what determins what a character looks like?

[probe53]

what determines how a character would look?

ex. if you multi class wizard and fighter.. would it look like a wizard or a fighter?

[kmonster]

Probably the class he was created. It would would be strange if a character changes his looks with each added class.
The equipment also has an effect on the looks.

[RTP]

Looks depend on which class is your highest class at the moment.
like this:

There are three kinds of look (let's call them Fighter look, Rogue look, Wizard look):

Fighter look (for human male: a guy in a short dress: BBN/CLR/DRD/FTR/MNK/PAL/RGR)
Rogue look (for human male: a guy in a hooded leather: BRD/ROG)
Wizard look (for human male: a guy in a long dress with beard: SOR/WIZ)

now, if ANY of the "Fighter look" classes is equal or higher than your "Rogue look" and/or "Wizard look" classes, you'll have "Fighter look" sprite.

next, if ANY of the "Rogue look" classes is equal or higher than your "Wizard look" classes, you'll have "Rogue look" sprite.

And, lastly: to have a "Wizard look" sprite, any of the "Wizard look" classes
must be your highest class.

examples:
ROG2/FTR2 -> "Fighter look" sprite
BRD3/FTR2 -> "Rogue look" sprite
BRD2/SOR4/FTR4 -> "Fighter look" sprite
FTR4/BRB4/RGR4/WIZ5 -> "Wizard look" sprite

I found this out during an extensive session trying to figure out why does my ROG4/FTR6 look like a F***ing ballerina in a tutu, while it started out like a cool guy in black PANTS!

and one more thing: halfling, dwarf and gnome "Wizard look" females have beards (male WIZ sprites). Don't ask me about that one.