Rodney Thompson on Multiclassing

[Li Shenron]

I started Vargas out as a straight-up wizard, and so far that's been fun. We just hit sixth level and are over halfway to paragon tier, however, so it's time for me to start thinking ahead to paragon paths. I found a very neat one that let me use a weapon I'm proficient in in the place of a wand (Vargas' chosen wizard's implement is a wand), and whaddya know I'm already proficient in the longsword. Rather than just be a sword-wielding wizard, though, I decided to take the plunge: I multiclassed into fighter. Vargas spends a lot of his time with Anvar, our dragonborn fighter, so lately he's been studying the art of the sword with the fighter. Since I worked as a developer on the book, I knew there were some powers in the upcoming Martial Power Sourcebook that I could pilfer that would go just fine-and-dandy with the already-nimble Vargas.

It's a dangerous world out there, even for a wizard. So Vargas is going to start carrying a sword, and maybe not be so afraid of being right up next to the bad guys. My AC's still not great, and I don't have a ton of hit points, but I've got enough powers to help me get away...and once I start getting a wider array of spells, I think it could work out well. Vargas is definitely more wizard than fighter, and really the fighter side of things is going to be more to let me fight back-to-back with Anvar more often. One of my favorite tactics is to stand next to the big, bulky fighter, letting him use his defensive abilities to help keep Vargas safe, so now he should be able to contribute more than just a warning that someone's about to attack.

Uhm... this is nothing but meaningless fluff :\ I don't understand how can people drool or hate over this.

 

[Ipissimus]

There is a paragon path that allows wizards to use weapons they're proficient with as impliments. <- not fluff.

 

[Li Shenron]

There is a paragon path that allows wizards to use weapons they're proficient with as impliments. <- not fluff.

Not fluff, but nearly irrelevant to me.

In any case, it tells nothing about the subject of multiclassing.

 

[Storm-Bringer]

There is a paragon path that allows wizards to use weapons they're proficient with as impliments. <- not fluff.

I thought implements were pretty important to Wizards. If you can swap out a weapon (or, ostensibly, anything else) for an implement, why not just do that from the start? Early articles had the implements categorized and everything. Picking an implement at first level (or whenever) seems superfluous at best if you can swap it out later. If I have a tenth level fighter, do I get to automatically take my weapon as an implement when I take Wizard Training at 11th level? Seems kind of dissonant that a higher level character isn't bound to the same restrictions when taking their first 'level' of another class.

 

[Vempyre]

The first thing to remember is that multiclassing doesn't exist in 4e.

There will be no Fighter/Wizard or Wizard/fighters

There will be Fighters buying wizard powers and Wizard buying Fighter powers, though.

Probably with feats.

Feat : Part-time Wizard
(edited) Description : Every time you choose one of your class powers when you level, you can choose a wizard power in it's stead. (Insert some probable conditions here).

And as we have seen from the above, paragon paths will be able to bonify that by synergizing abilities from two classes.

 

[SteveC]

My take on multiclassing is that they have gone one step farther than Star Wars Saga with it.

In Saga, the class you get at first level gives you a number of class abilities and talents...it tends to be about four of them, give or take.

When you multiclass, you take a level in the other class, and you get to pick one of those bennies. As you continue to level up, you can take more of them with talent picks.

Saga still uses BAB, so the other thing that multiclassing gives you is an attack bonus, but that's about it.

In 4E, there is a universal progression, so there's no real mathematical reason to be a fighter(4), Wizard (1). What you are is a level 5 character, who has a core class of fighter, and has picked up wizard training.

That character will be significantly different than a level 5 character with core class of wizard and fighter training. I would expect both to be about as effective, but in different ways.

Has anyone heard anything different than that?

--Steve

 

[Vomax]

I thought implements were pretty important to Wizards. If you can swap out a weapon (or, ostensibly, anything else) for an implement, why not just do that from the start? Early articles had the implements categorized and everything. Picking an implement at first level (or whenever) seems superfluous at best if you can swap it out later. If I have a tenth level fighter, do I get to automatically take my weapon as an implement when I take Wizard Training at 11th level? Seems kind of dissonant that a higher level character isn't bound to the same restrictions when taking their first 'level' of another class.

I don't think you have to pick an implement, rather certain spells are empowered by certain implements.

 

[BASHMAN]

Since I worked as a developer on the book, I knew there were some powers in the upcoming Martial Power Sourcebook that I could pilfer that would go just fine-and-dandy with the already-nimble Vargas.

Oh great. Does this mean you have to buy the martial sourcebook to make a nimble fighter? Just like you need a PH2 for a half-orc barbarian, or MM2 for a frost giant? This really disappoints me-- I like the rules of 4e, but cannot in good conscience actually buy any books to reward this kind of marketing.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Oh great. Does this mean you have to buy the martial sourcebook to make a nimble fighter? Just like you need a PH2 for a half-orc barbarian, or MM2 for a frost giant? This really disappoints me-- I like the rules of 4e, but cannot in good conscience actually buy any books to reward this kind of marketing.

How does "new book has new options" = "new book options mean core book doesnt' support the build"?


As to the OP, I like the fluff and suggested crunch of multiclassing in 4e.. it would be nice if they stopped just suggesting and took off the veil....

 

[Baka no Hentai]

I think the hidden gem in this post is his description of what appears to be heavy role-playing going on in his playtest campaign... somewhat of a blow against the idea that 4E somehow dicourages such a play-style.