D&D General Should you Multiclass?

[ECMO3]

If you're a caster you probably shouldn't multiclass because getting to the next spell level is always going to be the most powerful thing you can do.

I multiclass all my casters. if you multiclass into another full caster you don't lose any spell slots and in 2024 rules you won't on a 1-level dip in Paladin or Ranger either.

There are some great 1st level spells that scale extremely well so you should not really be losing much even if you have high level slots with no spells.

I actually think it is the other way around, there are more tradoffs to multiclassing non-casters because Cantrips scale with Character level while extra attack and martial damage bonuses (sneak attack, Rage, unarmed strikes) scale with class level.

A Cleric3/Wizard3 has the same slots as a Wizard 6 and does the same Cantrip damage, has more cantrips and more spells available even while they lose some great 3rd level spell options from either class, they get great 1st level options from the class they would not have. A Barbarian 3/Fighter 3 is not going to be very effective.

 

[sevenbastard]

If you have the stats Dual Class is better than Multi Class. You wont fall behind in level gain by much and you gain some great versatility.

Start as a fighter until you have at least 4 or 5 levels of them sweet Hit Points and weapon specializations and then move to Thief or Wizard. Honestly 3 levels of Cleric and then going to Wizards is a solid Dual Class as well especialy if your wisdom is high enough to trigger a bunch of bonus low level spells for healing.

But sadly no one cares about my 2e Power Gaming builds.....

 

[cbwjm]

The answer is no, but also yes. Most of the time I think sticking with single class works best but sometimes adding a second class can help realise a character concept. I ran a half orc wizard who had 1 level of barbarian to account for his upbringi g, worked out to be quite fun being able to mix it up in melee a bit.

I also think a fighter/rogue works out well, though you might want to hit 5th as a fighter before adding a level of rogue it isn't strictly necessary. I liked getting a fighter/rogue to level 3 in rogue for the swashbuckler subclass so wouldn't get extra attack until level 8, still works well with sneak attack and dual wielding though.

Honestly 3 levels of Cleric and then going to Wizards is a solid Dual Class as well especialy if your wisdom is high enough to trigger a bunch of bonus low level spells for healing.

You'd have at least 2 bonus 1st and 1 bonus 2nd cleric spell since you need at least a 15 to dual class.

 

[Clint_L]

If you have the stats Dual Class is better than Multi Class. You wont fall behind in level gain by much and you gain some great versatility.

Start as a fighter until you have at least 4 or 5 levels of them sweet Hit Points and weapon specializations and then move to Thief or Wizard. Honestly 3 levels of Cleric and then going to Wizards is a solid Dual Class as well especialy if your wisdom is high enough to trigger a bunch of bonus low level spells for healing.

But sadly no one cares about my 2e Power Gaming builds.....

What about the Older Editions subforum? You might get more responses there.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

While I have been making characters, I tend to do pure, no multiclass. I look for times when it would be worth it, but I don't really see a time, does anyone have any good reason on why you should multiclass?

If you are trying to build the most powerful character possible, Multiclassing is almost always the correct answer. The character power gained per level is just sooooo much higher at low levels than it is at high levels, except for very rare cases (e.g. 9th level spells).

If you don't care about min/max'ing then sometimes multiclassing is just more fun because your character concept doesn't fit neatly within one single class. But the primary reason that people multiclass is just to make a more powerful character

 

[ECMO3]

But the primary reason that people multiclass is just to make a more powerful character

I would disagree with this. I think most multiclassing is to make a unique concept.

Also when talking about power that varies quite a bit by level. If you look at character level from 1-20 a multiclass character will be more powerful at some levels and less powerful at others compared to a single class character from one of their classes. This is almost always true. In 2024 5E, no multiclass combo is going to be more powerful at every single level from 2-20. I would agree they can be generally better with some planning.

For example a Bladesinger 6/Rogue 1 is a bit more powerful than a Bladesinger 7 even without the extra 4th level slot. But a Bladesinger 5/Rogue 1 is a lot less powerful than a Bladesinger 6. Similarly a Bladesinger 4/Rogue 1 and a Wizard 2/Rogue 1 are substantially less powerful than a Bladesinger 5 or a Wizard 3.

I mentioned my PC above who is currently a Elemental Eye Warlock 4/Eldritch Knight 3. This is a 1-20 campaign and eventually she will be a Warlock 4/Fighter 12 and the last 4 levels in something else, probably Bard, maybe Paladin, maybe Rogue. In any case if you just go through levels 1-7 so far and compare her to a single class Warlock:

1. F1 - Substantially worse than a single class warlock, mostly because she was a weak fighter with a relatively low Strength (15) and Dex (14)
2. F1W1 - I would call this a push. Heavy Armor, 2nd Wind and weapon mastery vs 2 spell slots and 3 invocations.
3. F1W2 - I would call this worse because a single class Warlock has a subclass here
4. F1W3 - I would still call this worse because she does not have a feat/ASI yet
5. F1W4 - Now she is better than a W5. Killer blade Cantrip, Flames of Phelethegos is online.
6. F2W4 - Better. Action Surge comes online, although it is not as good as it is on most fighters because her attacks without spells are not spectacular, Tactical Mind is online
7. F3W4 - Better. She has 1st level Fighter spell slots now so she can cast her 1st level Warlock spells without using a 2nd level slot.

So unless you are playing a one-shot, if you decide to multiclass there are times it will be really beneficial and times it will be a detriment. I would agree though that with planning it will generally be better in terms of power more often than it will be worse.

 

[Clint_L]

Most of my players do not multiclass, but the ones who do generally do it for conceptual reasons that are tied to their character's story.

As a DM, I don't find multiclassing a problem, but none of my players are remotely power gamers, so it's not an issue in that regard.

One advantage of allowing it is that it adds a lot more options for players who love experiementing with different builds - character tinkerers. So why harsh their fun?

 

[Zardnaar]

I would disagree with this. I think most multiclassing is to make a unique concept.

Also when talking about power that varies quite a bit by level. If you look at character level from 1-20 a multiclass character will be more powerful at some levels and less powerful at others compared to a single class character from one of their classes. This is almost always true. In 2024 5E, no multiclass combo is going to be more powerful at every single level from 2-20. I would agree they can be generally better with some planning.

For example a Bladesinger 6/Rogue 1 is a bit more powerful than a Bladesinger 7 even without the extra 4th level slot. But a Bladesinger 5/Rogue 1 is a lot less powerful than a Bladesinger 6. Similarly a Bladesinger 4/Rogue 1 and a Wizard 2/Rogue 1 are substantially less powerful than a Bladesinger 5 or a Wizard 3.

I mentioned my PC above who is currently a Elemental Eye Warlock 4/Eldritch Knight 3. This is a 1-20 campaign and eventually she will be a Warlock 4/Fighter 12 and the last 4 levels in something else, probably Bard, maybe Paladin, maybe Rogue. In any case if you just go through levels 1-7 so far and compare her to a single class Warlock:

1. F1 - Substantially worse than a single class warlock, mostly because she was a weak fighter with a relatively low Strength (15) and Dex (14)
2. F1W1 - I would call this a push. Heavy Armor, 2nd Wind and weapon mastery vs 2 spell slots and 3 invocations.
3. F1W2 - I would call this worse because a single class Warlock has a subclass here
4. F1W3 - I would still call this worse because she does not have a feat/ASI yet
5. F1W4 - Now she is better than a W5. Killer blade Cantrip, Flames of Phelethegos is online.
6. F2W4 - Better. Action Surge comes online, although it is not as good as it is on most fighters because her attacks without spells are not spectacular, Tactical Mind is online
7. F3W4 - Better. She has 1st level Fighter spell slots now so she can cast her 1st level Warlock spells without using a 2nd level slot.

So unless you are playing a one-shot, if you decide to multiclass there are times it will be really beneficial and times it will be a detriment. I would agree though that with planning it will generally be better in terms of power more often than it will be worse.

This. Sometimes the MC is sideways power wise.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

While I have been making characters, I tend to do pure, no multiclass. I look for times when it would be worth it, but I don't really see a time, does anyone have any good reason on why you should multiclass?

A 1-level Fighter dip is excellent for anyone aiming for a caster-martial mixed character: Bladesinger Wizard, Pact of the Blade Warlock, etc.--doubly so in 5.5e, where it gives you both a style feat and weapon masteries, on top of the Con save proficiency it already gave.

Other than that, though, MC in 5th edition is a matter of aiming for a specific target. This isn't like 3rd edition, where (as long as you kept up your caster level) it was always worthwhile to do some MC'ing with the right options.

Several caster classes, like Sorcerer, Bard, and Warlock, get so little out of their capstone ability that sacrificing just a level or two for some other benefit--especially if it's a class that still advances your spell slots--can be quite worthwhile.

Good example, I was curious (back in 5.0) whether it was possible to get all the skills on a single character, without it sucking as a result. A Rogue/Cleric/Bard MC was quite effective for that purpose--still a solid character, but truly a master of all skills, and back in 5.0 Cleric got its Domain effects from a single level.

Bard loses little from dipping two levels in other classes, and Cleric fixes some holes, like getting medium armor and shields. Between that, 5.0 Half-Elf, Skilled, and Skill Expert, it's not hard to get essentially all skills (plus thieves' tools).

 

[Zardnaar]

A 1-level Fighter dip is excellent for anyone aiming for a caster-martial mixed character: Bladesinger Wizard, Pact of the Blade Warlock, etc.--doubly so in 5.5e, where it gives you both a style feat and weapon masteries, on top of the Con save proficiency it already gave.

Other than that, though, MC in 5th edition is a matter of aiming for a specific target. This isn't like 3rd edition, where (as long as you kept up your caster level) it was always worthwhile to do some MC'ing with the right options.

Several caster classes, like Sorcerer, Bard, and Warlock, get so little out of their capstone ability that sacrificing just a level or two for some other benefit--especially if it's a class that still advances your spell slots--can be quite worthwhile.

Good example, I was curious (back in 5.0) whether it was possible to get all the skills on a single character, without it sucking as a result. A Rogue/Cleric/Bard MC was quite effective for that purpose--still a solid character, but truly a master of all skills, and back in 5.0 Cleric got its Domain effects from a single level.

Bard loses little from dipping two levels in other classes, and Cleric fixes some holes, like getting medium armor and shields. Between that, 5.0 Half-Elf, Skilled, and Skill Expert, it's not hard to get essentially all skills (plus thieves' tools).

Warlock levels give you all skills. And you can be a glorified archer with Eldritch Blast spam. Rogue, xard knowledge Cleric, Warlock.

Can't remember exact levels Bard 3, R1,C1, War2 maybe.

Cha and dex its not to hard for 13 wi especially half elf 5.0.
. You won't excel at damage but you can get it up to mediocre.