Multiclass characters: Class overload?

[Synchronicity]

I'm currently running two games, and here's the class breakdown for them.

Game 1 (War of the Burning Sky)
Battle Sorcerer 5
Warblade 5
Warmage 5
Cleric 5
Rogue 4/Beguiler 1

There's almost no multiclassing going on, and for my groups, it's startlingly straightforward. Only the Rogue's even contemplating a prestige class, and I think the other four are going straight single-classed all the way.

Game 2 (Savage Tide)
Ranger 6/Fighter 4/Totemic Demonslayer 2
Binder 12
Sorcerer 5/Fiend-Blooded 7
Swashbuckler 5/Wizard 1/Arcane Champion 5/Bladesinger 1
Druid 9/Demonwrecker 3
Beguiler 12

This one's a lot more varied, but it's not common that I see someone with more than 3 classes. Still, a gish build tends to need some strong multi-classing to pull off.

As for playing, I'm only in one game currently, and I'm playing a Crusader. I'm not planning on any multiclassing at all, but it *is* Book of Nine Swords stuff, and I wouldn't say that needs any help in rocking out.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm guessing the main drive to multiclass comes from 2 archetypal players:

1) the guy who has complex images of his PCs, and is driven to try to squeeze every last feature he imagines his PC to have onto the character sheet.

2) the power gamer who is aiming for a particular defining trick.

 

[blargney the second]

3) People who have no idea just how bad it is to multiclass as a spellcaster.

 

[Corsair]

I'm guessing the main drive to multiclass comes from 2 archetypal players:

1) the guy who has complex images of his PCs, and is driven to try to squeeze every last feature he imagines his PC to have onto the character sheet.

2) the power gamer who is aiming for a particular defining trick.

I'd contend that 1 = 2, except you're choosing to demonize specific tricks and not others.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Oh, and of course 4) the person whose very simple character concept cannot be represented by any one available class.

Crazy, but there you go.

 

[humble minion]

Have to admit I'm a fan of multiclassing when playing martial-oriented characters, since there's a lot more versatility available through well-chosen PrCs than most core classes offer. Transport powers and spell-like abilities and whatnot. A Rogue3/fighter6/shadowdancer10/blade dancer 1 was my longest-running 3.x PC, and I also played a barbarian1/bard6.

Current PCs in my Savage Tide game are:
Dragon shaman7/crusader1
Scout7/barbarian1
Cleric7/Church Inquisitor1
Wizard8
Swordsage6/shadow sun ninja2

Mostly dips to get minor abilities that synergise well with the PC's main combat shtick or round off the character concept. Crusader for the martial weapon profs, barbarian for the move and rage. Church inquisitor because the player hates being fooled and/or controlled and it offers a boatload of immunities. No idea why anyone would go Shadow Sun Ninja, but oh well...

 

[Psion]

I am curious about something. I have been reading these boards since the 3.0 days, and I have been fascinated by the different characters I see mentioned. Folks seem to do a huge amount of multi-class characters, some with four or more classes. So I am wondering, if a character is 10th level, how many classes do you generally see? What about 15th level?

As far as I have seen, most characters are single classed, some 2 classes and a fair amount 3 classes. 4 is rare (and almost exclusively above 10th level as there isn't room to meet all the prereqs until then.) I've never seen a 5 class character in play in my games, PC or NPC.

Most 3 class characters I see stem from combo prestige classes that combine two other classes with better synergy than multiclassing alone allows for... things like Eldritch Knight or Mystic Theurge. The only 4 class character I can think of is one of those 3 class fighter/mage types that dips into spellsword to grab the armored caster advantage.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

4) the person whose very simple character concept cannot be represented by any one available class.

Those can be painful, but IME, they're usually inexperienced gamers (or at least new to the game).

3) People who have no idea just how bad it is to multiclass as a spellcaster.

It isn't bad at all for a roleplayer.

I'd contend that 1 = 2, except you're choosing to demonize specific tricks and not others.

Nah, I don't think so.

The powergamer in 2 is usually looking to find a trick that will make his PC Über in some way shape or form, and the PC build is seldom what one would call "suboptimal." He's "the best" (or darn close to it) at whatever trick it is he's aiming for.

In contrast, the guy in 1- of which I count myself a member- rarely cares if his build is "suboptimal" or not as long as the PC approximates his vision.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Those can be painful, but IME, they're usually inexperienced gamers (or at least new to the game).

IME, over many a year as DM and player, they are usually anything but. *shrug* YMMV, AOD.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Really? I find that fascinating!

Why would an experienced player choose a complex multiclassing regime for a simple character? It doesn't make much sense unless you're alluding to powergaming.