Q&A With Dan Davenport (Also Multiclassing)
Interview is over, chat log can be found over here (and the Kickstarter is over here if you want to learn more)! I figure Dan hosted and posted it, so rather than repost it here I'll just point everyone to his site. Didn't get to go into the detail I wanted to due to the time constraint and format (could take quite some time to type everything out), but it was nice to hear from BenT, one of the backers!
Unfortunately Melissa wasn't able to chime in much due to having to feed our newborn (first month is always the most chaotic), which was a shame given that she's the one with the most experience using the multiclassing rules (and really the reason they ended up the way they did).
So, to further elaborate on that (since we think it's a really good cornerstone of the game):
When you start the game you're 1st-level in whatever class you want. As with later editions of Dungeons & Dragons, the amount of XP required to level up is based on your current level, not class. So, for example, getting to 2nd-level requires 100 XP for everyone.
Once you hit 2nd-level, we figure most people will stick to their class, but it's possible in-game there's some organic reason you might want to shift gears.
In Melissa's case she started out as an elf rogue. We were using the Age of Worms adventure path to playtest Black Book, and in the first adventure you can find a baby owlbear. She told me she wanted to keep it as a pet, and I mentioned that the ranger class I hadn't actually made yet would get some sort of animal companion talent, so when she leveled up opted to multiclass into it (which also allowed us to start playtesting the ranger class so, hey, win-win).
One drawback is that when you multiclass into a new class, you don't necessarily get everything the class would normally get if started the game as a member of that class. For example, starting 1st-level wizards get 4 + Intelligence Willpower points, the Detect Magic and Magic Missile class features, can use a magic focus to make their spells more potent (and start with one for free), and choose three wizard talents.
But if you multiclass into a wizard? You get everything above, except instead of three wizard talents on the side you only get one. The reasoning is that starting wizards did more extensive study and training. Sliding into it down the line means you've only just now gotten the handle on a single spell school.
Which is also what Melissa did way later. She'd been bouncing back and forth between rogue and ranger, but was frustrated by the fact that she kept needing to use a torch to see in the dark, which made it very difficult to sneak, so she wanted to find a way to just let her see in the dark.
Darkvision eyedrops were an option, but she wanted something more reliable. Something she wouldn't have to worry about, so I then suggested going into the wizard class to learn divination magic, specifically the Darkvision talent, and that's what she ended up working toward next.
As the campaign progressed she would sporadically go back to wizard now and then, because she kept thinking of new things she wanted to be able to do with her magic, namely telepathy and reading thoughts, both of which have been incredibly handy to learn information from unsuspecting creatures, and relying information without anyone the wiser.
And that's the primary purpose of multiclassing: organic character progression. You play the game, things happen, and we fully expect players to deviate into other classes because it makes the most sense.
That said we're sure people will try out various combinations purely for min-maxing/power-gaming purposes, and that's fine if that's your playstyle, though we do explicitly tell GMs to nerf or tweak abilities, or even disallow them entirely if a player should stumble upon a combination that severely disrupts the game (we are trying to prevent these, but it's not feasible to account for every possible combination and circumstance).
The other, bigger drawback is that many classes get specific bonuses every fifth level: fighters get a bonus attack at levels 5, 10, and 20, wizards can loose more magic missiles every five levels and gain gain school specialization, the warlock's eldritch blast scales up every five levels, etc. So by spreading yourself out you also lose out on some nifty abilities, but then Melissa has been doing really well despite her class combination being rogue 5/ranger 6/wizard 4.
I think the main reason it works is the lack of constant scaling numbers and assumed numbers. They're useful, yeah, but the game doesn't really factor them in. A typical cloud giant (level 16) has an AC of 12. Very easy for pretty much anyone to hit, though I wouldn't expect a 1st-level party to take it down before being splattered across its cloudstone castle. Even more speedy monsters like the dullahan (level 10) is only AC 14.
Saving throw DCs are mostly based on stat, not the spell's level (not that spells have levels in this game), so you don't need to worry about lagging behind if you decide to learn some magic after a few levels as a fighter or barbarian (or find religion, or make a pact with an eldritch entity, or learn song magic, etc). Or, as in Melissa's case, after like 10 levels as a hybrid rogue/ranger.
Of course you can just learn magic that enhances you and/or your allies (Abjurer, Mage Armor, Shield, etc), and not even worry about stuff like saves, damage, etc.
You can now get a physical copy of Dungeons & Delvers: Black Book in whatever format you want! We've also released the first big supplement for it, Appendix D, so pick that up if you want more of everything.
The first issue of The Delver, a magazine featuring fungal-themed content for both players and GMs (including an adventure in which myconids find religion), is available!
Our latest Dungeon World class, The Ranger, is now available.
Dwarven Vault is our sixth 10+ Treasures volume. If you're interested in thirty dwarven magic items (including an eye that lets you shoot lasers) and nearly a dozen new bits of dungeon gear, check it out!
By fan demand, we've mashed all of our 10+ Treasure volumes into one big magic item book, making it cheaper and more convenient to buy in print (which you can now do).
Unfortunately Melissa wasn't able to chime in much due to having to feed our newborn (first month is always the most chaotic), which was a shame given that she's the one with the most experience using the multiclassing rules (and really the reason they ended up the way they did).
So, to further elaborate on that (since we think it's a really good cornerstone of the game):
When you start the game you're 1st-level in whatever class you want. As with later editions of Dungeons & Dragons, the amount of XP required to level up is based on your current level, not class. So, for example, getting to 2nd-level requires 100 XP for everyone.
Once you hit 2nd-level, we figure most people will stick to their class, but it's possible in-game there's some organic reason you might want to shift gears.
In Melissa's case she started out as an elf rogue. We were using the Age of Worms adventure path to playtest Black Book, and in the first adventure you can find a baby owlbear. She told me she wanted to keep it as a pet, and I mentioned that the ranger class I hadn't actually made yet would get some sort of animal companion talent, so when she leveled up opted to multiclass into it (which also allowed us to start playtesting the ranger class so, hey, win-win).
One drawback is that when you multiclass into a new class, you don't necessarily get everything the class would normally get if started the game as a member of that class. For example, starting 1st-level wizards get 4 + Intelligence Willpower points, the Detect Magic and Magic Missile class features, can use a magic focus to make their spells more potent (and start with one for free), and choose three wizard talents.
But if you multiclass into a wizard? You get everything above, except instead of three wizard talents on the side you only get one. The reasoning is that starting wizards did more extensive study and training. Sliding into it down the line means you've only just now gotten the handle on a single spell school.
Which is also what Melissa did way later. She'd been bouncing back and forth between rogue and ranger, but was frustrated by the fact that she kept needing to use a torch to see in the dark, which made it very difficult to sneak, so she wanted to find a way to just let her see in the dark.
Darkvision eyedrops were an option, but she wanted something more reliable. Something she wouldn't have to worry about, so I then suggested going into the wizard class to learn divination magic, specifically the Darkvision talent, and that's what she ended up working toward next.
As the campaign progressed she would sporadically go back to wizard now and then, because she kept thinking of new things she wanted to be able to do with her magic, namely telepathy and reading thoughts, both of which have been incredibly handy to learn information from unsuspecting creatures, and relying information without anyone the wiser.
And that's the primary purpose of multiclassing: organic character progression. You play the game, things happen, and we fully expect players to deviate into other classes because it makes the most sense.
That said we're sure people will try out various combinations purely for min-maxing/power-gaming purposes, and that's fine if that's your playstyle, though we do explicitly tell GMs to nerf or tweak abilities, or even disallow them entirely if a player should stumble upon a combination that severely disrupts the game (we are trying to prevent these, but it's not feasible to account for every possible combination and circumstance).
The other, bigger drawback is that many classes get specific bonuses every fifth level: fighters get a bonus attack at levels 5, 10, and 20, wizards can loose more magic missiles every five levels and gain gain school specialization, the warlock's eldritch blast scales up every five levels, etc. So by spreading yourself out you also lose out on some nifty abilities, but then Melissa has been doing really well despite her class combination being rogue 5/ranger 6/wizard 4.
I think the main reason it works is the lack of constant scaling numbers and assumed numbers. They're useful, yeah, but the game doesn't really factor them in. A typical cloud giant (level 16) has an AC of 12. Very easy for pretty much anyone to hit, though I wouldn't expect a 1st-level party to take it down before being splattered across its cloudstone castle. Even more speedy monsters like the dullahan (level 10) is only AC 14.
Saving throw DCs are mostly based on stat, not the spell's level (not that spells have levels in this game), so you don't need to worry about lagging behind if you decide to learn some magic after a few levels as a fighter or barbarian (or find religion, or make a pact with an eldritch entity, or learn song magic, etc). Or, as in Melissa's case, after like 10 levels as a hybrid rogue/ranger.
Of course you can just learn magic that enhances you and/or your allies (Abjurer, Mage Armor, Shield, etc), and not even worry about stuff like saves, damage, etc.
Announcements
You can now get a physical copy of Dungeons & Delvers: Black Book in whatever format you want! We've also released the first big supplement for it, Appendix D, so pick that up if you want more of everything.The first issue of The Delver, a magazine featuring fungal-themed content for both players and GMs (including an adventure in which myconids find religion), is available!
Our latest Dungeon World class, The Ranger, is now available.
Dwarven Vault is our sixth 10+ Treasures volume. If you're interested in thirty dwarven magic items (including an eye that lets you shoot lasers) and nearly a dozen new bits of dungeon gear, check it out!
By fan demand, we've mashed all of our 10+ Treasure volumes into one big magic item book, making it cheaper and more convenient to buy in print (which you can now do).
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