D&D 5E [D&D 5th Edition] Best 50/50 multiclass?

[Tony Vargas]

Any better 50/50 builds?

One problem with even advancement is the first 6 levels - no ASI. Then, 7, 8, boom, 2. There's no excuse for that. Especially since advancement slows dramatically after 3rd, and campaigns rarely reach 16th, so you can forget that 3rd ASI. Going 4 of one (or 5 if wanting extra attack), 4 of the next makes oodles more sense given the arbitrary pegging of ASIs (& Extra Attack) to class level, even while 'fixing' spells and cantrips to advance smoothly on character level.

However, the dual-classing narrative is not nonsensical, at all. Changing careers is very much a thing, and includes character development. You start out a idealistic would-be hero, become a cynical mercenary, then find religion, for instance... Or, you start out as an urchin yearning to learn magic, but for many years only pick up tricks from other rogues & charlatans on the streets, eventually you convince a wizard to train you - or, in desperation, make a pact...

Would you as a GM have any problem with these multi-classes?
Why?

Any GM has some reason for trepidation about MCing, given it's history. TSR-era MCing was OP at low level, gimped at high, unless you ignored race/level restrictions (which was not uncommon, IMHO/X), in which chase it was OP all the way. 3e MCing, which 5e MCing closely resembles, was wildly abusable, sometimes even by doing some of the things you're talking about, so you could be 'triggering' your DM's 3.x traumas. 4e feat-based MCing was a freebie is you wanted an extra skill, a feat tax if you wanted to swap powers, and a complicated, mostly-underpowered/somewhat-abuseable ...whatever Hybrids were, exactly.

Personally, as a DM, I allow, but don't encourage MCing when running AL, because I have no real choice in the matter, and don't use it when I run (but I mostly run low-level, intro games at conventions using the basic pdf, so there's all sorts of stuff I don't use). When I finally finish my current campaign and start a new one, though, I don't have plans to use MCing - I have in mind a fairly tightly-themed campaign, and MCing isn't called for (specifically, the last time I ran a campaign like this, I allowed MCing, and the result was that the theme was lost in the impetus to create a 'complete party' using MC'd PCs, so, not this time).

 

[SkidAce]

The Monk/Rogue combo is fairly nice as multiclassing goes. They gain defensive abilities at much higher levels, but 2 (and quickly 3 and eventually 4) attacks per round with the first one hitting doing bonus Rogue damage is pretty nice, as is the ability to knock a foe down to set up sneak attack so that the PC doesn't need an ally also attacking this foe.

My players have a monk rogue. It was 50/50 until 3/3, and played fantastic.

He did start focusing on the monk aspect, more likely from a story view since I have martial arts and semi mystical oriental theme to the history of the campaign.

 

[thethain]

Narrative small dips in other classes makes complete sense. Maybe you are a bandit-king or street enforcer. That is a good reason to be fighter/rogue.

Honestly, every class has reason to dip or start taking

Barbarian - Character has always been temperamental, but has began to tap into their emotions.
Bard - OK I will admit this one is tough, best I can do is they were inspired by one they found, or joined a bard college later on.
Cleric - Chosen/Sent omen by deity, perhaps as repentance or reward.
Druid - Chosen/Omen from nature..
Fighter - Your combat experience has made you a better fighter... Honestly do you need an RP reason to be a fighter?
Monk - Another hard one..
Paladin - See cleric
Ranger - Your time in the wilderness has made your more attuned to the earth and surviving off of nature.
Rogue - You have practiced being more subtle and discreet..
Sorcerer - Your inborn draconian blood did not manifest itself until a traumatic event (adventuring)
Warlock - Made a deal with devil at some point (possibly against player's will)
Wizard - Began to study magical writings.

Now the GM can still be a jerk and say "Nope, not a single deity or force of nature is interested in your character who undoubtedly will shape important events through this campaign" But thats just the GM deciding he doesn't want to play ball. Character stories require give and take from the player and DM.

Finally it should be noted that many multiclasses might make sense based on what role you are. All the class names are NOT in universe constants. For example, a sorcerer might be called a wizard by townsfolk, or even himself. A Cleric of Helm may be required by his order to learn more advanced combat techniques, which would mechanically be represented by a few levels of paladin or fighter. A Fighter/Ranger might call himself a scout. A druid might be called a shaman. All of dnd class mechanics have enough wiggle room in them that you can by fluff describe them with pretty dramatic differences. Hell the paladin/warlock might call his eldritch blasts smite!

 

[Ashkelon]

Whatever you choose you will most likely be terrible if you alternate level ups. When most casters have 3rd level spells at 5th level, you won't get them til 9th. When most warrior classes get 2 attacks at 5th level, you won't get them til 9th. In essence, you will be roughly half as powerful as a dipped class or pure class.

The one obvious exception is warlock sorcerer. Eldritch blast scales with class level so can remain a very powerful option as you level. Sorcerer gives you some meta magic to quicken eldritch blasts for even more damage. All the spells run off charisma too making it a fairly straightforward build.

Another potential option is rogue/barbarian. Neither class has a level 11 damage increase feature, so they won't miss out on much by going only 10 levels in their class. Uncanny dodge, evasion, rage, and danger sense make for a high durablity and good resistance verse spells and traps. Advantage on Strength checks and expertise in athletics make for great grappling. Cunning action gives the barbarian some extra mobility. Just use a rapier one handed and be strength based and you can grapple shove enemies with ease.

 

[Blue]

Bard/ Warlock is amazing mechanically (can do many things very well) and can easily be made thematic. Sold your soul for fame/ talent, etc.

I'm looking at that and just keep coming up with negatives for when planning an even split of classes. You don't start getting your bardic inspiration dice on short rests until character level 9th or 10th so that feature is severely nerfed. Warlock gives you a seperate casting progression so through while you have 1-2 extra slots and a good number of spells known you don't have any higher level slots putting you far behind other multiclass casters.

EB keeps up to speed, but that would for any warlock multiclass.

What makes bard/warlocks work?

 

[Gwarok]

I made an NPC for my campaign who is the chief bully boy of the local crime boss. Backstory is that he was a barbarian captured in the north, brought south and made to fight in the slave pits. Rescued by the crime boss, now totally loyal to him.

Stat wise he is a 5th Barbarian/5th Rogue, bear totem and assassin sub class traits. Has an impressive 18 STR and CON, 16 DEX, since he's supposed to be one of the biggest bruisers in the city. Worked out well. Has 2 attks, 40ft base movement, fair number of hit points, and a 17 AC buck naked which is handy since he roams around the city doing his boss's work and doesn't want to stand out more than he does normally. Rogue gives him 3D6 sneak attk, used expertise to improve his Athletics, used his feats to give him Grappler and Tavern Brawler. He fights unarmed, grapples his opponents and has a solid +12 to the roll, and if he's raging he gets advantage to boot. Also gets advantage while grappling so gets in his sneak attack dice. Basically head butting and dirty infighting. With Cunning Action and 40ft base move he's also extremely mobile. Uncanny Dodge lets him take half damage from a hit every round too which is damn nice. Figured that's about as tough I can make a mob enforcer. Even without magic items or any real gear he's a pretty tough fight.

Basically unless you're a pure caster, 3 levels of rogue, or 5 if you can swing it, is a nice dip for both combat and non combat effectiveness with Expertise.

 

[Tony Vargas]

What makes bard/warlocks work?

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia?"

I made an NPC for my campaign who is the chief bully boy of the local crime boss. Backstory is that he was a barbarian captured in the north, brought south and made to fight in the slave pits. Rescued by the crime boss, now totally loyal to him.

Stat wise he is a 5th Barbarian/5th Rogue, bear totem and assassin sub class traits.

That works really well. For an NPC, created at 10th level. Seriously, cool NPC, I like it.

For a PC played up from first, both the backstory and the mechanical progression would have issues.

Thinking about it: a backstory of Barbarian (Outlander?) recently captured and brought to the city, and freed (by the party's 'patron' if they have one) could work. So, Barb 1. Then, learning the ways of the city, the 5 levels of Rogue. Once leaving the city for greater adventures, revisiting the Barb heritage for another 4 levels.

Strange, to me the conceptual issue the OP's DM seems to have a problem with is made worse by advancing evenly, and would make more sense if advancing first in one class, then in another. :shrug:

 

[hastur_nz]

I have a player in my game who has done Rogue/Warlock, pretty much evenly, and especially at low levels with dual wielding it was very strong, it's currently 8th level and still seems all good. It was half-elf with ArchFey patron, CN, so thematically it 'makes sense'. There's plenty of synergy, and good flexibility, but it's by no means fully optimised. As far as MC goes, Warlock is one of the strongest and most common I think, it can add a lot of extra goodies to all sorts of non-spell-casting classes (I kinda did Eldritch Knight with Wizard, but you really want to do a few levels of Fighter then MC into Wizard, not 50/50).

But yeah, sounds like your DM may find a reason to hate it, regardless.

Single class Fighter is always cool, e.g. Eldritch Knight - I did that, dual wielding short swords, and took the Arcane Initiate feat to give myself Hex and Eldritch Blast - single classed but feels like a multi-class early on, and being a full Fighter with a few spells (e.g. Shield) gives a lot of flexibility and makes a great Tank for the party.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Barbarian/Rogue using strength with a Rapier, for sneak attack Damage, Expertise in Athletics for Shoves and/or grapples, Defensive Duelist Feat.

Reckless Attack for on demand advantage sneak attack. Or just Grapple and Prone for Advantage on Melee attacks for sneak attack. That has the added bonus of giving your foe disadvantage, on the odd chance that they hit you, use Defensive Duelist. I've they get bast that, there is you large amount of hitpoints to soak it up. If you're raging it's even better.

It works well with any subclass of either class.

 

[ClaytonCross]

You might "know" the spells all the way up to level 9.....but as per the phb section you quoted, you can't prepare them.....rendering the knowledge useless.....

You can prepare them because the quote says:
The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. and you have spell slots all the way to 9.