From: boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Dual classing
Date: 30 Sep 92 14:24:25 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <5689@news.duke.edu>, dks@acpub.duke.edu writes:
> 
> 	We have a 9th level fighter, Str 15, Int 17, Con 15, proficient in
> the use of the staff, among other weapons. After years of study, he dual-
> classes as a magic-user (this is for 1st or 2nd ed.)... He takes dagger 
> proficiency as an m-u.
> 	1) Does he get a "free" proficiency in the staff, so long as when
> he attacks with it he uses the mage tables?  He already knows how to use
> staff, and m-u's have staff on the allowed weapon list...  Does he mystic-
> ally "forget" and need to attack as an m-u with the -5 non-prof penalty?

   No, he doesn't get a free proficiency in the staff, but neither does he
mystically "forget" how to use the staff.  Just then when he switches classes,
he should be devoting his energy to working at this new class, not the old. 
He can still use the staff, just if he does, he is reverting back to the old
class, and therefore gains no experience towards the mage class for that
encounter (or as some GMs rule, for the entire adventure).

   Of course, using the staff on the mages table, at the -5 non-prof penalty is
just fine, full experience for that.

> 	2) (2nd ed in particular)  What happens to his non-weapon proficien-
> cies?  Languages I'd expect he'd retain at no penalty for their use. (Lang-
> uages are NWP's in 2nd ed, in many campaigns.)  Can he use all of his other
> NWP's at no penalty?  Only non-warrior group ones? Only the general and 
> (though unlikely to be possessed) wizard-grouped ones?

   This has been talked about a lot, from what I've heard.  Anything in the
general category I'd say could be used without penalty.  If he uses one that is
not normally in the Mage or General group, then I'd assign a xp penalty, as he
is again using things he learned in his previous class.

> 	3) a) Say he somehow gains a point of Constitution (making it 16)...
> Does he get 9 extra hit points immediately? Wait until he gets to be a 10th
> lvl m-u, when he ordinarily starts getting extra hp's?

   Yes, if his Con goes up a point, he gains 9 hp immediately, because those 9
levels of Fighter are already established.

> 	   b) Our lucky guy gets another Con point, up to 17... Since he
> got his original hit points as a fighter, does he get another 9 hp's (as the
> hp bonus goes from +2 to +3)?  Or since he's an m-u now, is he denied the
> extra 9?

   Now being switched over to a Mage, he is not training as a Fighter anymore,
so no, doesn't get 9 more hp from a Con of 17.

> 	I'd appreciate some opinions.

   Well, those are mine.

                                        John "Nightwind" Boelter

--
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* John Boelter        a.k.a. Nightwind            boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu *
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