Multiclassing

In DDO you may play a character belonging to many classes at the same time. This is called multiclassing. You first create your character as a single class. Later, when you obtain enough experience to make a level you may pick a level in another class. You may have a maximum of 3 classes on a single character.

Some aspects of DDO differ from pen and paper DnD and this is one area that has been the subject of considerable debate. The reasons for multiclassing in PnP are many, but you may find that some of those reasons are lacking in DDO. For instance while in PnP I usually play a rogue/wizard I find that in DDO many of the 2 classes abilities to support one another are missing. What's more, in DDO it seems much more obvious that a level 10 character that has 5 levels of rogue and 5 levels of wizard is not really up to par with the other level 10's in the party. While taking one or two levels of another class at some point may offer some advantages on the whole unless the two classes really work well together (read rogue/ranger) its probably best not to split your character evenly as in previous editions of DnD. On the whole, while I personnaly like the idea of multiclassing from the standpoint of diversification for your character I find that if your party is properly balanced then its usually best to specialize in a single set of skills and let your comrades watch your back on things you've no skill for. -Gugran

In classic PnP D&D, single and multilclassed characters were roughly balanced. At the same total character level, a singleclass had more powerful abilities, and a multiclass had a larger number of less intense capabilities. However, a new D&D feature unique to DDO breaks that pattern, and leaves multiclasses severly weakened: enhancements.

Each character can have only 4 enhancements at a time, and the list of enhancements available is determined by your class levels and your race/character-levels. The best enhancements come between class levels 3-8, and include such great things as +3 points in the prime ability of your class, seriously powerful 20-second bonuses to attacks/speed/skills, or enough extra flame damage that Burning Hands is more lethal than Fireball.

A character who maxes out with fewer than 8 levels in a single class is missing out on some fine enhancements, but also can't make up for it with a greater number of less-powerful enhancements, since there is still a fixed cap of only four slots. Unless Turbine buffs multiclassers by giving them more enhancement slots, I recommend that everyone pick a single primary class, and put not more than two levels into other classes. A ranger8/rogue2, for example, gets most of the good ranger enhancements, plus also a sneak attack bonus and enough skill points to focus on one aspect of burglary (either locks or traps).