Multiclassing in 3rd Ed?

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I have read about this topic in the Players' Handbook and I am left puzzled with how it works exactly. If I understood properly, it would appear that multiclassing does not work the same way as in 2nd Ed. with regards to split XP. You gain XP as a "general" character and when you have enough XP to advance a level, you pick the class you want to be proficient with. XP are no longuer split evenly between the 2 classes you are proficient in.

That would also mean that as your class level increases, you need more XP to gain a level. Albeit that only makes sense, it would mean that, as an exemple, if you are a 5th level fighter, you now reached the 15,000 XP mark, enough to increase your class level to 6th. However, instead of becoming a 6th level fighter, you opt for a level of wizard, which means that this 1st level of being a wizard just costed you 6,000 XP.

I know that this example does not correspond exactly to multiclassing; then, lets go on with another question: can you start the game as a 1st level fighter/wizard? Just divid your XP evenly and gaining the 2nd level costs you 1,000 XP for each class? Or do you start as a single class fighter, and when you reach 1,000 XP you then have to opt for gaining your 1st level of wizard? You would then need to reach 3,000 XP for your 2nd level of fighter, and then reach 6,000 XP for your 2nd level of wizard, and so on and so forth!!! bla, bla, bla...

I hope the question(s) is(are) clear enough!

Maybe all this is better explained in the DM Guide, but I have yet to buy it, and most importantly, read it!!

Thank you.

[This message has been edited by stormhand (edited January 14, 2002).]

 

Multiclassing certainly does not work the same way it works in 2E

Multiclassing does not limit you to 2 or 3 classes; with each, so to say, 'general character' level you gain, you may add an effective level of any class to your character.

The 1st level of Wizard after 5 levels of fighter will indeed cost you 6,000XP, and the 6th level of fighter, second level of Wizard or the first level in any new class you would want to add later will cost you 10,000XP after the 6th character level.

If the game starts with 0XP, you cannot start with a level of fighter and a level of wizard. You have to choose either fighter or wizard for your first character level and add the other one as soon as you reach the second character level.

[This message has been edited by Skedaddle (edited January 14, 2002).]

 

Stormhand, I think the main thing you need to think about is the different between class levels and character levels. It's a little different concept from the 2E way of looking at things.

In 3E XP earns character levels. Your character level is the total of all your class levels. The key change is the level in 3E are additive. By this I mean that all attack bonuses, saving throus, feats, skills, and other abilities between the classes combine. This is a large change from 2E. In 2E if you had a 5th level fighter and a 1st level mage what would you get? You take the higher saves, keep the fighter THAC0. In 3E you add up all the values between the classes which results in a stronger character. So consider the XP being used for character levels not Classes.

Does this help at all?

 

There is an optional multiclassing variant explained in the Dungeon Masters Guide. The character would actually begin as apprectice level in both classes. This additional level is explained in the DMG.

One of the classes must be the favored class of the race and one of the classes is chosen as the primary. For starting hit points, Skill points, Equipment, etc the primary class is used. Upon reaching 2nd level, the other class is used for this information.

After this, the classes are raised alternately.

For further information on this, see the Dungeon Masters Guide pages 40-41.

 

Thank you for your replies, they were quite informative.

I have obviously not played 3E yet. However, something in those rules appears to me as unfair to the magic wielding classes: even if you are adding the bonuses relative to attack, savings throws, ..., it seems to me that the way to level up a multi-class character would be more penalizing to a character using magic since you don't rely as much on your rolls (attack, feats, ...) as much as if you are playing a fighting class since you rely furthermore on magic (spells gained by advancing in level) and increasing your abilities (levels) costs you more in XP, especially if you play a cleric/wizard for example.

Since you people appear to have played the game using the 3E, can you tell me if my perception is miscued or is their some truth in there. And at the same time, please tell me if playing such a character (cleric/wizard), trying to maintain a balance between the classes, would still give a worthy character capable of keeping up with characters who would not use the multiclass options.

 

I won't say that spell caster are disadvantaged over other classes. To start with feats and skills do help caster as much as non-caster. They just use different feats and skills. And the casting system is more balanced than in 2E. The fact the spells have different casting levels based on class make a big difference. By this method a multiclass caster can have the best of both worlds.