D&D 5E How to handle attack bonuses in multiclassing

[Chris_Nightwing]

If the progressions were regular, then it could work as follows (slashes to help readability only):

Good Attack: +1 for your first class, +1 per 5 levels of good classes
1 1 1 1 2 / 2 2 2 3 3 / 3 3 4 4 4 / 4 5 5 5 5
Medium Attack: +1 for your first class, +1 per 7 levels of medium classes
1 1 1 1 1 / 1 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 3 3 / 3 3 3 3 3
Bad Attack: 0 for your first class, 0 per levels of bad classes
0 0 0 0 0 / 0 0 0 0 0 / 0 0 0 0 0 / 0 0 0 0 0

For multiclass simply add your attack bonuses together, accounting for the 'first class rule'. Ftr1/Clr1 has +1, Ftr5/Clr5 has +2 (same as Clr 10, 1 lower than Ftr 10), Ftr 10/Clr10 has +4 (1 better than Clr 10, 1 worse than Ftr 10). Mixed martial classes progress as normal, mixed semi-martial classes progress as usual. Wizards multiclassing to any other class don't get a sudden +1, because of the first class rule.

These progressions are based on the numbers we already have, but I think neater would be (+1)+1/4 levels for good classes (so +1 to +6), (+1)+1/6 levels of medium classes (so + 1 to +4) and (0)+1/8 levels (or just nothing) for bad classes (so 0 to 2 or 0 to 0).

For spellcasting, I think you go for a similar system. Your levels count as good (1 for 1), medium (2 for 1) or bad (4 for 1 or nothing). With a standard spell slot progression, good classes get to 9th level spells at 17th level as usual, medium classes get to 5th level spells at 18th level. Mixtures get somewhere in between. What if you combine Wizard and Cleric? Your 10 Wizard levels give you 10 Wizard spells prepared, your 10 Cleric levels give you 10 Cleric spells prepared. This might not be limiting enough - it depends what other class features you give up for missing those later 10 levels of either. You would also need a rule that says no preparation/casting of spell levels higher than your class level - so a Wiz15/Clr5 can only spend up to 5th level slots on Cleric spells.

 

[the Jester]

Personally, I favor "class-based bonuses overlap (do not stack)" be the rule here.

 

[Sadrik]

These progressions are based on the numbers we already have, but I think neater would be (+1)+1/4 levels for good classes (so +1 to +6), (+1)+1/6 levels of medium classes (so + 1 to +4) and (0)+1/8 levels (or just nothing) for bad classes (so 0 to 2 or 0 to 0).

I agree with this approach with one caveat. You can only get the level 1 +1 once.

Another easy way to generate the numbers is 6 for good, 4 for average, and 3 for bad. Add up all your levels and divide by 24. for instance a fighter 4/rogue 4/ wizard 4 (12th level character) would be: 6+6+6+6+4+4+4+3+3+3+3= 52 53/24=2.16 or 2 add the +1 bonus for having a rogue or fighter level and your done, +3 total. That is easier than adding a bunch of fractions.


One other idea is differentiate the bonus you get from character level 1 from the bonus you get on level ups, perhaps at character level 1 you get a base bonus, 2 for a good attack bonus, 1 for an average attack bonus and 0 for a poor. Then, make additional bonuses come through class features. This will automatically account for multi-classing because you achieve level X in a class you automatically get those class features. The difficult part is how do you assign the 2/1/0 at character level 1.

 

[Gryph]

How about if the martial or good combat classes just had a note (similar to prestige classes in 3e) that levels in this class are equivalent to fighter levels for purposes of attack and damage bonuses?

So your 2/2 Fighter/Barb would be a level 4 fighter for weapon combat but the 2/2 Fighter/Cleric would be a level 2 fighter for combat.

 

[1of3]

In general, multiclass characters should have a narrower range of powers from each of their classes, but should be about as good at using them as a single class character.

That's a good call, but the way the classes are made, they don't lend themselves to this approach. There is no universal concept of option and power in class design. So in order to comply with this approach, we cannot just add class levels to one another.

I'm really interested how WotC will do it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

similar problem to 3e save bonuses. Good meant: +2 at level 1 (one time bonus) +1/2 per level. Bad meant +1/3 per level.

So a wizard1/cleric1 had +2/+0/+3, a wizard1/cleric2 had +3/+1/+3 (generally bad saves were a bit better, as they stacked in fractions, good ones didn´t go beyond single class capabilities.
Attack bonus worked similar: the wizard1/cleric1 had an attack bonus of +1, (+1,25) and the wizard1/cleric2 had +2

So i support chris nightwings idea, as it worked well for us back then.

 

[Kavon]

1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 -> Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, Ranger
1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 -> Cleric, Rogue
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -> Wizard

After a quick look, given the above, it seems to me that the attack bonus formulas go like this:
Good: level/5+1.4
Bad: level/10+1.5
Worst: Well, just 0 for each level

Now with multiclassing, you add all levels with a Good progression together and do its formula, then all levels with the Bad and do that formula. If you have a mix of Good and Bad, the right way to add them is a bit more iffy. The total should at least be reduced by 1, and the two should probably be rounded down before adding together. This gives a range of 1 to 4 if you go 50/50.