Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Leatherwood 12-09-04, 09:44 PM	I have an idea for a house rule; *reward* good multi-class practices, instead of penalizing bad multi-class practices. For example: If all classes are within one level of each other, the player may reroll one D20 roll per game session. If the character's favored class is the highest level class, the player may reroll two D20 rolls per game session. If the character's favored class is the highest level class, and all other classes are within one level of each other, the player may reroll three D20 rolls per game session. Players of characters who do not have a favored class may choose a favored class at character creation. Does anybody else have alternatives to mult-classing xp penalties?
Loren Pechtel 12-10-04, 12:49 AM	My inclination is that non-abusive multi-classing should not incur penalties, period.
Ranger REG 12-11-04, 03:08 AM	So what are symptoms of abusive multiclassing? Basically, if you don't like the penalty, then as a DM, remove it. Alternatively, the race's Favored Class should be at a class level equal to or higher than the other highest-level classes you've attained. For human and half-elf, any classes they attained can be at any level.
Loren Pechtel 12-11-04, 10:33 PM	So what are symptoms of abusive multiclassing? Basically, if you don't like the penalty, then as a DM, remove it. Alternatively, the race's Favored Class should be at a class level equal to or higher than the other highest-level classes you've attained. For human and half-elf, any classes they attained can be at any level. I would consider one level of something to likely be abusive unless it's needed for a PrC.
Ranger REG 12-12-04, 03:58 AM	How so? I think that Favored Class should be emphasized when nonhuman (excluding half-elf) prefers to multiclass. Otherwise, eliminate XP penalties altogether.
Mr. NewFox 12-12-04, 11:36 AM	Abusive multi-classing is the result of min/maxing most of the time. But there can be some interesting, if initially outrageous, multi-classing that can arise from good role-playing and/or thoughtful back stories. I mean, so what if your elf has one level each of sorcerer, rogue, cleric, and ranger? Perhaps she or he is still trying to find her/his path in life. Or perhaps they get bored easily and skip from assignment to assignment, job to job. If role-played correctly, I wouldn't penalize them. I currently have a character that is min-maxed up the wazoo, but they have a back story to match. The character is an independent (and boderline psychopathic) dwarf. He is a ftr 4 / clc 3 / bbn 3 / frenzied beserker 2. Worships Garagos, although he is tempted by the more discipliend path of Tempus. He's been a blast to play, and no-one finds his character unbelievable or ridiculously min/maxed.
caeruleus 12-12-04, 06:01 PM	In Conan the Roleplaying Game, you also gain benefits from taking levels of a favored class instead of the penalties listed. I don't remember exactly how it goes, but for every certain number of levels you gain in your favored class (whether you're multiclassed or not), you get a bonus feat. It may be every 5 levels, or maybe it's just at levels 5 and 10, I can't quite recall. I personally don't like the standard XP penalty when it comes to multiclassing.
Jack Daniel 12-12-04, 10:21 PM	I grant +2 action points per level to characters who advance in their favored class; but obviously, you would need to use the action point rules to make use of this idea.
caeruleus 12-13-04, 08:59 PM	I grant +2 action points per level to characters who advance in their favored class; but obviously, you would need to use the action point rules to make use of this idea. I've never used action points, but I nonetheless like your idea.
Green 12-14-04, 06:55 PM	I think multiclassing XP penalties make sense within a certain context, but not the way the RAW work. With the RAW, you are penalized for being lop-sided. You can have ten levels in five classes and get no multiclassing penalties since they are all relatively even with each other. However, if you have ten levels in 2 classes, with an overwhelming preference for one over the other, then you get a penalty. It's just backwards. IMO, multiclassing penalties should be based on two things: the number of classes you have and the niches the classes fill. The issue of multiclassed spellcasters does have a point. Personally, I'm inclined to have decreased spellcasting capacity be the price you pay for having more options at your disposal. However, for combining spellcasting classes that share similar mechanics and progression, more seamless integration is needed. I'm somewhat fond of having caster level be something like BAB, but instead of the good/medium/poor, there'd be good/medium/poor/nil. Clerics, druids, sorcerers, and wizards would have a good progression. Bards would have a medium progression. Monks, paladins, and rangers would have the poor progression. Barbarians, fighters, and rogues would have the nil progression. The good progression is +1 caster level every level (starts at+1). The medium progression is +1 caster level every two out of three levels (starts at +1). The poor progression is +1 caster level every other level (starts at +0). The nil progression does not gain any caster levels (stays at +0).