Two questions.

[LoveNeverFails]

First one, I have a level 3 cleric. I hav e been thinking about multi-classing her as a ranger, probably after level five, when i get access to the third level cleric spells. I'm not deathly new to the game, but I'm still hearing echos of my father in the back of my head telling me that all multi-classing is bad, and that i should keep pure characters no matter what. My reasons for wanting to multi-class this character in particular have to deal with the fact that she couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with a melee weapon, and as a strict healer, I find it useful to stay off a ways and attack from afar while I keep an eye on my parties health bars. Makes it easier for me to switch from ranged attacks to heal and back again. I play this character with the first and foremost priority being healing, second being able to do at least a bit of damage to contribute. What do you guys think? Multi-class ranger at level six? wait until later to multi-class her? don't multi-class her at all?

Second, I have a level two rogue. She is my trap monkey. I'm making her to be a trap monkey secret finder. She also i was thinking of multi-classing, either as a ranger for damage bonuses, a fighter so that she can help out on the front, or a cleric because i have an addiction to healing people, and it makes me sad when someone dies and I literally could do nothing about it. I have no ideas on this one, and was wondering what advice anyone had for me, and what they have found successful. Thanks!!!

[Shishizaru]

First one, I have a level 3 cleric. I hav e been thinking about multi-classing her as a ranger, probably after level five, when i get access to the third level cleric spells. I'm not deathly new to the game, but I'm still hearing echos of my father in the back of my head telling me that all multi-classing is bad, and that i should keep pure characters no matter what. My reasons for wanting to multi-class this character in particular have to deal with the fact that she couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with a melee weapon, and as a strict healer, I find it useful to stay off a ways and attack from afar while I keep an eye on my parties health bars. Makes it easier for me to switch from ranged attacks to heal and back again. I play this character with the first and foremost priority being healing, second being able to do at least a bit of damage to contribute. What do you guys think? Multi-class ranger at level six? wait until later to multi-class her? don't multi-class her at all?

Second, I have a level two rogue. She is my trap monkey. I'm making her to be a trap monkey secret finder. She also i was thinking of multi-classing, either as a ranger for damage bonuses, a fighter so that she can help out on the front, or a cleric because i have an addiction to healing people, and it makes me sad when someone dies and I literally could do nothing about it. I have no ideas on this one, and was wondering what advice anyone had for me, and what they have found successful. Thanks!!!

1) If you want to multi-class to ranger just to provide ranged support, stay pure. You will eventually get Blade Barrier, which will far outstrip a bow in terms of damage output. Multi-classing will hurt your ability to heal by taking away from your main casting class. You can also contribute more by applying some strategic crowd control via things like Command to lessen the damage your party takes (and saving your some SP).

2) Rogue to Ranger works well as Ranger's also get a lot of skill points. So you can keep your trap skills and search skills maxed. In addition, ranger grants martial proficiencies and favored enemies, letting you increase your damage output (which is great for things like undead where SA doesn't work). Rogue to Fighter can probably be a viable melee build, but I don't think it will be able to keep up it's rogue skills like a ranger/rogue can. I also have no experience with that particular split, so maybe someone else would like to comment.

Rogues can use Raise Dead scrolls via UMD (it is Raise Dead, yes?), so I wouldn't use that as a reason to go cleric, especially since the cleric class emphasizes different stats then a trapmonkey rogue. Not to say rogue/cleric multiclasses don't exist, I'm just saying your reasoning doesn't quite work out in this case.