Multiclassing penalties

[Li Shenron]

After years of playing 3rd edition, how did you come to feel about multiclassing XP penalties? Compared to previous D&D editions, the multiclassing rules of 3.0 have been an excellent improvement, they are easy and the characters rock (well except maybe some spellcasters, but that's another story) Here I don't want to discuss about this, I only want to know what do people think about the effective restrictions which are still caused by the XP penalties.

In my almost 3 years of experience I have never seen a player choosing a multiclass combination that would have given XP penalties, since 20% is already too much to carry on with (unless it's just for a couple of levels). Have you ever played a PC with such a penalty, and how did you feel about it?

The consequence of this was that some combos never saw the lights in our games. A PC like an elven Fighter with a couple Rogue levels would make sense as a good archer for example, why should it be impeded by the XP penalty?

In general I don't even like multiclassing that much for RP reasons, so I would never get myself more than two core and one prestige classes, but what I really don't understand is the mechanical reason behind these restrictions.

It is usually justified on the RP side with the fact that every race is more keen on some "career", and humans are more flexible. On the balance side it is usually agreed that the current favored classes are supposed to balance the races more, by giving humans and half-elves some benefit. While I agree, still the effective restrictions coming from those XP penalties look to me essentially random. An elven Fighter 7/Rogue 3 is no stronger than a human Fighter 7/Rogue 3, why should it be penalized? Why an elven Figther 5/Rogue 5 should NOT be penalized?

In fact a lot of playing groups simply decide to drop multiclassing penalties to allow any combo. Clearly, if you do this you take something away from humans and half-elves.

I will think about it and maybe post some proposal in the HR forum later on, but for the moment I am just interested in hearing how many people use the rules as written, modify them or drop them altogether.

edit: obviously, if you haven't seen anyone trying multiclassing, or seen too few, skip the poll

 

[Moxie]

In 3.0 I had a Gnome bard. When he was third level our group badly needed tracking and I decided to level into ranger, so I spent one level getting the 10% penalty. It made sense for role playing the character and in the context of the campaign. But then 3.5 comes along and the preferred class for Gnomes changes. Guess I was just ahead of the curve!

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Mine's not up there...

I require a plaussible in-game reason for multiclassing (generally based on the previous adventure, although seeking out specific training is always an option), but allow multi-classing freely. Gaining a Class Level in your race's Favored Class gets +1 Skill Point.

So, more restrictive by role-playing requirements, but more rewarding for Favored Class rather than punishing for non-Favored.

 

[Chacal]

Gaining a Class Level in your race's Favored Class gets +1 Skill Point.

Oh , nice and easy one.
I was thinking about giving templates for each race, that would give small bonus according to the race and the levels that fit. (A path à la Midnight, but only tied to Prefered class levels+half other levels, and not character level)
But I never put it in practice.
... must ... stop ... trying to house rule everything ....

Back on topic

So, more restrictive by role-playing requirements, but more rewarding for Favored Class rather than punishing for non-Favored.

I'm in a more requirements, less punishment camp too.



Chacal

 

[maddman75]

No multiclass penalty, and I also got rid of the restriction on monks and paladins. And the druid's stupid oath. Game works just fine.

 

[Wombat]

Since I'm moving over to AU, there are no restrictions.

And no alignment.

More I think about it, more I like AU

 

[BiggusGeekus]

From a power-gaming point of view I have never seen a game-mechanics reason why the 20% penalty should be there.

Roleplay considerations are another thing entirely.

 

[Ferret]

I'd og liked to choose I use it as PhB but I'm not sure if it works

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I remove the multiclassing restriction for Monks and Paladins, but leave the multiclassing penalties in place (otherwise, Favored Class makes no sense). However, I limit the multiclassing penalty to 20% total, not per class out of alignment.

 

[Nifft]

IMC, I remove the restrictions on Monks & Paladins, made Planetouched into Templates which add the option of taking a different favored class, and that's about it.

There's one type of each demi-human, and they have the standard PHB favored classes.

-- N