Multi-Class OR Dual

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I'm new to the Baldur Gate environment and would like to know if I should choose one of these paths or just stick with a base character?

 

Depends on what you like - some single classes and kits are great, just to name a few the swashbuckler, the cavalier, barbarian, monk and sorcerer.

However, dualclassed chars are definitely stronger than multiclass chars - I´d definitely prefer them to multiclass chars but dualclassing is for humans only and the other races offer some nice advantages.

My fav class: dc fighter-thief lvl-6/* und dc kensai-mage lvl-6/* (Starting in BG-2 I´d dual at lvl-8 but thats just MHO )

A link with dc related stuff (in the end):
http://www.sorcerers.net/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001728.html

 

Anybody try Kensai/Cleric Yet?
Kick ass with the Crom Faeyr later.

 

multi-class sucks
they cant gain high levels as others,
maybe in ToB

try one myself then

 

Kevlar: Yes, mc is interesting but I disagree with you in that ToB will reduce the dc char´s advantages compared to the mc char.

Consider that the mc char then still has to share the xp gained on both classes equally. That´s why I think that in ToB the dc char will still be better than the mc char.

 

Multi-class does not SUCK.

It enables you to make real-world sense of the growth of certain players. It is a more realistic option for most NPC's, in that it mirrors our own organic way of developing. We don't study kung-fu for 10 years, then stop cold turkey and start studying for the priesthood. At least I didn't. It all happens together...

Does AD&D 3rd ed allow for multi/dual characters--that is, I putzed along as a thief/mage for 10 years, had a religious experience, and became a monk.

Now you have X levels of thief/mage in the past, starting from scratch in an entirely different discipline.

Ahh. I babble.

bgp

 

I prefer single class characters so that I can "get under their skin" a little more. MC or DC usually leads to a "power for the sake of power" game play. Single class characters need to develop their skills and party to off-set any limitations.

 

(3rd Edition)
3rd Edition handles it much differently. Everyone gains levels on the same scale of Experience. Each time you gain a level you decide what class you are gaining it in (subject to DM's approval of course). All your levels are combined into your total level, which determines certain abilities, while your level in a particular class determines others. My character is a thief/fighter. (not a fighter/thief, his first level was in thief.) He is currently at thief 2, fighter 2. If he picked up mage as his next level, there would be no penalty (though my DM would probably say I needed to spend a few years studying magic as a roleplaying aspect) as the new level would only be 1 level under my current. If I put my next level in thief, and then the next level in mage I would have to pay an Exp penalty. Other than that everyone takes the same amount of experience to go up in any class,and the amount for next level goes up with your total level, as opposed to your level in a class. This works because skills are additive rather than parallel. I don't have the saves and thaco of my best class, I have the save bonus and hit bonus of the total of my classes. Then there are prestige classes, which are kind of like kits, except they are gained later on, the same as regular levels, but only if you meet the requirements to be admitted to the group. I don't think there are any exp penalties to gain a level in a prestige class.

One last thing, there are favored classes for different races. Elves have mage, Half-Orcs have Barbarian, etc. Basically this means they can be any level in another class, and gain a level in their favored class with no penalty. Humans have no favored class as a race, each human's favored class is always the one that they had at level 1.

You always keep your abilities, unlike dual classing, and you have complete freedom as to what classes you go up in, unlike multi-classing. Very different in a lot of ways.

 

Why not reviving the good old "roleplayer vs. powergamer" war? It was in the air for a while ...

I clearly get what you mean bgp - it´s silly, ununderstandable, illogical and stupid that you "forget" all the things you´ve learned before when you switch to another class when dualling. Nontheless dc chars *are* more powerfull in BG-2.

However, my best dc chars were already dualled in BG-1 so I didn´t feel a difference to playing a new mc fighter-thief/ fighter-mage except in the much better fighting abilities - that much about roleplaying them

Check my link, there I puzzle out my view extensively http://www.sorcerers.net/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001728.html

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited April 06, 2001).]

 

From a power point of view, dual classing is terrific. It doesn't make much sense to be a single class mage, for example, because for about the cost of experience of being a 10th level mage, you can be a 9th level fighter/ 9th level mage, and have all those hit points, and all that thaco by next level.

Multi-Classing is best if you really do want to do both things about equally. Aerie is great as a spell battery, and can be backup cleric and backup mage in one package.

Single-Class of course, let's you play some of the interesting other classes (Barbarian, Monk, Sorcerer) or take some of the sub-classes into the high levels instead of dualling to something else.

 

I still like specialization better, I'll try one in the expansion in bg1 they sucked cause of their low level.

[This message has been edited by kevlar0101 (edited April 09, 2001).]

 

I prefer M/C to D/C'ing personally. I've an Elven Fighter/Thief Multi character.

Hard going to start with, granted, but it's a real bonus picking up weapon skill proficiencies AND adding to your thieving skills etc upon level up. Had I of dualled him from a fighter I would lose the THAC0, weapon proficiencies and saving throw adjustments awarded to him on levelling up.

Dualling is cool too, yeah, I'm not knocking it, but you've got a relative wimp on your hands while waiting for your new class to surpass that of your old one. Obviously the question of what you dual from and to what you dual to are important issues that need to be carefully thought out prior to taking the option.

As it stands for me, I have a character that dishes out 20 + or so damage on every basic hit, can scout, backstab, open locks, pick pockets, lay traps and find traps and he has the special abilities of both classes. He's been able to do all this (with varying success ) since day one. He can use all weapons and most potions to assist him in his tasks. But best of all he still receives all the benefits and bonuses of BOTH classes on level up. Yes, levelling up does take a little longer for the m/c character but the rewards are worth it imho.

 

i now go with elven fighter/mage/thief, training IT on defensive magic and good stealth, but what i really enjoy is completing so many quests without combat, just with thieving abilities and minimal murder
(i play solo)

 

Aye Captain!!!

That could make for an interesting evening of gaming, but how do you go up levels?

Being TRI-Classed, you would have to worry about that far more than the average character?

Arrrgggh, I digress into the ol' power trap. Forgive me Captain, my Captain.