How can one explain multiclassing? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How can one explain multiclassing? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Euch
12-25-06, 02:33 PM PrC's of charecters are pretty easy to explain as a different charecter developement rather then the usual 20 levels of a class.
I know I'm concidered a bad man here, since I pre-builded my charecter before thinking a background for it, but that way I get to play something more out of the ordinery then usual :)
in any case, the base charecter (pre PrC's) is a multiclassed monk-favored soul, but I have no idea how, in a game from level 1 a favored soul would become a monk (or vice-versa)

I had an idea about a favored soul beeing treated as a "sinner" (or just beeing outcast) since he knew nothing about gods and the pantheon (no knowladge religion), and thats why he'd be sent over to a monestry in order to express he's belief in actions rather in prayer, but it still wont help me if I'll play from level 1... right?

any idea would be appreciated...
Alex_Belinsky
12-25-06, 03:18 PM Your PC was gifted (and noticed) from early age. When manifestations of godly gifts became everyday activity, PC was astonished, how great they were, and begin to think, how to ascend from humble mortal with undeserved powers to higher being worthy of these gifts. Somewhere in time he can found strange cadre of people, who trying to become native outsiders (monks). Why not to try this way?

It's only one of many variants.
Apupunchau
12-25-06, 03:35 PM If you think of class purely as their definition then you can get stuck in the idea of how does one explain being a Fighter and a rogue but people don't refer to themselves that way. Even if the game mechanics say the you are fo the Fighter class that's not how the character would introduce himself. He would say I am a Swrodsman, A knight, an archer or just an adventurer. Maybe the ranger calls himsefl a hunter or a tracker but then again a fighter from a rural area might also call himself a hunter as well.

So here's how we explain multiclassing say player X is a Fighter and a Bard but he doens't walk up to people and go I'm an X level Fighter X Level Bard. Maybe he says I'm a battle singer or he's a miliatry drummer. So that's how to explain multiclassing because even though the mechanics say it's differnt things to the character it is not.
JulesCARV
12-25-06, 06:06 PM Favored Soul/Monk? Hmm... I picture this fellow as being a bit like St. Francis of Assissi -- possibly a saint, possibly a friggin' nutcase. Either way, prone to asceticism, ecstatic visions, mystical experiences, and doctrines that more conventional types might deem... heterodox.

Anyway, though, what god or religion are you following? That might help us. A monk/favored soul of Heironeous could be rather different than a monk/favored soul of the Blood of Vol.
Adolph_Kheebler
12-25-06, 07:44 PM It all depends on who your patron deity is. A favoured soul is almost an aspect of said deity. Take your inspiration from the description of that deity (do you have deities and demigods? Use that instead of the brief descriptions in the PHB if you do.)

Which order were the classes taken in? Favoured Soul first or Monk first? That is also important.

If monk is first then I like the idea of knowing nothing about your divine power and being scared of its effects. You were raised in a monestary and were always exceptional while growing up. However you don't know that it is because Deity X is looking on you with favour.

If Favoured Soul is first just vary that story to be that you went to the monestary to try to find out what is happening to you.

If you manage to find out what you are (I've always thought it ridiculous that favoured souls don't get knowledge religion when sorcerers get knowledge arcana. Aside from the obvious stuff it makes them utterly useless epic since they can't qualify for epic spellcasting. I've houseruled that they get it in all of my games) then you can use the standard fallback of, "Just because I'm divine doesn't mean I no longer like to fight. I enjoy this so I'm going to keep doing this".

You do need to remember that class is not a definition of personality. You can come up with some really wierd class/race/personality conflicts. I'm currently playing a Sun Elf psion who absolutely loathes other elves. And that is pretty basic. The same party has a 9 year old girl Wu Jen. You can set up pretty much any story you want with any classes you want (obviously some things are excluded, but not nearly as many as you'd think).
Euch
12-26-06, 02:06 PM hey,
firstly, you all got great points,
I've always thought of characters as numbers and stats, so I have to thank you fro proving me wrong :)

problem is, you still didn't answer my real question (or in fact you did and I didn't notice it?)
I'm want to know how can I do a switch between a monk to a favored soul in mid-game without DM intevension (or rather, minimum intervention)
all the stories I've thought of requires either the DM changing the story to make it fit, or me starting out in the level right after I've multiclassed.

basically the story would be (corny alert, stop reading if you hate those stuff :)) about a young human training in an elven monestry, kicked out after he fell in love with the leader's daughter, beeing spotted by the mistress of love (if there's such a diety at all, I need your help in finding that out), and going the route of a favored soul from then on.

now... how can I play that from level 1 on?
BoSheck
01-04-07, 11:32 AM Think of it this way: You don't need to justify multiclassing, to a degree. I honestly feel a lot stranger, if I'm REALLY going for story on a character not having the aspiring knight take a level of ranger because of his background in the wooded hills of Xingdale. It makes perfect sense for a character to multiclass, especially if the two classes mesh well thematically. You really screw yourself if you take one level in six different classes, but at the same time if you're trying to reproduce a second edition elf, being a wizard2/fighter1/elven paragon3/ruathar/spellsword/elven PrC (Bladesinger, Olin Gisir, Elven Archer, Seeker of the Misty Isle, etc.) makes perfect sense, as the race blends magic and skill at arms into a nearly singular art.
Adrian_Crane
01-04-07, 02:30 PM The general idea is, how can one explain classes at all? Your character doesn't know he's a Fighter 1 / Barbarian 2. To him, the rigid training eventually gave way to a free, unrestrained fighting style that lets him harness his battle fervor. By the same token, a Ftr 1 / Wiz 5 / Spellsword 1 / etc type of build is simply an individual who devotes time to both skill at arms and arcane mastery. He might well identify himself as a "Spellsword" even though he only has one actual class level in it.

It's not all that different with RP-heavy classes such as a build with Paladin of Wee Jas / Ruby Knight Vindicator (Book of Nine Swords; basically, warriors of Wee Jas). As long as two classes don't directly conflict in their goals and aims, you're fine. If they do, you simply chalk it up to having a change of heart where you left your old ways behind. The only big problem would be if you want to alternate between two opposed classes--assuming you could even do so rules-wise, your best explanation might be being a double agent of sorts.

hey,
I'm want to know how can I do a switch between a monk to a favored soul in mid-game without DM intevension (or rather, minimum intervention)
all the stories I've thought of requires either the DM changing the story to make it fit, or me starting out in the level right after I've multiclassed.

basically the story would be (corny alert, stop reading if you hate those stuff :)) about a young human training in an elven monestry, kicked out after he fell in love with the leader's daughter, beeing spotted by the mistress of love (if there's such a diety at all, I need your help in finding that out), and going the route of a favored soul from then on.

now... how can I play that from level 1 on?

Sounds like a Favored Soul of Sune or possibly Sharess (lust). More likely the former, though. It makes decent enough sense; as to how to play it, like you said, it will depend heavily on where the campaign starts.

This reads more like a backstory, so you might be better off starting at your first level of Favored Soul, but if you want all the events to occur ingame you should talk it over with your DM. Work with him, let him know where you want the story to go (just the major points), and that should take care of things. You may have a bumpy ride with unexpected detours from point A to point B, but you'll get there.
Doomed_Penguin
01-04-07, 04:21 PM First of all, once you multiclass out of monk, you can't get back in. Also, monks must be lawful. Just thought you should work around those two rules before worrying about your DM judging your backstory.

P.S. Good luck finding/making a lawful deity of love... that's the backstory I'd want to hear if I was your DM.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Euch 12-25-06, 02:33 PM	PrC's of charecters are pretty easy to explain as a different charecter developement rather then the usual 20 levels of a class. I know I'm concidered a bad man here, since I pre-builded my charecter before thinking a background for it, but that way I get to play something more out of the ordinery then usual :) in any case, the base charecter (pre PrC's) is a multiclassed monk-favored soul, but I have no idea how, in a game from level 1 a favored soul would become a monk (or vice-versa) I had an idea about a favored soul beeing treated as a "sinner" (or just beeing outcast) since he knew nothing about gods and the pantheon (no knowladge religion), and thats why he'd be sent over to a monestry in order to express he's belief in actions rather in prayer, but it still wont help me if I'll play from level 1... right? any idea would be appreciated...
Alex_Belinsky 12-25-06, 03:18 PM	Your PC was gifted (and noticed) from early age. When manifestations of godly gifts became everyday activity, PC was astonished, how great they were, and begin to think, how to ascend from humble mortal with undeserved powers to higher being worthy of these gifts. Somewhere in time he can found strange cadre of people, who trying to become native outsiders (monks). Why not to try this way? It's only one of many variants.
Apupunchau 12-25-06, 03:35 PM	If you think of class purely as their definition then you can get stuck in the idea of how does one explain being a Fighter and a rogue but people don't refer to themselves that way. Even if the game mechanics say the you are fo the Fighter class that's not how the character would introduce himself. He would say I am a Swrodsman, A knight, an archer or just an adventurer. Maybe the ranger calls himsefl a hunter or a tracker but then again a fighter from a rural area might also call himself a hunter as well. So here's how we explain multiclassing say player X is a Fighter and a Bard but he doens't walk up to people and go I'm an X level Fighter X Level Bard. Maybe he says I'm a battle singer or he's a miliatry drummer. So that's how to explain multiclassing because even though the mechanics say it's differnt things to the character it is not.
JulesCARV 12-25-06, 06:06 PM	Favored Soul/Monk? Hmm... I picture this fellow as being a bit like St. Francis of Assissi -- possibly a saint, possibly a friggin' nutcase. Either way, prone to asceticism, ecstatic visions, mystical experiences, and doctrines that more conventional types might deem... heterodox. Anyway, though, what god or religion are you following? That might help us. A monk/favored soul of Heironeous could be rather different than a monk/favored soul of the Blood of Vol.
Adolph_Kheebler 12-25-06, 07:44 PM	It all depends on who your patron deity is. A favoured soul is almost an aspect of said deity. Take your inspiration from the description of that deity (do you have deities and demigods? Use that instead of the brief descriptions in the PHB if you do.) Which order were the classes taken in? Favoured Soul first or Monk first? That is also important. If monk is first then I like the idea of knowing nothing about your divine power and being scared of its effects. You were raised in a monestary and were always exceptional while growing up. However you don't know that it is because Deity X is looking on you with favour. If Favoured Soul is first just vary that story to be that you went to the monestary to try to find out what is happening to you. If you manage to find out what you are (I've always thought it ridiculous that favoured souls don't get knowledge religion when sorcerers get knowledge arcana. Aside from the obvious stuff it makes them utterly useless epic since they can't qualify for epic spellcasting. I've houseruled that they get it in all of my games) then you can use the standard fallback of, "Just because I'm divine doesn't mean I no longer like to fight. I enjoy this so I'm going to keep doing this". You do need to remember that class is not a definition of personality. You can come up with some really wierd class/race/personality conflicts. I'm currently playing a Sun Elf psion who absolutely loathes other elves. And that is pretty basic. The same party has a 9 year old girl Wu Jen. You can set up pretty much any story you want with any classes you want (obviously some things are excluded, but not nearly as many as you'd think).
Euch 12-26-06, 02:06 PM	hey, firstly, you all got great points, I've always thought of characters as numbers and stats, so I have to thank you fro proving me wrong :) problem is, you still didn't answer my real question (or in fact you did and I didn't notice it?) I'm want to know how can I do a switch between a monk to a favored soul in mid-game without DM intevension (or rather, minimum intervention) all the stories I've thought of requires either the DM changing the story to make it fit, or me starting out in the level right after I've multiclassed. basically the story would be (corny alert, stop reading if you hate those stuff :)) about a young human training in an elven monestry, kicked out after he fell in love with the leader's daughter, beeing spotted by the mistress of love (if there's such a diety at all, I need your help in finding that out), and going the route of a favored soul from then on. now... how can I play that from level 1 on?
BoSheck 01-04-07, 11:32 AM	Think of it this way: You don't need to justify multiclassing, to a degree. I honestly feel a lot stranger, if I'm REALLY going for story on a character not having the aspiring knight take a level of ranger because of his background in the wooded hills of Xingdale. It makes perfect sense for a character to multiclass, especially if the two classes mesh well thematically. You really screw yourself if you take one level in six different classes, but at the same time if you're trying to reproduce a second edition elf, being a wizard2/fighter1/elven paragon3/ruathar/spellsword/elven PrC (Bladesinger, Olin Gisir, Elven Archer, Seeker of the Misty Isle, etc.) makes perfect sense, as the race blends magic and skill at arms into a nearly singular art.
Adrian_Crane 01-04-07, 02:30 PM	The general idea is, how can one explain classes at all? Your character doesn't know he's a Fighter 1 / Barbarian 2. To him, the rigid training eventually gave way to a free, unrestrained fighting style that lets him harness his battle fervor. By the same token, a Ftr 1 / Wiz 5 / Spellsword 1 / etc type of build is simply an individual who devotes time to both skill at arms and arcane mastery. He might well identify himself as a "Spellsword" even though he only has one actual class level in it. It's not all that different with RP-heavy classes such as a build with Paladin of Wee Jas / Ruby Knight Vindicator (Book of Nine Swords; basically, warriors of Wee Jas). As long as two classes don't directly conflict in their goals and aims, you're fine. If they do, you simply chalk it up to having a change of heart where you left your old ways behind. The only big problem would be if you want to alternate between two opposed classes--assuming you could even do so rules-wise, your best explanation might be being a double agent of sorts. hey, I'm want to know how can I do a switch between a monk to a favored soul in mid-game without DM intevension (or rather, minimum intervention) all the stories I've thought of requires either the DM changing the story to make it fit, or me starting out in the level right after I've multiclassed. basically the story would be (corny alert, stop reading if you hate those stuff :)) about a young human training in an elven monestry, kicked out after he fell in love with the leader's daughter, beeing spotted by the mistress of love (if there's such a diety at all, I need your help in finding that out), and going the route of a favored soul from then on. now... how can I play that from level 1 on? Sounds like a Favored Soul of Sune or possibly Sharess (lust). More likely the former, though. It makes decent enough sense; as to how to play it, like you said, it will depend heavily on where the campaign starts. This reads more like a backstory, so you might be better off starting at your first level of Favored Soul, but if you want all the events to occur ingame you should talk it over with your DM. Work with him, let him know where you want the story to go (just the major points), and that should take care of things. You may have a bumpy ride with unexpected detours from point A to point B, but you'll get there.
Doomed_Penguin 01-04-07, 04:21 PM	First of all, once you multiclass out of monk, you can't get back in. Also, monks must be lawful. Just thought you should work around those two rules before worrying about your DM judging your backstory. P.S. Good luck finding/making a lawful deity of love... that's the backstory I'd want to hear if I was your DM.