D&D 5E Would you be okay with class abilities that explicitly addressed multi-classing?

Quartz · Jan 12, 2019

Would you be okay with class abilities that explicitly addressed multi-classing? Something along the lines of

Cinematic Defence: a single-classed Fighter may use her Proficiency Bonus instead of her Dex bonus when calculating AC; a multi-class Fighter may only use a +2 bonus instead of her Dex bonus.

Divine Agility: a single-classed Paladin may use her Charisma bonus instead of her Dex bonus when calculating AC; a multi-classed Paladin may not.

Yunru · Jan 12, 2019

Eugh, noooooooo.
That defeats the entire point. This isn't 4e's hybrid class multiclassing, a Fighter 3/Rogue X (for example) is just as much a Fighter 3 as the Fighter 3+X

FrogReaver · Jan 12, 2019

Quartz said:
Would you be okay with class abilities that explicitly addressed multi-classing? Something along the lines of

I would be opposed if multiclassing was mentioned in the single class entry. However, if the multiclassing section listed that as a change that occurs to abilities when multiclassing I'm not opposed at all. It's a valuable tool to have in the toolbox of designing a class IMO.

Cinematic Defence: a single-classed Fighter may use her Proficiency Bonus instead of her Dex bonus when calculating AC; a multi-class Fighter may only use a +2 bonus instead of her Dex bonus.

Divine Agility: a single-classed Paladin may use her Charisma bonus instead of her Dex bonus when calculating AC; a multi-classed Paladin may not.

I don't really think AC modifying abilities are what you would want to use such a class feature override for.

Your features for both classes can be fixed just by requiring at least 15 str or 15 dex to benefit. Fighters and Paladins both already get heavy armor which grants good AC but requires a 15 str to use without an issue. Requiring at least a 15 in a physical stat solves the issue of a mage multiclassing with fighter or paladin and gaining more of a benefit than they could already gain by using heavy armor because the cost is not the same for virtually the same benefit.

Most of the time class features can be given a guideline that makes them applicable in the situations you desire and not applicable in the ones you don't without ever referencing multiclassing. Occasionly there will be a feature that really only can be limited by taking it away from multiclasses. That's why I'm for having the abilitiy to do that in the toolbox of things you can do.

Immortal Sun · Jan 12, 2019

To what end?

Do you just want to keep people from multiclassing with a carrot rather than a stick?

What about classes that work well together thematically, like Fighter/Rogue? Or Paladin/Cleric? Or Bard/Barbarian? Will you have abilities that reward certain types of multiclassing combos that create interesting and thematic characters?

Because if you just don't want people to multiclass, just say: no multiclassing.

GothicEmperor · Jan 12, 2019

The various 5e AC calculation methods already cancel each-other out and make players choose between them (such as the various unarmoured defense features vs regular armor), which makes for a more elegant system. I don't see what this extra complexity really brings.

Multi-classing is also an optional rule, which is why the core rules keeps it all self-contained. Class features suddenly mentioning feats would be kind-of weird too.

Quartz · Jan 12, 2019

Immortal Sun said:
Do you just want to keep people from multiclassing with a carrot rather than a stick?

Calm down. Just because I gave two examples that gave restrictions when multi-classing doesn't mean there couldn't be abilities which synergise.

Blue · Jan 12, 2019

So I can be a high level fighter, and get worse at my fighter abilities if I ever stray and take a level of something else? A fighter 14 has better fighter abilities than a fighter 14/rogue 1.

Oh heck no.

I don't mind abilities based off class level, but not ones that get worst/lost if I multiclass later.

And the flip side - a fighter 6 that suddenly gains more fighter abilities than some other character who has 6 levels of fighter simply because I multiclassed.

Especially if there's a lot of synergy bonuses whcih lead to 3.5 style PrC planning. "Well, if instead of advancing my paladin or bard levels, if I take two levels of warlock I get both extra paladin and extra bard goodies."

Look, X levels of a class (& subclass) should not gain or lose abilities compared to the someone else who has taken the exact same X levels.

doctorbadwolf · Jan 12, 2019

I don’t think it’s a good idea. A Hexadin with the Paladin feature would suddenly be...on par with a rogue in terms of MAD/SAD? Okay. So what?

Yunru · Jan 12, 2019

The only exceptions I can see would be things like Extra Attack, which are big impact but completely redundant. And even then, that wouldn't address multiclassing except by proxy of it being the only way to get a redundancy in Extra Attack.

Immortal Sun · Jan 12, 2019

Quartz said:
Calm down. Just because I gave two examples that gave restrictions when multi-classing doesn't mean there couldn't be abilities which synergise.

Which was literally the second question I asked.

Which was precisely why I was asking your intentions, because your examples provide no context but look like attempts to discourage multiclassing.

D&D 5E Would you be okay with class abilities that explicitly addressed multi-classing?

Quartz

Hero

Yunru

Banned

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

Immortal Sun

Guest

GothicEmperor

Explorer

Quartz

Hero

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

doctorbadwolf

Heretic of The Seventh Circle

Yunru

Banned

Immortal Sun

Guest

Similar Threads