Unearthed Arcana introduced fractional base attack bonuses and fractional base saves. If it’s not too late, I’d like to suggest these rules be added to Pathfinder. You’re already doing away with multiclassing penalties, which makes a Cleric1/Druid1/Rogue1/Sorcerer1 that much more likely to exist. However, without the fractional base attack bonus rule, such a character, after four levels, still does not have a base attack bonus to his name. If there’s not anything gamebreaking about those rules, then I don’t see why they shouldn’t be added in.
(Is this something that I should put in the New Rules forum?)
I agree with the OP. This was my proposed fix: Linky.
Fractional BAB works fine, but save progressions have weirder fractions, so I proposed stacking levels instead (this also fixed the +2 bump problem, since that Drd/Sor/Clr/Wiz might not have a BAB, but they would have a great Will save.)
Well, poor BAB, good saves. Why not just eliminate classes entirely and thus get rid of all multiclassing questions?
Well, poor BAB, good saves.
Unless you do something like Ftr/Rng/Brb, in which case you still have a great BAB but also have a ridiculous fortitude save.
Why not just eliminate classes entirely and thus get rid of all multiclassing questions?
That was helpful!
Isn't it? There are several free systems out there for doing it, all you have to do is search. If you need a link, here's the free one we usually use: http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=51255
I think fractional BAB's should be the standard. It just makes sense. I think the way it should work is this: Poor BAB classes get +.34 per level, and medium BAB classes get +.75 per level. I have used this in the past and it worked great. I'd love to see it made official.
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[...]which makes a Cleric1/Druid1/Rogue1/Sorcerer1 that much more likely to exist. However, without the fractional base attack bonus rule, such a character, after four levels, still does not have a base attack bonus to his name.
Tough. That character has been spending a lot of time learning to be a novice priest, commune with nature, train animals, how to pick locks, move without making a sound, disable traps, and to channel the arcane energies he's discovered within himself. With all of that and more going on, becoming more adept with swinging a sword has gone on the back burner. Let him take a level of fighter when he hits fifth level and he'll have his +1 BAB.
I think fractional BAB's should be the standard. It just makes sense. I think the way it should work is this: Poor BAB classes get +.34 per level, and medium BAB classes get +.75 per level. I have used this in the past and it worked great. I'd love to see it made official.
Why would poor BAB get 0.34 per level instead of 0.5? 0.5 per level would keep the current pattern for a single class poor BAB class (0, 1, 1, 2, 2, etc.).
I'd rather have a level stacking solution than working around with fractional numbers, at least for saves.
Isn't it? There are several free systems out there for doing it, all you have to do is search. If you need a link, here's the free one we usually use: http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=51255
The weak point of your argument is that we're not talking about any of those free systems. We're talking about the heir to D&D. D&D has always had classes. Wouldn't be D&D without them.
I'm not saying that class-less has no class (depending on what you mean with class, of course), but it just isn't for D&D.
So any suggestion like that, any suggestion that would turn the game into something that it isn't, isn't helpful at all.
I can't say i would feel sorry for the mutli-classer. He would still have tons of benefits.
In a lot of cases, the benefits for multiclassing don't even come close to the benefits of sticking to the class, and that's without the added disadvantage of getting some really bad saves and bad BAB.
Regardless, the main reason the core classes are beefed up in Pathfinder is "so" you dont have to go multi-class or prestige class crazy.It's a wonderful thing to have core classes that are now very intresting to play all the way to 20th level.
Of course it's good that the classes are getting boosts in higher levels, as an incentive to stick to them.
But multiclassing should remain a viable alternative, and should work for those cases where a single class doesn't work, like a warrior arcanist, or a divine trickster.
I think fractional BAB's should be the standard. It just makes sense. I think the way it should work is this: Poor BAB classes get +.34 per level, and medium BAB classes get +.75 per level. I have used this in the past and it worked great. I'd love to see it made official.Why would poor BAB get 0.34 per level instead of 0.5? 0.5 per level would keep the current pattern for a single class poor BAB class (0, 1, 1, 2, 2, etc.).
Hmm. That was just a system I saw proposed on ENWorld a while back. I never compared it to the actual poor BAB progression. Looking in my PHB now, I think you're right. Interesting. That's what I get for not running the numbers...
(Although even a +.34 per level would be better than giving them no bonus as some are proposing and as the rules currently stand. This way the Cleric 1/Rogue 1/Druid 1/Sorcerer 1 would at least have +1 BAB).
I agree with the OP. This was my proposed fix: Linky.
Fractional BAB works fine, but save progressions have weirder fractions, so I proposed stacking levels instead (this also fixed the +2 bump problem, since that Drd/Sor/Clr/Wiz might not have a BAB, but they would have a great Will save.)
Yeah, that's what I meant to say, that fractional base save bonuses shouldn't jump up by two with every new beginning good progression. I've always thought of the good base saves starting at +2 as being the same as starting skill points being 4x(Int + whatever), or your hit points starting out maxed out.
Every class does this anyway (an 11th-level Rogue has a BAB of (11 x .75) or 8.25, which is rounded down to 8), so why shouldn't it be universal across single class characters and multiclass characters?
Remaining single classed throughout your career should be viable, yes, but if there are areas where multiclassing is not viable, or is less viable, should we not fix them, too?