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1 of 1- DMPrata
- Magister Litterarum
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- From: US
- Registered: 3/02/2014
- Posts: 289
Multi-classing in Hyperborea
My group are just starting to play-test this concept, specifically to address the lack of a magician in their party. Should a player be forced to roll up a new character to fill a vacancy, or can his existing character branch out into a new skillset? I run Second Edition, but the following was written with 3E in mind. Constructive feedback is welcome.
Multi-classing in Hyperborea
Instead of gaining a level in his current class, an eligible PC can opt to start a new class.
— A PC must meet the attribute and alignment requirements of all classes.
The PC’s XP total is reduced by the minimum needed for the current level.
— Example: A 4th-level purloiner with 21,830 XP is eligible to train for 5th level. Instead, he opts to train in a new class. His XP total is reduced by 10,000 (the minimum for a 4th-level purloiner), leaving him with 11,830 XP in that class.
The PC thereafter will maintain a separate XP total for each class. The new class starts at 0 XP. Awarded XP will be divided equally amongst all classes.
— At the referee’s discretion, XP might be divided differently if the abilities of one class were neglected.
— Any +10% XP bonus applies only to the class(es) for which the PC has scores of 16+ in the prime attribute(s).
The PC gains hit points only when the highest-level class increases, using that class’s hit die type.
— Example: A 2nd-level fighter has 2d10 hp. A 2nd-level fighter / 2nd-level thief has 2d10 hp. A 3rd-level fighter / 2nd-level thief has 3d10 hp. A 4th-level fighter / 5th-level thief has 4d10 + 1d6 hp.
— A PC may roll his highest hit die type for daily hit point recovery.
The multi-classed PC must abide by the armour and shield restrictions of each class when using that class’s functions.
— Example: A multi-classed fighter/thief can wear heavy armour and fight, but any attempt to climb or move silently will fail.
— Example: A warlock can cast magician spells in medium armour, but a multi-classed fighter/magician attempting to do so stands a 2-in-6 chance of spell failure.
— N.B.: See exception below for sorcerers with multiple classes within the same division of sorcery (i.e., thaumaturgical or ecclesiastical).
The PC can use weapons from any of his classes’ favoured weapons lists.
— The lowest unskilled weapon attack penalty applies when wielding unlisted weapons.
The PC’s base saving throw (SV) score is that of his highest class level. Saving throw modifiers from each class apply but do not “stack”.
— Example: A multi-classed purloiner/magician gains a +2 bonus to device, avoidance, and sorcery saves, but not a +4 sorcery bonus.
A multi-classed PC may use the highest fighting ability (FA), turning ability (TA), and casting ability (CA) of his classes.
Duplicated class abilities do not “stack”.
— Example: The barbarian and the thief both have the agile ability. A multi-classed barbarian/thief receives only a single +1 AC bonus.
— Example: The barbarian and the thief both have the move silently ability. The higher chance-in-twelve applies.
— Example: The ranger and the scout both have the alertness ability. A multi-classed ranger/scout receives only a single −1 surprize bonus.
— Example: The magician and the cleric both have the scroll use ability, but these abilities apply to different spell lists. A multi-classed magician/cleric can use scrolls from either the magician or cleric spell lists.
The number of spells known by a multi-classed sorcerer is the total of all classes.
— Example: A 4th-level purloiner / 1st-level magician knows 8 cleric spells and 3 magician spells.
Multi-classed sorcerers who cast either thaumaturgical or ecclesiastical spells from different spell lists are treated as if all classes were the same.
— The number of spells cast per day is the total from all classes. Bonus spells from high intelligence or wisdom are counted only once.
— The sorcerer may prepare spells freely from all available spell lists within the same division of sorcery (i.e., thaumaturgical or ecclesiastical).
— Armour restrictions are those of the most favourable class.
— Example: A 4th-level druid / 3rd-level cleric can cast 5 level one and 3 level two spells per day (plus bonus spells for high wisdom, if applicable), at CA 4 capacity. Each spell may be prepared from either list of spells known by the PC; the sorcerer could choose 1 cleric spell and 7 druid spells if desired. Since clerics are permitted heavy armour, druid spells could be cast whilst so equipped.
Multi-classed sorcerers who cast both thaumaturgical and ecclesiastical spells are treated as members of different classes.
— The number of spells cast per day is the total of each class separately, with bonus spells for high intelligence and/or wisdom added as applicable.
— The sorcerer must prepare spells separately from each available spell list in different divisions of sorcery (i.e., thaumaturgical or ecclesiastical).
— Armour restrictions apply to each class separately.
— Example: A 4th-level necromancer / 3rd-level cleric can cast 3 level one and 2 level two necromancer spells and 2 level one and 1 level two cleric spells per day (plus bonus spells for high intelligence and/or wisdom, if applicable), all at CA 4 capacity. Each spell must be prepared separately from the respective spell list. Though clerics are permitted heavy armour, a 3-in-6 chance of failure would apply to any necromancer spell cast whilst so equipped.
Under no circumstances does a PC receive additional starting gold when beginning at 1st level in a new class.
— If entering the magician class (or one of its subclasses), then the PC must prepare a spell book and inscribe spells therein at the requisite cost.
Last edited by DMPrata (Yesterday 2:09 pm)
- Ghul
- Dread Necromancer
Offline
- From: Isle of Ghul
- Registered: 3/01/2014
- Posts: 2,635
Re: Multi-classing in Hyperborea
Interesting, Dave. You might find this interesting, too. You may have this already, but it was basically Gary's thoughts on multi-classing and dual-classing for Castle Zagyg, using C&C rules:
NOTES ON DUAL-CLASS AND MULTI-CLASSING
It seems reasonable to this author that very able characters be able
to operate in two distinct and not incompatible classes at the same
time. Thus, a fair number of the non-player characters encountered
in this setting have dual class status and it would be unfair not to
present the players with the same options. There are two options
when a player decides his character should have more than one
class. The first option is multi-classing. This allows a character to be
made up of more than one class when initially created. The second
option is dual classing. Dual-classing allows a character to acquire
another class later on in their career.
MULTI-CLASSING
Choosing the Classes
1. Any class can combine with any other class barring
alignment restrictions.
2. Up to three classes can be chosen for humans and two for
demi-humans.
3. The classes chosen must correspond to a prime attribute.
4. The HP/ dice for each class are rolled together and then
averaged, rounding up fractions of .5 or more, dropping any
below that.
Advancing Levels
1. All experience points are divided up equally amongst the
classes chosen for the character. For example, if a fighter/
thief were to receive 250 experience points, 125 is applied
to the fighter class and 125 to the thief class. All fractions
are dropped.
2. Once a character acquires enough experience points to
progress in one class, they do so. For example, a cleric/
wizard has 2,252 experience points in both the wizard and
cleric class (they must always be equal), that character
advances to 2nd level cleric while remaining a 1st level
wizard.
3. When advancing a level, use the Hit Dice type for the
class one advanced in to determine the number hit points
gained. Using the cleric/ wizard above, the player rolls
a d8 for hit points. When the character acquires 2,602
experience points, a d4 is used for hit points.
4. The character level is the accumulated levels of all the
classes. So a 4th/ 4th level thief/ fighter has 8 character levels.
At the point the 11th character level is gained, hit point
accumulation changes. At this point, hit point accumulation
is equal to the advancement of the character’ classes at 10th
level and beyond. For example, a 5th/ 5th fighter/ thief gains
a level of thief so gains +2 hit points, when that character
gains a level of fighter, they gain +4 hit points.
Restrictions
1. Multi–classed characters take the best to hit bonus of their
respective classes.
2. Multi–classed characters use the least restrictive weapons
list for their classes.
3. Multi–classed characters use the most restrictive armor list
of their classes.
4. Multi–classed characters can not combine abilities. For
example, a fighter’s extra attack means that the character
can make an extra normal attack and not use that extra
attack to deflect missiles, make a back attack or inspire.
5. Starting gold is determined by rolling for each class
individually, combining the results and dividing that by the
number of classes the character has.
DUAL–CLASSING
Dual–classing is similar to multi–classing only in that the character
has several classes. The classes are acquired differently and
progression is slightly different. In dual classing, the player’s character
begins with one class and decides to change careers (so to speak) and
add on a different class.
Acquiring Classes
1. The character must start with one class.
2. The character must progress at least one level in the starting
class before adding an additional class to his character.
3. Barring alignment restrictions, any class can be added. Prime
attributes do not restrict class choice. A character can have a
maximum of three classes but before adding another class, the
character must progress at least one level in the most recently
added class.
4. Before adding the class and its abilities, the character must
undergo training. Before taking the new class, he must earn
double the number of experience points required for the
new class to reach 2nd level.
Only after this number of experience points have been
earned does the character acquire those class abilities.
Furthermore, the character must be working with another
character or non–player character of the class to be added
and they must be at least 3rd level.
And finally, while in this period of training, they must obey
all the restriction of being dual classed (see below). In this
case, all abilities and checks associated with the new class
are made at -5 and no magic can be used.
For example, a fighter decides to become a thief. After
attaining 2nd level as a fighter, the player decides to add
the thief class to the character. He then must gain 3000
experience points in cross-over training before adding
1st level thief to his character. Additionally, this 3000
experience points must be earned while the character is
under the tutelage of a 3rd level or greater thief. During this
training period, the character can use thief abilities (such
as pick pockets) but does so at –5 to his check.
5. Once a level has been attained in the new class, the
character can apportion experience points in any manner
chosen. Thus, level advancement can be uneven.
6. When advancing a level, use the Hit Dice type for the
class one advanced in to determine the number hit points
gained. Using the fighter/ thief above, the player rolls a d6
for hit points when adding their new class.
7. The character level is the accumulated levels of all the
classes. So a 4th/ 4th level thief/ fighter has 8 character levels.
At the point the 11th character level is gained, hit point
accumulation changes. At this point, hit point accumulation
is equal to the advancement of the character’ classes at 10th
level and beyond. For example, a 5th/ 5th fighter/ thief gains
a level of thief so gains +2 hit points, when that character
gains a level of fighter, they gain +4 hit points.
Restrictions
1. Dual–classed characters take the best to hit bonus of their
classes.
2. Dual–classed characters use the least restrictive weapons list
for their classes.
3 . Dual–classed characters use the most restrictive armor list of
their classes.
4. Dual–classed characters can not combine abilities. For
example, a fighter’s extra attack means that the character can
make an extra normal attack and not use that extra attack to
deflect missiles, make a back attack or inspire.
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