It's not that single classes get unlimited advancement, it's how fast.

A double class must divide XP in half...

If I have 1000 XP as a Paladin, a dual class has 500 xp in both their classes. A triple class half elf or elf has 333/333/333.

That's where the balance against multiclass comes in.

Demihuman caps are there to balance the racial abilities demihumans get...humans walk around with jack all, after all.

Thus, it is perhaps better if humans get an XP bonus or something like it, rather than capping demi humans. Demihumans live much much longer after all. Without a cap, a 600 year old elven hero might be old, but he's a triclass fighter 20/Thief 20/Magic User 20. Compare that to a puny level 20 human who doesn't even have elven bonuses.

I might propose a 10-20% xp bonus for humans only. If you only live 1/10 as long...
This message was last edited by the player at 23:47, Wed 03 May 2023.

Or ... and hear me out ... we don't change anything.

The classics are classics for a reason.  I for one enjoy getting into the 'old school' spirit of things as it were.

Honestly speaking ... given the pace of PbP, it will be 2028 before any of the demihumans would find themselves level capped.

We may as well be planning what effects our Wish spells will be limited to.

---

EDIT — fixed typo
This message was last edited by the player at 23:54, Wed 03 May 2023.

That is also fair. I find it highly unlikely I even get my holy avenger, let alone hit a level cap :P

I've been in HouseJ's other game for well over a decade off and on. The only thing that's going to stop you from advancing levels is going to be if you stay in the game or not. Personally I think the level caps are a horrible inclusion in the game (as well as the whole 'you only get so many hit dice until you start gaining X hp a level' thing) and it only incentivizes you to not bother going any further than ~9th level. Just because it's a 'classic' part of the game doesn't mean it's right. I would suggest simply abolishing them. Having to split your XP and HP is enough of a penalty to people who multiclass.

I may play a Monk.  I have never played one but have the stats for it.  An intriguing idea.  It has the thief skills I like, so that is a plus.

I am a little torn on this issue.  I do love the classic first edition game, it was my first RPG I played as a ten year old kid in a year that I am not even going to mention.  I understand the drawbacks but I also like the traditional approach.  Honestly I would say let's reevaluate if anyone actually gets to the level cap.

If you need your character sheet opened state it here so I can get it, I will never remember who is open and who isn't.

I am going to create the first in character thread so people who are ready can begin mingling in the city.  Not quite ready for adventure and what not but you can at least get a feel for your character.

Yeah, sure, that's fair.

Another question that needs clarification. By the way the book reads, it states that a Magic-user who multiclasses can use the armor of the other class with no restrictions. They fixed this in 2nd Edition, but there's nothing in the 1st Edition book stopping me from playing a Cleric/Mage in full plate mail.

I believe you can wear it, yes, but won't it still interfere with your ability to cast?

In reply to Mordecai (msg # 48):

Cleric/mage doesn't even work in 1e I don't believe. Unless you're wearing elven chain.

I'd like my character sheet opened please. :)

In reply to Rowan (msg # 51):

Done

In reply to Morbid Woundcleanser (msg # 50):

No, only half-elves can go C/MU and they can wear any armor allowed to the cleric:

PHB p. 32: Cleric/Magic-user: This combination gives the character a great variety
and selection of spells, as well as the use of armor and more weapons. Hit
points are somewhat better than those of the magic-user class alone.
Half-elves may be cleric/magic-users.

Of course, the half-elf is severely capped in cleric, with good rolls, he will probably cap out at around 5/7.

On the other hand, wearing magic platemail and tossing out a fireball is kinda cool in 1st Ed.

In reply to Morbid Woundcleanser (msg # 50):

Not so, cl/mu can cast spells in armour. It mentions it in a roundabout way on pg32, but for 100% clarity it spells it out unambigiously on pg33 under fi/mu... "Obviously this combination allows excellent armour protection, the use of weaponry, and spells". It's a very neat combo :)

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 49):

Nope, not according to the rules in the book. In 2nd they changed it so that armor had arcane spell fail chance but that doesn't exist in this edition.

Also I'll need my sheet opened. It might be worthwhile to go through the cast and just open up everyone's sheet at the same time (you can do it from the character description page).

In reply to Mordecai (msg # 55):

I'll do that.
In my other game I have assistant GM's that handle all that, I damn near forgot how to do it.

Yeah, I know, I'm one of them lol

Awkward.

Hello all, new to the game. Gonna play a straight thief.

Curious though, what bard rules he will used, in standard 1st ed AD&D there is no bard in a first level party, you have to go up in levels in several different classes to become one. Sort of the first prestige class.

I would also argue for keeping the level caps, not just be cause I am old school, but because that is the trade off for being human. Other races get nice bonuses and abilities, humans have no level cap. The core idea, as I understood it, was to ensure a human-centric world.

Unless I am mistaken the bard class wasn't in the core Players Guide.  Right now I am trying to stay mainly with the classes in there as I have not played this system in awhile.  Didn't you have to go up several levels before you could become a bard?  It might take awhile before anyone has that opportunity.

It's up the back in the appendices. But yeah, many years of play until we'd have a bard in the  group. I think 7th level is the earliest level a bard could be a bard, but in effect he would be a 5/1/1 fi/th/dr (in 3.5e speak).

P.S. just looking at it, the thief bit is a bit confusing, I'm not positive that it's cumulative. Still, a very long road!
This message was last edited by the player at 03:32, Thu 04 May 2023.

Got a portrait, and even half-way decent rolls, only one single digit stat. Woot.

Curious, can my background be local? I would like to have been a street urchin raised in a local guild if possible.

In reply to Amalfy Scroggins (msg # 62):

Sure.

Sure, some racial bonuses are nice, but it doesn't make any logical sense for a race that lives longer than humans to be capped significantly lower than them. For instance, if I were to play a Helf-elf Cleric/Mage, I would gain a whopping 30% immunity to sleep and charm effects (woo), some bonus languages, and a 1 in 6 chance of automatically detecting a secret door. Meanwhile, I would be capped at level 5 for a Cleric, affording me 1 whole 3rd level spell, and 8th level for a Mage, which would give me 2 4th level spells. I would essentially be useless for the rest of my longer lifespan. Meanwhile, human characters can go up to level 29 (or beyond technically) even though they live for less time. I get that multi-classing can give some cool bonuses, like being able to be a Mage in armor with a mace, but I'm still going to be pretty squishy and severely handicapped as far as my highest level goes because of having to split XP.

If the caps aren't removed, I'll have to seriously reconsider my character concept, which sucks but I'll live.

In reply to Mordecai (msg # 64):

There was quite a nice article on it in the Dragon years ago that  explained Gygax's thinking.

It really isn't about logic though, it's about personal preference. Most games do without it. To be honest I find it refreshing to be in a game that uses it. It's not like you can't find unlimited leveling all over the site.

New name and a portrait.  In the morning, a description!