D&D 5E To MC or not MC? That is the question!

[Istbor]

I don't generally put such restrictions on my games. The typical player doesn't worry about multi-classing. I only see someone multi-class if they are clearly building towards something. Whether that be a specific concept they feel MCing accomplishes, or numbers porn.

In my current home game, there are 6 players. Only one is MCing and it is 100% due to story reasons. (He drank some Eldritch corrupted Dragon's blood, and it is going to open up the Aberrant Mind sub-class of sorcerer to his current Ranger). It was something we discussed, and thought sounded fun and tied him closer to the story unfolding.

 

[trentonjoe]

I am currently playing a Barbarian 1/Bard 2/Sorcerer 1/ Warlock 1. None of the guys at my table (including the DMs) know what I can do. It's a lot of fun.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I am currently playing a Barbarian 1/Bard 2/Sorcerer 1/ Warlock 1. None of the guys at my table (including the DMs) know what I can do. It's a lot of fun.

LOL nice!

I had a Bard/Cleric/Rogue/Sorcerer/Wizard 1/1/1/1/1. It was fun, but at that time, the DM decided we were done with 5E RAW and it was time to implement house-rules, etc. It allowed everyone to revamp their characters with our new house-ruled multiclassing and I changed to a Cleric/Rogue/Wizard 3/3/3.

 

[Oofta]

I do get a bit tired of the [insert class here]/warlock 2 builds. It's not hard to adjust for from a encounter perspective because I've found you have to do that anyway. For me it's more of a thematic issue; I envision a warlock's relationship with their patron to be quite personal. In some ways even more-so than with a deity.

But if you've only dipped your toe into the powers of the Fey, how beholden to the summer queen are you? I guess I just want certain classes like warlock and paladin to mean something more than just what abilities they grant. Well, and it just seems like most people that do the [insert class]lock builds are just doing it for cheese. But again, it's their PC.

 

[Xetheral]

I do get a bit tired of the [insert class here]/warlock 2 builds. It's not hard to adjust for from a encounter perspective because I've found you have to do that anyway. For me it's more of a thematic issue; I envision a warlock's relationship with their patron to be quite personal. In some ways even more-so than with a deity.

But if you've only dipped your toe into the powers of the Fey, how beholden to the summer queen are you? I guess I just want certain classes like warlock and paladin to mean something more than just what abilities they grant. Well, and it just seems like most people that do the [insert class]lock builds are just doing it for cheese. But again, it's their PC.

In a light-hearted game I once had a Warlock whose "pact" was swapping a prize-winning brownie recipe to the summer queen in exchange for Eldritch power. They never met again.

Even in a more serious game I'd probably be fine if a player wanted to describe their pact as a one-time trade (and fluff any future Warlock advancement as honing the ability to use that existing power) if it makes sense for the patron and the character.

 

[CleverNickName]

I like the house rule that someone suggested earlier, that "all class levels must be within 1 level of each other." This forces characters to multiclass by 2nd level if they are going to, and prevents cherry-picking or level-dips. But it might be a bit too restrictive; I'd probably want a way to soften it a bit.

Then, if you were to bring back the "Favored class" mechanic from earlier editions, you could waive that restriction for a race's favored class (and waive the ability score requirements for that class in the PHB.) Like, a High Elf Wizard 10/Monk 1 would be fine, since Wizard is the High Elf's favored class. A High Elf Bard 10/Monk 1 wouldn't be, and the player would have to bring that Monk level up to at least 10 before they could take another level of Bard.

The issue of "what to do about humans?" would keep coming up, though, and I'd be inclined to set it up so that humans don't have a favored class. They are already a stats-and-options smorgasbord as it is...they don't need extra help in the Multiclassing Department.

Maybe something like this?

Race (Favored Class)
Aasimar (Paladin or Warlock)
Arakocra (Fighter)
Bugbear (Rogue)
Centaur (Druid or Ranger)
Changeling (Rogue)
Dragonborn (Sorcerer)
Dwarf (Fighter)
Elf, Drow (Cleric or Wizard)
Elf, High (Wizard)
Elf, Wood (Ranger)
Firbolg (Druid)
Genasi, Any (Sorcerer or Druid)
Gith (Psion? or Monk)
Goliath (Barbarian or Fighter)
Gnome, Forest (Druid)
Gnome, Rock (Artificer)
Goblin (Rogue)
Halfling, Lightfoot (Rogue)
Halfling, Strongheart (Fighter)
Human (no favored class)
Half-Elf (Bard)
Half-Orc (Barbarian)
Hobgoblin (Fighter)
Kalashar (Monk)
Kenku (Rogue)
Kobold (Rogue or Sorcerer)
Lizardfolk (Ranger)
Locathah (Fighter)
Loxodon (Cleric)
Minotaur (Barbarian)
Orc (Barbarian)
Orc, Eberron (Barbarian)
Shifter (Ranger)
Simic Hybrid (Druid)
Tabaxi (Rogue)
Tiefling (Warlock)
Tiefling, Feral (Warlock or Sorcerer)
Triton (Paladin)
Vedalkin (Monk)
Verdan (Psion? or Wizard)
Warforged (Fighter)
Yuan-ti Pureblood (Sorcerer)

 

[Fanaelialae]

From the responses so far, I am thinking if I allow multiclassing, I would only ban dual-full-caster combos unless you do it from the beginning and keep them equal as you advance.

So, no sorcerer/warlock, no cleric/wizard, etc. unless at 2nd level you take the second class immediately. Then, if the two classes are ever more than 1 level apart, the lower class can no longer advance as the separation represents your decision to focus on the stronger class.

Other multiclass combinations, up to two classes only, and with any degree of difference in level, would be allowed as normal.

I am not sold on it, myself, just something I came up with this evening. What do people think about the idea?

I think it would put them extremely behind the power curve. The character will be 5th level before they can cast a 2nd level spell. 9th level before they can cast a 3rd level spell. Only someone with zero grasp of the game is likely to opt for it, making it a trap option in the extreme.

IMO, you'd be better off simply banning it than going this route.

 

[Undrave]

People I know very VERY rarely use MC rules. I find them way too easy to mess up and end up with characters that feel like two lower level character sharing the same action pool.

Also, SURPRISE, it works better with the addition of magic and martial classes get nerfed when they MC.

My experience is that multiclassing tends to become really tempting to players around about level 6 or so. At that point a lot of classes start falling into a bit of a dead zone, where they don't really get all that much to hold on for and the temptation to pick up something now becomes stronger.

The only MC character I'm in a game with is a Barbarian/Fighter and he waited until level 5 or 6 become starting to take levels in Fighter... and he'll probably stay a Fighter for the rest of the campaign.

The Paladin in the same game is considering MCing into something else just so we get more healing but I don't think it would be worth it.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I like the house rule that someone suggested earlier, that "all class levels must be within 1 level of each other." This forces characters to multiclass by 2nd level if they are going to, and prevents cherry-picking or level-dips. But it might be a bit too restrictive.

Then, if you were to bring back the "Favored class" mechanic from earlier editions, you could waive that restriction for a race's favored class (and waive the ability score requirements for that class in the PHB.) Like, a High Elf Wizard 10/Monk 1 would be fine, since Wizard is the High Elf's favored class...but a High Elf Bard 10/Monk 1 wouldn't be. If you were a high elf Fighter, you wouldn't need to have an Int of 13 to take levels of wizard, but you probably would want to anyway.

The issue of "what to do about humans?" would keep coming up, though, and I'd be inclined to set it up so that humans don't have a favored class. They are already a stats-and-options smorgasbord as it is...they don't need extra help in the Multiclassing Department.

Maybe something like this?

Race (Favored Class)
Aasimar (Paladin or Warlock)
Arakocra (Fighter)
Bugbear (Rogue)
Centaur (Druid or Ranger)
Changeling (Rogue)
Dragonborn (Sorcerer)
Dwarf (Fighter)
Elf, Drow (Cleric or Wizard)
Elf, High (Wizard)
Elf, Wood (Ranger)
Firbolg (Druid)
Genasi, Any (Sorcerer or Druid)
Gith (Psion? or Monk)
Goliath (Barbarian or Fighter)
Gnome, Forest (Druid)
Gnome, Rock (Artificer)
Goblin (Rogue)
Halfling, Lightfoot (Rogue)
Halfling, Strongheart (Fighter)
Human (no favored class)
Half-Elf (Bard)
Half-Orc (Barbarian)
Hobgoblin (Fighter)
Kalashar (Monk)
Kenku (Rogue)
Kobold (Rogue or Sorcerer)
Lizardfolk (Ranger)
Locathah (Fighter)
Loxodon (Cleric)
Minotaur (Barbarian)
Orc (Barbarian)
Orc, Eberron (Barbarian)
Shifter (Ranger)
Simic Hybrid (Druid)
Tabaxi (Rogue)
Tiefling (Warlock)
Tiefling, Feral (Warlock or Sorcerer)
Triton (Paladin)
Vedalkin (Monk)
Verdan (Psion? or Wizard)
Warforged (Fighter)
Yuan-ti Pureblood (Sorcerer)

This just limits interesting race/class options. The power gamer can still play their power-combo, they just need to take their race into account. The role-player who wants to play the weird, unoptimized combo is forced even further behind the power curve by having to raise their classes in parallel.

I don't think it would be beneficial to the game.

 

[CleverNickName]

This just limits interesting race/class options. The power gamer can still play their power-combo, they just need to take their race into account. The role-player who wants to play the weird, unoptimized combo is forced even further behind the power curve by having to raise their classes in parallel.

I don't think it would be beneficial to the game.

Some might say "limiting interesting race/class options," others are saying "prevents cherry-picking and problematic combos." If Multiclassing isn't allowed or abused at your table, this isn't really necessary and the optional rules are probably fine as-written.

I'm looking for a Goldilocks version, though...something that's harder to exploit, but not an outright ban on multiclassing.

Besides. Power gamers are always going to find a way to game the system--sometimes I think that part of the fun for them is finding exploits and then rubbing everyone's faces in them. But once those exploits are found, I like to reign them in a bit. Give those power-gamers a new bone to gnaw on.