Variant Multiclassing
Under the core rules, multiclassing can lead to a wide disparity in character ability. With this system, each character can choose a secondary class at 1st level that she trains in throughout her career, without giving up levels in her primary class. Once selected, this choice is permanent (though if using the retraining rules from Ultimate Campaign, the secondary class can be retrained by paying half the cost of retraining all her class levels). A character who selects this option doesn't gain feats at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels, but instead gains class features from her secondary class as described on Table: Multiclass Character Advancement. It is probably a good idea to use either this variant system or normal multiclassing, but it's possible for the two systems to be used together. In a game using both systems, a character can't take levels in the secondary class she gains from this variant.
Multiclass Character Advancement
| Character Level |
Ability |
| 1st | Feat |
| 2nd | — |
| 3rd | Secondary class feature |
| 4th | — |
| 5th | Feat |
| 6th | — |
| 7th | Secondary class feature |
| 8th | — |
| 9th | Feat |
| 10th | — |
| 11th | Secondary class feature |
| 12th | — |
| 13th | Feat |
| 14th | — |
| 15th | Secondary class feature |
| 16th | — |
| 17th | Feat |
| 18th | — |
| 19th | Secondary class feature |
| 20th | — |
Core Classes
The following secondary class features are based on features of the classes found in the Core Rulebook.
Barbarian
A character who chooses barbarian as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Rage: At 3rd level, she gains the rage class feature for a number of rounds per day equal to her Constitution modifier + her character level.
Uncanny Dodge: At 7th level, she gains uncanny dodge.
Rage Power: At 11th level, she gains a rage power. For the purpose of which rage powers she can select, her effective barbarian level is equal to 1/2 her character level, but for the purpose of the rage power's effect, her effective barbarian level is equal to her full character level.
Damage Reduction: At 15th level, she gains DR 3/—.
Greater Rage: At 19th level, she gains greater rage.
Bard
A character who chooses bard as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Bardic Knowledge: At 3rd level, he gains the bardic knowledge class feature, treating his character level as his effective bard level.
Bardic Performance: At 7th level, he gains the ability to inspire courage and inspire competence as a bard of his character level – 4 for a number of rounds per day equal to his Charisma modifier + his character level.
Versatile Performance: At 11th level, he gains versatile performance in one Perform skill of his choice. He can retrain all his ranks in the two associated skills for free.
Lore Master: At 15th level, he gains lore master as a 5th-level bard.
Additional Performances: At 19th level, he gains the ability to use dirge of doom and inspire greatness as a bard of his character level – 4.
Cleric
A character who chooses cleric as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Deity: At 1st level, she must select a deity within one alignment step of her own. She gains the cleric's aura, bonus languages, code of conduct, and restriction from casting spells of opposed alignments. She also gains the cleric's spontaneous casting ability, which she can use with any prepared casting classes that have the appropriate spells on their spell lists.
Domain: At 3rd level, she selects one domain her deity grants, gaining that domain's 1st-level granted power, treating her character level as her effective cleric level.
Channel: At 7th level, she gains the ability to channel energy as a cleric of her character level – 6 a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier + 1.
Improved Channel: At 11th level, her ability to channel energy improves to that of a cleric of her character level – 4.
Improved Domain: At 15th level, she gains the additional domain power of her chosen domain, treating her character level as her effective cleric level.
Greater Channel: At 19th level, her channel energy ability improves to that of a cleric of her character level – 2.
Druid
A character who chooses druid as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Code: At 1st level, she gains Druidic as a bonus language and must abide by the druidic code of conduct—respecting nature, not teaching the Druidic language to outsiders, not wearing metal armor, and so on.
Wild Empathy: At 3rd level, she gains wild empathy, treating her character level as her effective druid level.
Companion: At 7th level, she gains an animal companion as a druid of her character level – 4. No ability other than Improved Companion can ever increase her effective druid level for this purpose.
Improved Companion: At 11th level, her animal companion increases to that of a druid of her full character level.
Wild Shape: At 15th level, she gains the ability to use wild shape to turn into a Small or Medium animal two times per day for up to 1 hour per character level each time.
Greater Wildshape: At 19th level, her wild shape improves to include the 6th-level druid options, and she can use wild shape three times per day.
Fighter
A character who chooses fighter as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Bravery: At 3rd level, he gains the bravery class feature as a fighter of his character level – 1.
Armor Training 1: At 7th level, he gains armor training 1.
Weapon Training 1: At 11th level, he gains weapon training 1.
Armor Training 2: At 15th level, he gains armor training 2.
Weapon Training 2: At 19th level, he gains weapon training 2.
Monk
A character who chooses monk as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Armor: At 1st level, he loses all his secondary monk abilities when wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load.
Unarmed Strike: At 3rd level, he gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and the unarmed damage of a monk of his character level – 2.
Evasion: At 7th level, he gains evasion.
Ki Pool: At 11th level, he gains the ki pool class feature of a monk of his character level – 2, with a number of ki points equal to 1/2 his character level. He only ever gains ki pool (lawful) if he is of lawful alignment.
AC Bonus: At 15th level, he gains a +3 dodge bonus to AC.
Improved Evasion: At 19th level, he gains improved evasion.
Paladin
A character who chooses paladin as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Code: At 1st level, she must follow the paladin's code of conduct and gains the paladin's aura of good.
Detect Evil: At 3rd level, she can detect evil as a 1st-level paladin.
Lay on Hands: At 7th level, she gains the ability to lay on hands a number of times per day equal to 1/2 her character level, healing as much as a paladin of her character level – 4.
Smite Evil: At 11th level, she gains the ability to smite evil once per day as a paladin of her character level – 4.
Mercy: At 15th level, she selects one mercy from the paladin's 3rd-level mercy list.
Divine Bond: At 19th level, she gains a divine bond to a weapon as a paladin of her character level – 3.
Ranger
A character who chooses ranger as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Track: At 3rd level, he gains the track class feature, treating his character level as his effective ranger level.
Favored Enemy: At 7th level, he gains the 1st favored enemy class feature.
Favored Terrain: At 11th level, he gains the 1st favored terrain class feature.
Expert Tracker: At 15th level, he gains the woodland stride and swift tracker class features.
Quarry: At 19th level, he gains the quarry class feature.
Rogue
A character who chooses rogue as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Trapfinding: At 3rd level, she gains the trapfinding class feature.
Sneak Attack: At 7th level, she gains the sneak attack class feature. She can deal 1d6 points of extra damage. This extra damage increases by 1d6 for every 4 levels beyond 7th, to a maximum of 4d6 at 19th level.
Evasion: At 11th level, she gains evasion.
Uncanny Dodge: At 15th level, she gains uncanny dodge.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: At 19th level, she gains improved uncanny dodge, treating her character level as her effective rogue level.
Sorcerer
A character who chooses sorcerer as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Bloodline: At 1st level, she must select a sorcerer bloodline. She treats her character level as her effective sorcerer level for all bloodline powers.
Bloodline Power: At 3rd level, she gains her bloodline's 1st-level bloodline power.
Improved Bloodline Power: At 7th level, she gains her bloodline's 3rd-level bloodline power
Blood Feat: At 11th level, she gains one of her bloodline's feats or Eschew Materials.
Greater Bloodline Power: At 15th level, she gains her bloodline's 9th-level bloodline power.
True Bloodline Power: At 19th level, she gains her bloodline's 15th-level bloodline power.
Wizard
A character who chooses wizard as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
School: At 1st level, he chooses a school of magic in which to specialize. For all powers of that school, he treats his character level as his effective wizard level.
Familiar: At 3rd level, he gains a familiar, treating his character level as his effective wizard level.
School Power: At 7th level, he gains the 1st-level powers of his chosen school. If any of those powers grant an extra effect at 20th level, the character does not gain that extra effect.
Cantrip: At 11th level, if he has an Intelligence score of 10 or higher, he chooses a wizard cantrip from his chosen school and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. He uses his character level as the caster level and Intelligence as the cantrip's key ability score.
Discovery: At 15th level, he gains an arcane discovery or wizard bonus feat, treating his character level as his effective wizard level.
Greater School Power: At 19th level, he gains the 8th-level power of his chosen school.
Base classes
The following secondary class features are based on features of the classes found in the Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Combat, and Ultimate Magic.
Alchemist
A character who chooses alchemist as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Alchemy: At 3rd level, he adds his character level as a competence bonus on all Craft (alchemy) checks and can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions.
Bombs: At 7th level, he gains the ability to create a number of bombs per day equal to his Intelligence modifier + 1/2 his character level. The bombs deal damage as an alchemist of his character level, but since he doesn't have the alchemist's throw anything class feature, he doesn't add his Intelligence modifier to the damage.
Mutagen: At 11th level, he gains the mutagen class feature, with a duration equal to 10 minutes per character level. He counts as an alchemist for the purposes of drinking a mutagen.
Swift Poisoning: At 15th level, he gains the poison use and swift poisoning abilities.
Poison Immunity: At 19th level, he becomes immune to poison.
Cavalier
A character who chooses cavalier as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Order: At 1st level, he chooses an order. He must follow the edicts of his order.
Challenge: At 3rd level, he gains the ability to issue a challenge as a cavalier of his character level – 2 once per day. He adds the appropriate order adjustment to his challenge based on the order he selected.
Order Ability: At 7th level, he gains the 2nd-level ability of his chosen order, treating his character level as his effective cavalier level.
Tactician: At 11th level, he gains the tactician class feature, treating his character level as his effective cavalier level.
Greater Order Ability: At 15th level, he gains the 8th-level ability of his chosen order, treating his character level as his effective cavalier level.
Greater Tactician: At 19th level, he gains the greater tactician class feature, treating his character level as his effective cavalier level.
Gunslinger
A character who chooses gunslinger as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Firearm Proficiency: At 3rd level, she gains proficiency in all firearms.
Gunsmith: At 7th level, she gains the gunsmith class feature.
Deed: At 11th level, she gains the Amateur Gunslinger feat.
Improved Deed: At 15th level, she gains a 3rd-level gunslinger deed of her choice.
Greater Deed: At 19th level, she gains a 7th-level gunslinger deed of her choice.
Inquisitor
A character who chooses inquisitor as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Deity: At 1st level, she must select a deity within one alignment step of her alignment. She gains the inquisitor's code of conduct and restriction on casting spells of opposed alignments.
Stern Gaze: At 3rd level, she gains the stern gaze class feature, treating her character level as her effective inquisitor level.
Judgment: At 7th level, once per day, she can use the judgment class feature as an inquisitor of her character level – 3.
Solo Tactics: At 11th level, she gains the solo tactics class feature.
Additional Judgment: At 15th level, she can use the judgment class feature twice per day.
Second Judgment: At 19th level, she gains the second judgment ability.
Magus
A character who chooses magus as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Arcane Pool: At 3rd level, he gains the arcane pool class feature as a magus of his character level – 2.
Magus Arcana: At 7th level, he gains one magus arcana. He treats his character level as his effective magus level when determining whether or not he can select an arcana.
Spellstrike: At 11th level, he gains the spellstrike class feature, but he can use it only with spells that are on the magus spell list, even though he can cast them using another class's spell slots.
Improved Arcana: At 15th level, he gains one additional magus arcana.
Greater Arcana: At 19th level, he gains one additional magus arcana.
Oracle
A character who chooses oracle as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Mystery: At 1st level, she must select a mystery. She never qualifies for the Extra Revelation feat.
Curse: At 1st level, she must select a curse. She gains all effects of the curse, treating her effective oracle level as equal to 1/2 her character level.
Revelation: At 3rd level, she gains one of the following revelations from the list of those available to her mystery as an oracle of her character level – 6 (minimum 1). She must have an effective oracle level high enough to select the revelation.
- Battle: Battlecry, battlefield clarity, combat healer, iron skin, resiliency, skill at arms, surprising charge, war sight.
- Bones: Armor of bones, bleeding wounds, death's touch, near death, raise the dead, resist life, soul siphon, spirit walk, undead servitude, voice of the grave.
- Flame: Burning magic, fire breath, form of flame, gaze of flames, heat aura, molten skin, touch of flame, wings of fire.
- Heavens: Coat of many stars, dweller in darkness, guiding star, interstellar void, lure of the heavens, mantle of moonlight, spray of shooting stars, star chart.
- Life: Channel, delay affliction, energy body, enhanced cures, healing hands, life link, lifesense, safe curing, spirit boost.
- Lore: Arcane archivist, automatic writing, brain drain, mental acuity, spontaneous symbology, think on it, whirlwind lesson.
- Nature: Erosion touch, life leach, natural divination, speak with animals, spirit of nature, transcendental bond, undo artifice.
- Stone: Acid skin, clobbering strike, crystal sight, earth glide, mighty pebble, rock throwing, shard explosion, steelbreaker skin, touch of acid.
- Waves: Blizzard, fluid nature, fluid travel, freezing spells, ice armor, icy skin, punitive transformation, water form, water sight, wintry touch.
- Wind: Air barrier, gaseous form, invisibility, lightning breath, spark skin, thunderburst, touch of electricity, vortex spells, wind sight, wings of air.
Orison: At 7th level, if she has a Charisma score of 10 or higher, she chooses an oracle orison to cast as a spell-like ability at will. She uses her character level as the caster level and Charisma as the orison's key ability score.
Curse Focus: At 11th level, she adds 5 to her effective oracle level for the purposes of determining her curse's effects.
Improved Revelation: At 15th level, she gains one additional revelation.
Greater Revelation: At 19th level, she gains one additional revelation.
Summoner
A character who chooses summoner as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Summon Monster: At 3rd level, he gains the summoner's summon monster spell-like ability as a summoner of his character level – 2. He can use this ability once per day; the casting time is 1 full round, and the duration is 1 round per effective summoner level.
Eidolon: At 7th level, he gains the ability to summon an eidolon, using the statistics of an eidolon for a summoner of his character level – 4, except with half as many evolution points. This eidolon can only be summoned using his summon monster spell-like ability.
Additional Summons: At 11th level, he can use his summon monster spell-like ability three times per day.
Shield Ally: At 15th level, he gains the shield ally class feature.
Aspect: At 19th level, he gains the aspect class feature, except he can divert only 1 evolution point from his eidolon to himself.
Witch
A character who chooses witch as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Patron: At 1st level, she chooses a patron. She never qualifies for the Extra Hex feat.
Witch's Familiar: At 3rd level, she gains a familiar, treating her character level as her effective witch level.
Hex: At 7th level, she gains a hex of her choice as a 1st-level witch. If she chooses the slumber hex, it can affect only creatures with Hit Dice less than or equal to her character level.
Cantrip: At 11th level, if she has an Intelligence score of 10 or higher, she chooses a witch cantrip and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. She uses her character level as the caster level and Intelligence as the cantrip's key ability score.
Improved Hex: At 15th level, she gains a second hex as a 1st-level witch, and her first hex advances as if she were an 8th-level witch.
Major Hex: At 19th level, she gains a major hex as a 10th-level witch. She cannot gain the ice tomb hex.
