From: alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley)
Subject: Re: ADND2: Help with Dual-Class
Keywords: ROLL vs ROLE
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 17:06:47 GMT

In article <1992Apr5.223309@kazoo.ssd.loral.com> brunner@kazoo.ssd.loral.com (Brian Brunner) writes:

>Wildcard stumbles on a serious question, one that has an 
>answer which, like all other answers, is smudged with uncertainty.

I disagree.

>If you play for roll playing, with the game rules defining
>the game, then take the written rules literally and when
>progressing in the new class, the only ONLY ==>ONLY<==
>thing you take with you is your hit points and hit dice. You get
>no use of any old proficiencies or skills, no matter how
>mundane, since this is reverting to the old class 

If the abilities of the old class overlap with the new class then the
abilities can be used without penalty.  Some examples; 
	- a bard becomes a mage, (s)he can cast spells without penalty.  
	- A warrior becomes a priest, (s)he can use the warrior THAC0
	  PROVIDED that the religious sect has martial training.  
	- A warrior becomes a mage, (s)he CANNOT engage in melee as mages
	  are not given martial training.  Actually, the mage could engage
	  in melee but wouldn't recieve experience points for the encounter.
	  But, if the mage did engage in melee, (s)he would use the warrior
 	  THAC0 of the level attained as a warrior (providing it is the 
	  better THAC0)
	- all non-weapon proficiencies are retained and if entering a class
	  with more NWP then the character gains the difference.  Remember,
	  NWP are NOT restricted to specific classes, it is just that some 
	  classes and NWP compliment each other (a mage CAN take warrior
	  NWP).
The character does not suddenly forget all his/her previous training when
switching to a new class.  BUT, using abilities specific to the old class
does NOT gain the character experience in the NEW class.
	  
>A Priest (famous for his mace) becoming a Warrior who chooses to specialze 
>in the mace might be allowed to melee at the old Priest thac0 until the
>Warrior thac0 got better. I would do this if the 1st level Priest
>(excuse me... Warrior) had 6th level companions and 8hd
>opponents. If the companions were all 1st level I would not
>grant that gift.

It is not a gift, the rules acctually do say that overlapping abilites are
allowed without experience point penalty.  Note again; the above warrior
would fight to the best of his/her ability when confronted with a life
threatening situation and would therefore be using the better THAC0, ie.,
the priest THAC0.  Why would the warrior choose to fight poorly?

>As to the non-weapon proficiencies... if any are from the general
>set, I would allow their use, but not for a proficiency from the
>group pertaining to the old class, unless and until the (new) Warrior
>pays one more proficiency slot for the (old) Priest skill the Priest
>paid normal cost for... because this skill IS open to Warriors, if
>they pay a little more for it.

The warrior would not have to relenquish the old priest NWP, BUT the warrior
would not have any NWP slots open until the number available through the
warrior class exceeded the number used in the priest class.

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Allan Longley, University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering
e-mail: alongley@cape.uwaterloo.ca
voice: (519) 885-1211 x3816		Remember you don't forget abilities
home: (519) 746-5747
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