Single Classed, Multiclassed, or Just a Mess?

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

My character concepts tend to change drastically from the time I begin playing to the time I hit higher levels...

And so, the story has really dictated what classes I take more than the abilities I could get if I stuck with one class.

 

[Severius]

I sometimes multiclass sometimes not, but my fav char by far has been my Illusionist/rogue/arcane trickster. Nothing better fits the gnome than that imop. (yes and we still use Illusionist as the Gnomes fav class.)

 

[Testament]

It all depends. For example, in Living Greyhawk, I'm playing a druid, so multiclassing is a BAD thing for me there (only rarely should you ever multiclass a primary caster). In that case, I'm taking Nature's Warrior because it fits the concept, and doesn't completely destroy my casting ability. Practiced Spellcaster and the damage is largely undone.

In other games, it depends on the class and character concept. Prestige Classes are something I love, they can really help define a character. My main rule though is always be careful with those casting classes. Fighters are probably the biggest multiclassers. Get their weapon specialisation and that's that.

Sorry, 3.0 Ranger was the big one for multi-classing. Then again, it was a 1 level class.

 

[rowport]

I LOVE multiclassing! I even realize the mechanical weakness of doing it, but cannot help myself!

Mixing more and more bizarre combinations just makes the wildest characters IMO. The trick is to come up with a backstory that reasonably explains them all. My current PC is a Wilderness Rogue1/Cleric2/Ex-Monk1/Ranger1. Whee! His BAB stinks, but he has great sneaky skills, can Track, always threatens, and can buff and heal. Great fun!

 

[sfedi]

I stick to one class when playing a spellcaster,
but multiclass a bit when playing a Fighter type.
The rogue I may multiclass or not, depending on the concept of the char.

 

[shurai]

Hmm, let's see:

Tom the Barbarian, Ftr all the way

Feldabrin, Ftr/Thf halfling, who is off running the Feldabrin Sneakfoot Persany School for Wayward Halflings in a hidden location not far from the city of Greyhawk.

---THEN CAME 3RD EDITION---

(not necessarily in order):
* A few monks
* A whole passle of rangers
* Two clerics of Farlanghn
* A cleric or two of Heironeous
* At least one cleric of Pelor
* Several Fighters
* A bard or two
* Two wizards
* Several multiclass characters, mostly with only a one or two levels of a second class. Mostly fighter with a level of barbarian, for example. Or mostly cleric with a level of fighter. Or mostly druid with a level of fighter (thanks Forgotten Realms, for duskwood!) Anyway, you get the idea.

In this wacky underdark campaign I was in, my friends wanted to play dark and eeeevil, and I thought that was rather silly. So I mostly invented characters specifically designed to mock the whole idea:
* Ftr/Wiz/Arcane Archer, drow, uses dual hand-crossbows. Name, Drow Yun Fat.
* Frulgar the Duergar Druid (like, mushroom-based druidic powers . . . two words: goodberry mushrooms! Take one, you'll feel better in no time; the pretty colors are an added bonus.)

Later on I was feeling rather punchy in this rules-lite campaign, so I invented:
* ARTURUS PERCIVAL LEFTER, SUPREME DOER OF MOSTLY GOOD DEEDS. Fighter, chaotic good, with about twice the courage but half the clue of your average citizen.
But that idea was scrapped, in favor of:
* Tsao Fei, the monk/sorcerer who was cast out of his order for manifesting magical powers.

So it appears that I'm all over the place, but mostly play a single-class or lightly multi-classed character.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I usually multiclass to a certain extent.

My Birthright rogue had 12 levels of rogue, 2 of fighter, 2 of psyw, 1 of cleric, 6 of a variant blade dancer, and was fixing to start Skullclan Hunter when the game ended.

My Planescape fighter has 2 racial HD, eight levels of fighter-kensai, one of exotic weapon master, and is spending the rest on blade dancer.

My epic unbodied telepath, unfortunately, had to stick with psion (telepath) the entire way, due to a lack of cool multiclassing for psions.

My epic half-dragon anthropomorphic tyrannosaur monk had several other prestige classes, like panther shen and henshin mystic.

Brad

 

[diaglo]

never made it to 20th level.

when my PC reached 14th lvl as a cleric my DM made him into a Messiahic Avatar.

but that campaign was doomed to fail from the start.

 

[Voadam]

My longtime tabletop/e-mail PC is multiclassed with two core classes (ranger/wizard) and two prestige classes(eldritch knight/ harper mage variant [eldritch knight levels were loremaster in 3e before conversion to 3.5]).

My current PBP characters include a straight classed cleric, a straight classed monk, and a straight class gestalt (variant barbarian/variant rogue for all levels).

My past 3e PCs include a straight rogue and a straight barbarian

 

[Voadam]

The party I DM is all multiclass:

A fighter cleric

A paladin fighter Templar of Cuthbert homebrew

A druid Shifter (homebrew variant) Nature's Champion

A rogue, wizard, arcane trickster