Paragon Multiclassing: What am I missing?

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

The pattern for a paragon path is: one extra encounter attack power at 11th level, one extra utility power at 12th level, and one extra daily attack power at 20th level. In addition to that, the paragon path grants 3 "class features"; two gained at 11th level, and a third at 16th level.

Paragon multiclassing grants the extra encounter, utility, and daily powers at the same levels that a paragon path does, but instead of the 3 class features, you get the ability to swap out one of your at-will powers at 11th level. Doesn't seem like a fair trade to me... am I missing something here?

 

[Zurai]

Paragon multiclassing isn't intended to be a "fair trade".

 

[NorthSaber]

Paragon multiclassing grants the extra encounter, utility, and daily powers at the same levels that a paragon path does, but instead of the 3 class features, you get the ability to swap out one of your at-will powers at 11th level. Doesn't seem like a fair trade to me... am I missing something here?

I suppose it expands on the idea that begins with the "Initiate" multiclass feats - you don't gain in power (resources/encounter or day) but instead you get a wider selection of abilities to choose from. I think it's an exaggerated counterbalance to hinder unforeseen overpowered combos, but the unfortunate side-effect is that normal, unoptimized multiclassing becomes sub-par.

I suppose "full multiclassing" has become something only for those more interested in RP than character efficiency, or for those who are able to find those rare optimized combos that make the character so powerful, you won't miss those paragon path features at all.

Future supplements will add more options for multiclassing as there will be more classes and thus also more power combos, so it is something that will be more powerful as each new supplement comes out. Meanwhile, individual classes already published are less likely to get new features or powers.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Paragon multiclassing isn't intended to be a "fair trade".

That's a strange thing to say... why would the designers go out of their way to make something unbalanced?

 

[Zurai]

That's a strange thing to say... why would the designers go out of their way to make something unbalanced?

Because it's not supposed to be common? The tradeoff is you get to pick your three powers, which means they're almost guaranteed to be more synergistic as a whole with your character than any given paragon path. If they weren't, you wouldn't be taking the multiclass paragon path option.

 

[andarilhor]

I use the houserule where you gain a at-will at 11th level instead of exchanging. Still not equal at the 3 PP features, but is more appealing for the player which wants to make a character where one only class it is not enough.

If anyone finds this too powerful, rule he gains the extra at-will at 16th level instead of 11th.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Because it's not supposed to be common? The tradeoff is you get to pick your three powers, which means they're almost guaranteed to be more synergistic as a whole with your character than any given paragon path. If they weren't, you wouldn't be taking the multiclass paragon path option.

Good point, the versatility is a benefit to be sure. An at-will swap plus being able to select your three paragon path powers is still not worth giving up the three paragon path 'class features' in my opinion.

I don't buy the 'Because it's not supposed to be common' argument though. Leading up to the release, I remember reading comments attributed to the 4E dev team that design paradigms which were common in 3E, like making a weak feat simply to act as a pre-requisite for a more powerful feat or making the cleric more powerful because no one liked playing the healer role, were out the window; feats, classes, powers, skills, etc. were to be balanced against each other outright.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

I don't mind that the actual powers gained at 11th, 12th, and 20th level are a bit weaker than the ones in PPs, because you choose them from a big list, so you gain a lot in flexibility for the loss of raw powers. But I wish paragon multiclassing also gave you an 11th level action point feature, and a potent 16th level feature.

One of my secret hopes for Martial Power is that it'll contain complete writeups for each martial class's PP, complete with actual class features.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I don't mind that the actual powers gained at 11th, 12th, and 20th level are a bit weaker than the ones in PPs, because you choose them from a big list, so you gain a lot in flexibility for the loss of raw powers. But I wish paragon multiclassing also gave you an 11th level action point feature, and a potent 16th level feature.

I agree 100%.

 

[toxicspirit]

But I wish paragon multiclassing also gave you an 11th level action point feature, and a potent 16th level feature.

Or full access to the basic Class Features of the second class.