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Post by Hussar on Oct 3, 2003 9:05:29 GMT -5
Admittedly, I rarely play DnD as a player. For the most part, I DM and have done so for many years. When 3e came out, I took a look at the multiclassing rules and thought they were pretty well done. Certainly more fair than the 2e rules IMO. Then I saw a couple of my players take multiclass characters, either with core classes or with PrC's. I quickly realized something. It's a fools bet. Sure, you may gain some very specific abilities with PrC's and you may gain access to some cool stuff if you take another class, but, in the end, you lose too much. The thing is, as soon as you specialize your character in one thing or another, you are only effective in those specific circumstances. For example, if you take lots of bow feats and make an Arcane Archer, you get your face handed to you in melee combat. Whereas as single classed character retains a much broader base of abilities from which he can handle just about any situation. By and large, multiclassing is a surefire way to relagate yourself to second string. That arcane archer, sure he shines when things are 100 feet away, but, put him in a dungeon with lots of turns, few rooms and lots of corners and he's pooched. Specializing in anything makes you weaker overall.
Just my 2cp worth.
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Post by ShonenSenshiDave on Oct 3, 2003 9:48:07 GMT -5
actually Hussar, I would have to disagree on a couple of points:
I currently play a PrC, and I am hardly second string. Actually, I do a lot of the fighting, even though I'm a pyro. And even if I am fighting stuff immune to fire, which has happened, I have other abilities to back me up, even if it means nickle and diming the opponent.
We have an archer in our group (not an arcane archer; we have a bizarre mix of 1, 2 and 3 E characters in our party), and he's ok with a sword. His dice prefer bows, lol, but he's pretty good with a longsword, especially as an elf. Sure, being able to hit everything is great, and he loves it, but sometimes it just don't work out that way <shrugs>
I will agree that certain PrC are pretty limited in scope. The Wayfarer comes to mind. And I'm not overly impressed by the Illithid Hunter. But overall, I think that many PCs who choose to specialize understand why they're doing it and what they're character is all about.
I also have to point out that the DM has some responsibility here. S/he must be able to put limits on PrCs. If a player wants to adopt one, it requires a lot of discussion and thought on both the part of the DM and the PC. And in some cases the PC will feel useless, and in other cases will shine. But that's the truth for all PCs! The adventure should be even enough where a character doesn't feel out of place.
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cryptangel
Peasant
The Keeper of the Key
Posts: 11
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Post by cryptangel on Oct 3, 2003 11:51:27 GMT -5
Well, what I think is that althought in the paper a multiclassed character looks weaker than a normal one, it's not always true. Let me explain...
A friend and I joined recently a 12 lv. couple of characters, I used a 10 lv. Wizard, and my pal a Rogue/Cleric 6/4 lv. When we saw his sheet, definitely he looked weaker (3d6 sneak attack and evasion when he could have 5d6 and IMPROVED evasion, or just 2lv. cleric spells when he could have 5lv. ones). But when we fighted a Yuan-Ti Druid in a forest, simple evasion proved enough to avoid Flame Strike, and his 3d6 sneak attack took down several summoned beasts; while my wizard was eaten outright by a enlarged companion lizard, without a chance to cast anything. I get my ass out of that fight alive thanks to the last charge of the wand of resurrection of the party, and then became invisibly and managed to teleport our dwarf leader to a temple fast enough to save his life, but the point is that his "weaker" character managed to be more effective than mine in that specific battle.
What I learned from this experience is that no matter which character you make, there will be ALWAYS some situation in which your abilities are useless and some in which you are essential, son don't worry if the multiclassed PC are weaker or stronger than the single classed PC, just make your character acording to his ROLEPLAYING HISTORY AND HAVE FUN!!!
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Post by Hussar on Oct 3, 2003 23:28:36 GMT -5
Oh true, I wasn't trying to make some sort of munchkin arguement. I've just seen a lot of posts talking about how 3e multiclasses are so obscenely powerful. I just wanted to point out that they weren't.
And, yes, of course you are right, the best character to play is the one you want to play regardless of relative power level. I do realise that.
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Post by Gnome on Oct 6, 2003 9:09:54 GMT -5
I have a multiclassed half-orc barbarian/fighter, and he's great. Not overpowered, but really good at melee combat. I multiclassed him because I only have a 12 Dex score and am in no hurry to get barbarian abilities like improved evasion that rely on my Dex to be effective. In the long run, I lose my a few high level barbarian abilities and skill points, but I gain a load of feats that help me a lot at what I do: cutting things in half
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