Multiclass Characters
A character may add new classes as
he or she progresses in levels, thereby becoming a multiclass character. The
class abilities from all of a character’s classes combine to determine a
multiclass character’s overall abilities.
Class and Level Features
As a general rule, the abilities of
a multiclass character are the sum of the abilities provided by each of the
character’s classes.
Level
“Character level” is a character’s
total number of levels. It is used to determine when feats and ability score
increases are gained
“Class level” is the character’s
level in a particular class. For a hero whose levels are all in the same class,
character level and class level are the same.
Hit Points: A hero gains
hit points from each class as his or her class level increases, adding the new
hit points to the previous total.
Base Attack Bonus: Add
the base attack bonuses for each class to get the hero’s base attack bonus. A
resulting value of +6 or higher provides the hero with multiple attacks.
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To use multiple attacks in the same
round, a character must use a full attack, which is a full-round action.
Saving Throws
Add the base save bonuses for each
class together.
Defense Bonus
Add the Defense bonuses for each
class together.
Leadership Bonus
Add Leadership bonuses together.
Skills
A multiclass hero uses his or her
character level to determine the maximum ranks the hero can have in a skill. If
a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass hero’s classes, then use
character level to determine a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a
class skill is 3 + character level.)
When a multiclass hero gains a
level in a class, he or she spends that level’s skill points as a member of
that class. Only that class’s class skills may be purchased as class skills.
All other skills, including skills for another class the hero has levels in,
are considered cross-class skills when ranks in those skills are purchased at
this level.
Class Features
The character gets all class
features (talents, bonus feats, or other special abilities) of all classes for
the levels he or she possesses.
Feats
A multiclass character receives a
new feat every three character levels, regardless of individual class level.
Taking one level in a new class does not entitle a character to receive the two
feats that a beginning 1st-level character gets.
Ability Increases
A multiclass character increases
one ability score by +1 every four character levels, regardless of individual
class level.
Adding a Second Class
When a character with one class
gains a level, he or she may choose to increase the level of his or her current
class or pick up a new class at 1st level. This could be a basic class or, if
the character qualifies for it, an advanced class.
The character gains the 1st-level
base attack bonus, base save bonuses, class skills, other class features of the
new class, hit points of the appropriate die type, and the new class’s number
of skill points gained at each additional level (not that number x4, as is the
case for a 1st-level character).
Picking up a new class is not
exactly the same as starting a character in that class. When picking up a new class, a hero doesn’t
receive maximum hit points but should roll the new Hit Die.
Advancing a Level
Each time a multiclass character
attains a new level, the hero either increases one of his or her current class
levels by one or picks up a new class at 1st level.
When a multiclass character
increases one of his or her class levels by one, the character gets all the
standard benefits that characters receive for attaining the new level in that
class: more hit points, possible bonuses on attack rolls, Defense, and saving
throws (depending on the class and the new level), a new class feature (as
defined by the class), and new skill points.
Skill points are spent according to
the class that the multiclass character just advanced in. Skills are purchased
at the cost appropriate for that class.
In general, a character can have
levels in as many different classes as there are classes.
Age
As the character ages, his or her
physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase,
as detailed on Table: Aging Effects. The effects of each aging step are
cumulative. The ages given in brackets are for a typical human. In the Races
section you will find the same values for non-human races.
Table: Aging Effects |
|
Age Category |
Ability Adjustments |
Child (1–11) |
–3 to Str and Con; –1 to Dex,
Int, Wis, and Cha |
Young adult (12–15) |
Original scores |
Adult (16–39) |
Original scores |
Middle age (40–59) |
–1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to
Int, Wis, and Cha |
Old (60–79) |
–1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to
Int, Wis, and Cha |
Venerable (80+) |
–1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to
Int, Wis, and Cha |