Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar setting, home to the legendary Fafhrd and Gray Mouser, is the first officially licensed setting for the DCC RPG.

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Nyarlathotep5150
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Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by Nyarlathotep5150 »

Do you think DCC Lankhmar will have official rules for multiclassing? I ask because Grey Mouser is pretty much quintessentially a multiclass character (Or dual class from the earlier editions of D&D... Actually, I always felt that rule was created specifically with him in mind). I mean, we could say his zero level profession was Wizards Apprentice and that he took Thief as his level 1, but that doesn't explain how he occasionally does cast spells. So, I feel he has to be some kind of Wizard/Thief hybrid.
Thoughts?
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by GnomeBoy »

The other option is that anyone can cast spells... to some degree. Maybe.
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Nyarlathotep5150
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by Nyarlathotep5150 »

Maybe. But I wouldn't want that. At least not as an explanation for that instance. It would make the fact that he was a wizards apprentice completely meaningless if everyone can do it.
But it is hard to think of a way to do multi-classing well since all the classes are front-loaded (Even the rules in crawl only kinda fix the problem).
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by Ravenheart87 »

It was mentioned that characters can dip into other classes' abilities in DCCL. I wonder how that will work, do they have to exchange something, or level slower?
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by GnomeBoy »

Nyarlathotep5150 wrote:Maybe. But I wouldn't want that. At least not as an explanation for that instance. It would make the fact that he was a wizards apprentice completely meaningless if everyone can do it.
But it is hard to think of a way to do multi-classing well since all the classes are front-loaded (Even the rules in crawl only kinda fix the problem).
The distinction would be between "could" and "can"... I'm not saying just anyone on the street can do it -- but that any character could learn to do it, by choice.

And since in DCC, 'average' people in the world do not have a Class, it means that it's an option for PCs only, really. NPC spellcasters are an entirely different mechanism.
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Nyarlathotep5150
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by Nyarlathotep5150 »

That would end up being a distinction without a difference. If everyone can cast spells, even if only the PC's and leveled NPC's, then suddenly, everyones a Wizard and it's Forgotten Realms. Because the only reason that anyone would choose not to take free magic is if they actively didn't want their character to have magic (So, instead of having a rare boost that is open to players, you end up with a standard power boost that the occasional PC opts out of). It would be like running a Dark Sun game where people could choose not to be Psionic Wild Talents. Sure, someone might. Most won't.
No matter what the in world rationale is, there would need to be a better system than just letting anyone do it.

I do like the idea of being able to blend classes/drop class abilities to get other classes powers though. As long as you have to choose to do something to be able to use magic (either multiclass, or give up something).
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by finarvyn »

I prefer a multiclass option to an "anyone can do it" approach. That's one of the things that I like best about D&D-style (class based) games as opposed to BRP or RuneQuest (skill basked) games.

I haven't tried multiclassing in DCC becaise characters tend to be low level already and so they can't afford to spread out much, but in D&D 5E I've been doing some multiclassing and have found that the unified XP chart means that a character with two classes works fine overall but takes a real hit in their primary class compared to other similar one-class characters.

In a Lankhmar style campaign, one might require all characters to have at least one level of thief in addition to their regular class. That would help simulate the style of the stories. Fafhrd might be a fighter-thief while Mouser a thief-wizard.
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by GnomeBoy »

Okay, so I'm failing with the word things sense making this on.

But for the record, I'm not suggesting instant gratification. I'm not suggesting a Toyota system ("You ask for it, you got it"). I'm not suggesting there be no trade-off/choice to be made.

Just throwing a whiffle ball out there onto the field and watching it get swept away in a gust of wind.
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Re: Multiclassing in Lankhmar

Post by finarvyn »

GnomeBoy wrote:Okay, so I'm failing with the word things sense making this on.
This line throws me. Sounds like advice from Yoda. :lol:
GnomeBoy wrote:But for the record, I'm not suggesting instant gratification. I'm not suggesting a Toyota system ("You ask for it, you got it"). I'm not suggesting there be no trade-off/choice to be made.
I guessed that, based on board conversations we've had over the years. Your approach to game philosophy tends to be old school and similar to mine. 8)

Even RQ and similar other games come with some form of trade-off in that by allocating points to spellcasting those points can't be spent elsewhere. My point was mostly that those trade-offs or choices ought to be significant, such as having to spend an entire level. I suspect that may have been your concept as well, but not all RPGs are so strict.

And your comment about zeroes not having a class is rather significant. It gets rid of the notion that the local barkeep might be ready to blast characters with a spell (unless that barkeep is secretly someone special). Nice catch. 8)
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"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
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"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
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