Multiclassing: No weapon skills

[Kesh]

One thing I've noticed is that if you're an arcane/divine class and multiclass to a martial class, you don't automatically gain any weapon skills. So, your cleric/warlord is still whacking people with a mace, while your wizard/ranger is even more screwed unless they drop a feat for the requisite weapon. Which isn't possible at 1st level unless you're human: you can either train in a new weapon, or take up multiclassing.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this. It's good in that you can't just blow a feat and gain all sorts of military weapon skills, but it's bad in that making a sword-mage at first level is basically out the window unless you're human.

 

[TheLordWinter]

...or an Eladrin.

 

[Mort_Q]

Well... there is no penalty for using a weapon you're not proficient with as far as I've seen... just no bonus.

Picking an appropriate race might get you a good melee weapon.

[edit]Wizard multiclassing into Rogue could be quite powerful... daggers aren't bad in the hands of an artist.[/edit]

 

[Rykaar]

Let them have one weapon as part of the training. Since you're boxed in regarding the choice of multiclassing (only one class allowed in addition to your base) there might as well be an extra perk for taking it. If you really feel stingy, make them take one of the power-swap feats as well.

 

[That One Guy]

A fighterzard gish is doable, especially when half-elf.

 

[ZetaStriker]

A Human Wizard/Fighter is actually pretty good too. Using a Quarterstaff implement gives you an AC and Proficiency bonuses... as well as its enhancement to both spells and attacks. That's much better than weakening your spells in exchange for a military melee weapon that can't do all that. Spend your feats on Armor Proficiency and extra healing surges instead, and you can stand in the front with the big boys, tossing out Close Blasts and Bursts from both the Wizard and Fighter power lists.