Multiclassing help

[Havok SCOUT]

I'm an eighth level fighter and was thinking of multiclassing to wizard. Any moral help is needed to make this decission.

[Telonius]

8 is a little bit late to be thinking of a spellcasting multiclass, but it shouldn't be completely impossible to pull off. Which books do you have access to, and are you intending to still be in the middle of melee? Also, what feats do you have already?

(Just at the outset, your biggest problems are going to be either keeping your current armor and decreasing the arcane casting failure; or ditching the armor and finding other ways to boost your AC if you're still going to be in melee).

[Tyndmyr]

The biggest problem is that a 8th level fighter/1st(or 2nd, or 3rd) level wizard only really fights as well as an 8th level fighter. The wizard spells are too low for most of them to be useful(minor buffs, and things like grease are aright, but loss of armor is an issue).

Basically, you want to look at gish prestige classes, like eldritch knight, and figure out the fastest way to get into them.

[Telonius]

I was actually thinking Spellsword, or possibly multiclassing to Duskblade instead of Wizard and taking Battle Caster. It's gish-in-a-can and won't be super-powerful compared to something built from scratch, but it'll probably be better for the role than simple multiclass.

Artificer would probably be best if he's going to stay in melee, but I'm assuming this is either a core or core+completes game.

EDIT: Almost forgot - one other thing we'd really need to know is the character's current mental stats. If he's dumped Int, then it won't really matter.

[Keld Denar]

Check out things you might already have. Suel Arcanamach is a great PrC for a full BAB character to step into. If you don't have them, see if your DM will let you change them, or retrain them using the PHBII retraining rules. You need 2 feats and a couple skills. It gives you moderately fast progression arcane spellcasting from a few limited schools (mostly schools that enhance melee combat like Transmutation and Illusion), caps out at 5th level spells, and gives you some neat abilities that keep your fledgeling casting from being completely neutered by things like Dispel Magic.

[Havok SCOUT]

Thanks for the help! And as far as dump stats and waiting until eighth level, I had to pop into the middle of a campaign at eighth level, and we just helped a dragon, so I was going to decide on a tome of clear thought or something along those lines to boost my int. score of ten.

[Sinon]

What's your motivation? I mean, what are you hoping to get out of the multiclass?


Like Tyndmyr said, the mechanical benefits aren't really there, but there are ways to go.

Even with a really great tome, you're going to have limited options.

[Rad]

What's your motivation? I mean, what are you hoping to get out of the multiclass?


Like Tyndmyr said, the mechanical benefits aren't really there, but there are ways to go.

Even with a really great tome, you're going to have limited options.

This. Absolutely this.
Also, is retraining an option? How about moving a couples of ability points around?

[Person_Man]

Mechanically, it's a horrible idea. Even Fighter 8 is a bad idea unless you're using Dungeoncrasher and Zhentarim Fighter with optimized Bull Rush and Demoralize.

What exactly do you want, anyway?

[Havok SCOUT]

Thanks for the help :). I think that the campaign Im in will run smoothly enough without an arcane spellcaster.

[true_shinken]

Thanks for the help :). I think that the campaign Im in will run smoothly enough without an arcane spellcaster.

I suggest Suel Arcanamach, though you probably don't have the requirements. If you can work a few retraining with your DM, though, I think it would be your best bet to get what you want.
Knight of the Weave, from Champions of Valor, is another option.

[Havok SCOUT]

I suggest Suel Arcanamach, though you probably don't have the requirements. If you can work a few retraining with your DM, though, I think it would be your best bet to get what you want.
Knight of the Weave, from Champions of Valor, is another option.

Thanks, but charisma was my dump stat.

[Gavinfoxx]

Out of curiosity, why are you a fighter? What specifically do you WANT the character to be good at? Presumably, 'fighting in melee', but Fighter is a TERRIBLE way to do that...

[Jornophelanthas]

Thanks for the help :). I think that the campaign Im in will run smoothly enough without an arcane spellcaster.

Based on this quote, I guess your conclusion is that you will not, after all, multiclass your fighter. Which leads me to the question whether you actually wanted to multiclass, or whether you just felt pressured into being the arcane caster, because nobody else fulfills that function in the party.

When roleplaying, and when engaging in hobbies in general, don't give yourself a part to play that you don't enjoy, especially if it's a long-term decision. If you enjoy being a fighter, stick with it. If you would prefer playing a wizard, then you're probably better off retiring the fighter and creating a new level 8 wizard (especially if you're bored with being a fighter). But please don't let other players, the DM or just a general feel of "we need casters" dictate what kind of character you should play.

(While the players should deliberate somewhat to make sure the party is somewhat balanced, this should always be second to the players' fun.)

[Evard]

Does it have to be arcane? I would say multiclass Cleric... Very very handy and you get to keep your armor and melee capabilities :D

[Kylarra]

Maybe you could try to retrain your fighter levels into warblade ones?

[Havok SCOUT]

Unfortunately, it wasn't my decision to be a fighter, And I was on the fence about multiclassing, which was why I wanted some help from the penut gallery. Based on what everyone is saying, I'm going to stay a fighter.

[TooManyBadgers]

Something that might work is the Chameleon class from Races of Destiny. It requires you to be human (Changeling would also probably be reasonable) and to be able to retrain your level 1 feat (there are actually rules for this in the player's handbook 2). You might need to retrain skill ranks too (or take the Open Minded feat), and take a level in Rogue, but I think it would be worth it all the same.

The advantages are:

1: Built-in ability boosts. You shouldn't need to scrounge for a powerful Tome or Headband just to cast spells. It'll help, but you won't need to do it.

2: Accelerated advancement. It takes 1 level to get level 2 spells and 9 levels to get level 6 spells. That's kind of neat.

3: Enhanced CL. Caster level=2xChameleon level. This should help with durations and dispels.

4. A decent framework. Your BA won't take a very significant hit, you'll get more skill points/level from a nice list.

5. Flexibility. You can draw spells from any class list. You can use class features like Rage and Evasion if you need them. You can use the Use Magic Device skill to activate magic wands, scrolls, etc. when you're running low on spell slots. You can also switch Aptitude focuses, if you need to (which means you can use Chameleon levels to actually improve your Fighting if you need them to, as well as boost your casting).

[Darrin]

I'm an eighth level fighter and was thinking of multiclassing to wizard. Any moral help is needed to make this decission.

Take another level in a melee class (Barbarian 1 for Spirit Lion Totem/Pounce, or Mystic Ranger, or whatnot). For your 9th level bonus feat, take Leadership and pick up a 7th level Wizard as a cohort. Instead of weakening your 8 levels of fighter with one measly wizard level, you've got 9 strong levels of melee scrapper and have brought *7* levels of arcane whoopass to the table instead of just 1.

[Starbuck_II]

Take another level in a melee class (Barbarian 1 for Spirit Lion Totem/Pounce, or Mystic Ranger, or whatnot). For your 9th level bonus feat, take Leadership and pick up a 7th level Wizard as a cohort. Instead of weakening your 8 levels of fighter with one measly wizard level, you've got 9 strong levels of melee scrapper and have brought *7* levels of arcane whoopass to the table instead of just 1.

He'll need to have good Cha to get a 7th lv Wizard.
He'll need 12 Cha (9 level +1 Cha Bonus=10).

[Gavinfoxx]

Unfortunately, it wasn't my decision to be a fighter, And I was on the fence about multiclassing, which was why I wanted some help from the penut gallery. Based on what everyone is saying, I'm going to stay a fighter.

What precisely were the requirements given to you? What options DID you have to choose? Fighter is generally a very low powered class... were the requirements simply, "you have to be someone who calmly fights really well with pure fighting skill, weapons, and without magical augmentation"? Or did they hand you a "fighter 8" that you had to figure out the details? Did they hand you an ALREADY written up fighter 8?