How do you level multi-class characters?

[kerc]

If I understand the rules correctly, you must level both classes to move up a level. However, has anyone tried individual leveling of classes as experience is acquired? Does it work fine? For example, if you already achieved enough for becoming a level 3 fighter, get the advantages of that class while still being a level 2 magic-user.

I ask because I have an elf fighter/m-u in our group and she's the only one completely stuck in level 2. The only hitch I see in this is hit dice...

[Dimirag]

Some editions of the original game allows multiclassing leveling by dividing the XP earn into the number of classes combined, so its not something unheard of.

Something you can do: Make the character earn 50% XP, once he levels in one class give those benefits, once he levels in the other class give only the benefits that are better than the ones from the other class, for HP keep noted the las rolled value for the leveled class, and if the new level in the other class gives more HP then add the difference.

But note that due to the xp penalty the character will still fall behind.

[kerc]

Yeah, I always expect the multi-class character to have an XP "penalty" in the sense that he/she will need more experience to level up. I just want a way to make it more gradual. If you think about it, it makes sense even from a real-life perspective. You get better faster at some skills than others, even when practicing and using them consistently and somultaneously.

[Dimirag]

Its totally doable, the only thing to consider is the "leveling speed"
I made a table for you giving the different XP requirements and by giving the difference in XP between leveling as a fighter and later as a magic user so you can judge if this difference is enough for the extra leveling

xp.png (43.44 KiB) Viewed 2086 times

Note that on the above table the pc earns XP as normal and not at half value, to make things easier

Here is a second idea, this one, I think, it is easier:
This table give the derived value for leveling each class, making him level at his MU part at the same rate as normal, but leveling the Fighter part a 50% sooner (but not as soon as a standard fighter).
If you feel being a nice GM you can let the player choose which part of the combo goes up faster

[kerc]

THAT'S FANTASTIC!!

Thanks for these tables. I really like the approach on the second one. A nicely stepped progression for multi-classing. It's interesting; following the first table makes more logical sense to me (for example, leveling up to 4 as a fighter when reaching 8,000, and then with only 2,000 more leveling up as a magic-user), since experience is experience, and you don't "use" different experience in the game. You swing your sword, you cast spells, regardless. However, the second one matches the experience progression of the original much better.

One cool, ideal thing Skyrim has is that the more you use something, the better you become at it. Unfortunately that's a mechanic almost impossible to implement in a tabletop RPG unless you bog things down, and no one likes that.

I think I might go with the second one. I'd like to see what Gonnerman thinks about this. I could see something like that implemented for other types of multi-classing, and maybe would open up more varieties of it.

¡Mil gracias!

[Dimirag]

De nada!

The first table, if used with the 50% XP penalty allows for the use of the standard XP tables, I went with the increase XP cost as to not make the player lose any earn XP

The second one requires more number crunching when doing the combo class but ends up giving a nicer "leveling curve".

[Hernes Son]

I've always just used the system where you split XP evenly between the classes, and only get the better benefit as you level up.

I'm pretty sure multi classing was a way to slow down experience gain by demihumans in the original AD&D. Hence the level caps on them. You could only achieve, say level 7 as a Fighter, and level 8 as a M-U if you were an Elf. But if you're splitting the XP across two levels, it takes you a lot longer to reach those caps.

[SmootRK]

I prefer the clumped together xp and leveling each at the same time. The way I figure it, when your attention is split between two classes, neither advances quickly (or more quickly for one or the other), and it is definitely easier on figuring out exactly what one gets when the split level occurs. No half hd calculations and decisions on when CON bonus applies or any of that non-sense.

I do "get it" that it takes away from that small incremental advancement that a player might enjoy, but the ease of calculation wins for me.

[Solomoriah]

The "clumped-together" way is the canonical version, i.e. the actual rule for BFRPG. You may, of course, do as you wish in your own game, but if you want to know how it's supposed to work... that's how.

[Olgabelle]

The "clumped-together" way is the canonical version, i.e. the actual rule for BFRPG. You may, of course, do as you wish in your own game, but if you want to know how it's supposed to work... that's how.

This is one part of BF that I think is an improvement on AD&D1 style multi or dual classing. The thing to consider along with the rules for combination classes is the rule about not advancing more than one level per adventure.

In the example for that rule, the 1st level thief earns 3000xp, but forfeits 501 of them because he cannot advance to 3rd level until the next adventure. His Elf Magic-User/Thief friend, however, needs 3750 just to get to 2nd level; he gets to keep all 3000 earned xp. In a campaign with longer, busier adventures, this little advantage helps a little bit in countering the slower advancement of the combo-class Elves.

But, considering the huge advantage in class abilities the Fighter/Magic-User and Magic-User/Thief have, and they have to be Elves, so throw in a couple more minor perks over their human single class buddies, I don't have any problem making them advance more slowly than the standard classes.

In other words, the combo-class XP rules work fine, I say leave them as written.