Pure classing vs. Multi classing

[blinds21]

I look at the server status alot to see who is on before I get on Layo. I see ALOT of the older players multiclass. I was wondering if they multiclass from jump or if they cdq into a multi class and I wanted to know which is better for a character's RP. I mean that how do you work a multiclass later in a character's life into their development.

[orth]

I mean that how do you work a multiclass later in a character's life into their development.

You're looking at it backwards.  Usually is it is "How did your development cause your character to multiclass"

[typically_annoying]

Early is based on your characters perceived experiences.  Later can actually be a truer reflection of your characters development.  

I had/have a characater Sy'Ravenne. she started off like as a barbarian and was going to be a barbarian/bard/skald, but due to how much she enjoyed fighting, her general recklessness and interactions with certain characters she was trained in the use of a Katana and became a Barbarian/Fighter.

Moonlight started as a fighter, with the intention of becoming a WM, although I had to keep a dev and RP her that way.  But due to in-game relationships and developmensts, I don't see her staying WM long-term.  There is another path she may take that will suit her better, but it will all depend on RP and development.

But, basically speaking .. I have found my characters have developed because of in-game RP and not necessarily followed the path I had in mind for them.  I also believe this is a much more realistic development path and more interesting.

[blinds21]

That makes sense, because of the interactive world of Layo you can't plan a course of development. I was just asking because I am waiting on a new char to be approved and I wanted to seriously think about his RP path. I have his personality in my head. But the direction of his life is hard to determine.

I personally enjoy pure classing, since it allows my character to really develop himself, and I look at multi classing just for the power of the second class not necessarily for it's RP.

Am I thinking wrong on this? ((I'm kind of a young Rp'er))

[KageKeeper]

For my character Luna, when I first made her I had planned on making her a druid/shifter. Even took the feats required and had the CDQ to get approved to take those feats.

However, due to RP with mostly one character, her view on that was changed. She was turned from that path and has stayed on the pure druid class ever since. So I think it is very important to not have set plans for a character, but to let them develop in a dynamic way.

[Milo]

Personally, I'm a fan of pure-classing and personalize your character base on his/her unique characteristics like speech, actions, personal rules, etc.  I have no problem with people multiclass uniquely base on RP, but too many people multiclass rogue to get sneak attacks in my opinion. (Plus, it makes the task of giving out XP harder for me as a GM.  I keep forgetting what 10+3+2 is )

[DMOE]

Well in Ireth's case I decided to take some fighter levels....
  Ireth has been around fighters ever since she came to Hlint, adventures with them but also she has been involved with Jet for around 2.5 years In Game and living with him for a large part of that and he is a weapons master.  He often trains to improve his own skill and Ireth would acompany him in this so justifying her becoming more fighter like was quite simple.
  Had she wished to go say Ranger (DON'T say it Ne'er, just don't   ) then Ireth would have looked to Enzo and Lan instead.  Made the effort In Game to spend time with them and talk to them.  Noted it in my CDT that I had done, maybe asked one of them to guide me before I re-submitted to multi-class.  Wizard she could have looked to Mith, Druid to Bris.
Basically you will make friends, they will effect your RP and in turn may help you multi-class

[Gulnyr]

blinds21 - 3/4/2006  1:49 PM
I personally enjoy pure classing, since it allows my character to really develop himself, and I look at multi classing just for the power of the second class not necessarily for it's RP.

What do you mean by "power," exactly?  A single-classed character is going to be more "powerful" in the strengths of that class over a multiclassed character, but the multiclassed character is going to be more "powerful" than a single-classed character because of flexibility.

Also, I think multiclassing is for developing the character fully.  There's no way that every character concept is going to fit perfectly within the boundaries of one class.  Don't let the classes determine your concept, let your concept determine the classes.  If your concept changes as you play, reassess your choice of classes.

[Spider]

typically_annoying - 3/4/2006  6:43 PM

But, basically speaking .. I have found my characters have developed because of in-game RP and not necessarily followed the path I had in mind for them.  I also believe this is a much more realistic development path and more interesting.

Before i started playing Eamane, i didn't believe that this could be done, you could force your character to go down a certain path,

But as i have played i have realised, that going with the flow is so much better and rewarding.

I had planned for my character to take just one path, but she has split into two through RP.

[Ne'er]

DMOE - 3/4/2006  2:11 PM



Had she wished to go say Ranger (DON'T say it Ne'er, just don't   )

Heh, fine. I won't say it .

But beyond that, multi-classing with base classes is great to show that your character is more diverse than having a pure class. But, just like everyone who has a broader range of skills, they are also less focused in those skills, and so they uunlikely to be as powerful.

As for multi-classing into a prestige class, it is a matter of how skilled and focused your character has become, along with what has guided your character to that point. When I made Jet, I had weapon master in mind. It was Jet's IC goal to become a powerful warrior more in-tune with his blades than any before him.

However, another character I used to have was a bard/fighter that had plans of going to become a spellsword. It turned out that he didn't want to go that way, and he wanted to focus more on his combat styles and music than his ability to cast in  combat.

So basically, its a good idea to have a direction in mind for some characters, but try and leave those characters open to changing whether they multiclass due to development.

[Stephen_Zuckerman]

A few random points to make...

Pyyran has a character concept that fits with the archetype of the swashbuckler. Think Zorro. However, while a Fighter would blend very well with Duelist, Pyyran's just not a fighter; he's a Rogue who fights. I've had the idea for this character down for a long time, so I won't change my mind midway about how I'll be progressing him, mechanically. It's more the process of figuring out which classes fit the concept. In P's case, it's Rogue/Duelist. There'll come a point at which he either A) loses interest in a lot of the more skill-based areas of life, and starts focusing more on combat, B) figures out how to strike more vital areas, even when he doesn't have an open flank or somesuch, C) starts really putting effort towards being a master fencer... You get the idea. I know absolutely where he's going, because of the way I play him, but how he gets there is the fun part.

As for Cynn Reyer, there's another one I literally planned out, point by point. She'll switch over to Weapon Master eventually, because, since she was a little girl, she's focused on fighting with the Greatsword. There are just some obvious paths for characters to take; I haven't played a character that didn't have a drive in life of some sort, yet. Sounds like a good idea for the next one.

Anyway, that's all for this particular post. Cheers.

Hope my two or three cents has been at least moderately constructive.

[NEXUS7]

I would say 100% this its how you PC develups as you play in game, I have one PC and she was always going to be Rogue all the way
but has she has been travingling makeing maps other PCs come along and start to show her better ways of doing this, Now with two other pcs showing she will hopeully one day have a shadowdancer master find her and show her thows same tricks, But there is also a 2ed root othere PCs have shown here Magis which can also aid her and as shuch she could go the mage root. This has very littel to do with power playing its all about where you PC is headed and what happons in game.