Power level - differences between single class and multiclass

[dejarik]

Hello everyone,

 

in choosing between single class and multiclass, it seems that difference in power level is one of the major aspects to evaluate. I though power level affected everything about a spell/ability (including damage), but it seems that power level only affects (after some quick checking):

- damage % from Rogue's Sneak Attack

- duration from "attack" abilities such as Crippling Strike/Wounding Shot (but not accuracy, damage or bonus penetration), but not all abilities. Blinding Strike doesn't change its duration from power level.

- damage done to yourself by Barbarian's Frenzy (the damage increases by power level!)

- number of projectiles in spells, but not all

- penetration of spells

- duration of spells, but not all

 

Summary: It doesn't seem that the differences in power level is extremely important, especially for martial classes - unless there is something I'm missing.

[Titus_Draconius]

I really wish the effects of power levels were more clearly displayed. In D&D for instance when you look at the description of a spell you will know what the spell is going to become at later caster levels. In character creation I think there are some problems with information in general, like missing links and tags for many abilities and effects (even few typos.)  For a lot of people this might not be important so it's a nitpick admittedly, but I enjoy having all the information and planning before the game begins.  

[Climhazzard]

Single class monk with the prestige at level 20.  Transcendent suffering.

 

Single:  +80% damage, +22 accuracy, +6 pen

Single with Nature godlike:  +95% damage, +26 acc, +7 pen

 

Multi class:  +50% damage, +14 acc, +4 pen

Multi class with nature godlike:  +65% damage, +18 acc, +5 pen

 

I didn't check anything else, if you multi class into another martial class then this is made up for by additional damage or other modifiers.  If you multi class a monk into a caster you'll lose a decent chunk of accuracy, damage, and penetration.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Climhazzard

[dejarik]

Thank you for the numbers. It seems that power level has to be evaluated on a specific basis.

 

In your example, if the monk is multiclassed with a rogue you can get +35 % damage with the sneak attack bonus. Multiclassed with a Barbarian you can get +25 % damage from the +5 Might in Frenzy. And so on.

 

In general, it seems like it's harder to argue for a caster + martial multiclass, since a lot of the power from multiclassing comes from the combined passives.

[dudex]

i always thought the difference between power levels at level 20 was 2..

 

how come monk seem to have 4 difference. i know there is passive u can take at 20 that increase it by 1 but that still doesnt make up the difference.

[Climhazzard]

i always thought the difference between power levels at level 20 was 2..

 

how come monk seem to have 4 difference. i know there is passive u can take at 20 that increase it by 1 but that still doesnt make up the difference.

 

 

Transcendent suffering probably just doesn't scale linearly with power level.

[Yenkaz]

Thank you for the numbers. It seems that power level has to be evaluated on a specific basis.

 

In your example, if the monk is multiclassed with a rogue you can get +35 % damage with the sneak attack bonus. Multiclassed with a Barbarian you can get +25 % damage from the +5 Might in Frenzy. And so on.

 

In general, it seems like it's harder to argue for a caster + martial multiclass, since a lot of the power from multiclassing comes from the combined passives.

 

I'm not so sure about the latter. Fighter/Monk/Paladin+Wizard seem to be all about the self-buffing that people would argue makes up for it in part. For Ciphers, multi-classing with a warrior means better damage dealt to fuel cipher powers and the passive specifically helps weapon damage.

 

Some casters I find a bit pointless to multi with a warrior, for instance Druids and Clerics - which begs the question why I made Xoti a contemplative, to which my answer it 'it seemed more fun - and it is.'

[EmilAmundsen]

Does power-lv affect the accuracy of offencive spells directly?

[nstgc]

 

i always thought the difference between power levels at level 20 was 2..

 

how come monk seem to have 4 difference. i know there is passive u can take at 20 that increase it by 1 but that still doesnt make up the difference.

 

 

Transcendent suffering probably just doesn't scale linearly with power level.

 

I spent a bit of time trying to find the connection between power level and its effects on spells. I didn't do much, but I did find that it's actually the DIFFERENCE in power level that matters. So a level 1 spell gets a 5 step bonus if your caster has a power level of 6.

 

Another thing, which I didn't follow up on, is that I felt that different spells scaled differently with PL. I would need to go back and look at them again to make sure I wasn't mistaken, but that was my impression.

[Enoch]

Single class monk with the prestige at level 20.  Transcendent suffering.

 

Single:  +80% damage, +22 accuracy, +6 pen

Single with Nature godlike:  +95% damage, +26 acc, +7 pen

 

Multi class:  +50% damage, +14 acc, +4 pen

Multi class with nature godlike:  +65% damage, +18 acc, +5 pen

 

I didn't check anything else, if you multi class into another martial class then this is made up for by additional damage or other modifiers.  If you multi class a monk into a caster you'll lose a decent chunk of accuracy, damage, and penetration.

Transcendent Suffering probably isn't the best example, as high-level multiclassed Monks basically aren't built to use it.  They'll go unarmed early on when the difference is minor, but switch to being weapon users when they start finding the really interesting uniques.