A rundown of the companions and sidekicks available

[Fardragon]

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

 

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

[Wormerine]

 

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

 

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

I suppose that means that if you multiclass him one of his classes will have to be a mage.

[algroth]

 

 

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

I suppose that means that if you multiclass him one of his classes will have to be a mage.

 

I could kinda see him multiclassing as either wizard/priest or wizard/rogue depending on the ending (head of the Leaden Key or enemy of the same respectively), but I would reckon he'll most likely stay a single-class wizard.

[Fardragon]

 

 

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

I suppose that means that if you multiclass him one of his classes will have to be a mage.

 

 

But you don't "multiclass" (verb) now. A character is either multiclassed or they aren't.  For example, Eder. When you first meet him you can choose for him to be a fighter, a rogue, or a fighter/rogue. No other options are available, and if you choose fighter he can't at some future point become a fighter/rogue (unless there is a full respec option).

[Enoch]

 

 

 

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

I suppose that means that if you multiclass him one of his classes will have to be a mage.

 

 

But you don't "multiclass" (verb) now. A character is either multiclassed or they aren't.  For example, Eder. When you first meet him you can choose for him to be a fighter, a rogue, or a fighter/rogue. No other options are available, and if you choose fighter he can't at some future point become a fighter/rogue (unless there is a full respec option).

 

IIRC, it's more flexible than that.  Eder can be a Figher, a Rogue, a Fighter/[Anything] or a Rogue/[Anything]. 

 

Probably doesn't make much sense, character-wise, to make him a Rogue/Priest of Magran, but I think the philosophy here is that it's better to allow players to make these kinds of character-inconsistent decisions and live with the cognitive dissonance than it is to start ruling stuff out. 

Edited October 10, 2017 by Enoch

[Fardragon]

 

 

 

 

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

I suppose that means that if you multiclass him one of his classes will have to be a mage.

 

 

But you don't "multiclass" (verb) now. A character is either multiclassed or they aren't.  For example, Eder. When you first meet him you can choose for him to be a fighter, a rogue, or a fighter/rogue. No other options are available, and if you choose fighter he can't at some future point become a fighter/rogue (unless there is a full respec option).

 

IIRC, it's more flexible than that.  Eder can be a Figher, a Rogue, a Fighter/[Anything] or a Rogue/[Anything]. 

 

Probably doesn't make much sense, character-wise, to make him a Rogue/Priest of Magran, but I think the philosophy here is that it's better to allow players to make these kinds of character-inconsistent and live with the cognitive dissonance than it is to start ruling stuff out. 

 

 

No. He can't. It used to be like that, but if you read the recent update on multiclassing you can see that this has changed.

 

Being multiclassed is now a character creation choice, not something you can choose later.

[Enoch]

I get that all the choices are now made at character creation and/or when you first recruit an NPC.  But I don't think they've changed the ability of the player to pick whatever second class they want for an NPC, if they decide to multiclass them. 

[smjjames]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note that some other characters, like Aloth, must always start from a single class because it is more central to their concept. You may multiclass Aloth as a wizard/fighter, a wizard/barbarian, or a wizard/cipher, but his first class will always be wizard.

This itself presumably no longer applies though, since it is no longer possible to choose a second class when levelling up.

I suppose that means that if you multiclass him one of his classes will have to be a mage.

 

 

But you don't "multiclass" (verb) now. A character is either multiclassed or they aren't.  For example, Eder. When you first meet him you can choose for him to be a fighter, a rogue, or a fighter/rogue. No other options are available, and if you choose fighter he can't at some future point become a fighter/rogue (unless there is a full respec option).

 

IIRC, it's more flexible than that.  Eder can be a Figher, a Rogue, a Fighter/[Anything] or a Rogue/[Anything]. 

 

Probably doesn't make much sense, character-wise, to make him a Rogue/Priest of Magran, but I think the philosophy here is that it's better to allow players to make these kinds of character-inconsistent and live with the cognitive dissonance than it is to start ruling stuff out. 

 

 

No. He can't. It used to be like that, but if you read the recent update on multiclassing you can see that this has changed.

 

Being multiclassed is now a character creation choice, not something you can choose later.

 

 

I see, I didn't realize that it was changed like that. Makes sense from a design standpoint I suppose.

[Fardragon]

I get that all the choices are now made at character creation and/or when you first recruit an NPC.  But I don't think they've changed the ability of the player to pick whatever second class they want for an NPC, if they decide to multiclass them. 

 

They have. Read the info, Eder is given as the example. You also can't choose a subclass, they are preset. Eder is a vanilla fighter, a vanilla rogue, or a vanilla fighter/vanilla rogue. It used to be 3rd edition style multiclassing, where you can choose a second class (and subclass) on level-up. Thus the ability to choose a wacky second class was a product of the game system, not a design choice.

 

It now works something like DOS2: when you first meet Eder you have dialogue options: "I would like you to concentrate on being a fighter", "I would like you to concentrate on being sneaky", "I would like you to choose a balanced path". Clearly, there will not be a dialogue option for every class and subclass in the game.

[Enoch]

I've read the update, associated discussions here, Josh's relevant Tumblr posts, and his Twitter feed.  Please refer me to where, specifically, it says that a Companion cannot be multiclassed into a 2nd class of the Player's choosing.  This Tumblr post, for example, refers to "multiclassing options" for a character like Eder. 

 

EDIT:  See also this tweet & replies.

Edited October 10, 2017 by Enoch

[af_Skum]

 

I get that all the choices are now made at character creation and/or when you first recruit an NPC.  But I don't think they've changed the ability of the player to pick whatever second class they want for an NPC, if they decide to multiclass them. 

 

They have. Read the info, Eder is given as the example. You also can't choose a subclass, they are preset. Eder is a vanilla fighter, a vanilla rogue, or a vanilla fighter/vanilla rogue. It used to be 3rd edition style multiclassing, where you can choose a second class (and subclass) on level-up. Thus the ability to choose a wacky second class was a product of the game system, not a design choice.

 

It now works something like DOS2: when you first meet Eder you have dialogue options: "I would like you to concentrate on being a fighter", "I would like you to concentrate on being sneaky", "I would like you to choose a balanced path". Clearly, there will not be a dialogue option for every class and subclass in the game.

 

 

Be careful when making such statements, provide a link to your information or please stop spreading misinformation. I have read all info available several times and there is to my knowledge no indication anywhere that companions for certain are locked to vanilla classes and can't multiclass outside the two preset classes. To me, that just seems like your interpretation. If I'm wrong, then I'm sorry.

 

My interpretation, and I think many others, is that when you first encounter a companion you are prompted to choose one of two classes (Fighter and Rogue in the example of Edér) and an optional subclass for that class. In that window or a second one that pops up after you will be given the option to multiclass that companion into any other class (except the priest/paladin restrictions) including a subclass for that second class. Does not have to be a dialogue option for every class and subclass, just something similar to character creation. However, nobody can tell for certain how it's going to work, at least at this point.

 

From a design point-of-view it doesn't really make sense to give the companions too many restrictions when there is so much work put into their dialogue and story, since if you want many multiclasssed characters you could circumvent such a restriction by hiring adventurers from an inn.

 

Would be really cool to get a clarification from a dev on this matter

[PugPug]

 

There are two characters with Cipher, Fighter, and Rogue classes. Going by the logic that the Developers want variety in choices, I'm going to guess that Konstanten and Fessina won't have those classes. Fessina is dressed like a Priest or Wizard; Konstanten is maybe a Monk or Druid?

 

I believe there is also only one ranger, chanter, barbarian*, paladin and druid.

 

Fessina's outfit could easily be a chanter (although I agree that wizard seems more likely) and Konstanten a barbarian. They could also have two options (and a multiclass) each.

 

*or does Aloth still have a barbarian option? I haven't seen it mentioned for a while.

 

 

I don't think Aloth will be the only wizard choice. You could be going into POE2 with Aloth, Eder and Pallegina all dead. Though there are always hired custom adventurers, I suppose.

 

I've read the update, associated discussions here, Josh's relevant Tumblr posts, and his Twitter feed. Please refer me to where, specifically, it says that a Companion cannot be multiclassed into a 2nd class of the Player's choosing. This Tumblr post, for example, refers to "multiclassing options" for a character like Eder.

 

EDIT: See also this tweet & replies.

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/165552067891/hey-josh-how-will-the-return-to-add-style

 

Edit: I now see you've already read that, since it's quoted in the tumbler post you link, but you missed part of it. "Available classes" means what it says.

 

I think the idea of multiclassing companions with whatever second class we want is so ludicrous, it didn't occur to Sawyer to explicitly say it isn't happening. But "available classes" really couldn't mean anything else.

Edited October 10, 2017 by PugPug

[zealotstim]

I'm pretty sure you can multiclass into whatever second class you want on characters you recruit. I don't know why people are suddenly inferring these restrictions.

[Wormerine]

 

 

I don't think Aloth will be the only wizard choice. You could be going into POE2 with Aloth, Eder and Pallegina all dead. Though there are always hired custom adventurers, I suppose.

 

 

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/165552067891/hey-josh-how-will-the-return-to-add-style

 

Edit: I now see you've already read that, since it's quoted in the tumbler post you link, but you missed part of it. "Available classes" means what it says.

 

I think the idea of multiclassing companions with whatever second class we want is so ludicrous, it didn't occur to Sawyer to explicitly say it isn't happening. But "available classes" really couldn't mean anything else.

I am not so sure. It seem like a pretty big change from what we were told in the first place. The new system really gives no reason to restrict companions more. I would find it strange if they would just change it, but not say anything about it. I will write on Josh’s tumbler and see if he will say something.

[blotter]

I am not so sure. It seem like a pretty big change from what we were told in the first place. The new system really gives no reason to restrict companions more. I would find it strange if they would just change it, but not say anything about it.

 

Agreed. Flexibility in multiclass options for companions isn't something that the devs talk about just once in the update I linked to earlier, it's touched upon in both Q&A 3 and Q&A 6 as well.

 

Interpreting Sawyer's use of the term "available classes" to mean that they're now deviating from that intention seems like a stretch, especially since readers could interpret that as applying specifically to single class options that are available to the character (the way it did from the start) as opposed to implicitly extending to multiclass options as well now. It's another story if he explicitly acknowledges the change, but I'd be surprised to find out that the changes to the multiclass system, which seem to have been motivated by mechanical concerns, also marked a change in Sawyer's thinking as far as multiclassing freedom not being of narrative concern goes.

 

It's not only that, actually. If you and Fardragon are right, the change effectively makes multiclassing impossible for characters, such as Maia and Aloth, whose available class rosters consist of only a single class. The fact that multiclassing is completely off the table for these characters seems like it'd be worth mentioning outright in an answer to a question about companion multiclassing options even if Sawyer somehow didn't think that taking a 180 in regards to previously mentioned degrees of multiclassing flexibility for companions needed to be specifically acknowledged.

Edited October 10, 2017 by blotter

[rjshae]

Perhaps an interesting possibility is that Aloth's cohabitating personality is now expressed as his secondary class, but only if he took the appropriate steps of accepting Iselmyr in the first campaign. Perhaps she's his inner barbarian?

[smjjames]

Perhaps an interesting possibility is that Aloth's cohabitating personality is now expressed as his secondary class, but only if he took the appropriate steps of accepting Iselmyr in the first campaign. Perhaps she's his inner barbarian?

 

That's a potential storyline they could follow.

[Fardragon]

I'm pretty sure you can multiclass into whatever second class you want on characters you recruit. I don't know why people are suddenly inferring these restrictions.

 

Because in the new system you can no longer multiclass. You are either multiclassed from the start, or single classed from the start. The write-up makes that perfectly clear.

[Fardragon]

Perhaps an interesting possibility is that Aloth's cohabitating personality is now expressed as his secondary class, but only if he took the appropriate steps of accepting Iselmyr in the first campaign. Perhaps she's his inner barbarian?

 

That is what seems likely to me. Depending on choices in the PoE1 you may or may not have the option of making Aloth a multiclassed Wizard/Barbarian.

[Messier-31]

I hope he may still be single-class with emboldened Iselmyr.

[FlintlockJazz]

They stated in the video you can choose to multi-class a character when you first meet them and accept them into your party.  This implies the option for multiclassing a companion who does not have more than one compulsory class is still in.

Edited October 11, 2017 by FlintlockJazz

[Fardragon]

They stated in the video you can choose to multi-class a character when you first meet them and accept them into your party.  This implies the option for multiclassing a companion who does not have more than one compulsory class is still in.

 

I didn't invent the example I gave with Eder, it comes from a developer, I just can't find it. So no, as the game stands at the moment, companions have a narrow list of classes and multiclasses available (and preset subclass choices) which you choose when you first meet them. Choosing not to believe me doesn't make it any less true.

[blotter]

I didn't invent the example I gave with Eder, it comes from a developer, I just can't find it. So no, as the game stands at the moment, companions have a narrow list of classes and multiclasses available (and preset subclass choices) which you choose when you first meet them. Choosing not to believe me doesn't make it any less true.

 

The closest thing that I can find to what you're saying about the Eder example is in the same tumblr post that Enoch linked to earlier, wherein the person asking the question, who is not an Obsidian developer, uses the fighter, rogue, or swashbuckler example.

All Sawyer says in his response is:

 

Yes, the pop-up includes multiclassing options.

 

And that's it. If this was the example that you've been referring to, then the truth of your assertion remains very much unconfirmed; a general affirmation of the availability of companion multiclassing options that can possibly (and debatably) be taken as implicit support for a more restrictive approach to multiclassing does not overturn numerous official statements to the contrary.

 

If it's not what you were talking about, it might be helpful to back your claims with references before expecting us to take them as fact.

 

However, I could find more direct support for your claim about some companions not having access to subclasses among Sawyer's statements here, where he states that:

 

Edér uses no subclasses, nor does Aloth.

 

It's important to remember that this answer was given in response to a question asking whether all companions have unique subclasses, but unlike the multiclassing case above there isn't necessarily any outright contradiction with past statements. Sawyer's response from the first q&a comes close, but we (or at least I) can't rule out the possibility that his affirmation of companion access to subclasses is limited to those companions who have unique subclasses. Beyond that, the tumblr response I quoted above is straightforward enough that the case for concluding that companion subclass restrictions exist is easy to see and hard to dismiss altogether.

[PugPug]

There is no point to reading the tea leaves and examining and parsing game developer statements.

 

I don't know about Sawyer, but generally speaking, if you've ever known one to misspeak, you know they are like anyone else and don't always choose their words that carefully. If they did, there would be no need to try to infer meaning; it would be clear.

 

Don't worry about it. The answer is unknowable until he or someone else on staff answers the question directly.

[rjshae]

There is no point to reading the tea leaves and examining and parsing game developer statements.

 

I don't know about Sawyer, but generally speaking, if you've ever known one to misspeak, you know they are like anyone else and don't always choose their words that carefully. If they did, there would be no need to try to infer meaning; it would be clear.

 

Don't worry about it. The answer is unknowable until he or someone else on staff answers the question directly.

 

Mmm, we're gamers. We like to solve puzzles. Get used to it.