New (old) way to multiclass

[Drawmack]

I always liked the idea of splitting experience for multiclass characters ala 2e. Here is what I'm come up with for 3 (3.5)e.

1) When experience is handed out you take your current character level and divide it by the experience given.

2) Multiply each class' levels by the number generated in #1. If it is uneven round one down and the other up (if more then two classes handle rounding such that their total xp does not change).

3) Assign experience to each class. Then compare each class' xp to the leveling chart to see if they level.

For Example:
Clair Ftr 3/Rge 2 gets 100 xp.

She divides 100 by 5 (5/100) = 20.

She multiplies 20 * 3 for the fighter and gets 60.

She multiplies 20 * 2 for the rogue and gets 40.

She then adds 60 xp to her fighter and 40 xp to her rogue. After these she compares each class's leveling xp to the level chart. Fighter gets compared to 4 and rogue gets compared to 3. If either of these has enough xp they level.

Does anyone see any problems?

 

[Zerakon]

The problem is that this rule will let the multi-class character accumulate levels faster than a single-class character because of the way the experience progression chart works.

For example, your method would allow a character who receives 6,000 XP to become 3rd level in two classes. A single-classed character who receives the same XP will only be 4th level.

-- Zerakon the Game Mage

 

[Spatzimaus]

No no no no no no no no no NO!

That stupid 2E multiclassing was the absolute worst thing about it, and was the single biggest reason my friends have never even thought about going back. It was pathetic; I'd go single-class Fighter and be 14th level, and my friend would be a Cleric/Mage/Fighter with level 12 in each. Which was a more powerful character?

The way you wrote it, under 3E it'd be even more horrendously abusable for melee types. I'll be a Ranger/Rogue/Fighter/Barbarian/Bard/Cleric. When a single-class Ranger gets 6000 XP, they're level 4. When I get 6000 XP, I'd be 2/2/2/2/2/2. I'd have triple their HP, triple the BAB, far more class abilities, and when they hit level 20 and run up against the Epic cap, I'll be level 8 in each class (level 48 total) with a BAB of +42 and base saves of +28/+24/+20.

 

[Anabstercorian]

What Spatz said.

 

[Drawmack]

For example, your method would allow a character who receives 6,000 XP to become 3rd level in two classes. A single-classed character who receives the same XP will only be 4th level.

I can see why my post illudes to that but it is not so. Here is the reason.

Let's say someone is ftr1 and upon leveling wants to become ftr1/rog1 they can do this but here is how it works.

They take rog1 - which costs them all the xp they got in order to level as a fighter (since).

So now they are ftr1/rog1 with 0xp they will have to get 2,000xp and when they do both classes level at once. Then they have to get 6000xp and both classes level at once. So this means taht so far they have earned 9000xp total inorder to acheive 6th level and also they sayed as a 2nd level character right up until they became a 6th level character.

It encourages them to stagger their multiclass levels unlike the current system which encourages keeping the multiclass levels the same.

 

[Drawmack]

The way you wrote it, under 3E it'd be even more horrendously abusable for melee types. I'll be a Ranger/Rogue/Fighter/Barbarian/Bard/Cleric. When a single-class Ranger gets 6000 XP, they're level 4. When I get 6000 XP, I'd be 2/2/2/2/2/2. I'd have triple their HP, triple the BAB, far more class abilities, and when they hit level 20 and run up against the Epic cap, I'll be level 8 in each class (level 48 total) with a BAB of +42 and base saves of +28/+24/+20.

This was an error in the way I wrote it, here is what would happen:

Let's say you took the classes in this order Rgr,Rog,Ftr,Bbn,Brd,Clr.

So you start as a Rgr with 0 xp. You earn 1000xp and decide to take Rog this costs 1000xp. So now you're a Rgr1/Rog1 with 0xp. Now you have to earn 2000 xp before you can take another multiclass because you can only multiclass instead of leveling a current character class. So you work hard and get 2000 more xp and you take Ftr, Bbn and are again at 0 xp. Now you have to earn 4000 xp before you can multiclass again. So once you get 4000 xp you become a Rgr2/Rog2/Ftr1/Bbn1/Brd1/Clr1.

A total of 8 character levels with a total xp of 8000. So at this point we're a bit behind the ball, but a single classed charater is going to be more powerful then you in their specialy.

Now in order to level again the Ftr/Bbn/Brd and Clr each need 1000xp and they all currently have 0 xp. The Rgr and Rog each need 3000xp and they currently have 1000xp. So taking this into account it works like this.

You are awarded 80 xp. You divide by 8 and get 10, you multiply each character's level by 10 to see how many xp each class gets. Rgr/Rog each get 16 and the Ftr/Bbn/Brd & Clr each get 8.

Since this is all proportional all the classes level at the same time. You need to earn 1000 * 4 + 2000 * 2 = 8000 xp to gain a level. When you earn 8000 xp all the classes level and you become Rgr3/Rog3/Ftr2/Bbn2/Brd2/Clr2. So you're earned a total of 16000xp and you are now character level 12. But a single classed character with that much xp is still far more powerful then you in their specialty.

Now is where the single classed characters start catching up. You need to earn 12000 xp to get a single level. So when next you level you have earned 28000xp.

The next time you need 20000xp to get a single level. So when next you level you have earned 48000xp.