Balanced splits are more similar to AD&D gestalt multiclassing. The idea is that someone just picks their two classes and then is ready to go. I would like to make even splits viable as they are thematic from AD&D and they can be made kind of ready to go for people that have trouble deciding how to meticulously split their multiclass levels as they advance. The only choices are at odd levels, "which do I want first?" So people can still play the berserker 3/gloomstalker 3/etc X build, but someone that plays an evenly split distribution becomes a little more playable. I'm trying this approach instead of gestalt characters/1st edition style multiclassing to try and cut down on the number of rules needed and mostly use the 5e multiclassing framework. I'm looking for game balance feedback. The benefits apply only to people with even splits.
So the big advantage is someone can just say I'm going to play a Fighter/Wizard and then doesn't have to worry about what level to take what class to not be nerfed. They still get Extra Attack at character level 5.
Balanced/Even Split Multiclassing Buffs (limited to two classes that cannot be more than one level apart, e.g. 5/4 but not 5/3)
Example Benefits:
Barbarian/Monk gains 2 additional ASIs (character levels 4 & 10) and gets extra attack at character level 5.
Barbarian/Fighter gains 1 additional ASI at 10 and gets extra attack at 5 and 3rd attack at 11.
Fighter/Sorcerer gets extra attack at 5 and 3rd attack at 11.
Fighter/Wizard gets extra attack at 5, 3rd attack at 11, 3rd level Wizard spells at 8, 5th level Wizard spells at 12, and 7th level Wizard spells at 18.
Monk/Rogue gains 1 additional ASI at 14 and gets extra attack at 5.
Cleric/Paladin gains 1 additional ASI at 4, gets extra attack at 5, 3rd level Cleric spells at 8, 5th level Cleric spells at 12, and 7th level Cleric spells at 18.
Druid/Sorcerer gets 3rd level spells at 5, 4th level Druid spells at 8, 4th level Sorcerer/6th level Druid spells at 12, and 6th level Sorcerer/8th level Druid spells at 18.
The extra attack change is to increase Martial/Martial or Martial/Caster viability (you still get 2 attacks at 5 and if a fighter 3 attacks at 11). The invocation change is to increase Warlock viability (although a Fighter/Warlock may be overtuned). The boost for dual pure spell casters is to increase Caster/Caster viability (originally this boost was bigger but I think it overtunes Sorcerer combinations so the Bard/Cleric/Druid/Wizard boost was added). The boost to Bards/Clerics/Druids/Wizards is because I think Sorcerer/Martial (quickened spell) and Sorcerer/Caster (metamagics in general) combinations are much better in general so I was trying to boost the other options (e.g. Fighter/Wizard vs Fighter/Sorcerer and Cleric/Wizard vs Cleric/Sorcerer).
I'm trying to keep the rules as simple as possible since I have other house rules. This does create one dead level when you get your first Extra Attack (usually at level 9) since you already got it. I'm hesitant to give out another ASI at that level since you are already getting an ASI at 7, 8, and potentially 10 (if you have two Extra Attack features).
So the big advantage is someone can just say I'm going to play a Fighter/Wizard and then doesn't have to worry about what level to take what class to not be nerfed. They still get Extra Attack at character level 5.
Balanced/Even Split Multiclassing Buffs (limited to two classes that cannot be more than one level apart, e.g. 5/4 but not 5/3)
- Classes that gain Extra Attack or Extra Attack (2) gain it based on character level instead of class level (usually at character level 5 for Extra Attack or character level 11 for Fighter's third attack)
- Warlock Invocations require character level instead of Warlock level (e.g. Thirsting Blade requires character level 5 and Life Drinker requires character level 12)
- Pure spellcaster combinations (e.g. Cleric/Druid or Cleric/Sorcerer, but not Cleric/Warlock) may learn spells of one level higher at character level 5 (e.g. a 3 Cleric/2 Sorcerer could prepare level 3 Cleric spells from their wis mod+3 pool and learn level 2 Sorcerer spells out of their 3 spells known)
- Bards/Clerics/Druids/Wizards may learn spells of one level higher and count as 2 levels higher on the Multiclass Spellcaster table (not to exceed character level) at character level 8 (e.g. a 4 Fighter/4 Wizard could prepare level 3 Wizard spells and would have spell slots of a level 6 pure caster, or a level 7 caster if Eldrtitch Knight), and this increases to two spell levels with 4 levels higher respectively at character level 12 (e.g. a 6 Fighter/6 Wizard could prepare level 5 Wizard spells and would have spell slots of a level 10 pure caster, or a level 12 caster if Eldritch Knight)
- Benefits are lost if a character levels out of an even split (but picking up an additional ASI locks you into a permanent even split, i.e. with eventual progress to 10/10 at character level 20)
- Duplicate features (Channel Divinity, Evasion, Extra Attack, or Unarmored Defense) instead grant an ASI, but not before character level 4 (e.g. a Barbarian/Monk would gain additional ASIs at character level 4 for Unarmored Defense and character level 10 for Extra Attack)
- When leveling up one class, may also make changes to the other class (e.g. a Fighter/Warlock that gains a Fighter level may also swap out a Warlock spell and Invocation)
Example Benefits:
Barbarian/Monk gains 2 additional ASIs (character levels 4 & 10) and gets extra attack at character level 5.
Barbarian/Fighter gains 1 additional ASI at 10 and gets extra attack at 5 and 3rd attack at 11.
Fighter/Sorcerer gets extra attack at 5 and 3rd attack at 11.
Fighter/Wizard gets extra attack at 5, 3rd attack at 11, 3rd level Wizard spells at 8, 5th level Wizard spells at 12, and 7th level Wizard spells at 18.
Monk/Rogue gains 1 additional ASI at 14 and gets extra attack at 5.
Cleric/Paladin gains 1 additional ASI at 4, gets extra attack at 5, 3rd level Cleric spells at 8, 5th level Cleric spells at 12, and 7th level Cleric spells at 18.
Druid/Sorcerer gets 3rd level spells at 5, 4th level Druid spells at 8, 4th level Sorcerer/6th level Druid spells at 12, and 6th level Sorcerer/8th level Druid spells at 18.
The extra attack change is to increase Martial/Martial or Martial/Caster viability (you still get 2 attacks at 5 and if a fighter 3 attacks at 11). The invocation change is to increase Warlock viability (although a Fighter/Warlock may be overtuned). The boost for dual pure spell casters is to increase Caster/Caster viability (originally this boost was bigger but I think it overtunes Sorcerer combinations so the Bard/Cleric/Druid/Wizard boost was added). The boost to Bards/Clerics/Druids/Wizards is because I think Sorcerer/Martial (quickened spell) and Sorcerer/Caster (metamagics in general) combinations are much better in general so I was trying to boost the other options (e.g. Fighter/Wizard vs Fighter/Sorcerer and Cleric/Wizard vs Cleric/Sorcerer).
I'm trying to keep the rules as simple as possible since I have other house rules. This does create one dead level when you get your first Extra Attack (usually at level 9) since you already got it. I'm hesitant to give out another ASI at that level since you are already getting an ASI at 7, 8, and potentially 10 (if you have two Extra Attack features).
