Dualclassing spellcasters

[J'aran]

For my next party I'm thinking about including a Mage who will dual to Ninja at a certain point. As the Ninja gets spells from the Alchemist-pool I was wondering: after the dual, can she still pick Mage-specific spells (which aren't normally available for Alchemists) at level-ups or learn them from books? Or should I make sure she has all of those before I dual her? I'd like to make the most of that character's casting skills.

[Nightowl2]

When you change class from Mage to something else, you keep the spells you already know. However, you can't learn new ones (not even from books) unless that spell is available to your new class.

In addition, your spell skills will never improve, however often you use them, unless those skills are available to your new class. For instance, the Wizardry skill will stay whatever it is when you change. However, since Fire is available to Alchemists, you can still bring up the fire skill as a Ninja.

Ninja is not a great choice for switching, though. That profession needs a lot of experience to go level, and you'll have to wait four levels before you even get any alchemy spells. Better to stay as a Mage.

Nightowl2

[Wereboar]

In addition, the critical skill of the ninja probably depends on his ninja level, not his character level. Same goes for his martial arts damage. This ninja would be much less powerful in fighting than a normal one.

If you want to dual your mage, go for samurai. You'll loose fighting ability too, but will continue to improve your old magic skills after a while.

You want to be good at casting spells? If you are a mage for say 8 levels to learn a few level 4 spells), then switch to ninja, you'll learn level 1 (!) alchemy spells at character level 13. What usufull is this at that stage? You'll never be good at alchemy spells.

[J'aran]

Hmmm, maybe it's not such a great idea. Guess I'll have to reconsider.

Damn, creating parties for RPGs is hard work!

[Scatter]

My parties are all really small, so i have to have each character be fairly good at a larger number of things. I've been starting Samurais as Mage (Hobbit), but only for L1, for the total of 35 free Skill points in magic. Then when they do get to start casting as Samurai, they already have green circles in 4 Realms.
I've also discovered starting as an Alchemist for either Ranger or Ninja--this allows you have the ability to mix potions right away, and a few more points in Dex if you want, and still qualify for the hybrid class (Hobbit only)
Other than that, because of the higher potential for damage and the stuff you can wear, once i get Portal with a Bishop, i switch them to either Lord, and continue the development of Divinity, or to Ranger to continue Alchemy.
Mage to Samurai sounds like it might be fun, i've never run a pure mage that many levels, but i think i'd wanna be a Sam sooner or later, even if just to have someone to wield Muramasa...or if your Srtaff skill is high from Mage, Zato, or even Zato as Alternate to the swords. And you could wear that lovely regenerator helmet...

(edit) why can't i learn to proofread?

[ 11-28-2003, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Scatter ]

[Holywhippet]

What exactly are the adjustments for xp needed per level for each class? I've always thought it odd that my characters don't need the same xp to reach the next level.

[Scatter]

They start needing, like, 1,000 for fighter, bard, rogue, gad; 1,200 for the 'pure' casters; 1,400 for the Hybrids; and Ninja or Bishop need 1,600. Then it keeps doubling, into like a million or so, then there's some other function...someone once had a whole table for this posted somewhere, but i don't remember where.

i believe flamestryke's site has a complete table of xp. the 20%/40%/60% increases are as scatter described, but xp requirements only double up to level 11, after which they fall to about 60% of the previous level.

i dont dual often, but i'd like to try mage to sam dual in a small party - if i ever figure out how to make a sam i like!!

one dual i found i quite liked was mage (one level) to bishop. the higher starting intelligence, coupled with the high bonus points means getting powercast 1 or 2 levels faster than straight bishop, at the sacrifice of getting non-mage spells one level later. of course, it only works for faerie, elf, and (IIRC) gnome.

edit: powercast not powerstrike

[ 12-01-2003, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: sultan ]

[ScottG]

For the most part it is only advisable to dual to a hybrid with a like class. For instance as Sultan mentioned Mage to Samurai (or Priest to Lord, etc.). (In fact I prefer these types of dual characters over pure hybrids.)

This really depends on what you want and when you want it. If you have your battle strategy down and you don't need more meat shields then it is often advisable to utilize this approach. (i.e. concentrate on magic early-on and then top-off latter with the corresponding hybrid class.

Really late in the game (when you have essentially gone as far as you want to with a magic class) then you can always switch over to a melee type class. (Often this meathod is utilized to allow magic casters the use of Infinity Helms.)

Of course in either case you really have to plan when you will switch classes and what attribute levels you need (and will have) so that you can actually make the switch.

There are of course other times when you might take a level or two in a different class - often considered cheese tactics. i.e. one level of rogue for stealth, or 1st level as fighter for double hitpoints at start, a few levels in a critical hit class for the critical ability, etc..

[DraconFighter]

For the most part, you are best starting with the party you want to have at the end. A few exceptions to the rule are noted above.

One problem I'd forsee with switching a Mage to Samurai, is that you are loosing some levels of developing your sword skill. So a S&W wielding Samurai might be a way to go. But, with high Mage intelligence, your Samurai would learn skills rapidly if you wanted Muramasa.

I've always wanted to try a Faerie Alchemist for 19 levels, then switch to Ninja. That way the S&W skill developed as an Alchemist would be useful for the Cane of Corpus.