Best Multi Class Options

[Orlock13]

Is there any reason to multiclass. I am new to this game and I dont know what to do. I have a lvl3 wizard right now. Do I need to multiclass him or not. I thought about going with the monk but I dont know. Please help me out and let me know if there are good multiclass Characters or if it is any worth it.
Thanks

[Xandax]

Personally myself - I prefere to run as "pure" classes as possible, and avoiding multiclassing. If multiclassing it is mostly for a few levels of rogue or fighter or similar to gain some abilities or skills.

Futhermore - from my perspective, there isn't a "best" multiclass or class - they all have advantages and disadvantages, and all depends on how you prefere to play the game.

[Gauda]

well, if you are a sorc and take 2 levels in paladin you get extremely cheezy saves

If you go for the dualsword fighter type i would recommend everyone to take 1 level in ranger as you get for free ambidexterety, twoweapon fighting and improved two weapon fighting for free without need to meet the prerequisites, that is if you wear light armor of course.

a fighter/rogue with the same amount of levels in each class can also become fairly nasty with high hitpoints, high to hit and that nice sneakattack you get when you flank you opponent.

[Aremah]

Last I checked, it wasn't so easy. Ambidexterity and Two Weapon Fighting yes, but only when in light armor, as you say - and that's not so good for a Fighter. Also, I believe Improved Two Weapon fighting is achieved by Rangers at level 9, which means that you don't get it in the case you mentioned. And it would still require light armor. I'm a Fighter type and very much dislike shields, so it's either two handed (less often) or double wielding (ever since it became possible in BG2), and I prefer to take the actual feats and be free to do as I wish.

As per subject, I have never liked multiclassing, and even though I see some of the benefits, I still believe staying true to one class works out better in the long run.

[Baedden]

In some cases it's silly not to multi-class, though. Like when you play a Paladin. Sure, you should take him to level 20 to get all the available spell slots, but after that it's much more beneficial to level up in Champion of Torm to get Divine Wrath. +3 to attack, damage, and saving throws as opposed to a few more feats? It's no contest to me.

[Gauda]

Originally posted by Aremah
Last I checked, it wasn't so easy. Ambidexterity and Two Weapon Fighting yes, but only when in light armor, as you say - and that's not so good for a Fighter. Also, I believe Improved Two Weapon fighting is achieved by Rangers at level 9, which means that you don't get it in the case you mentioned. And it would still require light armor. I'm a Fighter type and very much dislike shields, so it's either two handed (less often) or double wielding (ever since it became possible in BG2), and I prefer to take the actual feats and be free to do as I wish.

As per subject, I have never liked multiclassing, and even though I see some of the benefits, I still believe staying true to one class works out better in the long run.

If you refer to the 3rd edition rules you do indeed get improved two weapon fighting after reaching baseattack 9+ no matter how many levels you have in ranger, one is actually sufficent.

And I would like to argue that if you have a high dexterity, you can make up for that you are wearing light armor. Fighters has no need for intelligence, nor wisdom, nor charisma. They can be nice for more skill points (the only skill point fighters need is disipline really...) wisdom is a totally waste of skillpoints and should be as low as absolutely possible. Charisma can be nice if you rely on persuasion instead of intimidation, and if you would like those nice sexy dialogs with White Thesta the somewhat sexfixated cleric in waterdeep .

Staying true to Wizard is always a good idea, few classes can compare to the powerhouse a wizard becomes at lvl 17.

[Aremah]

But unless you're wielding light weapons and have Weapon Finesse, you're missing out on a lot of damage and attack bonuses pumping Dexterity instead of Strength.

Also, are you sure about the 9+ attack bonus? True, it's one of the requirements, but the description states explicitly that Rangers recieve this feat automatically at level 9, even if they don't meet the requirements. I would assume this means nine levels in the Ranger class, otherwise it seems slightly out of order with other rules.

[shift244]

I'm not sure what it says in the actual rule book, but I'm not surprised if it is as Gauda says, but I would like to consider that as an error in the part of printing and that what it actaully means is a level 9 Ranger, as in NWN. Otherwise, it would be super-cheezy to get 3 feats by simply taking I ranger levels. Even If as a fighter, I would not mind wearing light armor (if you actually note, the max Dex bonus limited by armor totals up all armor to 6-7 AC giving very no advantage to those wearing chainmail, except a lower Dex option, which means you lose initiative and suck at reflex saves. Only by wearing platemail, will a character actually get a higher AC "bonus"), for 3 extra feats that will come when it comes, and save my other feats for other things or levels for another class.

As to the main topic of the thread, multiclassing is a personal preference. Some classes like the monk, wizard are very good at high levels, and multiclassing will compromise that, while others like paladin, fighter, rogue have less "benefit being high level" as a pure class. My advice? Find your style of play, whether you like to bash peoples head in, cast a slew of fireballs, move around hidden and dealing a "death blow" in your first attack, or use spells to turn yourself into an "avenging angel of death" before drawing your "greatswrod of pain +5" Then look at the classes and choose which ever combination that will best fit. Look into the "future" with skills and requirements of pretige classes if you want them, and think about the levels of each class you want in order to get what you want. eg. If you want the rogues ability to evade fireballs and protection from flanking, 6 rogue levels are necesssary, and you should allocate this in your "long term plan" and decide for yourself when best to take rogue levels. You want it early? take more rogue levels earlier..

There is no hard and fast rules for the "better" mulitclass combination, or whether staying "pure" will be better. A few base rules to taking other classes are that classes that cast spells as a focal point of thier power like wizards, sorcerors, druids and clerics are best left "pure" or you choose to loose thier high level, and often devastatingly useful spells. But even so they stand to gain better benefits with other class abilities, like a paladin/sorceror's wrath with smite evil with a +10 bonus!
Another thing that you must be aware are classes like monks and rogues, who gain ability from being "pure". A monk gains immunities, spell resistance, better unarmed damages at high levels, which you sacrifice by taking another class, hence limiting your monk levels, while a rogues sneak attack will only go so far with so many levels, but at 20 level, a single sneak attack will make the best fighter envious from the amount of raw damage alone..

[Orlock13]

Thanks for all the great replys. This will help a lot

[Gauda]

Originally posted by Aremah
But unless you're wielding light weapons and have Weapon Finesse, you're missing out on a lot of damage and attack bonuses pumping Dexterity instead of Strength.

Also, are you sure about the 9+ attack bonus? True, it's one of the requirements, but the description states explicitly that Rangers recieve this feat automatically at level 9, even if they don't meet the requirements. I would assume this means nine levels in the Ranger class, otherwise it seems slightly out of order with other rules.

Well, wizards of the coast have a habit of stating it directly if the number of levels are required by a specific class. SO they would say something like this I think: "Rangers recieve this feat automatically when reaching 9 levels in the ranger class." Though Im not really sure. Nonetheless though I don't think that improved weapon fighting is a feat that you can take in NWN, so I guess we'll never know

[Aremah]

It's a feat to be taken like any other, hence the description I quoted.

[Arachnol]

Multiclassing is more a matter of a concept for me: the Harper Scout from SOU for instance, is one of them (after 5 levels of Druid, and furthermore Paladin levels after shifting to Lawful Good due to various good deeds in Ch.1).

If you intend to maximize benefits with your wizard, then I would go for 1-4 levels of fighter focusing on bow combat, which helps a lot at low levels (fighter for the additional feats, up to 4th level for specialization), but not further, sincie it will impede your spell casting progression).

[Arachnol]

Multiclassing is more a matter of a concept for me: the Harper Scout from SOU for instance, is one of them (after 5 levels of Druid, and furthermore Paladin levels after shifting to Lawful Good due to various good deeds in Ch.1).

If you intend to maximize benefits with your wizard, then I would go for 1-4 levels of fighter focusing on bow combat, which helps a lot at low levels (fighter for the additional feats, up to 4th level for specialization), but not further, sincie it will impede your spell casting progression).

[Rudar Dimble]

I haven't tried multiclassing in NWN, but I know that it's better to stick to a 'pure' class in the pnp-rpg (may be with a few exceptions...very few indeed). I only finished the game once, with a monk (was too easy...even Klauth couldn't hit me more than once or twice) so I didn't got the opportunity to multiclass.