New General Feat: Additional Favoured Class

[Atticus_of_Amber]

How is this overpowered?

I'm trying to understand why people might think this feat is overpowered.

It's not as if everyone would take it - only characters who would like to multiclass in three classes where classes other than their favoured class (or highest class for humans and half-elves) are more than one level apart. And then only if they are prepared to spend one of their precious general feat slots to take it.

Moreover, multiple multiclassing is often underpowered. True it is that some of the most munchkin characters I've seen ahve four or more classes, but mist of those classes are PrCs and thus do not incur multiclassing penalties. Very few three-or-more-way core multiclasses really kick a$$, with the exceptions of brb/ftr/rog/rng combos (can you say "Drizzt Do'Urden"?). While the later types are powerful (I have a brb/ftr/rog in the game I run and even at level 1/1/1, he's a terror in melee) I don't think they are overpowered.

Eliminating multiclassing XP penalties is, I'm told, one of the most common house rules. This has the effect of allowing it, but at a price.

Where's the bad?

 

[Wolf72]

looks good to me ...

thought: if you make so a PC has to take this at first lvl, then you should make so s/he doesn't have to declare what s/he wants as another favored class.

not much different except that the PC just blew a 1st lvl feat on something they may not use or use when they reach a much higher lvl.

 

[Atticus_of_Amber]

Re: looks good to me ...

thought: if you make so a PC has to take this at first lvl, then you should make so s/he doesn't have to declare what s/he wants as another favored class.

not much different except that the PC just blew a 1st lvl feat on something they may not use or use when they reach a much higher lvl.

Yes, but part of the whole idea is to give the character flexibility later on to accomodate evolving character conceptions that, by definition, could not have been predictedat first level.

Unlike feats such as Spellcasting Prodigy from the FRCS, I cannot see any RP reason to make the feat one which you hae to take at first level.

To my mind, the "sacrifice" of a feat represents the extra effort it requires to be able to carry on multiple professions.

Maybe I've missed something. Why do people feel this should be restricted to be taken at first level only?

 

[trentonjoe]

1. I think it is a great idea. I have two characters that take the 20% penalty a 4/1/1 fighter, cleric, bard and a 5/3/1 Mage, rogue, paladin. I know the 20% really hurts.

2. With that being said, I don't think it is a good idea. Having the 20% really make sense. Jeez, comeon', not even hero's can do everything. There should be some sort of penalty for trying to do everything.

3. I just think its to much, maybe a reduction to ten percent is okay. I generally try to mess to seriously with game mechanics. It is hard to balance game mechanics sometimes.

 

[twjensen]

Re: How is this overpowered?

I'm trying to understand why people might think this feat is overpowered.

Multi-classing starts being *extremely* powerful in campaigns that start at levels other than 1. If I don't actually have to play out the inconvenient levels from 1 to say, 10, then I can play a paladin 1 / sorcerer 9 and be an dwarf to get a much better fortitude save than normal at not much cost to my primary class. The 10% penalty makes up for this.

[edit] Is it really 20%? I've not actually played such a character. Will look in the SRD. [/edit]

Having a feat that a character who is slowly advancing from lv 1 must take in order to ignore the multi-class rules seems perfectly fair, IMHO.

Though I'd probably call it Multi-talented, or jack-of-an-extra-trade or something.

 

[Wolf72]

Cosmic Fence Sitter

... didn't mean to imply that it should be taken at fisrt lvl, but more of a compromise between the two ...[some people plan characters out from 1st to 20th lvl]

I like the feat, it basically is a feat that lets you negate the 20% xp penalty (at least once).

kinda hard choice if you ask me: hmm, cool feat or 20% ...

 

[JDRay]

If memory serves (it often doesn't), the penalty grows as the difference in experience between two classes, and I think it's 10% per level. I think it's intended to keep people from being "one-level wonders," wherein they take a level in Ranger, take the Two Weapon Fighting and Ambidexterity feats for free, then switch to Fighter for the rest of their career. When the split gets to Ranger 1/Fighter 11, the character can't accumulate any more experience points at all: (11-1)*10%=100% penalty.

Do I have that right?

Personally, I like the idea of a feat that allows you to add a favored class. I thought there was one in the NetBook of Feats like it, but don't know for sure. At the same time, I'd make it so you could take the feat a maximum number of times equal to your INT modifier. That keeps Fytor (Str 20, Int 6) from saying, "I know I'm dumb as a stump, but I want to learn many professions."

 

[LostSoul]

When the split gets to Ranger 1/Fighter 11, the character can't accumulate any more experience points at all: (11-1)*10%=100% penalty.

Unless they are human, half-elf, or dwarf. Then there is no penalty.

A human could have Ranger 1/Rogue 1/Barbarian 1/Druid 1/Cleric 1/Monk 1/Paladin 1/Wizard 1/Bard 1/Sorcerer 1/Fighter 10 without any penalties.

 

[Ryan Koppenhaver]

If memory serves (it often doesn't), the penalty grows as the difference in experience between two classes, and I think it's 10% per level.

Sorry, nope.

It's 20% per class that's more than one level below your highest class, excluding favored classes.

Some examples:

Elven Rgr1/Ftr2 - no penalty

Elven Rgr1/Ftr3 - 20% penalty

Elven Rgr1/Ftr19 - 20% penalty

Elven Wiz1/Ftr3 - no penalty (wiz is favored)

Elven Ftr1/Wiz3 - no penalty (wiz is favored)

Elven Rgr1/Rog1/Ftr3 - 40% penalty

Elven Rgr1/Rog3/Ftr3 - 20% penalty

Elven Rgr1/Rog1/Bbn1/Clr1/Sor1/Ftr 3 - 100% penalty!

 

[Mithril Man]

I see no problem with this feat whatsoever--it is rather silly to call it over-powering as it is 'wasting' a feat, and it is only adding one extra preferred class. Actually, my group has the exact same house feat--we call it Versatility, though.