D&D 5E (2014) Addicted to multiclassing

[Warpiglet-7]

You might be amused to know that 1/3 multiclass characters I have played is one you and I worked on together - Kalorn, the limping fighter/hexblade with a "demon" leg

It is! He got to 8th level—-

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Double post

 

[Older Beholder]

So far I’ve tried:

Half-elf Bard/Warlock*
Tabaxi Ranger/Rogue*
Air Genasi Rogue/Sorcerer
Githyanki Barbarian/Druid

*game fell through after a session or two

 

[gnarlygninja]

Excluding a series of one shots where I intentionally played a goofy character with only 1 level in several classes, I pretty rarely multiclass. Usually because someone leaves the game and we need someone to fill that character's role.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I do wish that the multiclass system was different. It feels so badly put together.

Like they did it on the Friday afternoon before the book deadline was due.

 

[James Gasik]

I do wish that the multiclass system was different. It feels so badly put together.

Like they did it on the Friday afternoon before the book deadline was due.

And then, knowing it was slapdash, decided to cover their behinds by saying "well, it's optional"!

 

[Bill Zebub]

Every concept I’ve ever wanted has been doable as an existing class or subclass. The few times I’ve multiclassed it has been purely for juicy mechanical synergy, and I’ve always regretted it. It just feels cheesy to me.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I really hate the "one level dip" aspect of multiclassing. Feels cheesy and immersion breaking for me.

Agreed. (To the "cheesy" part, anyway. "Immersion breaking" is the most subjective term in RPG-land.)

Oh - I suspect the title of this post may mess with the results. People who don't like multiclassing probably aren't clicking on it.

I clicked (obviously) but didn’t bother to vote. Polls in a self-selecting environment are misleading at best.

 

[James Gasik]

I don't think a one level dip is atrociously bad. For example, let's say you want your Rogue to have once been in the army, and use a heavy crossbow. Well you could wait til 4th level and use a precious ASI on Weapon Master....or take a one level dip of Fighter, which also gets you Archery Style.

And the trope of "I was once an X, but changed my ways" is perfectly valid. If you can't do everything you want with a background, and the Feat system doesn't let you do something at 1st level (without forcing you to be a V Human), what other choice is there?

You might not need to multiclass to get the concept you want, but D&D has never been a system that lets you 1:1 create any kind of character you desire. Heck, some concepts make zero sense, if you think about it.

Let's say your concept is a former Wizard's apprentice who got kicked out on the streets and had to steal to survive. Here are your options-

Rogue with Sage Background. No magic for you unless you get it from your race, so you have to wait til level 3 to pick up Arcane Trickster.

Wizard with Street Urchin Background. This does thematically work, but if you actually wanted to play a magical Rogue, you still have to wait til level 2 and multiclass.

Without multiclassing though, "magical street thief" requires you to be a Wizard who can pick locks and stealth. Or wait til level 3. Or have your race choice locked.

 

[jmartkdr2]

5/11 of the characters I can recall offhand.

I like arcane gish-types, and aside from hexblade none of the official subclasses do a good job capturing the fantasy - and hexblade comes with baggage I don't always want to deal with. So those are multiclassed.