Do Multi classes get more HLA points?
Neo
Member Posts: 127
I can't remember my 1st playthrough but I just broke the 3mil XP with all 6 party members last night so they all started getting some HLA points. I noticed that my Fighter/Thief got a HLA point when the Thief level went up as well as when the Fighter one did.
I know that different classes level up at different speeds (on my 1st playthrough, my main character which was a Sorcerer imported from BG1 ended up at lvl 23-24 while Anomen who probably started lower lvl in BG2 ended up with something like lvl 7 Fighter (Dual class) and lvl 30-31 Cleric.
Still, my Monk is higher lvl (he was imported from BG1/SoD so he started higher and I think he levels faster late game) but aside from him, the others were of similar XP ranges. The Wizard Slayer is lvl 20, the other 3 (archer, shaman, Keldorn) are lvl 18. My Fighter/Thief is lvl 14/17.
So unless I'm mistaken, this means that the multi-classes (like F/T) keep on getting an extra HLA point every team each of the class levels up meaning they end up with quite a few more points than others or is this stopped and balanced out in some other way? If it stays that way, it's a significant end game power spike that I had underestimated vs single classes/kits (on top of having more options).
I know that different classes level up at different speeds (on my 1st playthrough, my main character which was a Sorcerer imported from BG1 ended up at lvl 23-24 while Anomen who probably started lower lvl in BG2 ended up with something like lvl 7 Fighter (Dual class) and lvl 30-31 Cleric.
Still, my Monk is higher lvl (he was imported from BG1/SoD so he started higher and I think he levels faster late game) but aside from him, the others were of similar XP ranges. The Wizard Slayer is lvl 20, the other 3 (archer, shaman, Keldorn) are lvl 18. My Fighter/Thief is lvl 14/17.
So unless I'm mistaken, this means that the multi-classes (like F/T) keep on getting an extra HLA point every team each of the class levels up meaning they end up with quite a few more points than others or is this stopped and balanced out in some other way? If it stays that way, it's a significant end game power spike that I had underestimated vs single classes/kits (on top of having more options).
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If my memory serves me correctly you start gaining HLAs every level after your character reaches 3,000,000(?) exp.
that’s 3m exp in total across all classes, single, dual, multi, whatever, doesn’t matter. When the total hits 3m you get an HLA every level up.
So yes, you’re quite right; if you are multiclass and some of those classes are quick levelling (like a Cleric/Theif) then you could have a tonne of HLAs
The reverse is also true, if you are a single class Druid (who have a weird leveling curve) you’ll have a very small number of HLAs
To a degree this is balanced in that Druid HLAs are quite powerful (elemental prince for example). But thief Use Any Item is arguably even MORE powerful. And the mages Planetar is pretty much the last HLA you’ll ever need, so there is that to consider too
@Neo It is true that you get HLAs for two classes. But the XP cap is at 8 million. Unless you have modified the game, you will not go to 16 million XP. But your FT character levels both of his classes at half the normal speed (because the XP is divided between the two classes). So you get 2 * ½ as many HLAs as everybody else. Which is to say, you get an average amount of HLAs.
Well, that is not entirely true. Thieves stop leveling long before they hit the XP cap, so Thief multiclasses have an HLA advantage over pure thieves. But you will benefit from this only if you manage to hit the XP cap. In the original BG2, it was common for a full party to reach the end at 7 million XP. With the new NPCs and their quests and the higher starting XP from SoD, it has become easier to reach the cap, but it is still no matter of course.
So you do level slower since the XP is divided between 2 classes but since you're lower level on these classes, you also need less XP to have them level up, hence gaining more levels (I think).
Anyways, it might not be a huge deal considering I'm almost done with vanilla BG2 (about to hit ToB) and this would probably only start showing somewhere in ToB (and only having a few extra HLA points) at which point it's overkill anyways with a full party. I've always played on Core Rules since I used to play D&D 2nd edition a bit but I'm considering trying out SCS next time since BG2 has turned into a steamroll less than halfway through the campaign (I did the side quests and most of the NPC quests during chapter 2 which made me do some of the harder fights like Kangaxx when I was low level but then kind of ruined the difficulty curve afterwards).
Also makes me realize that the extra levels are almost meaningless in terms of power aside from extra HLA points if I were to solo. For example, if I expect my Monk to end around 5mil XP (vs 8mil if I had soloed or smaller party), the only extra things he would gain would be 26 hp, 3 AC and 3 AC vs missiles which is pretty insignificant in exchange of an other lvl 20+ party member I guess. So it would mostly be about the 8-9 extra HLA points. I didn't realize THAC0 and Saving Throws had a cap around lvl 21 (the 10 THAC0 assassin is suddenly a lot less appealing while the other fighting oriented classes get 0 THAC0).
Bg2/ToB took that and, well, made it even more crazy in how they implemented things.
From a balance/gameworld building perspective, ToB is completely, utterly insane and unfixably broken. But that's what you get when people want to sell a game that hurls challenges @ characters more powerful than demigods - mooks are nearly as powerful as Drizzt, and shops in cities under siege have inventory that can finance national economies. It's 'MOAR IS BETTER' taken to a predictable end result.