Dual classing and Multi-classing....

Red Inquisition · Post by **Red Inquisition** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 12:28 pm

I have a problem with the D&D rules on dual/multi classing. D&D says that only humans can dual class while non-humans can only multi-class. It seems to me that this should be reversed. A human only lives at most around 80 years. Take the Kensi/Mage combo, to become a Kensi(sword saint) a human would need alot of years to master the sword. It also takes a long time so study and become a mage. Could a human do all this in 80 years? Personaly I don't think so. A human would have to study both at the same time to accomplish this in so short a time and that would be Multi-classing not Dual classing.
Now on the other hand Elves which live for a 1000 or more and have to multi-class. Which means they have to learn both skills at the same time. If i'm an elf and I want to be a Kensi/Mage I would have the time to study one then the other. I would not need to study both at the same time, I could focus all my studys on one then the other. Which would be Dual classing.
I am making these observations from stricty a roleplaying perspective. These are just my opinions and maybe completly out of wack. Let me know what you think.

sigurd · Post by **sigurd** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 12:34 pm

It is probably more a roleplaying thing, a human live a short time and wants to do a lot in those few years, while a dwarf or elf lives for a long time and can take things much slower.

aVENGER2k · Post by **aVENGER2k** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 12:36 pm

AFAIK,dual & multi classing has drastically changed in 3rd edition (A)D&D,but since I am no expert at it someone else will have to give you the exact details.I do remember reading something like...every race/class can now dual/multi,and you don't lose your previous class attributes while doing so.It's kinda hard to explain so I leave that so someone who knows what he's talking about

PDF · Post by **PDF** » Tue Jul 10, 2001 7:45 am

Red Inq.,
I tend to agree with you about what "should have been"...But as already said, 3rd Ed changed all that and we're speaking of the "old rules".
These rules come back from the 1st edition, where the idea was to have EITHER unlimited level mono classed short-lived Humans OR Limited multi classed long lived Dwarves/Elves...
Then there was a crappy "optional rule" in the books which allowed a Human to "change" class - still unlimited in the new class...
This was clearly unbalanced, and PnP players quickly exploited it (Druid 12/Mage 18, Ranger 2 to 10 / Mage, I saw everything

)
When the 2nd ed came they could not forbi it strictly, as it was so widely used, so they just allowed LESS limited level progression for non humans...
Only with 3rd ed did they (now WotC, not TSR anymore) decide to change all this.
So it's much more a "D&D history" thing than a thought-out RP feature

koz-ivan · Post by **koz-ivan** » Tue Jul 10, 2001 8:16 am

the longer lived races have a much different perspective vs the humans.

the elf's have plenty of time before they really choose a class, (after 100 yrs or so of pondering they are pretty sure of what they want to be when they grow up)

the humans are much more chaotic, the shorter life span has many uphevals that provide the oppertunity for change. they never get set in their ways, quite like a much longer lived race.

as to the kensai-mage, all i'm gonna say is that you'd need one hell of a story as to why he all of a sudden changes into a mage and then months / years later suddenly gets his "touch" back w/ the blades. sure in the baulders gate series you go from level 1 weenie to aprox lv 30 in the course of about 6 - 12 months, advancement is not that fast in the pnp game.

it makes for a tough argument either way, a standard ftr -> mage i can def. see a cleric of mystra, dualing to mage but something "feels" wrong about the km.

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jul 10, 2001 8:28 am

Think about it this way: advancing in 2 classes simultaneously takes a lot of XP. Elves etc. live longer and this allows them to develop a multiclass character (also, try not to think of them as a Fighter/Mage multiclass, for example, but as a separate class altogher in Elven society. Such races also tend to pick a profession and stick with it.

Humans are adaptable. If they have the ability scores they can advance in any class to any level - if they live long enough

A human can rack up rogue levels to level 6 or 7 then change to another class. That wouldn't take too long in a short human life.