If I hit the XP cap with one of my characters and then duel class them I can hit the XP cap with the next class and then have the abilities of both classes right?

No.

No indeed. If you dual-class, the XP you already have accumulated in your character's first class (rounded down to the exact amount needed for the last gained level), is subtracted from the XP-cap for the second class. For instance, a fighter with 95,347 XP, which means that he's level 7, duals to mage. His XP is set back to 64,000 - the amount where you reach level 7. The maximum XP he can now gather for his mage-class is 161,000 - 64,000 = 97,000. So he can reach level 8 as a mage.

So if you've already hit the XP cap, in this example the fighter would be level 8, his XP would be set back to 125,000 and the max XP for him as a mage would be 161,000 - 125,000 = 36,000. Max level he can reach as a mage would be 5. Which means that he would never get back the abilities he had as a fighter. Unless you would import him into SoA, of course.

So how high could I get on my second class if I have a fighter with like 35,000 XP

Depends on what class you'll dual to. 35,000 XP means fighter level 6, minimum 32,000. 161,000 - 32,000 = 129,000. You could reach level 8 as a cleric or mage, level 9 as a thief and even level 10 as a druid, but I'm using the XP charts from the ToB-manual (can't find the one for TotSC) and the level chart for druids has changed in SoA & ToB, so I'm not 100% on that last one.

Oh, BTW, you do have TotSC, right? I just assumed you did... should've asked, 'cause the XP cap is lower if you don't have it installed.

[ 05-25-2002, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: J'aran ]

Yea I have TOTSC installed and the class I am dueling is a fighter into a thief. When you duel you don't gain any hitpoints with you second class do you?

not until you exceed the level of your first class with your second....

it's a good idea to dual class a fighter to a cleric when he's level 3. right? spiked weapons? blunt weapons? which are better mostly found?

Spoiler,

Well there is a nifty hammer you come across fairly easily. There is a ok spiked one but the hammer is better in my opinion

[ 05-28-2002, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: Lanthir ]

Yep.
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The best kinds of blunt weapons, hammers and maces, are available as +2 weapons, quarter staves even as +3. The hammer +2 is even available quite early as Lanthir said, although the mace +2 and the staff +3 both require TotSC, and are found late in the game.
On the other hand, the spiked weapons, morningstars and flails, are only available as +1 at best. There is a morningstar +3, but that one is cursed and has ill effects. So the choice is easy in this light. ;)