Multiclassalicious

[takyris]

When I did D&D, I adapted multiclassing rules in the way that a lot of us seem to have done: Added either +1, +.75, or +.50 to the BAB for each respective level, and then rounded at the end -- so that a Rogue1/Wizard1 had a BAB of +1.25 = +1 instead of +0. I also changed the saves so that instead of just adding up the levels, you added up "levels of fort good" and "levels of fort bad" so that you ended up with a Fighter1/Paladin1/Ranger1/Cleric1 with a Base Fort save of +4, the same as a Fighter4 would have.

So now I'm in d20 Modern, and I'm trying to determine whether or not I should start House Ruling again.

My PCs are about ready to level. I believe that most of them will be going for classes that let them get to level 2 with a +1 BAB -- so they'll all be either taking a level of Strong or a level of whatever they took for level 1.

Has anybody done the fractional BAB thing for d20 Modern? Did it break things, or make them better? Are there powerful character combos that suddenly become troublesome if you use fractional BAB stuff?

How about saves? Do the new, generally lower saves work okay as they are, or do you need some sort of system to work them out? I don't know if they're standardized anymore -- some still use Level/3, and some AdvCs still use (Level/2)+2, but others use one that, as I remember it, was something like (Level+5)/6 or something.

 

[iwatt]

I use it with BAB. It works pretty well, if you believe like I do, that d20 modern is all about multiclassing. It does have the disadvantage of promoting excesive cherry picking: I'll take my first level in smart, for that hoorible amount of skill points. Then I'll take a level of fast, for that +3 to AC and to get evasion. By the way, my BAB is +1 ( floor(0.75+0.5)=1 ). So it can get out of hand, if your players really want to abuse it. In my group it works out pretty well, but this was the first time they were trying the d20 system.

About the saves, I never really figured out the sytem they had (never really bothered ) since it didn't follow the DnD system. I just add everything up as normal. Maybe we acn figure some of them out:

Strong hero:
Good Save: 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 (?)
Bad save: 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 (Lev/3)
Defense: 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 (?)
Rep: 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 (?)

Fast hero:
Defense: 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 (Lev/2)+3
Rep: 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 (Lev/3)

Tough Hero:
Defense: as strong
Rep: as fast

Smart:
Defense: 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 1+round((Lev-3)/3)
Rep: 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 1+round((Lev-2)/3)

Dedicated:
Def: as strong
Rep: as smart

Charismatic:
Def: as smart
Rep: 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 2+round((Lev-2)/3)

I'm going to hold of from the advanced classe until I figure out the defense bonuses for strong. and the good saves.

The strong Rep advance almost works out with: 1+round((Lev-3)/4), except for the first Level. (I used Execl for initial calculations)
now my laziness has caught up with me

 

[Spatula]

The "medium" save progression used in Modern doesn't have an easy formula, unfortunately. It's one of the things that I dislike about Modern - the return to arbitrary table-based mechanics. Some of the Class Defense progressions are a little wacky, too. So I think that kinda screws up your plans for anything other than BAB.

 

[d4]

well, the Strong Hero's good save comes out to round[(level + 2) x 0.4]

the Strong Hero's Defense is round[(level + 2.5) x 0.4]

haven't had a chance to look at the others yet.

(i knew being a math major would come in handy someday... )

 

[davidgeisbush]

I tried that in DnD but a bad seed ruined it in my group. We have a player who simply cannot play a standard race and takes classes only to gain power, not to develop or refine a concept. Kind of a bummer, but what can you do he's been a friend for years...

 

[genshou]

When I did D&D, I adapted multiclassing rules in the way that a lot of us seem to have done: Added either +1, +.75, or +.50 to the BAB for each respective level, and then rounded at the end -- so that a Rogue1/Wizard1 had a BAB of +1.25 = +1 instead of +0. I also changed the saves so that instead of just adding up the levels, you added up "levels of fort good" and "levels of fort bad" so that you ended up with a Fighter1/Paladin1/Ranger1/Cleric1 with a Base Fort save of +4, the same as a Fighter4 would have.

So now I'm in d20 Modern, and I'm trying to determine whether or not I should start House Ruling again.

My PCs are about ready to level. I believe that most of them will be going for classes that let them get to level 2 with a +1 BAB -- so they'll all be either taking a level of Strong or a level of whatever they took for level 1.

Has anybody done the fractional BAB thing for d20 Modern? Did it break things, or make them better? Are there powerful character combos that suddenly become troublesome if you use fractional BAB stuff?

How about saves? Do the new, generally lower saves work okay as they are, or do you need some sort of system to work them out? I don't know if they're standardized anymore -- some still use Level/3, and some AdvCs still use (Level/2)+2, but others use one that, as I remember it, was something like (Level+5)/6 or something.

That's certainly understandable in D&D. I did it the same way in one of my games, when I finally got sick of lower BaB and higher base saves for multiclass characters. Not sure about how to do the saves in d20 Modern, though. Doesn't seem like anyone else here can figure out a sensible pattern, either. Although it seems d4 might be on to something (being a math major can be very handy!).

I'm not going to try to convince you to take the easy road and just not house rule; I say, "Go for it!" If you can figure it out and implement it, more power to you as a GM!

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

My suggestion: Change the Fast Hero Defense Score chart. At first level, he already has the benefit of more skillpoints then the other "combat" classes. Give him +1 Defense per level, with a pause at 4th and 8th or 5th and 10th level, so you have an easy understandable chart. +3 Bonus to Defense at 1st level is to frontloaded (Ranger syndrome?). But at 10th level, an extra +1 doesn`t break the game...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[takyris]

Well, I just had a player become a Smart1/Fast1, so I think that I'm just gonna leave that BAB progression as it is. If he wants all those skill points and that Defense bonus, he's gonna have to learn how to fight later.

So yeah -- I think that if there were an easy and seamless way to do it, I'd probably go for it, but right now, the only option would be to do it for BAB and leave saves/defense alone -- which allows a bit of powerbuilding. Ideally, the player will opt for Strong, Fast, or Smart for his third level, and then he should be rolling, BAB-wise.

Thanks for the help!

 

[lpguy26]

Necro'd! --- Sorry for the gravedigging, but my group is starting to play d20 modern again and we are running into this issue as well. I've searched everywhere and no-where I can find has come up with a good solution for fractional BAB and saves for this system. Is it even possible? Please, if anyone can help at all... respond to this. Thanks

 

[Morrus]

Holy crap. We're just starting to talk about exactly that in this thread:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...-play-d20-Modern-Future-Past-Apocalypse/page3