D&D 5E Multiclassing discussion

[Warskull]

I'm kind of a fan of requiring you to meet the class pre-requisites of your current class in order to multiclass out of it. They might have to be adjusted a bit (to allow a fighter to pick Dex instead of Str for instance). So if you want to go from fighter to wizard, you'd have to have a 15 in both. The multiple attribute dependency it creates probably compensates for the 1st level class benefits for at least some of the combos.

Personally, I think that's a effective solution. The downside to multiclassing is higher stat demands. By taking fighter first and then swapping to wizard you effectively bypass the multiclassing requirements.

A second option can be to spread out the level 1 proficiency benefit. Right now if you multiclass you pick up 5 types of proficiencies for one level. You get armor, weapons, tools, skills, and saves. They should level gate the proficiencies, making dipping less effective while true multiclassing remains effective.

My idea of how to balance multiclassing:

-Your highest level class is your primary class, in the event of a tie the class which you dipped into first is the tiebreaker. So a 1/1 Fighter/Wizard is a fighter
-You must meet the multiclass requirements of all classes you have before multiclassing. If you can no longer meet the stat requirements you may only take levels in your primary class
-You gain all the proficiency bonuses of your primary class, this means
-For non-primary classes you gain weapon proficiency at level 1, tool proficiency at level 2, armor proficiency at level 3, skill proficiency at level 4, and save proficiency at level 5.

So in this system a wizard who takes 1 level of fighter must have the 15 strength. Then if he takes 2 levels in wizard he loses the armor proficiency. He must go take alternating levels until he reaches level 3 to keep the armor proficiency. This would increase the cost of armor to 3 levels and 15 points in strength.

Obviously the exactly levels could be shifted around, but you get the logic.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Personally, I think that's a effective solution. The downside to multiclassing is higher stat demands. By taking fighter first and then swapping to wizard you effectively bypass the multiclassing requirements.

A second option can be to spread out the level 1 proficiency benefit. Right now if you multiclass you pick up 5 types of proficiencies for one level. You get armor, weapons, tools, skills, and saves. They should level gate the proficiencies, making dipping less effective while true multiclassing remains effective.

My idea of how to balance multiclassing:

-Your highest level class is your primary class, in the event of a tie the class which you dipped into first is the tiebreaker. So a 1/1 Fighter/Wizard is a fighter
-You must meet the multiclass requirements of all classes you have before multiclassing. If you can no longer meet the stat requirements you may only take levels in your primary class
-You gain all the proficiency bonuses of your primary class, this means
-For non-primary classes you gain weapon proficiency at level 1, tool proficiency at level 2, armor proficiency at level 3, skill proficiency at level 4, and save proficiency at level 5.

So in this system a wizard who takes 1 level of fighter must have the 15 strength. Then if he takes 2 levels in wizard he loses the armor proficiency. He must go take alternating levels until he reaches level 3 to keep the armor proficiency. This would increase the cost of armor to 3 levels and 15 points in strength.

Obviously the exactly levels could be shifted around, but you get the logic.

I like your general concepts, but I think they might be overly complex. I'm not really interested in creating my own system, but a couple of observations.

1. I like the way your delayed proficiencies grant an entire category at a specific level. I don't want to see something like, "pick X weapon proficiences each level." Fighters know all weapons. It's kinda one of their things. It shouldn't take someone a dozen levels to get them.
2. I'd probably split it into only two or three proficiency granting levels: either levels 1 and 3, or 1, 2, and 3.
3. Classes would say, "If you take this class at 1st level, you gain..." and you'd get all of the proficiencies at once. Otherwise you get them in the gradiated manner.
4. I would not make your relative levels in each class matter in any other way than simply which class you took at 1st level. It gets to be a mess that way. Just something extra to keep track of.

 

[Derren]

No barriers to entry make classes seem less unique
the answer is re-flavoring skills and abilities not multiclassing

So the reformed assassin is now assassinating people with divine power?

 

[Kyle Ropp]

So the reformed assassin is now assassinating people with divine power?

if by assassinating you mean dealing damage then yes

 

[Gadget]

Personally, I've always thought that the free and easy multi-classing ala 3E was a bit much for a class based game. Might as well make it a point buy game and be done with it. If you have a miraculous change of heart and 'convert' half way through, well good for you, but that hardly makes you capital 'C' Cleric. PC classes are rather unique and special; constantly mulitclassing in and out of them dilutes that somewhat. An assassin who 'sees the light' can be an agent or inquisitor for the church, using his skills and abilities for good rather than personal gain. Perhaps there will be feats, prestige classes and the like to help with the mechanical representation of such, but I see no reason to allow a capital 'C' Cleric just because. Spend your next couple of stat boots to up your wisdom if you are close enough. Or as others have said, retrain.

 

[Derren]

Personally, I've always thought that the free and easy multi-classing ala 3E was a bit much for a class based game.

That would be the best, but then some people would immediately scream how this is not D&D as if the brand is not allowed to evolve.
And I do not think 3E multiclassing was "too much". Actually that is now the baseline what I would expect from future D&D editions.

 

[Mistwell]

So the reformed assassin is now assassinating people with divine power?

Were it me, I'd knock people unconscious rather than kill them.

 

[Mistwell]

That would be the best, but then some people would immediately scream how this is not D&D as if the brand is not allowed to evolve.
And I do not think 3E multiclassing was "too much". Actually that is now the baseline what I would expect from future D&D editions.

Is there something you like about 5e?

 

[bogmad]

Most of the the arguments for "Just re-fluff the mechanics of your assassin with the divine direction your character chooses" seem to be from a "I'm not a big fan of 3e multiclassing anyway" perspective.
That's fine; I'm not overly invested in 3e style muliclass. BUT if you're going to have 3e style multiclassing where a character could potentially choose to change directions after extended time in one class, why not allow the people who really want that kind of play to actually have it?

Gimping the system to where it's impossible unless you waste all your feats and wait until to 15th level to get it done seems an inelegant solution.

 

[Kobold Stew]

if you're going to have 3e style multiclassing where a character could potentially choose to change directions after extended time in one class, why not allow the people who really want that kind of play to actually have it?

I've asked before, but no one has answered: what assassin ability in the 5e play test materials is stopping a character from changing directions and becoming a cleric? Where specifically does the problem lie?