Multi-class

A multi-class character improves in two or more classes simultaneously. His experience is divided equally between each class. The available class combinations vary according to race. The character can use the abilities of both classes at any time, with only a few restrictions. Any race other than humans may be a multi-class character.

Requirements

A multi-class character must abide by the Ability and Alignment restrictions for all of his classes. Thus a multi-class Bard/Ranger must be Neutral Good in alignment and have Str 13, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 14, and Cha 15.

The one exception to this rule is the multi-class Ranger/Druid. Druids who multi-class as Rangers must be of Neutral Good alignment, instead of the typical True Neutral required by other Druids.

Experience

A multi-class character’s experience is divided evenly between his classes. For the sake of simplicity, the character still tracks a single pool of experience points, but divides all earned experience by the number of classes he possesses. Thus a character with two classes would earn half the normal amount of experience, and a character with three classes would earn one-third.

For example: “Bob” is a multi-class Fighter/Mage just starting his career. In his first adventure, each member of his party earns 4000 experience points. Bob, having two classes, divides this by 2, giving him an experience total of 2000. Since his Fighter class needs only 2000xp to advance to 2nd level, he levels up as a Fighter, gaining all the benefits indicated for his class (subject to the limitations below). Since his Mage class requires 2500xp to advance, he will not reach 2nd level as a mage until he earns another 1000 experience points (divided by 2 for a total of 2500xp in each class).

If characters are being awarded Individual Experience Awards, the multi-class character earns such bonuses in the same manner as any other character. In addition, he is eligible for the class-specific bonuses for each of his classes. These individual awards apply to the multi-class characters pool of experience and is applied to each of his classes. All experience earned (either group or individual) is divided as indicated above.

Combat Statistics and Proficiencies

A multi-class character always uses the most favorable combat value and the best saving throw from his different classes.

The character’s hit points are the average of all his Hit Dice rolls. When the character is first created, the player rolls hit points for each class separately, totals them up, then divides by the number of dice rolled (round fractions down). Any Constitution bonus is then added to the character’s hit points. If one of the character’s classes is a warrior and he has a Constitution of 17 or higher, then he gains the increased Constitution bonus available only to warriors (instead of the +2 maximum available to the other character classes).

Later the character is likely to gain levels in different classes at different times. When this happens, roll the appropriate Hit Die and divide the result by the number of classes the character has (round fractions down, but a Hit Die never yields less than 1 hit point). The character’s Constitution bonus is split between his classes; thus, a fighter/mage gets ½ of his Con bonus when he goes up a level as a fighter and the other ½ of the Con bonus when he goes up a level as a mage. A fighter/mage/thief would get 1/3 of his bonus when he goes up as a fighter, 1/3 when he goes up as a mage, and the other 1/3 when he goes up as a thief.

The character starts with the largest number of proficiency slots of the different classes (thus a fighter/mage would start with 4 weapon proficiency slots and 4 non-weapon slots). He has access to all of the groups for each of his classes. He gains all of the bonus proficiencies for each of his classes (if any). After 1st level, he gains new proficiency slots at the fastest of the given rates, using his level in the class that grants the selected advancement rate.

To determine the character’s initial money, roll according to the most generous of the character’s different classes or roll according to his kit(s).

Weapons and Armor

A multi-class character may learn any of the weapons available to any of his classes, and may wear the best armor available to any of his classes. The following exceptions apply:

  1. Multi-class Priests must abide by the Weapon and Armor restrictions of their priest class, regardless of their other classes. They may become proficient in other weapons, but failing to abide by the restrictions of their Priest class results in the loss of all spellcasting abilities for 24 hours (repeated violations may result in excommunication and the permanent loss of all priest abilities).
  2. Multi-class Wizards (including spellcasting rogues) are subject to the normal penalties to their casting ability when wearing metal Armor.
  3. Multi-class Psionicists are subject to the normal penalties to their psionic abilities when wearing metal Armor.
  4. If a class or kit ability specifically requires that the character not wear armor or wear a specific kind of armor (such as a Ranger’s two-weapon fighting ability), the multi-class character must still abide by that restriction.

A multi-class character may use any magic item allowed by any of his classes, except where specified otherwise.

Class Abilities

Multi-class characters may use the abilities of each of their classes without restriction, except where noted in the specific class description.

Multi-class characters that would gain spellcasting ability from more than one source (such as a multi-class Mage/Bard or Mage/Cleric) must track the spellcasting abilities of each class separately. Each class has its own caster level, number of spells per day, and list of known/available spells.

A character able to cast wizard spells from multiple classes has a maximum number of spells known (from his Reason score) for each class—and may thus potentially know double the normal number of spells relative to a single-class caster. His number of bonus Paths from his Knowledge score are divided between his classes, as described under Paths. He must keep track of his known spells and known paths separately for each class.

A multi-class psionicist who gains wild talents from his second class or kit, has a single pool of PPs. He accrues PPs for both his psionicist class and his wild talents normally, as described for those abilities, but all points are added to a single pool and may be used for any of his psionic powers.

A multi-class character that would gain rogue skills (Pick Pockets, Move Silently, etc.) from multiple sources must observe the following rules:

  1. The character has a single value for each ability, regardless of the number of classes that grant them.
  2. The character uses the highest base value from any of his classes. Normal modifiers for Dexterity, Armor, Race, and Kits apply.
  3. The character gains the combined discretionary points from both classes at 1st level. He must still observe any class-specific limitations on how many points may be spent on a single ability.
  4. The character earns additional discretionary points at the rate indicated for each of his classes.
  5. If one or more abilities advance automatically by level (such as a Ranger’s Hide in Shadows), that ability still advances at the indicated rate. Any discretionary points spent on that ability are added on top of the automatic value.
  6. No Rogue ability may ever exceed a 95% chance of success (unless the specific class indicates otherwise). The character is free to start wearing heavy armor or take on other hindrances and continue to advance his skills to offset the indicated penalties.

Kits

Multi-class characters may only have one kit (and one homeland) just as other characters. However, if the abilities granted by a kit augment class abilities shared by more than one of the character’s classes, that augmentation applies to all instances of the ability. For example: a multi-class Mage/Priest from the City State of Phlan would be able to cast one additional mage spell per spell level from the school of Abjuration AND one additional priest spell per spell level from the Protection sphere.

Similarly, any proficiency that augments class abilities applies to each of a multi-class character’s classes that have that ability. For example: a multi-class Druid/Ranger with the Occult Lore proficiency would gain minor access to the Protection sphere for both his Druid and Ranger spellcasting.

Consult your DM if you are unsure about how a specific ability interacts with your choice of class(es).

Multi-class

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