Multiclassing: "Any combo, any level, always works."

[Badkarmaboy]

So they take the challenge out of making a multiclass character? Great now players dont actually have to learn or earn anything. 3e=Thinking mans game. 4e=Crap so far.

Yes, because trying to make a more efficient and/or sensible multi-class system will make us all stumbley-wumbleys.

You nailed it....

 

[Sadrik]

I am kinda hoping that it works like this:
Characters have two things to keep track of character level and power source level.
Character levels are simply the total levels they have. Example: Ranger 2/Cleric 4/Wizard 6 would be a 12th level character.
Then character power sources: Martial, Arcane, Divine (and Psionic shortly thereafter). Calculate a characters power source levels by adding all the class levels that match one power source and add half the other non-matching character levels. Do this for all classes.

So the above example (Ranger 2/Cleric 4/Wizard 6) would be: Martial 7/Divine 8/Arcane 9

Putting it together now: the character would have the talents/feats/abilities of a 12th level character (assuming all class features become talent/feat/abilities trees). For instance, it was said that all characters get something cool every level, so they could select a talent/feat/abilities every level. The character would have 12 feats/talents.
The power source level of the character would determine the levels that they can activate their various talents/feats/abilities at.

 

[babomb]

And then the new "Advanced D&D" can include THACPi.

I read this as THACi. Talk about making the system complex!

 

[Merlion]

I am kinda hoping that it works like this:
Characters have two things to keep track of character level and power source level.
Character levels are simply the total levels they have. Example: Ranger 2/Cleric 4/Wizard 6 would be a 12th level character.
Then character power sources: Martial, Arcane, Divine (and Psionic shortly thereafter). Calculate a characters power source levels by adding all the class levels that match one power source and add half the other non-matching character levels. Do this for all classes.

So the above example (Ranger 2/Cleric 4/Wizard 6) would be: Martial 7/Divine 8/Arcane 9

Putting it together now: the character would have the talents/feats/abilities of a 12th level character (assuming all class features become talent/feat/abilities trees). For instance, it was said that all characters get something cool every level, so they could select a talent/feat/abilities every level. The character would have 12 feats/talents.
The power source level of the character would determine the levels that they can activate their various talents/feats/abilities at.

I hope this isnt the case. I hope "power source" stays as far in the realm of shorthand and jargon as possible and doesnt become a central mechanic.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I hope this isnt the case. I hope "power source" stays as far in the realm of shorthand and jargon as possible and doesnt become a central mechanic.

Well, it could be called "Base Attack Bonus", "Divine Caster Level" and "Arcane Caster Level", keeping it closer to the D&D 3.x terms.

It reminds me a bit of feat masteries in Iron Heroes, except that there would be a lot less.

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

I read this as THACi. Talk about making the system complex!

Ouch, that hurts..

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

I just saw a quote that they're trying to get a (censored race) ranger/cleric/wizard to work, and I just had a thought... Why on earth would someone want to have this particular class combination, and moreover, what king of twisted background would a character like this have?

Actually, assuming the ranger's not a spellcaster class any more, that looks a lot like a 1e ranger. More to the point, are you assuming he takes one class, then the next, then another?

Why not take an entirely different, arguably more "realistic", look on multiclassing instead of attempting to make any combination work?

One group's "realism" is another group's "munchkinism", and a third group's "crippling handicap". And realism hasn't sold games since 1990; we like fun these days.

For example, it should be horribly difficult for a veteran fighter to learn wizardry, and vice-versa.

Because all fighters are dumb, right? :\

A good cleric would have a major crisis of faith or personal event to drive him to scoundlery,

Happens, if not all the time, with some frequency in the real world.

while a rogue would have to atone and gain the favor of a deity to become a cleric.

Three words for you.
God. Of. Thieves.

What I mean is that beside having mechanical difficulties and contrivances, making multiclassing easy and open for all is just plain improbable. IMHO certain multiclass combinations should not work out well, and some should be downright near impossible to pull off.

I think I'm getting the core of this objection:

Do you look at D&D classes like distinct roles in the world that the characters would be at least somewhat aware of? Someone has to teach you to be a ranger, etc? There is a moment in the example character's life where he stops being a cleric and becomes a wizard who was a cleric, f'rex? I'm curious.

And yes, I know I can rule 0 this in my games, but I'd really like to see a system that pulls this off without just saying that class X can only multi with classes Y and Z, like older editions.

To my knowledge, one of the tidbits they learned from 2e kits was "never balance mechanical advantages with roleplaying disadvantages", which I think is a fine rule. Let how much roleplaying is involved be up to individual groups.

 

[Kaodi]

Screw the censored ranger/wizard/cleric, I want to see an eladrin warlord/rogue/wizard/fighter, hehehe...

 

[Wormwood]

One group's "realism" is another group's "munchkinism", and a third group's "crippling handicap". And realism hasn't sold games since 1990; we like fun these days.

.sigged

 

[Sadrik]

Screw the censored ranger/wizard/cleric, I want to see an eladrin warlord/rogue/wizard/fighter, hehehe...

Level 8 character at class levels 2/2/2/2?

Would be martial 7/arcane 5... as far as "power source/caster level" goes.