When does multiclassing become excessive?

[jgbrowning]

Why bother with a whole class for bladesinger if a fighter6/rogue1/wizard6 combo and two new feats would do pretty much the same thing? Why add the complexity of a new PrC?

-Fletch!

Well, its because people want special abilities beyond what the core classes offer, whether for powergaming or role-playing reasons (or more than likely a bit of both).

joe b.

 

[Nightfall]

Not to mention the fact Warpriest probably one of the best one of the lot out of that book.

 

[takyris]

Fighter2/Barbarian1/Ranger1/Rogue(rest of way) -- with a decent backstory to justify it.

Of course, my campaign uses fractional BAB and Save calculation, so she only had a decent Fort save, not a great one, and her Will save wasn't as lousy as it might otherwise have been.

-Tacky

PS: Fractional BAB/Save, IMC, means that a Cleric1/Druid1/Monk1 has a BAB of (0.75 x 3 = ) +2 and a Base Will Save of (3 levels of Will Good = ) +3, as opposed to a BAB of +0 and a Base Will Save of +6. Playing by those kinds of rules makes the multiclassing a whole lot more reasonable.

 

[Gez]

When you take a level in each class by alphabetical order.

My ex-barbarian ex-bard cleric ex-druid fighter ex-monk ex-paladin psion psychic-warrior ranger rogue samurai shaman shugenja sohei sorcerer wizard wu-jen was deemed an excessive level 18 character. However, he wasn't much powerful (but he did have impressive saving throws !).

 

[LostSoul]

Re: Re: When does multiclassing become excessive?

IMHO, its too much when you mulitclass to get certain abilities of that class and not for role-playing reasons.

I think it's too much when you take more levels of a single class to get certain abilities of that class and not for role-playing reasons.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Fractional BAB/Save, IMC, means that a Cleric1/Druid1/Monk1 has a BAB of (0.75 x 3 = ) +2 and a Base Will Save of (3 levels of Will Good = ) +3, as opposed to a BAB of +0 and a Base Will Save of +6. Playing by those kinds of rules makes the multiclassing a whole lot more reasonable.

Cool.... can you elaborate on this... it actually makes sense.

Kahuna Burger

 

[Storm Raven]

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

Sure, I played a Rogue2/Ranger1/Fighter4/OoBI2 character for a while.

 

[Gez]

Cool.... can you elaborate on this... it actually makes sense.

Kahuna Burger

I use the same house rule. It's pretty simple actually.

You do not consider the base attack and save bonus as integer, but as floating point numbers.

You've probably constated that simple formulae governs those values.

Good BAB = level
Medium BAB = 3/4 of level
Poor BAB = 1/2 of level
Good Save = 2 + 1/2 of level
Bad Save = 0 + 1/3 of level

You simply add up these fractional numbers together, but don't stack the possible +2 bonus of good save (the same way that in Star Wars d20, you don't stack the +2 Defense bonus of each class when multiclassing).

This way, each multiclassed characters will always have a BAB between 1/2 his level and his level, and saving throw bonus between one-third of his level and 2 + one-half of his level.

With standard rules, you usually get an unfairly low BAB value but sky-rocketing save bonuses.

 

[mkletch]

I use the same house rule. It's pretty simple actually.

You do not consider the base attack and save bonus as integer, but as floating point numbers.

You've probably constated that simple formulae governs those values.

Good BAB = level
Medium BAB = 3/4 of level
Poor BAB = 1/2 of level
Good Save = 2 + 1/2 of level
Bad Save = 0 + 1/3 of level

You simply add up these fractional numbers together, but don't stack the possible +2 bonus of good save (the same way that in Star Wars d20, you don't stack the +2 Defense bonus of each class when multiclassing).

This way, each multiclassed characters will always have a BAB between 1/2 his level and his level, and saving throw bonus between one-third of his level and 2 + one-half of his level.

With standard rules, you usually get an unfairly low BAB value but sky-rocketing save bonuses.

D20 Modern implemented this very well, for both attacks and saves. Take a look at the d20M SRD on the Wizards site, or pick up the hardcover at a local shop.

-Fletch!

 

[Quickbeam]

I've never played a quad class character, so you may not want me to say when I think multiclassing is too excessive .

Seriously, I think that multiclassing is fine if it fits with the character's history and development. However, I loathe the idea of multiclassing (regardless of how many levels are taken) simply for the benefits provided. At its root, we all can be said to multiclass for extra abilities and powers...but the players who never even try to make a viable rationale for these class progressions drive me nuts!! Please forgive the holier than thou preachiness herein. I'm better now .