Multiclassing and Powers/Day

[Li Shenron]

But if the number of powers/day is ment to stay managable that means inevitably you will have to give up an existing Fighter power to gain a Wizard power. I think the example the designers gave was instead of always gaining new powers you will upgrade existing powers.

Maybe you will always select new powers, but some "new" powers are just better versions of lower-level ones, hence you may have to choose between a truly new lower-level power (flexibility) or an upgrade (efficiency).

And yes, I agree that most likely multiclassing just means that a Fighter can select a Wizard's power in place of his own. I don't know if there will be some limitations or not, to prevent a FTR to have ONLY WIZ powers. Probably it won't even be unbalanced if allowed, but total freedom leaves a question of "why is this still called a WIZ power?"

 

[deathdonut]

I'm very interested in this topic as well. Given the lack of variety in the initial class listing, multiclassing will probably be one of the primary tools for making the rules fit some of the more interesting character concepts people in my campaign are looking for.

I think the obvious part of how it will work is that the will/encounter/daily slots will simply be opened for powers from either class. The real question at this point is: What will be the cost?

What I'd like to see is simply the following feats:

Cross class training - Gives initial access to armor/weapons/level 1 abilities.
Heroic cross class training - Allows access to secondary class skills through level 10.
Paragon cross class training - Allows access to secondary class skills through level 20.
Epic cross class training - Allows access to secondary class skills through level 30.

Each would of course require the previous one as a prerequisit.

My concern is that this might not be quite enough of a cost to the power gamers out there, but I'm hesitant to make it more difficult. At most, I would require separate feats for at-will, encounter and daily powers "groups".

 

[Andur]

I really don't see why they would need to change anything:

FTR 5 who then goes WIZ 1 would get wiz HP increase, selection of WIZ 1 powers to choose from (and simply add on to his current list, though perhaps on another sheet so that all Martial powers are on one sheet and arcane on another, etc.)

You still would get attribute increases, DEF increases, and BAB increases based upon your total level, so that isn't gimped as much, you lose some HP most likely, but at the end of the day it is only "costing" you one level of choice of Fighter powers within a given range it would seem.

Not sure how it "adds" up with Paragon and Epic powers/classes/progressions though...

 

[Cadfan]

Presumably, if you're leveling up as you multiclass, you wouldn't so much "lose" powers to gain powers from another class, you'd gain them "instead of" what you would have gotten.

Not that I know any more details than you guys.

 

[DeusExMachina]

That would make it very profitable to start out with a fighter level and then go on to wizard levels though, because you'd have an enormous amount of healing surges and have a good defense on first level. Your wizard power progression would be slightly lower, but I'd think the extra healing surges would vastly increase your survivability...

Occasionally getting powers from another class seems like a better way to do it...

 

[Cadfan]

That would make it very profitable to start out with a fighter level and then go on to wizard levels though, because you'd have an enormous amount of healing surges and have a good defense on first level. Your wizard power progression would be slightly lower, but I'd think the extra healing surges would vastly increase your survivability...

True, but I assume that the first level of wizard is frontloaded with something as well.

 

[Sadrik]

So long as I can create my iconic (for my group) Wizard with a greatsword, I don't care how they do it. Well, actually I do. In 2e I had a half-elf fighter/mage 10/11 named Sadrik and that was my iconic character... In 3e I couldn't really duplicate the versatility with the rules set so I settled in with playing a wizard with a greatsword. I would love to go back to actually have my character concept starting at level 1 again. But it it doesn't appear the game will support that versatile fighter/mage character concept again. Instead my character will look like a wizard with a couple of fighter powers. Hopefully I will be able to take those fighter powers at level 1...

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Maybe you will always select new powers, but some "new" powers are just better versions of lower-level ones, hence you may have to choose between a truly new lower-level power (flexibility) or an upgrade (efficiency).

And yes, I agree that most likely multiclassing just means that a Fighter can select a Wizard's power in place of his own. I don't know if there will be some limitations or not, to prevent a FTR to have ONLY WIZ powers. Probably it won't even be unbalanced if allowed, but total freedom leaves a question of "why is this still called a WIZ power?"

One of the WOTC team has said (on which podcast or interview I cannot remember but I think it was the last official one) that they have specifically drafted multiclass versions of each class to explain what you get if you train (however you do that) in a second class.

 

[MaelStorm]

Wizard with a great sword hmmm. Maybe a wizard with some dip into the swordmage (FRCS) could do it. But I agree with the other posters that said it's been revealed in the latest podcast.

 

[AZRogue]

I think you'll have to take feats and after the first feat you'll be allowed to choose powers from your list and the other class's list. For instance:

1. Multiclass Feat (let's say, into Rogue). You get Weapon and Armor proficiencies and access to Rogue powers.

2. 2nd Multiclass Feat: You can choose one of the Rogue paths, Trickster or Brawler (is that right? can't remember).

3. 3rd Feat: You get a certain number of Rogue abilities as Trained abilities.

Mix those feats into any order, but I think it will be something like that, with the real key being getting access to their abilities (at the cost of taking them in place of your own class abilities) and the Path (trickster or brawler rogue).