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Background

I am playing Pathfinder with a character who is a Fighter with the Polearm Master archetype. There is an ability that the Fighter (sans archetype) earns at third level called "Armor Training," which allows, among other things, moving at his normal speed while wearing Medium Armor. I particularly want this ability, or something comparable to it, so that my character can wear Mithral Full Plate and move full speed. However, this ability is replaced by the Polearm Master's ability, "Steadfast Pike."

Question

First, I assume that you cannot (RAW) opt out of acquiring the Polearm Master's class ability and instead acquire the base fighter ability. Given that assumption, can you multi-class into Fighter, advance to level 3, and earn the ability that way?

If that is legal, what advantages or disadvantages are there to this approach?

  • Do you only gain the benefits of Favored Class with one of the two fighter classes?
  • For the purpose of feats that require you to be a Fighter of a given level, do you add both classes together?
  • Does the calculation of bonus feats change (from remaining a single-class fighter)?
  • Does this affect the ability to re-sell a feat at 4th level (i.e., would you need to reach 4th level as a core Fighter or as a Polearm Master rather than being a 2nd level Polearm master and 2nd level core fighter)?
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You may just want to ask your DM if you can swap your Steadfast Pike ability for Armor Training. – Cypher Jan 9 at 22:52
The DM already said that I couldn't swap it. However, one of the Polearm Master abilities, Sweeping Fend, is nearly useless as written. I'll see if I can swap that one out for Armor Training 1 instead. – corvec Jan 11 at 15:02

1 Answer

up vote 9 down vote accepted

No, you cannot multiclass with the same class (or with an alternate class based on that class) regardless of archetype.

Read the d20PFSRD section on character advancement.

No, you may not pick and choose alternate abilities.

Read the d20PFSRD section on class archetypes.

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I read that section (both on d20pfsrd and in the APG), and it still doesn't seem clear to me that you're barred from acquiring those features by taking the class separately. The relevant text from there says "When a character selects a class, he must normally choose to use the standard class features found in the class's original source - the exception is if he chooses to adopt an archetype." – corvec Jan 7 at 18:35
Under Multi-Classing, it says "Instead of gaining the abilities granted by the next level in your character's current class, he can instead gain the 1st-level abilities of a new class, adding all of those abilities to his existing ones." I don't see how this prohibits the character from choosing to multi-class and select the same class he had before, but this time not choosing to adopt an archetype. – corvec Jan 7 at 18:37
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@corvec, it specifically states new class. You cannot take the same class twice, and applying an archetype to a class doesn't make it count as a different class. – Steve G Jan 7 at 23:40
Same with alternate classes (UC p.8). – mxyzplk♦ Jan 7 at 23:49
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I know you 'really really want to' but this is the stock answer on every thread on the Paizo forums on this topic. – mxyzplk♦ Jan 7 at 23:49

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