Multiclass has XP penalty?

[KreuZ]

Hi guys..

I'm not sure if this topic has already been posted but I can't seem to find it..
Anyway, I've just started to play NWN a month back and I noticed something interesting. As most of you guys say that multiclassing has XP penalties but it seems to me that when I multiclass the XP i recieve as compared to a single class is higher.

Eg. In the Bloodsailors' hideout, when I(cleric class only), my henchman and my skeleton warrior takes down a bloodsailor lieutenant, the exp I get is 59 @ level 7.
When I change split my class into cleric(4) Sorcerer(3) and with my henchman the exp i recieve is 241 from the same lieutenant.
Cos I'm thinking if that's the case I might as well multiclass since the XP is more than a single class

[mr_sir]

Hmmm, never noticed that. It could be possible that its taking into account that your highest class is only level 4 when its working out XP as the XP you recieve decreases as you become a higher level.

[KreuZ]

I guess that could be the only reason I am getting that exp.

[Drunkside]

if you are human then there is no multiclassing penalty for your highest class, and it might think yuo are only at level 4. Smaller leveled chars get more exp just like in kotor.

[KreuZ]

Nope I'm using elf.. both times i'm using the same character.

[Eran of Arcadia]

First of all, there is no penalty when the classes are one apart from each other. Second of all, the fewer associates you have, the more XP. So lacking a summoned creature is what does it, not multiclassing. If you increase your highest class the penalty applies.

[Siberys]

Originally Posted by Eran of Arcadia

First of all, there is no penalty when the classes are one apart from each other. Second of all, the fewer associates you have, the more XP. So lacking a summoned creature is what does it, not multiclassing. If you increase your highest class the penalty applies.

I think he already knew this. If you read the initial post, he's saying that multiclassing as a cleric/sorcerer in a balanced way to not incur an XP penalty got him MORE XP than it did with a straight cleric class.

Also, Summoned creatures do not influence XP gain. Summoning a monster with a spell is apart of a class and is every bit as powerful as using a fireball, therefore spells are never taken into account for Experience gain.

[KreuZ]

On both occasions I used the same party members, with the use of DebugMode to adjust the my character's class levels and load. So nothing changed except for my character's class and levels.

IMO I think this could be intentional, I am actually finding the mobs to be tougher as compared to a single class. When I'm running a single class cleric due to the high level summons. But for mobs like guards the exp I receive could go as low a 4exp.

[Xandax]

Originally Posted by Siberys

<snip>
Also, Summoned creatures do not influence XP gain. Summoning a monster with a spell is apart of a class and is every bit as powerful as using a fireball, therefore spells are never taken into account for Experience gain.

Then it has been changed in a later patch, because when I played Summons *did* give a XP penalty because your party level was higher.
When I tested it "back in the days", each summon, pet, familiar, henchmen etc caused the XP gain to be calculated as one level higher then you were.
So a Level 3 with one henchmen and one summon would be counted as L5 when assigning XP.

XP gain is (was) also modified by class, so a warrior will get some more XP when killing specific types of enemies (I recall it being spell casters) and vice versa for spell casters.
This would also explain why a cleric/sorcerer multiclass would gain more XP due to this class modifier vs. enemy type. I did not test this modification extensively, but it is quite easy to see in the first chapter of the game where different classes will get different XP from various kills.

I have not played NwN recently, but these were my findings back when I did play, where I tested it out (as I've mentioned in past posts within this forum)

[jeremiah]

This has been discussed in the Neverwinter nights board extensively at Bioware.

NWN uses an ECL (Effective Class Level) wherein some classes are awarded more xp as they are considered a lower level. The warrior classes are usually treated as their level. Bards have the most generous ECL (they are treated a lower level up to level 11 so their xp rewards are higher than for another class of the same level when fighting a similar enemy). Wiz/sorc are treated a lower class level up to level 8.

So some players to get more xp extensively use multiclassing to keep their ECL low. They would play wiz/bard/cleric and not level each class past the ECL limit so they can gain more xp. The result being a character with a bunch of lower class levels but a MUCH higher character level when going through the campaign.