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Recently I have been doing a lot of reading on the multiclass character, I wanted to try something new and replay the entire BG saga.

Seeing the advantages multiclassed characters bring in BG TOB, not to mention how much fun it is blending two characterclasses, I've been enjoying myself greatly.

Always a fan of power I have also read about dualclassing, now a few questions come to mind.

Multiclass characters are limited to a few combinations, for example a kensai/thief would not be possible for multiclass?

Dualclass characters lose their abilities when they dual into the new class, so the full benefit from a dualclass character comes when it reaches the maximum?

That being said, with a multiclass character you just blend two classes and play them at the same time. You actually play those two classes and enjoy both their benefits during the entire game. With a dualclass it seems to me you need to wait untill the end of the game before reaping the final benefit of this build.

I have never seen this game as extremely hard, sure I've made mistakes in a fight and needed to reload a couple of times but never has it been so difficult I tossed my keyboard against the wall.

A kensai seems to me as a very nice fighterbuild, especially since I favor swords and I love carsomyr. Naturally this sword is limited to Paladins and Thieves so that's a pity. But there we have the Kensai/Thief, capable of being a great fighter and using all the items you want! This sounds amazing, especially since I'd have thieving abilities meaning I wouldn't need Jan, Imoen or Yoshimo for any thieving. Neither would I need Keldorn to wield the must have awesome weapon Carsomyr!

But then I read about the class and "gimping" myself for half of the game only to be able and become very powerfull seems to be sad. Why would you weaken yourself for half the game, only to be able to use the awesome power for the final fights?

So there you have it, multi versus dualclass.

Now I do not know their exact difference so if someone could provide the classes for a multiclass character and the classes that can be dualclassed and the restrictions and benefits both have I would not only be the richer in information but I think this would make a nice discussion about having fun in the game or putting everything into being stronger.

Thanks everyone for the contribution, as it stands for me at this point, I will try multiclassing, simply because I feel (don't know for sure yet) that dualclassing means delaying a lot of fun till the end.

Information, insight and opinions,


Thanks once more!

Since you can dualclass at nearly any level, it would take an eternity discussing all different builds. Just take a multiclass unless you have to play a human, you'll have far more power this way, especially at the end of ToB.

The power of dual class versus multi-class characters can be argued, so we'll say that it lies with whatever choice you favor, though certain combinations, such as the ranger/cleric, are more powerful in multiclass form.

The abilities lost due to dualling come back as soon as your second class surpasses your first class in level.

So for example, you dual from a Kensai to a Mage at level nine. This causes you to lose Kai as well as all your proficiencies. As a mage, you can put proficiency points in the available weapons, such as dagger or sling, and they will carry over when you hit ten, though keep the restrictions in mind as in even if you have a point in slings, you won't be able to use it after your Kensai abilities are restored as the first class cannot use missile weapons.

Also, let's say that your Kensai had two points in daggers, as a mage you put one more point in daggers too. When your first class is usable again, you will have a total of three points in daggers, so the proficiencies stack, letting you get more proficiencies than any other multiclass or rivaling them. So a thief/mage would be able to get two in common weapons while a swashbuckler cleric would get three in common weapons. For thieves, you once you get Use Any Item, the proficiency from the previous class will apply to the weapon you're using.

For me, if I solo or even have up to two NPC is my group, I can recover my second class by the time I finish Chapter 3 and that's if I dual at twenty one or higher.

I think dual class characters are more for due to the extra abilities you get as well as being able to do the things you couldn't before.

I mean a fighter/druid is just weak compared to it's dual class counterpart, the kensai/druid who can reach the same AC while dual wielding two scimitars.

Crenshinibon wrote: I mean a fighter/druid is just weak compared to it's dual class counterpart, the kensai/druid who can reach the same AC while dual wielding two scimitars.

Just how is that??

How is what?

Barkskin. I tested it and it appears to give more AC than Spirit Armor.

Dual Class:

-You start out with one class, which may be kitted.
-You dual it to another class.
-You lose all your weapon proficiencies, spells, etc. until you've reached a higher level in your new class.
-You regain your original classes abilities at that point.

Pros:
-When you dual at the right level, you make optimal use of the maximum number of experience points in the game.
-You advance as quickly in your new class as you would when single-classed.

Cons:
-While waiting for your old class to be reactivated, and your new class to 'pick up' you are fairly weak.

Popular combos:
Kensai/Mage
Kensai/Thief
Berserker/Cleric
Kensai/Druid

Multiclass:

-Your experience is distributed equally over two classes.

Pros:
- You advance in both classes gradually.

Cons:
- Both your classes gain experience at a much slower rate than a single-classed character would.
- No access to kits.

Popular combos:
fighter/mage
fighter/mage/thief
fighter/thief

At optimal 20-th druid/priest level, Barkskin caps at setting base AC to 1 - same as Spirit Armor. However, Spirit Armor, even cast by a 7th or 8th level wizard, still sets AC to 1 and grants 3 bonus to saving throw vs spells. So, Spirit armor is the better spell here.

As for 'pro' multi-class: I would add just one, and the most important one IMHO: combining all of the subclasses' HLAs, and getting much more HLAs than a dual-class. This is the actual strength of a multiclass, since combining certain different-class HLAs is extremely powerful: like combining UAI and Time Traps with warrior's THAC0, GWW, Critical or Hardiness, for instance.

you're right

Dual-classing is my personal favoured choice. First because they can choose a kit which opens up a whole world of possibilities but also because you can dual whenever you choose, giving you complete control of the balance between the classes.

For example, dualling a cleric to a mage at the right level would let you cast spells up to level 7 while not losing a single level 9 mage spell. In ToB you are allowed 8 mil exp, but after a 5-6 mil you really do not gain that much power anymore. Therefore, spending those on a preclassed kit you will become incredibly much more powerful than your non-classed counterpart.

There are only one big drawback to this. And I am not talking about the fact that you become weak for a few levels - that is only a pain if you decide to solo or dual very, very late in the game. The drawback is that you do not access both classes HLA, which in case of for example a thief/mage can be a pain.

It goes like this:

BG1 - multiclass overpowered
BG2 SoA - dualclass overpowered
BG2 ToB - multiclass overpowered

Reasons: Due to an uneven exp scale, early on you can have a whole additional class for a small cost of one level, that is lvl6/6 or lvl7. Later on, having a lvl9 dualed to something costs basically nothing, but grants huge bonuses, the way they are distributed( just about everything is pre lvl9). However even more later, other, more powerful, stats are starting to cap, like spell power or thac0. This is(very late game, lvl20/lvl20) where multiclassed chars are beginning to truly dominate the playing field. Plus they get HLAs of both classes too. Scary. Jaheira is a truly sick character later on.