Dungeons & Dragons: Class Evaluations

comparisons of base classes.

Ranger vs multiclass approximations

Much more balanced than the D&D3.0 Ranger vs Fighter/Druid matchup, but the two are still very similar. A better matching with the 3.5 edition Ranger, a half Rogue/Fighter, half Druid, is also presented.

The matchings between the triple-class and the Ranger are frighteningly close, with the exception of Base Attack Bonus. Do note that this class completely disregards the experience point penalty for deviating too far. There are more optimal constructions. Humans and other races that can have Druid as a favored class can take the plan with Rogue at 6th level and Fighter at 9th. For races with Rogue as their favored class, try R/F/D 7:6:7, RFFDD FD DRRF DF DF DRRRR (this postpones the last two spell levels by one level). Others can run R/F/D 7/6/7 via RFFDDR DRF FDR DRF FDR DR

Construction of the triple-class was performed with primary attention paid to matching of like abilities; whenever the Ranger gets a new level of spells, so too does the triple. On 19th level, Rangers get a second level four spell, so the triple gets another druid level to match that. At levels one, ten, and twenty, the triple gets a sneak attack bonus to match the Ranger's favored enemy. Fighter-type feats are awarded to both the Ranger and the triple at levels two and three, though the ranger also gets them at six and eleven (the feat takes a back-seat to spells, catching the level eleventh one on the next pass). Perfect and better matchings include spell progression, Evasion, and Woodland Stride. Animal Companions arrive at the same time and the triple is usually either of the same capacity or one level shy. Sneak Attack aims to compare with Favored Enemy, Wild Shape is like Camouflage. A level in Shadowdancer at 17th level could grant Hide In Plain Sight, if desired.

Multiclass approximation of Paladin

There is a lot weaker a case in comparing a paladin with a fighter/cleric or similar combination, but it can also be done. The above triple-class ranger approximation shows that a nearly exact match to the spellcasting portion of ranger (and thus paladin, which has the same progression) can be achieved with a 3:2 (12:8) ratio of noncaster:caster.

In considering an approximation for paladins, a summary of their abilities must be taken. Paladins have: Aura of Good, Detect Evil at will, Smite Evil, Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Aura of Courage, Divine Health, Turn Undead, Smite Evil, Special Mount, Remove Disease, and spells. Most of these are met by the cleric class (Aura of Good, spontaneous curing instead of Lay on Hands, Turn Undead, Remove Disease, and spells).

Other things, like Smite Evil and Special Mount, can be collected by the ranger class (using Favored Enemy and Animal Companion to respectively substitute). Thus, a lawful good Ranger/Cleric who loads up on skills like Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), Diplomacy, and Ride makes a fine paladin, especially if in the possesion of a magical item that allows its user to Detect Evil at will.

Since the above section seems to argue for the removal of a ranger class, another option should be presented here. A Cleric/Fighter 2:1 works quite well, especially with the War domain. This means the character is a very accomplished healer, able to cast Remove Disease not long after the Paladin normally earns this power. Magic items can be used to detect for evil continuously, and magic weapons with the Holy modifier effectively Smite. A paladin-like character can be defined merely by attitude and appearance (ethics/alignment, knowledge of nobility and royalty, diplomacy, and attire like plated armor).

There are also several prestige classes that look very similar to paladins, usually in the form of temple guards or combat medics of one variety or another.

See also my work on moving the paladin from base class to prestige.

Bards

Bards are essentially sorcerors with a bit more of a social life. Try running a Sorceror/Rogue at 2:1, 3:2, or 1:1. Throw out Evokation in exchange for adding the bardic spells to the spell list, and make extraneous audible components when casting spells. The Loremaster prestige class has bardic knowledge, though you can't get into that class until much later. The Virtuoso prestige class from Song and Silence allows a Rogue/Sorceror to gain access to most of the bard's abilities. Characters approximating bards in this manner should probably go Rogue/Sorceror 1:1 until able to pick up virtuoso, then moving on to Rogue/Virtuoso 1:2.

Monks

Monks are roughly similar to fighters with a splash of rogue and/or cleric. One could also construct a monk with fighter/ranger, fighter/ranger/rogue, or fighter/paladin/rogue, since without spellcasting in the equation, multiclassing is rather limitless.

Every multiclass approximation of the monk class will need two base classes: one for feats (fighter) and one for acrobatic skills like tumble (bard or rogue). To match the monk's AC, look to the Duelist prestige class, which nicely moves the importance of wisdom to that of intelligence (thus netting more skills). The simplest combination, Rogue/Fighter 1:1, makes for a very low will save, which does not match the monk well at all. A better effort would be a Bard/Fighter 1:1. Here is a model two-class build: bFFb bF FDDD DDDDD b bFbF at brd6/Ftr6/Duel8.

A look at the Duelist's requirements shows that even a 7th level single-class fighter has enough ranks in perform and tumble to make the cut, so there is no real need for rogue or bard. Another model of the class, leaning a bit further from the monk's acrobatic prowess, is a straight fighter (seven fighter levels, eight or nine duelist levels {Precise Strike is useless unless unarmed attacks are piercing}, and finish with either fighter or a new prestige class). Here is a model two-class warrior-type build: FFPP PF FDDD DDDDD DDxxx. Note that this build does not do well with will saves and it is advised that such a character takes the Iron Will feat. Levels in paladin grant things like Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, and Divine Health, all of which are very similar to monk abilities.

Now let's get messy. Ranger comes in and gives us one of the wanted feats at the same cost as fighter (two levels per feat), and we'll use rogue (indicated with lowercase "r" to distinguish from ranger): rFRrRPP DDD DDDDD DFrRD for rog3/Ftr2/Rgr3/Pal2/Duel10. This progression makes what is mostly the same as a standard Rogue/Fighter without sneak attack or uncanny dodge (move the second rogue level up to get evasion sooner if desired), but with several paladin and ranger abilities for free, and jumping into duelist as fast as possible. Another option is to start taking levels in Shadowdancer once levels in duelist meet the character's intelligence modifier (or in place of duelist).

These approximations will likely need the Iron Will feat and an Amulet of Mighty Fists. Another prestige class to consider is the Kensai, which allows self-enchantment of one's hands.

Featmonger

Since the multi-class combinations above aim at maximizing feats for monk-like characters, we might as well go full-out and try to make a warrior-type with as many feats as possible. Ranger peaks at level three, Monk at level two, Cleric at level one, Wizard at level one, and Fighter keeps on trucking. This means we want something like a FFMMCRR on seventh level, having obtained one or more feats per level, before we're hit by experience penalties, and another CRF (only one more feat, Endurance) before completely exhausted by them. A human, half-elf, dwarf, or other race that can favor fighter can then keep going, or a prestige class can be adopted. So let's look at a human: RFFMMCRC RF FFFFF FFFFF, netting 11121110 11 01010 10101, 15 plus human and standards is 23 feats by 20th level (versus a 11+1+7=19 for a straight human fighter), and a base attack bonus of 18. The number of skills vastly exceeds that of a straight fighter, too.

Ranger: Rangers get Track at first level, and one of {Two Weapon Fighting, Rapid Shot} at second. Third level gives Endurance. Similar to feats, rangers have a Favored Enemy. Rangers also come with Wild Empathy and a slew of skills. Continuing progression beyond third level would provide spells and an animal companion at fourth level, another favored enemy at fifth, and a bonus feat {Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Manyshot} at sixth.

Fighter: Fighters are the core of a featmonger's classes, netting a bonus feat from a very large list every even level plus one extra at first.

Monk: Monks get Unarmed Strike and one of {Improved Grapple, Stunning Fist} at first level, and one of {Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows} at second. They also get Flurry of Blows, Evasion, and add their Wisdom bonus to AC. Hanging in for another two levels, monks get a d8 "magic" damage for unarmed attacks, a +2 bonus against enchantment saves, +10 ft movement, and can reduce falls by 20 ft (not to mention access to a lot of great skills at a good rate). Levels that a monk's attack bonus fails to increment: 1, 5, 9, 13, 17.

Cleric: Clerics with the War domain gain Weapon Focus for free. The two levels in cleric could instead be two levels in fighter, not effecting the number of feats but adding one to the base attack bonus (they are present for help in will saves and a touch of spells). Further progress as a cleric gains only spells (a new spell level comes with every odd class level). Levels that a cleric's attack bonus fails to increment: 1, 5, 9, 13, 17.

Wizard: If Scribe Scoll is more useful than Endurance and one point of attack, the second cleric level can swap for a wizard level and the third ranger level for another in fighter. Levels that a wizard's attack bonus fails to increment: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19.

Unfettered vs Rogue multiclasses

For those who wondered... Comparing Monte Cooke's "Unfettered" class from the Arcana Unearthed alternate Player's Handbook with a Fighter/Rogue.