D&D 5E Multiclassing stat requirements

[Sunseeker]

To answer the OP's question, I would not let it count. I would rule that the character would need to have the appropriate base stats before magical enhancements are applied.

Think of it this way: You go to the big tough barbarian in town, your arms are scrawny and weak and say "HEY! I want to be a barbarian!" He looks at you, looks at your shiny gauntlets and then laughs at you that you would never be a real barbarian.

Alternatively, as discussed in another thread on the subject, you could have the player lose access to all class features of any multiclassed class if their score ever dropped below the threshold.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I think the requirements are also in there to prevent accidental suck - because Paladins depend on CHA to do their jobs, if you multiclass as a paladin and have an 8 CHA, you're not going to do a very good job as a paladin.

Which is also why I'd hesitate to allow magic items to count for that purpose.

 

[kerbarian]

I think there are some things it prevents that are worth preventing, e.g. a fighter with 8 Cha and 8 Int might want to dip into Warlock for one level to get Hex twice per short rest plus telepathy (GOO) and then dip into Wizard for one level to get access to Shield plus ritual casting.

That should totally be possible if it fits the character's story (though I'm not sure how), but I think it's appropriate for it to be in the territory of "work out an exception with your DM" rather than allowed by default. The main reason I see for the stat requirements in multiclassing away from your original class is to keep people from inverting the process and taking their first level in the class they want to dip into, then switching to their real class for the remaining levels.

However, it does also prevent a number of combinations that I think are perfectly reasonable, like the aforementioned Dex paladin. I think it would be safe to allow multiclassing away from your original class as long as you meet the stat requirements *or* have at least five levels in that class. Or, of course, getting an exception from your DM.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I always viewed multi classing as the preserve of the polymath - those who are able to achieve excellence (and even level 1 characters are excellent, just inexperienced) in many 'jobs' at once. Not something just anyone can do - hence the stat limitations.

Now, the type of build where a one/two level dip is taken to get a mechanical edge and then the rest of the levels carry on with your main class to me feels more like Changing class as opposed to actively multi classing - ie realising the power of wizardry and abandoning your sword to concentrate on the arcane arts (or leaving the dusty library behind and running away to become a pirate).

But I figure that even a one level dip to get the benefits of a class, you've got to spend some time doing that 'job'/practising on an ongoing basis - otherwise you forget. Your muscle memory fades, or your actual memory lets you down. You can't swing that axe as well as you did before: you can't recall the exact gesture to the spell, your ability to recognise spoor fades from lack of practice, etc.

This is where the memory thing comes in - how would you as a DM rule on this lack of keeping up with your studies/practice? What mechanic would you suggest to reflect it?

(I should say that I've never really liked multi classing without a genuine sense of story/character arc to it, otherwise it's just meta game min-maxing, which I'm not a fan of).

 

[Kalshane]

I don't know, I think the multi-classing restrictions have their place. I was thinking of making a Vengeance Paladin with a dip into Ranger (to replicate a Pathfinder Inquisitor) and the Wisdom requirement gave me pause. Without it, it would have been a no-brainer since none of the Ranger abilities really require Wisdom, other than a few spells.

 

[jgsugden]

What is going to be more fun, and is it going to break the game? Seems like an obvious choice here...

 

[Blue]

Well, honestly that was my first and one houserule, doing away with multiclass stat requirements. They were put only to placate people who are actively against multiclassing. Cause obviously a rogue/paladin with negative charisma and strength is very broken

There are a lot of cases where a 1 level dip can be powerful. 3.x has shown this, and while it's not as true in 5e it's not all gone. For example, consider many pure casters taking a level of cleric. It slows spells known by a level but not spell progression (and with being able to uplift spells that's noticeable but not so bad), but can grant them armor proficiencies, weapon proficiencies and a special ability. If you want to play a heavy armored wizard it's "cheaper" to do that then to spend two feats. Plus you get a bunch of extra cantrips like guidance, some extra spells known including healing word. I've got a lore bard with a level of life cleric for heavy armor prof and a bonus to all my healing.

Or perhaps a fighter archer who with one level to cleric (or two of paladin) can pick up bless to add to the +2 Archery fighting style and reliably take advantage of the -5/+10 from the Sharpshooter feat. No other concentration spells compete.

Paladin taking wizard for Shield and full progression to better feed his smites.

Or flip it around, with a PC taking fighter 2 for action surge to take two actions for a nova. Or a caster starting with a class that gets Con as a proficient save because that's cheaper than spending a feat.

Lots of places where you can get extra power from multiclassing. Requiring a 13 costs 5 of the 27 starting points of point buy. Say 3 points over a neutral 10. It's a commitment, especially if you want to cherry pick from a bunch of places.

Can it improve? Sure. Off the top of my head I would want to allow the Dex paladin. But ti does serve a purpose.

 

[Agamon]

If you build a Paladin based on Dex, just house rule the Str requirement to Dex for that PC and carry on. As has been stated, the rule is there to prevent "dipping" and accidental suck. If the paladin is viable with Dex instead of Str, then no problems.

 

[MoonSong]

There are a lot of cases where a 1 level dip can be powerful. 3.x has shown this, and while it's not as true in 5e it's not all gone. For example, consider many pure casters taking a level of cleric. It slows spells known by a level but not spell progression (and with being able to uplift spells that's noticeable but not so bad), but can grant them armor proficiencies, weapon proficiencies and a special ability. If you want to play a heavy armored wizard it's "cheaper" to do that then to spend two feats. Plus you get a bunch of extra cantrips like guidance, some extra spells known including healing word. I've got a lore bard with a level of life cleric for heavy armor prof and a bonus to all my healing.

Or perhaps a fighter archer who with one level to cleric (or two of paladin) can pick up bless to add to the +2 Archery fighting style and reliably take advantage of the -5/+10 from the Sharpshooter feat. No other concentration spells compete.

Paladin taking wizard for Shield and full progression to better feed his smites.

Or flip it around, with a PC taking fighter 2 for action surge to take two actions for a nova. Or a caster starting with a class that gets Con as a proficient save because that's cheaper than spending a feat.

Lots of places where you can get extra power from multiclassing. Requiring a 13 costs 5 of the 27 starting points of point buy. Say 3 points over a neutral 10. It's a commitment, especially if you want to cherry pick from a bunch of places.

Can it improve? Sure. Off the top of my head I would want to allow the Dex paladin. But ti does serve a purpose.

Well,

• A sorcerer gets pretty much the same from a bard dip, and that isn't disallowed by the stat requirements.
• The fighter can pick bless with a feat, and wisdom is such a common save that having a 13 isn't that rare for a fighter.
• A paladin wanting shield can also dip sorcerer and he qualifies by default.
• Wizards needing dex for AC already makes them fairly easy to pick those two levels of fighter.
• As for con saves, sorcerers are already proficient with em, bards and warlocks can dip naturally from them, Dex is so common wizards can easily afford it, the same as clerics and druids that usually can afford str. And it doesn't save a feat, dipping delays feats.

Requirements don't remove dips, all they do is force everything to synergize and leave on only the most stereotypical and boring concepts.