Multiclass Shorty Saving Throws/Health Question

Ascerion

Hey guys! Starting a Fighter/Cleric Dwarf Multiclass, and I had a question about my starting constitution. I created him with these stats. Yes, it took a long time to roll them, lol.

Strength-18/00
Dexterity-17
Constitution-19
Intelligence-3
Wisdom-18
Charisma-16

So, I know you get +5 to spells/death/wand with the shorty saving throws bonus at 18-25 CON, right? My question is, if I use the Manual of Bodily Health (+1 to CON), and get to 20 CON; can I then equip the Claw of Kazgorath, and be at 18 CON, thus still retaining the + 5 bonus AND my normal health?

I know Warriors get +4 health per level at 18 con, and all other classes stop getting bonuses at 16 con right? But I don't know how it works with a multiclass with both warrior and priest mechanics. And to add to the confusion, is the manual and claw.

Thank you so much for any insight into this!

Almost forgot, I am okay with the + 2 to death/poison/paralyze from the claw, mostly worried about the shorty throws, and the health per level. Thanks again guys.

~Ascerion

Wolk

you will lose some health, but the claw's bonus to saves and AC will make up for it, for the saves, you will have the same bonus you would have at a natural 18

Lord_Tansheron

As a multiclass with a fighter in it, you will only earn 1/2 the CON bonus HP (1/3 if you are a F/M/T multi). These values are retroactive, so any changes in your CON value will recalculate the bonus HP you get and update accordingly. Shorty saving throws are also changed retroactively, however the change is re-calculated not dynamically but on level-up. So if you use the manual to gain CON, you will gain the extra HP immediately, but won't see a change in your saving throws until you level up.

Ascerion

Okay, so I will keep the +5 saves to spell/wand/death, except for the 2 from the claw to death, but I lose some health I would have gained from 19 and 20 CON? Any idea if that is about 2 per level or more? If I end up losing more than 10 health at level 10, I might not do it, I'm not sure.

Thanks for the quick response! Still a bit confused though, I must say.

Lord_Tansheron

CON HP bonuses (fighter-type characters):

18: +4
19: +5
20: +5

per single-digit level (1-9).

So going from 19 to 20 CON does not actually add any HP. Going from 18 to 19 adds +1 per single-digit level; consequently, going from 19/20 back down to 18 when using the claw will make you lose 1 HP per single-digit level. That means the most you will lose in that is 9 HP. When multi-classing, all these values are halved (though I don't know if rounded up or down).

karnor00

Just be careful if you import the character into BG2. With 3 int those mindflayers are going to have a field day.