Step by step guide to Multiclass penalty

This is an easy step by step guide to determine whether your class would have a multiclass penalty and if so how much. Multiclass penalties are on a level to level basis and are not permanent so you need to think about the entire lifespan of the character and apply these steps at each level to guarantee that you aren't incurring a penalty at any point in time.

Initial Note: Once you put an X through a number don't consider it at all for any other steps.

Step I: Write down the number of the level for all of your classes that your character will have. You should not have more than four numbers (you can't multiclass more than 4 classes).

Step II: Put an X through any prestige class number.

Step III: If you are a human or half-elf put an X through the highest humber. If there is a tie between two or more numbers just cross out one of them--it doesn't matter which, but only one.

Step IV: If you are any other race, X out the number of your favored class if you are using it. If you don't know what I am talking about, each race has a favored class that doesn't count toward XP penalty--e.g. fighter for dwarf.

Step V: If you have one or less numbers then skip to Step VII. Otherwise, choose one of the numbers left that is not X'ed out. Compare that number to only the other numbers left but completely disregard the X'ed numbers. If any of the other numbers are more than 1 greater or less than that number then make a tally mark. It does not matter how many other number aren't within 1 level--you only make one tally for that number.

Step VI: Regardless of if you tallied a mark or not for that number, place an X through that number. Move back to Step V if you have two or more numbers left without X's. If you have only one number left, then move on to Step VII.

Step VII: Count your tally (shouldn't be more than 3) and multiply by 20%. That is the penalty you incur.

So if you had killed a mob that normally gave 100 XP you would only get 80 XP if you have a 20% penalty.

Example: Dwarf 5 rogue, 6 bard, 4 fighter, 5 War Priest. So I would write down 5, 6, 4, 5 in step 1. In step II, I would cross out the last 5 because War Priest is a presitge class leaving me with 5, 6, 4. After Step III I would have done nothing, but in step IV I would cross out the 4 because fighter is the Dwarves' favored class, leaving me with just 5, 6. Next, in step V, I have two numbers left so I choose the 5 and compare it to the 6. Since it is not more than one away I do NOT make a tally. In step VI I place an X through the 5 leaving me with just the 6 now. since I have only one number left I move on to step VII. I don't have any tallys so I don't have any penalty.

If I used the same multiclass with human it would start the same but in step III I would cross out the 6 because humans disregard the highest class they have as their favored class. This leaves me with 5, 4 this time. But in step V they are still within 1 of each other so still no tally and still no penalty.

Now if we made this a wood elf, it begins the same crossing out the War Priest 5, but in step 2 and 3 we don't cross out anything because he's not a human/half-elf and a wood elf's favored class is ranger. This leaves us with 5, 6, 4. If we pick the 6, it is within 1 of the 5 but is 2 more than the 4 so we put a tally. We X out the 6 leaving us with the 5 and 4. We have two more numbers left so we go back to step V. Now regardless which one we pick will be within 1 of the other number so we don't have anymore tallys. This leaves us with 1 tally which is a 20% penalty.

To give an example of the ultimate 60% penalty take Dwarf 1 wiz, 3 sorcerer, 5 cleric, 7 ranger (don't ask me why you would make such a mess). I don't X out anything in the first few steps because there is no prestige classes, not human/half-elf, and the dwarf's favored class of fighter isn't there. So I move into step V with all the numbers left 1, 3, 5, 7. I pick any number--5 and compare it to all the other numbers. All of them are more than 1 away from 5 but I still only put down one tally. In step VI, I cross out 5 and have two or more numbers left (1, 3, 7). Again in step V I chooe any number--3. It is also more than 1 away from both the other numbers left but again it just gets a single tally (now I have two tallies total). 3 is crossed off my list and I have two numbers left so I'm back to step V. Either number is more than 1 away from the other so I've wrackep up another tally. I am left with one number left so I move on to step VII and I have three tallies--3 * 20% = 60%. This is the worst possible penalty that you can have. This scenario is the lowest possible level that you can have the 60% penalty begin to incur. Remember it isn't permanent so for example with the 1,3,5,7 Dwarf above if he takes a level in any class but the 7, it will move two of the clases within 1 level of each other so he goes back down to only 40%. Try it for yourself if you don't believe me.