Multiclass Skill - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Multiclass Skill

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ziptie_dup
Nov 06, 2008 21:44:19 Didn't see another thread about this so if I missed it sorry. I was playing with the new Bard preview and thought a Swordmage multiclass would be interesting background wise. The Bard though comes with Arcana and the muticlass for Swordmage gives you training in Arcana, how have others handled this situation. It's not to big a problem yet but as more and more classes are introduced the redundency is likely to increase. I was thinking it would be easy just to say take another skill from the multiclasses skill list. Any other thoughts?
#2
salla
Nov 06, 2008 22:28:08 I give free Skill Focus in the duplicated skill. Bard Arcana + Swordmage Arcana = I know a lot about magic = Skill Focus (Arcana).
#3
dirtyfrank
Nov 07, 2008 1:19:39 Can't you retrain skills as you level up? If you are starting above level one then Arcana can be retrained to another skill then you can take the swordmage multiclass feat to gain Arcana.
#4
drmorganes
Nov 07, 2008 6:44:26 The rules make no provision for this, so strictly speaking the duplicate skill training is wasted.

My house rule has been to allow an immediate retraining of the duplicated skill upon taking the multiclass feat. I think, however, that I may implement Salla's instead.
#5
salla
Nov 07, 2008 11:42:03
Can't you retrain skills as you level up? If you are starting above level one then Arcana can be retrained to another skill then you can take the swordmage multiclass feat to gain Arcana.

You can't retrain a feat that's an automatic class feature, like Stealth or Thievery for a rogue or Religion for a cleric or paladin. A ranger can retrain Nature into Dungeoneering, or vice-versa because he must have one or the other, but couldn't swap it into something different.

As a side note, I disagree with this, primarily for the rogue, because it does make all rogues thieves and makes it harder to run the class as simply a lightly armored warrior or swashbuckler, but it is the RAW.
#6
dirtyfrank
Nov 07, 2008 13:10:28 I have never had this come up but if it did I was thinking of having the pc gain another skill from the multiclass skill list. Know that I think about it the skill focus idea does seem a bit more reasonable. Maybe this will help keep people from thinking that multiclassing is a waste.
#7
sirdragos
Nov 07, 2008 16:31:33 The skill focus idea is a really good one. I've been trying to solve the problem as well as I am playing a Wizard looking to multiclass into Swordmage in preparation for WoST. With the advent of the Gladiator article, my GM have been considering swapping in the longsword proficiency for the redundant skill. I had initially thought it might be a little unbalanced, but the gladiator multiclass weapon feats give a superior weapon proficiency plus a strong related ability; the Swordmage providing a sword proficiency does not seem out of line. However, I like the skill focus route too. Has anyone else come up with anything else that seems balanced?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ziptie_dup Nov 06, 2008 21:44:19	Didn't see another thread about this so if I missed it sorry. I was playing with the new Bard preview and thought a Swordmage multiclass would be interesting background wise. The Bard though comes with Arcana and the muticlass for Swordmage gives you training in Arcana, how have others handled this situation. It's not to big a problem yet but as more and more classes are introduced the redundency is likely to increase. I was thinking it would be easy just to say take another skill from the multiclasses skill list. Any other thoughts?
#2 salla Nov 06, 2008 22:28:08	I give free Skill Focus in the duplicated skill. Bard Arcana + Swordmage Arcana = I know a lot about magic = Skill Focus (Arcana).
#3 dirtyfrank Nov 07, 2008 1:19:39	Can't you retrain skills as you level up? If you are starting above level one then Arcana can be retrained to another skill then you can take the swordmage multiclass feat to gain Arcana.
#4 drmorganes Nov 07, 2008 6:44:26	The rules make no provision for this, so strictly speaking the duplicate skill training is wasted. My house rule has been to allow an immediate retraining of the duplicated skill upon taking the multiclass feat. I think, however, that I may implement Salla's instead.
#5 salla Nov 07, 2008 11:42:03	Can't you retrain skills as you level up? If you are starting above level one then Arcana can be retrained to another skill then you can take the swordmage multiclass feat to gain Arcana. You can't retrain a feat that's an automatic class feature, like Stealth or Thievery for a rogue or Religion for a cleric or paladin. A ranger can retrain Nature into Dungeoneering, or vice-versa because he must have one or the other, but couldn't swap it into something different. As a side note, I disagree with this, primarily for the rogue, because it does make all rogues thieves and makes it harder to run the class as simply a lightly armored warrior or swashbuckler, but it is the RAW.
#6 dirtyfrank Nov 07, 2008 13:10:28	I have never had this come up but if it did I was thinking of having the pc gain another skill from the multiclass skill list. Know that I think about it the skill focus idea does seem a bit more reasonable. Maybe this will help keep people from thinking that multiclassing is a waste.
#7 sirdragos Nov 07, 2008 16:31:33	The skill focus idea is a really good one. I've been trying to solve the problem as well as I am playing a Wizard looking to multiclass into Swordmage in preparation for WoST. With the advent of the Gladiator article, my GM have been considering swapping in the longsword proficiency for the redundant skill. I had initially thought it might be a little unbalanced, but the gladiator multiclass weapon feats give a superior weapon proficiency plus a strong related ability; the Swordmage providing a sword proficiency does not seem out of line. However, I like the skill focus route too. Has anyone else come up with anything else that seems balanced?