Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - Just Started playing: Need some Explanation

Micah Foehammer · 02-17-2003, 08:30 PM

Let me see if I can answer the multi-classing and stat questions.

You are right in assuming that Multi-classing works very differently in IWD2. In 3rd Edition rules you can switch from your starting class to a new class and in most cases back to the original class (paladins and monks have some restrictions). There is only ONE xp progression table and its based on the total number of levels in all classes of your character. So, in general, if have a 2nd level fighter, and want to add a level of mage for example, the xp required to gain the mage level would be equivalent to what is required to gain another level in the fighter class. If the two classes are more than one level apart, however, you suffer an xp penalty of 20% while you are gaining xp in the lower level class, unless the original class was a "favoured" class of the character. Confused? Hope not ... here's an example:

You start with a dwarven fighter, and you continue playing until he reaches 7th level. Now you decide that you want to take a few levels of cleric. Since fighter is the favoured class for a dwarf, you suffer no xp penalty even though the levels of the two classes are widely different.

Now consider an elven fighter. Again you progress to 7th level and decide you want to add a couple of levels of cleric. The favoured class of the elf is a mage, and since neither of the classes your character will have is favoured, you will suffer a 20% xp penalty because of the disparity of the class levels.

If however, you had alternated classes between fighter and cleric for your elf, adding one level to each class, then you would have suffered NO xp penalty.

Hope that helps. [img]smile.gif[/img]

How you allocate your stat points will indeed determine how proficient you become in certain skills and if you have any skill bonuses. That's why a well rounded party is VERY essential. You simply can't make every character proficient in every skill. Adding a few skill points to bluff or diplomacy skills for more than one character can be very important as your lead character may NOT always be the one who initiates dialogue.

Again, hope that helps.

02-17-2003, 08:30 PM	#2
Micah Foehammer Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: November 15, 2001 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 3,253	Let me see if I can answer the multi-classing and stat questions. You are right in assuming that Multi-classing works very differently in IWD2. In 3rd Edition rules you can switch from your starting class to a new class and in most cases back to the original class (paladins and monks have some restrictions). There is only ONE xp progression table and its based on the total number of levels in all classes of your character. So, in general, if have a 2nd level fighter, and want to add a level of mage for example, the xp required to gain the mage level would be equivalent to what is required to gain another level in the fighter class. If the two classes are more than one level apart, however, you suffer an xp penalty of 20% while you are gaining xp in the lower level class, unless the original class was a "favoured" class of the character. Confused? Hope not ... here's an example: You start with a dwarven fighter, and you continue playing until he reaches 7th level. Now you decide that you want to take a few levels of cleric. Since fighter is the favoured class for a dwarf, you suffer no xp penalty even though the levels of the two classes are widely different. Now consider an elven fighter. Again you progress to 7th level and decide you want to add a couple of levels of cleric. The favoured class of the elf is a mage, and since neither of the classes your character will have is favoured, you will suffer a 20% xp penalty because of the disparity of the class levels. If however, you had alternated classes between fighter and cleric for your elf, adding one level to each class, then you would have suffered NO xp penalty. Hope that helps. [img]smile.gif[/img] How you allocate your stat points will indeed determine how proficient you become in certain skills and if you have any skill bonuses. That's why a well rounded party is VERY essential. You simply can't make every character proficient in every skill. Adding a few skill points to bluff or diplomacy skills for more than one character can be very important as your lead character may NOT always be the one who initiates dialogue. Again, hope that helps. __________________ “Every tavern’s an opportunity, I say.”