Multiclassing worth it?

[Otakatt]

Earlier in the Wizardry series, you could make characters that could do... pretty much everything with multiclassing. Changing class reset their level so releveling them and maintaining HP pretty much made it worth it. Here, that doesn't seem to be the case, but I could be wrong? I'm curious if it's ever worth it to swap classes, or if you should just stick with one.

[Thick McRunFast]

It's useful on occasion. A couple examples that personally worked for me:

A fighter/bard. Basically, make a Mook (or Hobbit) fighter, set their stats to meet the minimums required for the bard class, then dump all remaining points into strength at character generation. Swap to bard at level 2 and stick with it for most of the game. Your bard will have tremendously more strength, will be considerably closer to unlocking the power strike skill (at 100 strength), and will be a very respectable melee combatant from start to finish whenever you don't need to use an musical instrument. You can swap back to fighter later on, retaining all musical/lockpicking ability, and deck out in the best gear in the game.

Mage/Bishop. The premise is the same as above. Roll an elf mage with stats setup to meet the bishop miniumums, dump remaining points into intelligence. Swap to bishop at level 2. Higher INT, quicker power cast unlock, and realm skill boosts make it interesting.

Dracon Fighter/Samurai. Same premise as the fighter/bard. Note that since the fighter has no inherent spell casting ability, you'll effectively be "behind" by one spell caster level. I found for a melee specialist it was worth the loss, though. The sooner power strike gets unlocked, the more time it has to develop over the many battles that occur over the course of the adventure. The higher base damage of more strength also means not relying entirely on instant kills to get battles over with.

You can apply those basic premises to other combinations as well. These lead to some small boosts in power or a better specialization, but yes, class changing has been toned down since the earlier Wizardry games.

Another time I used it was when soloing the game. My final character was primarily a bishop, but had 6+ levels in Lord, 1 in rogue, and 1 in samurai before it was all said and done.

[Seewhyseeoh]

Personally, Im from the 'pick a class and stick with it' field, but I've heard many folk saying multi-classing is far better. You could choose initial fighters for a few levels and then swap to a needed class later on. (ie. Rogue, Bard, Samurai etc...) Or maybe all Mages the swap to Bishop, priest and so on....

[tutzdes]

Game mechanics doesn't inspire multiclassing. In fact, even hybrid classes (like lord, samurai) are handicaped compared to the specialists.

Multiclassing is reasonable if you use mix-in strategy: exploit the crabs or seekers to powerlevel shield and evasion as lvl 1 rogue and then change class to, say, bishop. This can give caster character godly armor class with minor loss of caster level. This is tedious and pretty close to cheating.

Other exception is changing pure casters to hybrid classes (alchemist to ranger for example) at VERY high level, when the magic abilities are maxed and blasting monsters with spells is enefficient anyway. You won't reach these levels during normal gameplay without mods or grinding monsters A LOT.

For normal games, especcially first playthroughs, I would recommend full party, with all roles filled and no multiclassing.

[St. Haborym]

I'm the kinda guy who sticks with a class to the end.

[Ultrazen]

You can build some seriously fun and powerful characters via multiclassing, and it's certainly something I would recommend for multiple playthroughs. There are a metric ton of different and interesting combos you can make. One of the most fun things to do in this game I think.

Healer/Monk hybrids, Samarui + bishop, fighter/ranger combos chance to insta kill....so many fun things to play with.

There are the more obvious ones (classes that share very similar base attributes), and then the more interesting and tougher to develop ones that turn out to be endgame power houses.

/shrug. 90% of the fun of this game for me, is trying to come up with intersting combos and making them work.

[Izuela]

I usually turn my pure caster classes into Psionics after their wizardry/divinity/alchemy skill is maxxed out and they know all their spells. Spell damage plateaus in this game, but messing with the enemies mind is forever!
As for Bards, I eventually turn mine into rangers. Because I usually keep my bards in the back shooting bows between tunes, their range skill is already pretty high. Also learning to cast stamina on themselves (if the game runs that long) is of some use too.

[Shar der General]

For me in most cases Single Class Specialist seem to work best. Hybrids are somewhat weeker, but there they might be in some cases make sense, if u need more allround atack power AND Lockpick, a Ninja works well.

[Stupid fat hobbit]

Thick McRunFast reply is the best imo. I agree with hybrids he proposed. Currently (team around level 9) using bard to cast Bless first and then Insanity or Sleep. Using 2 trinkets for stam regen but my bishop has still to cast stamina on him. That's 2 turns buffing all during all fights and then spamming either Insanity or Sleep every 2 turns. I know there are better instruments later on but I could well change him to i.e. rogue in the front with cursed weapons or ranged char. It's just a support char currently and one can use it that way for most of the game in 6p party..with more instruments he wouldn't have enough turns to even cast all buffs usually.

[GameNerdVeggie]

Yes! Crtical Strike and Stealth are awesome if You max them with only 1 Class Level. Bard/Gadgeteers are Awesome if You change them later to a Fighter. They deal than 100% more Damage, have Stamina Regeneration and can use the best Armors which also give Stamina Regeneration.

[dwarner]

Originally posted by Otakatt:

Earlier in the Wizardry series, you could make characters that could do... pretty much everything with multiclassing. Changing class reset their level so releveling them and maintaining HP pretty much made it worth it. Here, that doesn't seem to be the case, but I could be wrong? I'm curious if it's ever worth it to swap classes, or if you should just stick with one.

Not really. A lot of things go off of relative level and you don’t want to fall behind on that. I used to do Mage1/Sam to get him started on Magic training but that really sets him back on his weapon training, and that snowballs since missed in melee don’t do much to generate skill points.

Basically if you want to be casting offensive spells when it matters, play a pure caster and get Power Cast. If you want to be attacking develop that and use spells for support.

[Skleedle]

Bishop/Monk is one of the easiest solos

Anyone/Rogue(for one level) as a solo/up to 3 in party--Stealth is quite important

Bard/Gad is a lot of fun

[peddroelm]

Originally posted by Thick McRunFast:

A fighter/bard. Basically, make a Mook (or Hobbit) fighter, set their stats to meet the minimums required for the bard class, then dump all remaining points into strength at character generation. Swap to bard at level 2 and stick with it for most of the game. Your bard will have tremendously more strength, will be considerably closer to unlocking the power strike skill (at 100 strength), and will be a very respectable melee combatant from start to finish whenever you don't need to use an musical instrument. You can swap back to fighter later on, retaining all musical/lockpicking ability, and deck out in the best gear in the game.

base game gadgeteers and bards have class based STR boosting items .. I tend to save STR points (no powestrike ) and get them near 125 STR using their custom STR items ... Saved points could go to SEN (eagle eye) instead ..

125 STR + something like 3x Xbow or even Bows .. and max DEX and SEN .. targets outside melee range aren't going to have a good time ..

[dwarner]

Been trying to work SPD in on Felpurr Bard for Snakespeed combined with higher relative level to get first action in every combat.

STR seems like no-brainer to get Stamina up early to use and carry instruments. You can make up for some of that with items later but not early mid-game where you get a lot of your skill training in (if you don’t nerf yourself with Bloodlust).

And Power Attack definitely is something that benefits you, unless you want to go an entirely different direction and go Artifacts instead with Stix and items and no weapons at all.

[Reality]

So many Class level based things in this game that I wouldn't suggest multiclass

Taking "only 1 level" in other class for stealth or w/e can be done, but it's a tiny boost in power compared to the wiz6/7 - new class in lategame area > 7 levels in a single battle > reclass again > having more HP than all single class charathers in partty and having learned all spells from 2 schools for same amount of experience that a "pure" mage has just gotten his first level 6 spell.

[mpnorman10]

Originally posted by dwarner:

Been trying to work SPD in on Felpurr Bard for Snakespeed combined with higher relative level to get first action in every combat.

Is that for the Soulful Sax lifted from Saxx?

There was an earlier misperception about the Bard that many players thought that if the bard banged the Rousing Drums fast enough, it would change the order of battle so Soul and Element Shield could be cast by otherwise not fast enough casters. It does not. That order is fixed at the beginning of the round of combat before any character or monster actions. It can change the number of swings on the fly, however.

If your reason for pumping Speed on the Bard is the former, then it makes total sense and the Felpur starts with the highest initiative (Speed + Senses = 110, just by race, plus 5 for the Bard profession minimum = 115, before 35 bonus attributes are applied during creation).