Changing Classes

Changing Classes

All the classes are carefully designed to be balanced and interesting to play at all levels. However, some players may wish to play a character which is not purely one class or another, but is, instead, a combination of one or more classes. Three methods exist to accomplish this:

• Dual-Classing
• Multi-Classing
• Prestige-Classing (optional)

Broadly speaking, dual-classing, multi-classing and prestige classing all allow you to enjoy the synergies of more than one character class, at the expense of more complexity and possibly ill-fitting abilities, compared to your peers. Multi-, Prestige-, and Dual-classed characters will also frequently find that more of their ability scores are important, forcing them to spread their scores out a bit more than a character focused on a single class. However, such combinations can be very powerful indeed, making such a decision quite attractive, despite the aforementioned drawbacks. See the descriptions below for details on how all three of these methods work.

Dual-Classing

A dual-class character chooses two character classes at character creation. The tier of each of those two classes DOES NOT MATTER for advancement purposes. Unlike any other case, BOTH of these classes is considered their favored class (with the corresponding favored class bonuses), and once selected, the player is committed to those two classes for the remainder of that character's career. A character that dual-classes can never multi-class or prestige-class. Similarly, dual-classing can only be declared at character creation (meaning you cannot play a single class for a while and then decide to dual-class). Dual-classing requires a commitment.

The advantage of dual-classing is that you get both favored class bonuses immediately, and then alternate between the two chosen classes every other level, meaning that you gain the benefits of both classes as early as 2nd level. Thus, at level 4, you have two levels in each class, and access to both favored class abilities. The tier of those levels does not matter.

Like always, a dual classed character cannot be changed without making a new character.

You always gain base attack bonus, save bonuses, and class features, based only on the character class you are advancing in your current level. All such class features and abilities are additive, and you must follow any rules for class ability stacking. (For example, a Brawler/Monk dual-class character must choose whether they want to use Monk Special Attacks or Brawler Special Attacks with each attack they make. A Cleric/Wizard must choose to cast either a Cleric spell or a Sorcerer/Wizard spell when they spell cast. Etc.)

Some fun examples of character classes which often synergize well are Sorcerer/Prowler, Fighter/Rogue, and Cleric/Monk. There are many other powerful and entertaining combinations that players are encouraged to explore.

Multi-Classing

Multi-classing is perhaps the most easily understood form of changing classes. A multi-class character is 'built up' of class tiers from any class they wish to take. When you begin multi-classing, you choose a different character class to begin advancing from level 1. This means you stop advancing in levels in your current class, in exchange for gaining levels in a completely different class of your choosing. GM's may decide that some combinations are disallowed, either due to personal preference, or due to campaign/story-based justifications. If there are any questions, the GM adjudicates.

In order to multi-class, you must possess 1 or more full tiers (steps of 5 or more levels) in your most recent character class, and you must meet any requirements of the new character class you wish to begin advancing in (such as alignment restrictions). It is generally frowned on to change alignments simply to multi-class, but the GM may, of course, rule as they wish.

Once you have chosen a new character class, when multi-classing, you begin advancing in that class from level 1, and you must commit to advancing at least 5 levels in that class before you can multi-class again (you must advance to the end of your current tier). If you then advance in that same class again, you must advance to the end of the next tier before you can choose to change classes again. You may also multi-class back into a class you had already gained one or more tiers in, in which case, you continue gaining levels from where you left off (not starting at level 1, because you already have level 1 in that class).

Due to the level and tier requirements, you can multi-class a maximum of seven times by level 31, which should provide enough class diversity for even the most exotic character concepts, or whimsical indecisiveness.

Experience points required to advance in a new class is always based on your total character level, NOT your current character class' level.

Your 'preferred class' bonus is (nearly always) based on the first character class you choose at character creation. If it is not, you must inform your GM what your preferred class is, at character creation, and the GM may always disallow this, if they so decide. Once a preferred class is selected, it cannot ever be changed, even through character reselection.

If any of the classes you choose offer a choice of paths at class level 1, such as the fighter's Technique, the rogue's Path, or the barbarian's Mien, you may only ever select this path when you gain your first level in that class. That is, if you change classes, and then come back and take another tier in the first class which offered a choice of paths, your additional levels in this class make use of the same path. You can't take more than one path in a class (unless the class specifically allows that), nor can you change it, once selected, without use of the Character Reselection rules.

You always gain base attack bonus, save bonuses, and class features, based only on the new character class, not your previous character class(es). The tiers include 'delta values' which can be used to add up your bonuses in each of these categories. The exact to-hit in each of the four possible base attacks can vary widely. One big advantage to having a third or fourth attack (even with very small bonuses to-hit) is that any attack with a to-hit number, no matter how small, can be traded away for a five-foot step.

Example 1: A paladin reaches character level 6, and chooses to stop gaining levels in paladin (stopping at 5th level, the top of the Courageous Tier), in order to gain levels in fighter, instead. At level 11, the player chooses to revert back to being a paladin, stopping at fighter level 5. At level 11, they become a sixth level paladin(the first level of the Intrepid Paladin tier), and continue advancing as before. Such a combination allows the character to become an expert at wearing heavy armor, and gain some new tricks with their weapon, while primarily focusing on their paladin's class features.

Example 2: A player chooses to make a fighter at level 1. At level 6, she changes to cleric, and then at level 11, changes to a rogue. Thus, at level 11, she is a fighter 5, cleric 5, rogue 1, with a total character level of 11. Such a character is very self-sufficient, with a wide range of modest capabilities that work well together.

Example 3: A player creates a rogue at character creation, and changes to a prowler at level 6. At level 11, they change to a brawler, and then at 16th character level, they change to a ranger. At this point, they are character level 16, with 5 levels in rogue, 5 levels in prowler, 5 levels in brawler, and 1 level in ranger. Despite having only Tier One levels, since all their combat attributes are additive across all character tiers, this character is a monster in melee combat, with great mobility and powerful attacks, whether armed or unarmed.

Prestige-Classing

Prestige Classing is an optional system, and all players must get GM approval before using it.

Prestige Classing, in its simplest form, is exactly like Multi-Classing, except that when you reach the highest level in a tier and decide to take a different class, you do NOT start the new class from level 1, you instead choose the next character level as the first level of your new class. Another way of looking at it is you never take the same class Tier twice.

It is also possible there may be dedicated Prestige Tiers, which are five level blocks of unique class levels that are not part of any base class. The only way to take such a Prestige Class Tier is to have GM permission to use Prestige Classing.

Example 1: A paladin reaches character level 6, and chooses to stop gaining levels in paladin (stopping at 5th level, the top of the Courageous Tier), in order to gain levels in fighter, instead. Their first level in Fighter is level 6, and they continue gaining Fighter levels until level 10. At level 11, the player chooses to revert back to being a paladin, stopping at fighter level 10. At level 11, they become an eleventh level paladin(the first level of the Heroic Paladin tier), and continue advancing as before. Such a combination allows the character to become an expert at wearing heavy armor, and gain some new tricks with their weapon, while primarily focusing on their paladin's class features.

Example 2: A player chooses to make a fighter at level 1. At level 6, she changes to cleric, and then at level 11, changes to a rogue. Thus, at level 11, she is a fighter levels 1-5, cleric levels 6-10, and rogue level 11, with a total character level of 11. This character can only choose Fighter Tactics up to level five, can only cast the cleric spells they received from levels 6 to levels 10, and may only choose rogue Talents starting at level 11 and above, among other interesting interactions. All of their BAB and save progressions are additive, of course. Their Base Armor Class is 11 (due to their Fighter Tier) and they gain the Fighter's Favored Class Bonus, making their Base Armor Class a whopping 12. Such a character is very self-sufficient, with a wide range of capabilities that work well together.

Example 3: A player creates a rogue at character creation, and changes to take prowler level 6 at character level 6. At level 11, they change to a brawler (taking the Heroic Tier brawler levels), and then at 16th character level, they change to a ranger. At this point, they are character level 16, with levels 1-5 in rogue, levels 6-10 in prowler, levels 11-15 in brawler, and level 16(only) in ranger. This character is a monster in melee combat, with great mobility and powerful attacks, whether armed or unarmed.