When does multiclassing become excessive?

[tleilaxu]

My newest character is a 4th level Barbarian/Ranger/Fighter/Cleric, heading towards the Warpriest PrC fro DotF. Is this obnoxious? When does multiclassing become too much?

 

[Drawmack]

I would say as long as you cen reasonably explain the multiclassing it is okay. However a cleric is generally classically trained by the church while a ranger is generally self taught. Also the barbarian/fighter is a bit wierd. I don't think I'd allow this character in my game unless they had a background that went something like this.

At a young age they joined the army = figher level
Then on their first mission they found them selves alone in the wilds = barbarian level
They remained alone in the wilds for a long time learning a lot about the beasts that dwell there and how to defeat them = ranger level
Then they had an apifany (sp) and joined the church = cleric level

 

[WizarDru]

Generally speaking, it's up to the individual campaign and DM. Personally, if any of those levels on that character are single-level, and were taken simply for their front-loading, I might personally consider it excessive. In my games, players are allowed up to three classes, generally. Being a member of five classes is not beyond the realm of possibility, but it needs solid reasoning and in-game reasons, for me.

 

[tleilaxu]

the story goes

Barbarian: Young Warrior in the wolf tribes
Ranger: Fending for self in the wild after village destroyed by forced of Iuz
Fighter: Joins paramilitary units for skirmishes between Furyondy and Iuz
Cleric: Conversion to Kord

And then to the Warpriest PrC

 

[Alzrius]

Strictly speaking from a mechanical view, that character is going nowhere fast. Assuming he's a human, he'll be able to have whatever class he puts the most levels in be a favored class, and PrC's don't count towards xp penalties, but unless you work out a system for advancing each class sequentially (not counting the highest one, as a human), you're going to take serious hits in xps as you advance, making it harder and harder to gain levels, resulting in a bigger and bigger gap between you and other party members. What's more, although your character will have the hit points, saving bonuses, BABs, etc, don't count on getting too many special abilities. If you take that PrC, and evenly advance all your classes, you won't get further than fourth level in any of them by the time your character levels hit 20. You won't be raging that long or having any DR, wont get too many bonus feats, won't be able to sneak attack for much as all, and don't count on casting a divine spell greater than level 2 (though Im not sure what the Warpriest adds, so this might up enough to get you up to level 3 divine spells....yay). Ultimately, it is kind of obnoxious, but in my view, you're going to pay the biggest price for this.

 

[Sarevok]

When does multiclassing become excessive?
When you have four classes, wishes to take another in the next level and ask people in a forum "when does multiclassing become excessive?". When you do this, it its time to stop multiclassing. Stop now.

 

[tleilaxu]

anybody else had a quad-classes character in their game?

 

[FungiMuncher]

Heh. In one game that I play, we started at third level, and have just reached 9th level. Most of the players have one or two classes. However, there is one player who has seven classes. As I recall (it's not my character) they are: Barbarian 1/ Fighter 2/ Ranger 1/ Samurai 2/Psychic Warrior 1/ Psion 1/Master Samurai 1. He's a half-orc and has a resonable back history.

He's looking for more fighter-type classes to avoid the possible experience penalty. Certainly, he kicks major butt, but is vulnerable to magic. I wouldn't neccessarily call that one drawback balancing, however.

We all jokingly call the player a power-gamer. He seems to enjoy finding and pointing out the flaws of 3E. I can certainly see them with this example.



FM

 

[Tsyr]

anybody else had a quad-classes character in their game?

Only counting prestige classes.

 

[tleilaxu]

Strictly speaking from a mechanical view, that character is going nowhere fast. Assuming he's a human, he'll be able to have whatever class he puts the most levels in be a favored class, and PrC's don't count towards xp penalties, but unless you work out a system for advancing each class sequentially (not counting the highest one, as a human), you're going to take serious hits in xps as you advance, making it harder and harder to gain levels, resulting in a bigger and bigger gap between you and other party members.

Here is the projected level advancement:

1 barb 2 ranger 3 fighter 4 cleric
5 fighter
6 cleric
7cleric
8-17 warpriest

there is no experience penalty for a 1/1/2/3 character.

What's more, although your character will have the hit points, saving bonuses, BABs, etc, don't count on getting too many special abilities.
If you take that PrC, and evenly advance all your classes, you won't get further than fourth level in any of them by the time your character levels hit 20. You won't be raging that long or having any DR, wont get too many bonus feats, won't be able to sneak attack for much as all,

Talking mechanics as we are
Although I'll only be able to rage 1/day, it is dependent on con, not barbarian levels for length. What do you mean special abilities? What do I miss out on Barbarian levels? A fourth level barbarian gets to rage twice a day and can't be flanked (big deal), sure I'm missing 1 fighter level for not taking 3 more levels of that and I'm missing squat in the next four ranger levels.
And what does the character lose? 1 BAB for the cleric level. His saves are higher than other fourth level character with base saves of F8 R0 W2.

So I wouldn't be missing out on much from the powergaming point of view.

The reason I am going to play him is because I see the classes more as packages of skills than as identities. He'll always be a barbarian lout

KORD GIVES ME STRENGTH RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR