Fractastic!
What?
Ok, if you've been paying attention to the WotC articles on their site, this post isn't going to be anything new for you, but I like it anyway. Why? Because it uses math to solve problems! Weeee!
The problem: Multiclassing and what it does (or can do) to save bonuses and base attack bonuses (BAB). For instance, let's say you start off as a first level rogue. Your BAB is +0, your fortitude save is +0, your reflex save is +2, and your will save is +0. As a second level rogue you would have BAB +1, fort +0, ref +3, will +0; but instead, let's assume you picked up a level of wizard for those cool sneak attacking spells. In this case, using the rules as written (RAW), you would have BAB +0, fort +0, ref +2, will +2. What just happened? You end up with 1 less BAB and 1 more save bonus than usual. This example also works when compared to 2 levels in wizard (BAB +1, fort +0, ref +0, will +3).
Now, you might not see this as such a big deal, and really it isn't. After all, it's a 1 point penalty and a 1 point bonus either way. Personally, I find BAB to be more valuable than any one save, but I'm willing to consider otherwise. This situation also occurs when taking prestige classes (PrCs).
The solution: So how do we fix this? With math! Ok I'll stop, but this does require some ability to work fractions. In the PHB pg. 22, it lists the two progressions of saves and three progressions of BAB. "Good" saves increase at a rate of 1 point/2 levels (with a bonus of 2 at 1st level) and "Poor" saves increase at 1 point/3 levels. So you can conceptualize this as gaining 1/2 a save bonus every level (round down) for good saves and 1/3 a save bonus every level (round down) for poor saves. Then you just add the inherent +2 bonus to good saves for the first level. Try it, it works! The same can be applied to BAB with good BAB increasing at 1 point/level (not complicated), average BAB increases at 2/3 points every level (round down), and poor BAB increases at 1/3 points every level (round down).
Let's apply this to our rogue/wizard example. This would make a first level rogue have BAB +2/3 (rounded down to +0 as normal), fort +1/3 (rounded down to +0 as normal), ref +2 2/3 (rounded down to +2 as normal), and will +1/3 (are you rounding yet? +0 as normal). When you take a level in wizard you are then left with BAB +1 (+2/3 rogue, +1/3 wizard), fort +2/3 (round down to +0 as normal), ref +3 (rogue +2/3, wizard +1/3, +2 for first level), and will +1 (+1/3 rogue, +2/3 wizard, we drop the +2 for first level here because we're making that only applicable to first character level just like starting money and equipment and max hit die). So how does that compare with a level 2 rogue or level 2 wizard? Same BAB for all, same fort for all, same ref as the rogue but 3 points higher than wizard, 1 point higher will than rogue but 2 points lower than wizard. I think this makes for a better and more logical balance between the classes. The rogue is obviously a little more accentuated thanks to the +2 save bonus at first level, but this is reasonable considering it is the way you started your career.
This method is even more helpful with later levels as you continue to pursue two classes or even add a PrC like arcane trickster for example (take the +2 save bonus at first level out of that too). Monks who take PrCs will be especially happy for this as they are combat-oriented but only get the average BAB progression. They're really not going to want to take a monk-based PrC that also has average BAB because, by using the RAW, they'd lose even more BAB. So try it out. I promise it is not as difficult as it may seem, just count up all the fractions and round down to the nearest whole number. You have 10 minutes... begin.
Ok, if you've been paying attention to the WotC articles on their site, this post isn't going to be anything new for you, but I like it anyway. Why? Because it uses math to solve problems! Weeee!
The problem: Multiclassing and what it does (or can do) to save bonuses and base attack bonuses (BAB). For instance, let's say you start off as a first level rogue. Your BAB is +0, your fortitude save is +0, your reflex save is +2, and your will save is +0. As a second level rogue you would have BAB +1, fort +0, ref +3, will +0; but instead, let's assume you picked up a level of wizard for those cool sneak attacking spells. In this case, using the rules as written (RAW), you would have BAB +0, fort +0, ref +2, will +2. What just happened? You end up with 1 less BAB and 1 more save bonus than usual. This example also works when compared to 2 levels in wizard (BAB +1, fort +0, ref +0, will +3).
Now, you might not see this as such a big deal, and really it isn't. After all, it's a 1 point penalty and a 1 point bonus either way. Personally, I find BAB to be more valuable than any one save, but I'm willing to consider otherwise. This situation also occurs when taking prestige classes (PrCs).
The solution: So how do we fix this? With math! Ok I'll stop, but this does require some ability to work fractions. In the PHB pg. 22, it lists the two progressions of saves and three progressions of BAB. "Good" saves increase at a rate of 1 point/2 levels (with a bonus of 2 at 1st level) and "Poor" saves increase at 1 point/3 levels. So you can conceptualize this as gaining 1/2 a save bonus every level (round down) for good saves and 1/3 a save bonus every level (round down) for poor saves. Then you just add the inherent +2 bonus to good saves for the first level. Try it, it works! The same can be applied to BAB with good BAB increasing at 1 point/level (not complicated), average BAB increases at 2/3 points every level (round down), and poor BAB increases at 1/3 points every level (round down).
Let's apply this to our rogue/wizard example. This would make a first level rogue have BAB +2/3 (rounded down to +0 as normal), fort +1/3 (rounded down to +0 as normal), ref +2 2/3 (rounded down to +2 as normal), and will +1/3 (are you rounding yet? +0 as normal). When you take a level in wizard you are then left with BAB +1 (+2/3 rogue, +1/3 wizard), fort +2/3 (round down to +0 as normal), ref +3 (rogue +2/3, wizard +1/3, +2 for first level), and will +1 (+1/3 rogue, +2/3 wizard, we drop the +2 for first level here because we're making that only applicable to first character level just like starting money and equipment and max hit die). So how does that compare with a level 2 rogue or level 2 wizard? Same BAB for all, same fort for all, same ref as the rogue but 3 points higher than wizard, 1 point higher will than rogue but 2 points lower than wizard. I think this makes for a better and more logical balance between the classes. The rogue is obviously a little more accentuated thanks to the +2 save bonus at first level, but this is reasonable considering it is the way you started your career.
This method is even more helpful with later levels as you continue to pursue two classes or even add a PrC like arcane trickster for example (take the +2 save bonus at first level out of that too). Monks who take PrCs will be especially happy for this as they are combat-oriented but only get the average BAB progression. They're really not going to want to take a monk-based PrC that also has average BAB because, by using the RAW, they'd lose even more BAB. So try it out. I promise it is not as difficult as it may seem, just count up all the fractions and round down to the nearest whole number. You have 10 minutes... begin.
Tags:
Labels: D and D, d20, Dungeons and Dragons, multiclass, stats
posted by Jono at 5:36 PM
1 Comments:
Math gives you cooties. *nods*
Post a Comment
<< Home