How do you handle a character that wants to pick another archetype of his own class? A burglar that starts some magic studies and wants to become an arcane trickster, or a warrior who after years of commitment to the study of war becomes a champion? Obviously there are things that couldn’t mix but in the cases that it would be possible... how do you handle it?
This is why the feat Magic Initiate exists. Your burglar rogue can pick this feat up at his next Ability Skill Increase, or be given an extra feat if you're feeling very generous.
You may be able to swap out certain subclass features if you feel it's balanced and makes sense, but I'd be reluctant to do so. Note that a lot of subclass features are designed to interact with each other, and altering them can break features from earlier/later levels.
If a burglar rogue wants to learn a lot wizardry, consider simply having them multiclass into wizard. The multiclass table suggests that 1 level of wizard is roughly equivalent to 3 levels of an arcane trickster rogue's spellcasting.
I thought about that possibility too. Probably it would not imbalance things to allow a feat that lets a character choose a feat from another subclass the next time the class gets an Archetype Feature. You could also allow a feat that lets a character change the Archetype completely but that would need more thought and planning (does character start at level one or at the level he is in, how to deal with spell Progression etc.).
I know that multi-classing in the same class could sound... weird, and some of the solutions you had proposed sounds legit, like multi-classing to wizard for the burglar. I like the idea of the feat that allows to get some features of another archetype, like the burglar that slowly turns into an assasin.
Another option would be to allow the character to change the archetype, maybe one feature per level so you can role-play the little change into a new emphasys in her career. The bruglar that turns into assasin will not forget how to move silently or pick a lock, but her new focus made her “lose” her “touch” in certains things...
In other cases, like a paladin changing oath I see it like more traumatic and sudden change. The Oath of Devotion that sees the village he has sworn to protect destryed by a horde of goblinoids could easily turn to Oath of Vengance after praying to his God... or maybe is another one who listen and she embraces the offerings that this new entity whispers...
Anyway thanks for confirming that there is no “mechanical” way to do it and must be done homebrew. And thanks for the tips in how to do it!
:)
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PbP Character: A few ;)
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Hi all,
First excuse me if this has been adressed before.
How do you handle a character that wants to pick another archetype of his own class? A burglar that starts some magic studies and wants to become an arcane trickster, or a warrior who after years of commitment to the study of war becomes a champion? Obviously there are things that couldn’t mix but in the cases that it would be possible... how do you handle it?
Thanks in advance!
PbP Character: A few ;)
A character can't multiclass in the same class. By definition, multiclass means gaining a level in a different class.
As a DM, one could allow switching the archetype after a period of training.
This is why the feat Magic Initiate exists. Your burglar rogue can pick this feat up at his next Ability Skill Increase, or be given an extra feat if you're feeling very generous.
You may be able to swap out certain subclass features if you feel it's balanced and makes sense, but I'd be reluctant to do so. Note that a lot of subclass features are designed to interact with each other, and altering them can break features from earlier/later levels.
If a burglar rogue wants to learn a lot wizardry, consider simply having them multiclass into wizard. The multiclass table suggests that 1 level of wizard is roughly equivalent to 3 levels of an arcane trickster rogue's spellcasting.
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I thought about that possibility too. Probably it would not imbalance things to allow a feat that lets a character choose a feat from another subclass the next time the class gets an Archetype Feature. You could also allow a feat that lets a character change the Archetype completely but that would need more thought and planning (does character start at level one or at the level he is in, how to deal with spell Progression etc.).
I know that multi-classing in the same class could sound... weird, and some of the solutions you had proposed sounds legit, like multi-classing to wizard for the burglar. I like the idea of the feat that allows to get some features of another archetype, like the burglar that slowly turns into an assasin.
Another option would be to allow the character to change the archetype, maybe one feature per level so you can role-play the little change into a new emphasys in her career. The bruglar that turns into assasin will not forget how to move silently or pick a lock, but her new focus made her “lose” her “touch” in certains things...
In other cases, like a paladin changing oath I see it like more traumatic and sudden change. The Oath of Devotion that sees the village he has sworn to protect destryed by a horde of goblinoids could easily turn to Oath of Vengance after praying to his God... or maybe is another one who listen and she embraces the offerings that this new entity whispers...
Anyway thanks for confirming that there is no “mechanical” way to do it and must be done homebrew. And thanks for the tips in how to do it!
:)
PbP Character: A few ;)