D&D 5E Class bloat without multiclassing?

[Sacrosanct]

Find me one person that multiclasses a fighter or paladin or monk or ranger or barbarian 1 level before getting their first extra attack.... I'll wait for you.

LOL. I just posted an example yesterday. My barbarian3/druid 2. The character I wanted was a burly barbarian from a tribe that have a strong affinity with ursines, so I went with a bear totem barbarian, and as soon as I got that, I went druid because the spirit of the bear totally infused into his spirit (being able to wildshape into a bear) which gave me role playing opportunities that were fantastic. It wasn't 1 level, but it was 1 level before an ASI, which is just as impactful as the extra attack

*edit* and to your question, if I got multi attack at level 4 instead of 5, I still would have multi-classed. Or if I didn't get bear totem until level 4, I would have multiclasssed as soon as I got it. I.e., getting that extra attack wasn't a priority for me at all. Getting bear totem, then getting wildshape, was.

You know, people really need to understand that not everyone plays the game through a min/max perspective. Nothing wrong with that of course, but most people don't. What seems cool or fun, often with no regard to optimizing, is usually the driving factor.

 

[FrogReaver]

LOL. I just posted an example yesterday. My barbarian3/druid 2. The character I wanted was a burly barbarian from a tribe that have a strong affinity with ursines, so I went with a bear totem barbarian, and as soon as I got that, I went druid because the spirit of the bear totally infused into his spirit (being able to wildshape into a bear) which gave me role playing opportunities that were fantastic. It wasn't 1 level, but it was 1 level before an ASI, which is just as impactful as the extra attack

You know, people really need to understand that not everyone plays the game through a min/max perspective. Nothing wrong with that of course, but most people don't. What seems cool or fun, often with no regard to optimizing, is usually the driving factor.

No that's 2 levels before getting extra attack. He's not a Barbarian 4.

 

[Sacrosanct]

No that's 2 levels before getting extra attack. He's not a Barbarian 4.

see my edit. Doesn't matter. If I was a barbarian 4, I still would have multiclassed into druid. the extra attack was a lower priority than bear totem or wild shape, so yea, I am exactly what you were asking for--a person who would have multiclassed 1 level before getting an extra attack

 

[FrogReaver]

If there aren't, it's not really a severe problem. If a combo is so sub-optimal that no one plays it, sure it's imbalanced, but it's not imbalance that anyone actually suffers from.

If you /did/ see a lot of fighter4/wiz1 types moping around, being overshadowed, that'd be concerning.

That's the point. It's not organic. If it was organic then you would see Fighter 4 / Wizard 1 because it just organically happened and fit into the story at that point. But you don't see that multiclass combination thus proving the art of multiclassing into a totally different class doesn't happen organically but instead is planned and that which is planned is not organic.

 

[FrogReaver]

see my edit. Doesn't matter. If I was a barbarian 4, I still would have multiclassed into druid. the extra attack was a lower priority than bear totem or wild shape, so yea, I am exactly what you were asking for--a person who would have multiclassed 1 level before getting an extra attack

No your not. You were never a barbarian 4 and no matter how many times you say "if I were a barbarian 4..." it means nothing because you would never have been a barbarian 4 and then forgone extra attack.

 

[happyhermit]

Yes the organic character development that rarely actually is organic instead of an attempt at cherry picking mechanics you like or think are strong. I wonder why there are no fighter 4 / wizard 1 around?

I assume that you have nothing to back up that assertion? If it is based on anything concrete I would be interested in seeing it.

In case I wasn't clear, multi-classing is very rare when I run. When it does happen it is as often as not in this "organic" (not planned at char-gen) form. Not that I see anything whatsoever wrong with using it in a pre-planned way, it just doesn't happen much in games I'm involved with.

I get that you have some issues with multiclassing and it's frustrating that everyone doesn't agree with you on this but portraying the whole thing as munchkin tactics that aren't as effective as classes at realizing character concepts is poor form IMO. Same goes for dismissing the opinions and experiences of those you disagree with you, like you have here.

 

[Sacrosanct]

No your not. You were never a barbarian 4 and no matter how many times you say "if I were a barbarian 4..." it means nothing because you would never have been a barbarian 4 and then forgone extra attack.

Alright, I don't know what your problem is, but this whole thread you've been extremely intolerant of anyone who doesn't agree with your biases. You asked for one person who would multiclass 1 level before getting an extra attack, and I am telling you I am that person. And I explained why. If I decided to go barbarian level 4 to get a feat (which I seriously considered), I still would have multiclassed into druid and would currently be a barb 4/druid 1. The next time I level, I WILL be a barbarian 4/druid 2.

Either way, I am exactly what you asked for. Getting that extra attack is nice, but is not the primary driving force behind people's decisions. Yours, obviously. But you need to stop assuming everyone else thinks like you.

 

[FrogReaver]

Dude, I'm an optimizer. No need to act like I unfavorably view munchkins, I'm probably more of one than most. But that doesn't alleviate the point:

Care to show me that Fighter 4/ Wizard 1? The point is that there isn't 1 because it sucks and thus multiclassing isn't something that happens organically with play but instead a choice that happens and isn't directly informed by anything happening in the game. Sure sometimes someone will multiclass according to something happening in the game if the mechanics fit and it's a good level to do so, but no one does it "organically" as was stated earlier. If they did it wouldn't be such a challenge to find that Fighter 4/ Wizard 1.

I assume that you have nothing to back up that assertion? If it is based on anything concrete I would be interested in seeing it.

In case I wasn't clear, multi-classing is very rare when I run. When it does happen it is as often as not in this "organic" (not planned at char-gen) form. Not that I see anything whatsoever wrong with using it in a pre-planned way, it just doesn't happen much in games I'm involved with.

I get that you have some issues with multiclassing and it's frustrating that everyone doesn't agree with you on this but portraying the whole thing as munchkin tactics that aren't as effective as classes at realizing character concepts is poor form IMO. Same goes for dismissing the opinions and experiences of those you disagree with you, like you have here.

 

[Corwin]

Find me one person that multiclasses a fighter or paladin or monk or ranger or barbarian 1 level before getting their first extra attack.... I'll wait for you.

Me! That was easy.

My rogue/monk/warlock. I didn't get my second attack ability from monk until 8th level.

Oh, plus I got a buddy who did the barbarian/druid thing. He took his first druid after barbarian 3. That counts too, right?

Are you sure you want to keep making sweeping, global comments like this?

This line of assumptions you are making is leading me to want to ask a question. Maybe I'll start a new thread...

 

[FrogReaver]

Me! That was easy.

My rogue/monk/warlock. I didn't get my second attack ability from monk until 8th level.

Oh, plus I got a buddy who did the barbarian/druid thing. He took his first druid after barbarian 3. That counts too, right?

Are you sure you want to keep making sweeping, global comments like this?

This line of assumptions you are making is leading me to want to ask a question. Maybe I'll start a new thread...

I've still not seen that Fighter 4 / Wizard 1 or anything remotely like it. Your rogue/monk/warlock may fit if only you had elaborated a bit more on whether you were monk 4 and then took something other than monk 5...