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This optional system allows a character to trade out half her feats in order to gain the benefits of a secondary class. These rules enable characters to gain many of the benefits of multiclassing without sacrificing advancement in their primary classes, and creates opportunities to explore novel character concepts.

Under the standard 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, 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.

Table: Multiclass Character Advancement

Character
Level
Ability
1stFeat
2nd
3rdSecondary class feature
4th
5thFeat
6th
7thSecondary class feature
8th
9thFeat
10th
11thSecondary class feature
12th
13thFeat
14th
15thSecondary class feature
16th
17thFeat
18th
19thSecondary class feature
20th

Core Classes

Archer

A character who chooses archer as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Aim: At 3rd level, he gains the aim class feature as a 1st level archer.

Archery Talent: At 7th level, he gains an archery talent, using his character level in place of the archer levels required.

High Ground: At 11th level, he gains the agile archer class feature.

Archery Talent 2: At 15th level, he gains an archery talent, using his character level in place of the archer levels required.

Safe Shot: At 19th level, he gains the safe shot class feature. 

Bard

A character who chooses bard as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Musical Power: At 3rd level, he gains the Musical Power class feature as a bard.

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.

Inspiration: At 15th level, he gains inspiration class feature as a bard of his character level – 6.

Additional Performances: At 19th level, he gains the ability to use soothing performance and inspire greatness as a bard of his character level – 4. 

Beastmaster

A character who chooses beastmaster as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Animal Focus: At 3rd level, she gains the animal focus class feature as a 1st level beastmaster.

Animal Companion: At 7th level, she gains an animal companion as a beastmaster of her character level – 4. No ability other than Improved Companion can ever increase her effective beastmaster level for this purpose.

Beastmaster Trick: At 11th level, she gains a beastmaster trick. For the purpose of which beastmaster tricks she can select, her effective beastmaster level is equal to 1/2 her character level, but for the purpose of the beastmaster trick’s effect, her effective beastmaster level is equal to her full character level.

Second Animal Focus: At 15th level, she gains second animal focus.

Beastmaster Trick: At 19th level, she gains a beastmaster trick. For the purpose of which beastmaster tricks she can select, her effective beastmaster level is equal to 1/2 her character level, but for the purpose of the beastmaster trick’s effect, her effective beastmaster level is equal to her full character level.

Black Mage

A character who chooses black mage as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Cantrip: At 3rd level, if he has an Intelligence score of 10 or higher, he chooses a black mage cantrip 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.

Elemental Shield: At 7th level, he gains the elemental shield class feature as a black mage of his character level – 5 a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier + 1.

Improved Elemental Shield: At 11th level, his ability to use elemental shield improves to that of a black mage of his character level – 4.

Arcane Knowledge: At 15th level, he gains the arcane knowledge class feature.

Greater Elemental Shield: At 19th level, his elemental shield ability improves to that of a black mage of his character level – 2.

Dragoon

A character who chooses dragoon as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Jump: At 3rd level, he gains the jump class feature as a 1st level dragoon.

Deadly Lancer: At 7th level, he gains the deadly lancer class feature as a dragoon of his character level – 4.

Dragoon Talent: At 11th level, he gains a dragoon talent.

Hardy Landing: At 15th level, he gains the hardy landing class feature as a dragoon of his character level – 2.

Dragoon Talent 2: At 19th level, he gains a dragoon talent. He may also choose an Advanced Dragoon talent now.

Knight

A character who chooses knight as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Defensive Stance: At 3rd level, he gains the defensive stance class feature for a number of rounds per day equal to his Constitution modifier + his character level.

Armor Training: At 7th level, he gains the armor training class feature as a 3rd-level knight.

Knight Talent: At 11th level, he gains a knight talent. For the purpose of which knight talents he can select, his effective knight level is equal to 1/2 his character level, but for the purpose of the knight talent’s effect, his effective knight level is equal to his full character level.

Shield Ally: At 15th level, he gains the shield ally class feature.

Advanced Knight Talent: At 19th level, he gains an advanced knight talent. For the purpose of which knight talents he can select, his effective knight level is equal to 1/2 his character level, but for the purpose of the knight talent’s effect, his effective knight level is equal to his full character level.

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 1st level monk.

Evasion: At 7th level, he gains evasion.

Improved Unarmed Strikes: At 11th level, his unarmed damage improves to a monk of his character level – 6.

AC Bonus: At 15th level, he gains a +3 dodge bonus to AC.

Improved Evasion: At 19th level, he gains improved evasion. 

Red Mage

A character who chooses red mage as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Cantrip: At 3rd level, if he has a Charisma score of 10 or higher, he chooses a red mage cantrip and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. He uses his character level as the caster level and Charisma as the cantrip’s key ability score.

Arcane Pool: At 7th level, he gains the arcane pool class feature as a red mage of his character level – 2.

Ruby Arcana: At 11th level, he gains one ruby arcana. He treats his character level as his effective red mage level when determining whether or not he can select an arcana.

Spellstrike: At 15th level, he gains the spellstrike class feature, but he can use it only with spells that are on the red mage spell list, even though he can cast them using another class’s spells.

Improved Arcana: At 19th level, he gains one additional Ruby Arcana.

Thief

A character who chooses thief 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 thief level.

Warrior

A character who chooses warrior as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Chosen Weapon: At 3rd level, he gains the chosen weapon class feature as a 1st level warrior.

Warrior Talent: At 7th level, he gains a warrior talent, using his character level in place of the warrior levels required.

Aggressor: At 11th level, he gains the aggressor class feature.

Warrior Talent 2: At 15th level, he gains a warrior talent, using his character level in place of the warrior levels required. He may also choose an Advanced Warrior talent now.

Weapon Unity: At 19th level, he gains the weapon unity class feature.

White Mage

A character who chooses white mage as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Cantrip: At 3rd level, if she has a Wisdom score of 10 or higher, she chooses a white mage cantrip and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. She uses her character level as the caster level and Wisdom as the cantrip’s key ability score.

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 white mage of her character level – 4.

Improved Lay on Hands: At 11th level, her ability to use lay on hands a number of times per day improves to that of a white mage of her character level – 4.

Auto-Regen: At 15th level, she gains the auto-regen class feature as a 7th-level white mage.

Greater Lay on Hands: At 19th level, her lay on hands healing ability improves to that of a white mage of her character level – 2.

 

Base Classes

Astrologian

A character who chooses astrologian as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Star Globe: At 3rd level, he gains the star globe as a 1st level astrologian.

Draw: At 7th level, he gains the draw class feature as an astrologian of his character level – 5 a number of times per day equal to half his character level + his Wisdom modifier.

Royal Road: At 11th level, he gains the royal road class feature.

Spread: At 15th level, he gains the spread class feature.

Shuffle: At 19th level, he gains the shuffle class feature a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Wisdom modifier.

Berserker

A character who chooses berserker 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 berserker level is equal to 1/2 her character level, but for the purpose of the rage power’s effect, her effective berserker level is equal to her full character level.

Greater Rage: At 15th level, she gains greater rage.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: At 19th level, she gains improved uncanny dodge.

Blue Mage

A character who chooses blue mage as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Cantrip: At 3rd level, if he has an Intelligence score of 10 or higher, he chooses a blue mage cantrip 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.

Analysis: At 7th level, he gains the analysis class feature as a blue mage of his character level – 5 a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier + 1.

Azure Talent: At 11th level, he gains an azure talent, using his character level in place of the blue mage levels required.

Improved Azure Talent: At 15th level, he gains one additional azure talent.

Libra: At 19th level, he gains the libra class feature.

Chemist

A character who chooses chemist 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 a chemist of his character level, but since he doesn’t have the chemist’s throw anything class feature, he doesn’t add his Intelligence modifier to the damage.

Discovery: At 11th level, he gains one discovery. He treats his character level as his effective chemist level when determining whether or not he can select a discovery.

Improved Discovery: At 15th level, he gains one additional discovery.

Greater Discovery: At 19th level, he gains one additional discovery.

Chocobo Knight

A character who chooses chocobo knight as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Challenge: At 3rd level, he gains the ability to issue a challenge as a 1st level chocobo knight, once per day.

Chocobo Mount: At 7th level, he gains a chocobo mount as a chocobo knight of his character level – 4. No ability other than Improved Chocobo Mount can ever increase his effective chocobo knight level for this purpose

Mounted Talent: At 11th level, he gains one mounted talent. He treats his character level as his effective chocobo knight level when determining whether or not he can select a mounted talent.

Improved Mounted Talent: At 15th level, he gains one additional mounted talent.

Advanced Mounted Talent: At 19th level, he gains one additional mounted talent.

Cleric

A character who chooses cleric as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Deific Order: At 1st level, she must select a deific order and deity within one alignment step of her own. She gains the deific order’s favored weapon and bonus class skills.

Deity Ability: At 3rd level, she gains the 1st-level deity ability, treating her character level as her effective cleric level – 2.

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 Deity Ability: At 15th level, she gains either the 3rd or 6th-level deity ability (player’s choice), 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.

Dark Knight

A character who chooses dark knight as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Darkside: At 3rd level, he gains the ability to use darkside once per day as a 1st level dark knight.

Harm Touch: At 7th level, he gains the ability to harm touch a number of times per day equal to 1/2 his character level, dealing damage as much as a dark knight of his character level – 4.

Abyssal Arts: At 11th level, he gains an abyssal arts ability as a dark knight of his character level – 6.

Defile: At 15th level, he selects one defile from the dark knight’s 3rd-level defile list.

Improved Abyssal Arts: At 19th level, he gains an abyssal arts ability as a dark knight of his character level – 4.

Engineer

A character who chooses engineer as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Repair: At 3rd level, he gains the ability to repair as a 1st level engineer, a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier + 1.

Automaton: At 7th level, he gains an automaton as an engineer of his character level – 4. No ability other than Improved Automaton can ever increase his effective engineer level for this purpose

Engineer Trick: At 11th level, he gains one engineer trick. He treats his character level as his effective engineer level when determining whether or not he can select an engineer trick.

Improved Trick: At 15th level, he gains one additional engineer trick.

Improved Automaton: At 19th level, his automaton increases to that of an engineer of his character level – 2.

Gambler

A character who chooses gambler as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Luck Pool: At 3rd level, he gains the luck pool class feature as a gambler of his character level – 2.

Gambler Gambit: At 7th level, he gains one gambler gambit. He treats his character level as his effective gambler level when determining whether or not he can select a gambler gambit.

Evasion: At 11th level, he gains evasion.

Uncanny Dodge: At 15th level, he gains uncanny dodge.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: At 19th level, he gains improved uncanny dodge, treating his character level as his effective gambler level.

Geomancer

A character who chooses geomancer as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Cantrip: At 3rd level, if he has a Wisdom score of 10 or higher, he chooses a geomancer cantrip and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. He uses his character level as the caster level and Wisdom as the cantrip’s key ability score.

Geomancy: At 7th level, he gains the ability to use geomancy a number of times per day equal to half his character level, dealing damage as much as a geomancer of his character level – 6.

Favored Terrain: At 11th level, he gains the 1st favored terrain class feature.

Movement Powers: At 15th level, he gains the movement powers class feature as a 4th-level geomancer.

Greater Geomancy: At 19th level, his geomancy deals damage as much as a geomancer of his character level – 3.

Gunner

A character who chooses gunner as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Firearm Proficiency: At 3rd level, she gains proficiency in all simple firearms.

Skirmish: At 7th level, she gains the skirmish 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.

Nimble: At 11th level, she gains the nimble class feature, gaining a +1 dodge bonus to AC at 7th level and an additional +1 for every 4 levels thereafter.

Gun Training: At 15th level, she gains the gun training I class feature.

Improved Gun Training: At 19th level, she gains the gun training II class feature.

Illusionist

A character who chooses illusionist as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Veil Pool: At 3rd level, he gains the veil pool class feature as a 1st level illusionist.

Veil Powers: At 7th level, he gains one veil power. He treats his character level as his effective illusionist level when determining whether or not he can select a veil power.

Haze: At 11th level, he gains the haze class feature as an illusionist of his character level – 4.

Improved Veil: At 15th level, he gains one additional veil power.

Greater Veil: At 19th level, he gains one additional veil power.

Medic

A character who chooses medic as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Medical Specialist: At 3rd level, he gains the medical specialist class feature as a 1st level medic.

Triage: At 7th level, he gains the triage ability a number of times per day equal to 1/2 her character level, healing as much as a medic of his character level – 4.

Medical Practice: At 11th level, he gains one medical practice. He treats his character level as his effective medic level when determining whether or not he can select a medical practice.

Battlefield Inspiration: At 15th level, he gains the battlefield inspiration class feature as a medic of his character level – 4, granting a number of temporary hit points equal to 1/2 his character level + his Wisdom modifier.

Improved Medical Practice: At 19th level, he gains one additional medical practice.

Necromancer

A character who chooses necromancer as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Cantrip: At 3rd level, if he has a Charisma score of 10 or higher, he chooses a necromancer cantrip and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. He uses his character level as the caster level and Charisma as the cantrip’s key ability score.

Bone Commander: At 7th level, he gains the ability to summon a bone commander, using the statistics of a bone commander for a necromancer of his character level – 4.

Harm Touch: At 11th level, he gains the ability to use harm touch as a necromancer of his character level – 8 a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier + 1.

Improved Harm Touch: At 15th level, his ability to use harm touch improves to that of a necromancer of his character level – 4.

Unholy Protection: At 19th level, he gains the Unholy Protection class feature of a 10th level necromancer.

Paladin

A character who chooses paladin as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Oath Stance: At 3rd level, she can use oath stance 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.

Divine Arts: At 11th level, he gains a divine arts ability as a paladin of his character level – 6.

Blessing: At 15th level, she selects one blessing from the paladin’s 3rd-level blessing list.

Improved Divine Arts: At 19th level, he gains a divine arts ability as a paladin of his character level – 4.

Psychic

A character who chooses psychic as her secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Telekinetic Hurl: At 3rd level, she can use telekinetic hurl as a 1st-level psychic.

Altered Defense: At 7th level, she gains the ability to use the altered defense class feature as a psychic of her character level – 4.

Phrenic Pool: At 11th level, she gains the phrenic pool class feature as a psychic of his character level – 2 and she gains one phrenic amplification. She treats her character level as her effective psychic level when determining whether or not she can select an amplification.

Mind Blast: At 15th level, she gains the Mind Blast class feature as a psychic of her character level – 8.

Psychic Talent: At 19th level, she gains one psychic talent. She treats her character level as her effective psychic level when determining whether or not she can select a psychic talent.

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 1st level summoner. He can use this ability once per day; the casting time is 1 full round, and the duration is 1 round per character level.

Avatar: At 7th level, he gains the ability to summon an avatar, using the statistics of an avatar for a summoner of his character level – 4. This avatar 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.

Greater Summon Monster: At 19th level, his summon monster spell-like ability improves as a summoner of his class level – 10. He can use this ability twice per day; the casting time is 1 full round, and the duration is 1 round per character level.

Time Mage

A character who chooses time mage as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Motes of Time: At 3rd level, he gains the motes of time class feature as a 1st level time mage.

Temporal Talent: At 7th level, he gains one temporal talent. He treats his character level as his effective time mage level when determining whether or not he can select a temporal talent.

Time Flicker: At 11th level, he gains the time flicker class feature as a time mage of his character level – 4.

Temporal Attunement: At 15th level, he gains the temporal attunement class feature.

Advanced Temporal Talent: At 19th level, he gains one advanced temporal talent. He treats his character level as his effective time mage level when determining whether or not he can select a temporal talent.

Variant Multiclassing