The XP system and Dual-classing

[gandalf]

What we have done in dual classing in general is the following.

To me, and others of my group (and other gamers I know of) it seems pretty
unreasonable that someone 'forgets' their past class abilities, even if they
are supposed to be trying hard to learn the new class. IMO, they are just
'diverting', learning new skills rather than trying to superimpose them on
their past ones. Thus, dual-classing characters never lose their past
abilities. They just cease to be able to progress in their past class.

This too, seems a bit unreasonable. As someone wrote to Dragon, long, long
ago, say you have a 3rd lvl Fighter who dual-classes to wizard. He goes to
the 4th layer of Baator, and after creaming endless monster with the spells
now available to him (by this time he is a 16th lvl mage), he runs out of
spells! So he just pulls his sword out, and starts slaughtering! By luck, in
time, about four hundred baatezu lay at his feet. Yet, the amazing thing is,
he didn't gain a single XP as a fighter!

Of course, this is an extreme case, engineered especially to show how
irational the XP system can be.

Anyway, what this guy proposed was to do away with all dual-classing.
Instead, every character has the option, regardless of race, to take up a
second class at any time, thus becoming multi-classed any time in the game.
Certainly, it does need some work on whether or not the character will be
able to get another class, how he is going to regulate the XP and all that,
but IMO it is by far the most reasonable solution to the problem. Not that I
have undertaken it yet....

Any opinions?

Gandalf

- -----Original Message-----
From: rad smith
To: birthright
Date: Friday, March 06, 1998 02:43
Subject: [BIRTHRIGHT] - dual classing...


>
>
>here's my problem; i'm a thief regent, but when i hit a suitable level (9
>or 10) i intend to dual-class to a wizard.
>now, i've got the requisite stats, and an IC reason for doing so, the
>problem i have is this: the moment i do it, i'll stop getting regency from
>my guild holdings.
>this is not good; as i'm unlikely to be able to get by on 7 regency a
>turn, and it'll be a while until i get to an equal wizard level. can
>anyone see a way around this?
>it's not an imminent problem, as i'm 5th level atm, but still it's
>annoying.
>
>
>--
>rad
>
>"these people are going to have to realise that sometimes
>bad things happen for no reason, and without it begin anybody's
>fault. it's a tough life; stop complaining and deal with it."
>
>
>
>************************************************** *************************
>>'unsubscribe birthright' as the body of the message.

[Simon Graindorge]

Gandalf wrote:
>To me, and others of my group (and other gamers I know of) it seems pretty
>unreasonable that someone 'forgets' their past class abilities, even if
they
>are supposed to be trying hard to learn the new class. IMO, they are just
>'diverting', learning new skills rather than trying to superimpose them on
>their past ones. Thus, dual-classing characters never lose their past
>abilities. They just cease to be able to progress in their past class.


yes, I also have this opinion. I really don't like the way a character
loses all ability to use their old habits (like they say "old habits die
hard"). I don't mind them no longer being able to progress in the old
class, if only for purposes of game balance. After all, dual class
characters can be *very* powerful (as an example I have DMed a couple of
10/12 dual class characters, built up over many gaming sessions. The
characters, if allowed to precast defensive magic, would have a very very
good chance against the Gorgon, which is saying something).

However, I do like the idea of a character being able to use their old
abilities and have been trying. Maybe a way to award the XP would be to
give them the specific awards for their new class only. ie, if a thief
dual-classes to a fighter, his thieving abilities would earn no experience,
where fighting would. Again, though, there is the problem that the
character is not really losing anything by becoming dual-classed (like
being very vulnerable in the lower levels of their second class), so every
one will do it. I would be loathe to penalise them for using their old
abilities (ie. give them an XP penalty).

I really like dual-class characters in my campaign. I think they have a
certain richness and the players definitely seem to enjoy the challenge of
moulding them and finally being able to use them to their fullest extent.
If there was some way to limit the use of the old class (but not go as far
as to disallow it, or penalise it's use), then I think that would be a
great solution. Unfortunately I can't think of such a way of doing things.

I think some more opinions are called for :-)

Simon

Simon Graindorge
Coordinator, Birthright Online City Project

E-mail: slg@nw.com.au
Online City Project Homepage:
http://darkstar.cyberserv.com/netbook/city/index.html