In the past i have played as paladin, thief and cleric. I was considering dual classing as either fighter/thief or thief/fighter. It will be my first dual class and wanted some input. However, i didn't like the thief guild once i had it, i would prefer the keep as i have never had it before. Which one would you advise?

I would choose F/T Multi-Class. If dual you can do the popoular Kensai->Mage,ensai->Thief,Wizrad Slayer->Thief.

Do a Kensai/Mage , they're really fun.

For dualling a character with both fighter and thief classes, I would normally recommend starting as a thief and dualling to a fighter. You can get thief skills to acceptable levels quickly, and then switch to fighter and keep improving your fighting skills. Be careful when choosing a thief kit as they reduce your skill points/level, and some of them don't really start to get good until high levels.

If you're more interested in playing a thief that is a better fighter than normal, then start as a fighter and dual, or go multiclass. The advantage to dualling into the thief class is that you will level faster as a thief and regain your skills earlier. You'll also have the fighter's hit points. The fighter kits don't work as well for a thief--berserker will not be able to use thief skills while berserk, and wizard slayer can't use all the magic skill boosters. Kensai would be good if you don't mind losing the ability to wear armor (a kai enhanced backstab can be really effective).

If you have ToB, I would really advise considering the multiclass, as you would then be able to get both fighter and thief HLAs.

Can you do this on Multi class because it tried and you can only be a fighter mage and not a special class its stupid!!!!!

The only race that can multiclass a kit is gnome, and only with the illusionist mage kit. (All gnomes are illusionists by default.) Multiclassing with any other kit and any other race would be severly unbalanced, IMO.

If you really want a multi-class with a kit, you can always cheat & use ShadowKeeper. With SK, you can assign yourself 1 kit, whether you are multi-class or dual. You can even give yourself a kit for the class you dualled to if you want.

Other than that, though, you can't legally multi-class a Kensai. You can only start as a Kensai & dual to something else.

- Imrahil

Hacking yourself a kit for the class you Dualed TO instead of FROM is the only cheat I would consider to be 'fair' in this area, and even then there are some class/kit combinations that can be taken too far. I see nothing wrong with wanting to become, say, a Fighter->Necromancer, but a high-level Fighter should not be allowed to Dual to Swashbuckler. ("Hey, I've got great AC and great THAC0....and they just keep gettin' better! :D ")