favored classes and race...?

[DavidL]

I'm unfamiliar with 3rd edition rules... What advantage is there in using the favored class? For example, I just re-started the game with a new party. While exploring the races, I found that Wild elves' favored class is sorcerer. Preferring that class to any other, I knew I wanted a sorcerer, so I made my wild elf a sorcerer, but it made me wonder what benefit there is in it.

[dragonslayer]

the benefit is when multi-classing, it's all in the manual, but for a brief description, you basically get no xp penalty for muli-classing to/from the preferred class...for example if you're gonna dual that sorcerer to a cleric when he's lvl 7 sorcerer you would normally get a 20 % xp penalty, but since it's the favoured class you don't. These 20 % are acumulative though, so if you take a third class you will get 40 % penalty normlly, if in a preferred class only 20 %, look in manual if you think it's messy

[Tanoch Thas'ala]

If you have a level 10 Wild Elf Fighter and you then decide to dual to Cleric, you will get the 20% XP penalty. However, if that Wild Elf is a level 10 Sorcerer and then you add a level in Fighter, you will NOT get a penalty becuase the Favored clas, Sorcerer is the higher level.

Also, say you have the Wild Elf Fighter at level 2 and then you add a level cleric, you will NOT get the penalty because the Fighter and Cleric levels are within a point. Same as if you had a lvl 9 fighter/lvl 8 Cleric. As long as the Non-favored classes are within a level you get no penalty.

[Magness]

While I understand the game mechanics of Favored Class, I'd like to know what the "real life" (such as it is in a DnD environment) explanation of "favored class" is.

Does it mean that the plurality of race X is of the FC?

Does it mean that the plurality of race X would prefer to be of the FC if given a choice or their abilities were suitable to the class?

Something else?

When I read the description of "wild elves" in the game manual, the choice of "sorceror" as favored class just doesn't seem right. I would have thought that a FC of either ranger or druid would have been more suitable for wild elves.

[karlosovic]

I agree, and if you note the stat bonuses some of the races have, they're completely incongruent with the FC. like +2 wisdom and favored class of wizard (I dont think that example exists, but you know what I mean)

and what is the story with drow ? In BG2 I didn't meet a single drow sorcerer (well maybe 1...) so why is this their favoured class ?

[Luvian]

Female drow favored class is priest, male is sorcerer. If you read the Drizzt novel, you would know that female always end up priest, while the most powerful male become mage or sorcerers.

The favored class is a cultural thing. Most dwarf are fighters, most halfling are thief,... they are more comfortable in that class, that's why it does not confuse them to have it. But an halfling Monk/wizard might be a little confused with the mix, hence the xp penalty. Human and half elves are more versatile, that's why they don't have a fixed favored class.