhaps just a warrior even!

Anyway, I have a list of about 10 prestige classes that fir in my world. The rest doesn't have the organization that is needed for it IMC, or it just doesn't suit my campiagn flavour. (or I thought them poorly designed - 1 level of Tribal Protector anyone?)

I have one character who multiclassed with fighter to get feats (and because he pictured himself more of an Archer than an actual ranger), and now no longer knows what to do with his feats. I actually warned him that this would happen, but he needed the quick fix. I had a FTR/ROG who worked very well, but died due to a failed saving throw.

I think multiclassing happens with about 50% of my player's PC's, and it works most of the time. Having a plethora of PrC easily available though (which happened IMC 2 years ago) is not something I am ever going to do again.

Rav

 

[Airwolf]

I'm straight, plain and simple. I'm not into that multi-lifestyle thing. It's just not for me.

On a more serious note. In our group most of the players go for straight characters. We have one fither/wizard and another has a PrC of loremaster. Other than that we have a rogue, 2 bards, a monk, and a druid.

I think with the ELH out that less people will multiclass unless it helps the character when they get past 20th level.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

in two 3e games i've played in with a total of 12 characters, only 1 has multi-classed, and only 2 with PrCs. it's just not that common in my gaming group

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

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[Gez]

I like multiclassing when I'm in a flavor mode. I avoid it like it was plague when in powergaming mode (except for prestige classes, of course).

Especially for spellcasters.

As I put background and concept over min-maxing, I frequently have multiclassed characters, usually since first level using the variant rule in the DMG.

For example, I have an aristocrat/sorcerer. I don't intend on multiclassing her further, even in prestige class (none fit the whole concept and it would always hamper either her diplomatic skills or sorcerous powers). She'll progress to end up Ari 8/Sor 12 if she reach level 20. My most offensively mixed character is a rogue/cleric, that latter multiclassed also in fighter, and aim to become a shadowdancer. Then, maybe he'll become mystic wanderer to progress in spellcasting, then possibly harper priest.

On the other hand, I have a straight wizard, that's going to be loremaster. No other class, prestige or not, are planned.

 

[JoeGKushner]

In the game I GM right now, I have two players that are multi-class, one fighter/monk, the other wizard/fighter. The former is just working on monk/fighter levels while the latter is an elf that thinks he's going to go into the bladesinger PrC. I say thinks because in the Scarred Lands, elves are rare and he'll have to search long and hard to get a mentor, especially with his lowly 8 charisma. "You? Why would we train you? Best of the best and all that, not the ugliest of the ugly."

Others are straight fighters so far.

When I play, it all depends on character concept and PrC. I notice that a lot of PrCs tend to force a multi-class path in order to reach it sooner.

JGK

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I notice that a lot of PrCs tend to force a multi-class path in order to reach it sooner.

My ears are burnin'.

If you do hit the PrC sooner with multiclassing, and assuming a 10 level PrC, you have do something with the 4 or 5 odd levels you have left before 20th. You don't really gain much on the back-end by hitting it early, I guess is what I am trying to say.

I think if you can hit the PrC by 10th level single class and finish with 10 PrC levels, that's not bad either.


Wulf