Multiclass Rules


Rules Questions


Where can I find the best understanding of how this works in Pathfinder?

Can you freely level up 2 classes, i.e. level 1 bard, level 2 rogue, level 3 bard, level 4 rogue (total level 4, cl 2 bard, cl 2 rogue)

or

Once you pick a new class can you not return to the previous to advance it further?

For some reason I keep thinking the later was the rule...


You can go back and forth between classes. You can only have one favored class to receive the benefit unless you are a half-elf.


In PF, there aren't any restrictions on multiclassing. You can freely choose which class to level up, and can switch off to your heart's content. The "Favored Class" ability does slightly sweeten single-class character builds.

(In 3.5, there were penalties for taking too many classes, and there were special rules for Paladins and Monks on multiclassing. These have been removed in PF).


Shalafi2412 wrote:
You can go back and forth between classes. You can only have one favored class to receive the benefit unless you are a half-elf.

Or unless you grab the "Eclectic" feat (Advanced Players Guide -- lets you have either two or +1 favored classes; I don't recall whether you can end up with 3 if you're half-elven.)


Alitan wrote:
Shalafi2412 wrote:
You can go back and forth between classes. You can only have one favored class to receive the benefit unless you are a half-elf.
Or unless you grab the "Eclectic" feat (Advanced Players Guide -- lets you have either two or +1 favored classes; I don't recall whether you can end up with 3 if you're half-elven.)

Unfortunately, that doesn't work.

PRD wrote wrote:

Eclectic

You have a talent for picking up different vocations.

Prerequisite: Human.

Benefit: Choose an additional favored class and gain either +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever you take a level in that class. If you choose a class in which you already have levels, the benefits of this feat are retroactive.

Liberty's Edge

Fallen_Mage wrote:
Alitan wrote:
Shalafi2412 wrote:
You can go back and forth between classes. You can only have one favored class to receive the benefit unless you are a half-elf.
Or unless you grab the "Eclectic" feat (Advanced Players Guide -- lets you have either two or +1 favored classes; I don't recall whether you can end up with 3 if you're half-elven.)

Unfortunately, that doesn't work.

PRD wrote wrote:

Eclectic

You have a talent for picking up different vocations.

Prerequisite: Human.

Benefit: Choose an additional favored class and gain either +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever you take a level in that class. If you choose a class in which you already have levels, the benefits of this feat are retroactive.

half-elf wrote:

Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.

Bolding mine.


Even if a Half Elf could take Eclectic, you would probably be better off just spending that feat on Toughness or Skill Focus.


thanks everyone, this is what I was hoping but I feared not. They will be happy to know this!


2 people marked this as FAQ candidate.
ShadowcatX wrote:
half-elf wrote:

Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.

Bolding mine.

I think I recall seeing someone from Paizo (it may have been James Jacobs, whose opinions he has said should not be taken as an official response) say that Elf Blood does not apply to everything. I *am* sure that I have seen the disagreement show up in another thread recently.

So, what is an "Effect" (such as being targeted by Bane, or by any spell that allows selecting a race as being the trigger...) ? Perhaps this would be a good FAQ topic.

Grand Lodge

Qualifying for feats and traits is an effect of your race, as are using race-specific magic items, being targeted as a ranger's favoured enemy or being affected by a bane weapon.

Elf Blood doesn't allow you to take human or elf racial favoured class alternative benefits, because you must get them from your race rather than qualifying because of your race. We could perhaps call these a property of your race rather than an effect, or say that while favoured class benefits may or may not be an effect, that in itself is not sufficient to grant you an opportunity to take them.


But Eclectic isn't an alternative benefit, it's a feat.

Grand Lodge

Right. So meeting its prerequisites is an effect related to race and is granted by the Elf Blood ability.


Thought you were arguing against; late night trolling, really need more coffee for this. Oops

Liberty's Edge

elf blooded does not grant access to elf only feats. It would have to list elf and half-elf. You can tell by looking at other race related feats like Keen Scent in APG, where it lists orc and half-orc. There are several feats that illustrate this. Meeting benefits is not an "effect"

Grand Lodge

No problem, just giving my interpretation of the FAQ in question, which had me thinking the opposite for quite a while on the assumption it was more broad-ranging than it is.

Grand Lodge

Shar Tahl wrote:
elf blooded does not grant access to elf only feats. It would have to list elf and half-elf. You can tell by looking at other race related feats like Keen Scent in APG, where it lists orc and half-orc. There are several feats that illustrate this.

I think Keen Scent lists "half-orc or orc" because orc is not a PC race, so it might confuse readers just to write "orc" ("half-orc" alone, on the other hand, would prevent orcs from taking it, as Razortusk and Smash do in RAW). Technically, it's redundant.


While choosing Eclectic do you have to pick a different Favored Class ability? For instance if your pure fighter, can you take Eclectic and choose fighter?

Grand Lodge

Feats can create effects, but are not effects in themselves.

Cause and Effect.

Think of it, if a feat is an effect, what is the cause?

Silver Crusade

Half Elf wrote:-

'Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.'

It helps to think of it this way: the 'effects' in question are things that happen during play, such as being hit by a Bane weapon, etc. Anything done in character creation or levelling up or any out of game bookkeeping etc is not a game 'effect'.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Multiclass Rules All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.