Multiclassing Questions

[Arátoeldar]

From what I remember in the 1st & 2nd Editions of the ruleset certain races were aloud certain multiclassing professions. Human were aloud to dual class. It seems to me that in the 3rd and 3.5 editions of the ruleset. Multiclassing has become what human dual class was in the 1st & 2nd editions. Is this correct? Are any EXP penalties with either version of multiclassing? I assume that the only racial restrictions were in the 1st & edition rulesets.

[Siberys]

Yes, there are XP penalties for multiclassing under certain circumstances.

Those circumstances are this-

If you have a class that is two or more levels higher than the previous one you took (say you had 3 levels of rogue, and 5 or more levels of fighter) then you gain a 20% XP penalty. HOWEVER, all races have a "Favored class" which they do not gain an XP penalty due to multiclassing in it ever.

So, if you're an elf, whose favored class is Wizard, you could multiclass 1 level of fighter and go the rest of the way wizard and have no penalties.

Lastly, a race with a favored class as "any" will allow your highest class to be the favored class. So, if you have three classes your taking, Rogue 2, fighter 2, and ranger 5, and you're a human, then your favored class then is ranger. But that could be any class.

Remember that it is two or more levels apart. Thus, a rogue 1 fighter 2 will incur no XP penalty, but a rogue 1 fighter 3 (lest favored classes apply) will.

[Magrus]

Multiclass Characters :: d20srd.org

That has some information for you. However, to answer directly, multiclassing is completely different in 3rd and 3.5 editions. There is an experience penalty often when multiclassing. A races "Favored Class" will help avoid that. A dwarf is best as a fighter having it be their favored class. If you had a dwarf that started as a fighter and switched to say, cleric or rogue, he should be fine. If he switched again to say, wizard after that, he will probably get an experience penalty however. It is kind of complicated without having the actual Players Handbook to look at what the exact rules are. Basically though, aside from special Prestige Classes built for specific races...any race can become any class, and they are able to multiclass. Even if multiclassing may bring and experience penalty.

[Arátoeldar]

Thank you gentlemen for the excellent infotmation. I assume that under the 1st & 2nd editions of the ruleset that there is not any XP penalties do the racial restrictions.