Let’s take a look at multi-class and dual class characters in AD&D, and find out why it is the best version of Dungeons & Dragons in this How to Play Advanced Dungeons & Dragons series. Buy the AD&D Unearthed Arcana: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/170096/unearthed-arcana-1e?affiliate_id=50797
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Transcript
Cold Open
There are race restrictions on your multi-class characters.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today I am going to talk about multi-class and dual class characters in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the AD&D Players Handbook and the Unearthed Arcana for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
Preface
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is designed with humans in mind. Human characters that is. However, as it is a fantasy campaign, they included the typical fantasy racial stocks of Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Half-Elves, Halfllings, and Half-Orcs. Most all of these have sub-races as well, but that will be a topic for a separate video. Each of these racial stocks has advantages and disadvantages, while humans do not. This is an intentional design, meant for balance. Most non-human races are also able to work in two or more classes at the same time, with some gaining ability score bonuses as well. In order to maintain fairness for human PC’s, most are limited on how high a level they may achieve in the class, except in the case of a thief. And while all demi-races are able to multi-class, humans are not. Humans are however able to dual class. What is the difference you ask? That is the purpose of this video. Let’s start with multi-class PC’s and then move on to dual class PC’s.
Multi-class
All non- or semi-human races are able to be multi-class characters. What this means is that they are able to work in two or more classes at the same time. They must choose this option at character creation. There are also restrictions on what classes each race is allowed to work in, as shown in the Players Handbook and extrapolated on in the Unearthed Arcana; In addition to level restrictions on the classes, as defined by both their ability score, and their subrace. Regardless of the race’s level restriction in a given class, all multi-class PC’s will equally divide their earned experience points between their classes, even if they have met the limit in one of them. In the case of a multi-class thief, armor will be restricted when using the thief’s abilities.
Dwarves are able to multi-class as a fighter/thief. Gray dwarves or Duergar may be fighter/clerics, cleric/thieves, or cleric/assassins as well. An Elf may be a multi-class fighter/magic-user, a fighter/thief, a magic-user/thief, or a fighter/magic-user/thief. Wild elves or Grugach are only able to be fighter/thieves. Gnomes are able to multi-class as a fighter/illusionist, a fighter/thief, or an illusionist/thief, though they may only wear leather armor in the last option. Half-Elves are able to multi-class as a cleric/fighter, a cleric/ranger, a cleric/magic-user, a fighter/magic-user, a fighter/thief, a magic-user/thief, a cleric/fighter/magic-user or a fighter/magic-user/thief. If they are half wild-elf, they are restricted to their aforementioned multi-class option. Halflings are able to multi-class as a fighter/thief. Finally, Half-Orcs may multi-class as a cleric/fighter, a cleric/thief, a cleric/assassin, a fighter/thief, or a fighter/assassin. All thief multi-class options may take advantage of the split-class option of thief-acrobat, but they must have a minimum strength of 15, a minimum dexterity of 16, and have achieved 5th level as a thief. The basic benefits of the various multi-class options are as follows:
The Cleric/Fighter is strong in defensive and revitalization capabilities, plus the offensive missile and melee combat power of the fighter. Hit points average will be good. Cleric/Fighter/Magic-user is one of the best of the multi-class options, this gives good offensive and defensive spell capability plus the fighter’s melee combat strength. Cleric/Ranger shares the cleric/fighter benefits. This combination is potent in outdoor situations as well. Cleric/Magic-user gives the character a great variety and selection of spells, as well as the use of armor and more weapons. Hit points are somewhat better than those of the magic-user class alone. Cleric/Thief is a combination of classes which gives both defensive and stealth potential. Hit points are improved with regard to the thief class only. As with all thief class combinations, however, any functions as a thief are under the restrictions of that class with regard to armor, i.e. only leather armor and no shield. Cleric/Assassin is seemingly strange. The combination gives great potential in defensive and stealth situations and very powerful assassination attack capabilities. Hit points are good because of clerical hit dice. Fighter/Magic-user allows excellent armor protection, the use of weaponry, and spells. Hit points are good on the average. Fighter/Illusionist shares the Fighter/Magic-user benefits. Fighter/Thief combines the armor, weapons, and combat capabilities of the fighter with the stealth and other abilities of the thief,
creating a very effective character, even though thieving functions restrict the character to leather armor and no shield. Hit points are good. Fighter/Assassin gives excellent missile and melee combat ability, plus assassination and stealth potential. Hit points are good. Fighter/Magic-user/Thief grants combat, spell, and stealth capabilities. This is a very powerful mix. Hit points are good on the average. Magic-user/Thief does not offer all of the options open to a fighter/magic-user/thief, but advancement is usually more rapid. Average hit
points are fair. And finally the Illusionist/Thief shares the benefits of Magic-User/Thief above.
Dual Class
Only humans may take two classes or be Demi Class after character creation. This means that the character plays as their initial class for as many levels as desired, then wholly abandons that class to attain their second class. Thereby no longer progressing in their first class at all. In order to switch classes, they must have an ability score of 15 or more in the principal attribute or attributes of the original class and a 17 or 18 in the principal attribute or attributes of the new class. This allows nearly any combination of classes. Also bear in mind alignments being a barrier for some classes.
When you make the change to a new class, you will cease your first class while retaining the hit dice and hit points of your first class level, not advancing in hit die or hit points with the new class level. You now adopt the new class, with none of the benefits or abilities of your previous class. If you use any of the previous class abilities, you will gain no experience points for that adventure! Once you achieve the same level in your new class that you had in your first class, you gain the following benefits:
A hit die and hit points for the new class is gained for each new level, up to the maximum of that class. And you may now use all functions of your first and second class at will, though some classes will restrict armor and weapons. The benefits of this are that you are not restricted in level advancement in any class, can use any class’s abilities once you achieve the first class level in the second, and you may even advance as a Bard if available in the DM’s milieu. Only a human or a half-elf may be a bard. They must have a 15 or better in strength, wisdom, dexterity and charisma, and at least a 12 in intelligence and a 10 in constitution. They must also have the multi-class or dual class combination of fighter/thief. The fighter class must be between 5th and 8th level and the thief class must be between 5th and 9th level. At this point they must give up thieving and begin clerical studies as druids. This makes them bards under druidical tutelage. They must be neutral, but may be chaotic, good, or lawful neutral if they wish. They then forsake the experience tables of fighter and thief and only advance as bards in the druid advancement table. This grants them magical abilities, creating a truly unique and powerful PC.
Afterword
While the restrictions based on race and class may feel arbitrary initially, once you have played or witnessed them played, you quickly realize they are truly balanced with their racial and class abilities, providing an incredible amount of character options for players to enjoy. I highly recommend you try a multi-class or dual class character in your next Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game.
Outro
But that is all the time I have to talk about multi-class and dual class characters in AD&D. What do you think of the race restrictions on classes? Do you enjoy the dual class level restrictions? And finally, have you ever made a bard in AD&D? Leave a comment below.
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There is no winning or losing, but rather the value is in the experience of imagining yourself as a character…
