D&D 5E [D&D 5th Edition] Best 50/50 multiclass?

[ClaytonCross]

A single class cleric doesn't use the multiclass spellcasting table to determine spell slots, but the cleric table. So when preparing spells for a Cleric 10/Druid 10, you can prepare up to level 5 spells from both classes, because that's the highest slot you have available at level 10 for either class.

You can't be a single Class 10/10 character.... the very fact that you are using more than 1 class means that you are multicasting and use the multiclass table for spell slots.

It specifically says you add cleric and druids levels together 1 for 1 as I quoted above.

PHB: p164
"You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes."

You can't add together 1 number to if your saying you have 10 for spells slots for both then your wrong. It doesn't say you count to 10. It says you add the levels of specific classes and druid/clerics get to count 1 to 1. So they do indeed have the same spell slots known as either individual class would.

 

[ClaytonCross]

If you need it to be more official, here's a tweet about it from Mike Mearls. I think it was addressed in Sage Advice, too.

I read the quote:

Q:Can you please clarify - Sorc 3 / Wiz 1 will prepare wizard spells accoriding to slots of wiz 1 or multiclass 4?

A:wiz 1

Nothing I said disagrees with that.

PHB: p164
"You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class."

A druid 10 uses Wisdom modifier + your druid level (assuming 20 wisdom) = 15

A Cleric 10 uses Wisdom modifier + your Cleric level (assuming 20 wisdom) = 15

Your spell slots were determined as a multiclass because you are a multiclass.
A wizard, could not pick higher level spells because they would not have known spells but would be able to cast those lower level spell using higher spell slots.
However, Clerics and Druids do know those spells and can use the higher level spell slots to cast them which makes them valid selections for preparation.

None of this contradicts your quoted sage advice.

 

[ClaytonCross]

You get the high level slots, but cannot cast any of the high level spells.
So at level 20 you could cast Cure Wounds as a 9th level spell, but you couldn't cast True Ressurection.

I get what your saying but I can't find anything to support this with the exception of classes that have known spell restrictions instead of spell slot restrictions. So it would be true for Wizards but not for Clerics or Druids because they work differently.

As for builds, Bard/Rogue could be fun just for all the expertise. Barbarian/Rogue is basically Conan and works great. You might be able to sell Fighter/Warlock since Warlock is not really about training. Or Paladin/Warlock if you use the Celestial Warlock from Unearthed Arcana. Sorcerer/Warlock is really thematic if your pact is with the same thing as your Sorcerer blood.

- Bard/Rogue -interesting but maybe gimped similar to my Druid/rogue
- Barbarian Rogue -back stab is not usable with str. weapons which hurts this build
- Fighter warlock would be interesting

And if you want to get really weird, Warlock/Warlock and be torn between a Fiend Pact and a Celestial Pact as you battle for your very soul!

- interesting.

 

[Seramus]

I get what your saying but I can't find anything to support this with the exception of classes that have known spell restrictions instead of spell slot restrictions. So it would be true for Wizards but not for Clerics or Druids because they work differently.

Its in the part you quoted.

"You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class."

If you were a single class member of a class, you would not have the extra slots for being a multiclass. So you have to pick your prepared spells as if you only had 10 levels Worth of spell slots. Now, you DO actually have those higher level slots from multiclassing, which you can use for actual casting, but you don't have them for the purpose of what spells you can prepare.

Hence the 9th level Cure Wounds, but no True Ressurection. When you sit down to memorize your spells, you only have the effective spell slots of your single class.

 

[TwoSix]

None of this contradicts your quoted sage advice.

Obviously, you can play however you wish, but this issue was hashed out pretty thoroughly in the first year of 5e's release, and the consensus is against you.

 

[CTurbo]

Let's see.....

Strongest 50/50 multi?

Paladin/Bard or Paladin/Sorcerer or Paladin/Warlock

Fighter 10/anything 10

Rogue 10/anything 10

Any combination of Fighter/Rogue/Ranger/Barbarian really would be really strong. Even a very stabby Dex Barb/Rogue.

Of course anybody that takes 10 levels of Fighter are going to take at least one more level for the 3rd attack.

How about a very sneaky Rogue/Wizard or a very tough Fighter/Wizard?

I know these are all very obvious. Here are a few that I like that aren't quite SO obvious.

Monk/Barb - a Dr Jekyll Mr Hyde character that tries to maintain control of himself but sometimes loses his ****.

Tempest Cleric/Draconic Sorc(of lightning duh) - MAD as heck but great synergy. Deal 2d8+mod when you hit, deal 2d8+mod damage when you ARE hit.

Oath of the Crown Pally of Tyr/Bard - An arrogant, preachy, knowitall ***hole who literally nags his enemies to death. He'll have enemies begging to be struck down just to get him to shut up. Too bad for them he'll just arrest them.

Pally/Cleric - Are you a super religious fanatic? Well I've got the class for you.

Oath Breaker Pally/Necro Wizard - raise the dead, make them stupid strong. Take over cities.


I think the Monk and Druid are the most awkward to multi with.

 

[Mephista]

So I am looking to play a 50/50 class from the beginning in an attempt to solve this.
- Leveling every other level in each class reduces "meta" leveling and acts more like
a new class instead of picking and choosing levels in each to "control" skills.
- The story background is a combine origin, a special sect.
So you don't damage story picking up levels in the "cross class" its just part of your progression.

The problem is that you can't just 50/50 any two classes because you can gimp yourself.
The result will be a resounding "If I have told you once..." speech from my GM.

Multi-class rules are designed for dipping. They make very crappy 50/50 characters, and I actually suggest avoiding it at all costs. Especially with spellcasters. Trailing behind one or two caster levels is doable, but several? The lack of high level spells known HURTS; the spell slots aren't enough. I speak from experience. Hybridizing casters is not very good; you're better off asking the GM for a custom subclass that gives you access to specific spells you want for your concept rather than attempting a hybrid multiclass.

I don't really spend enough time with dedicated martial characters to know if multi-classing them in a 50/50 manner will work, but my knee jerk reaction is to wonder if putting off that Extra Attack until level 9 is going to be worthwhile. Rogue looks good, since there is a linear growth instead of the bumps at the tier milestones, so they're good to mix with other things to make up for the loss. I don't recommend two melee classes that rely on extra attack, and since rogue is the only martial class that doesn't have extra attack....

Would you as a GM have any problem with these multi-classes?
Why?

Well, there might be a complaint that you're just effectively making a Nature Cleric or Shadow Monk using alternative features. *Shrugs* I'd probably suggest including bits about ties to both a monastary and theif guild for your ninja character. And the druid-cleric might want a nature-based temple.
Good luck with everything.

Others have mentioned warlock often, and that's because the main source of power for warlock is the cantrip Eldritch Blast. That's pretty much decoupled from the class level progression, so warlock mixes well with other things usually. Take your pick of what else you want for flavor.

If your DM is a "story teller" type, why does he even care about levels etc? Those are not part of the story, unless he has organizations or such in the game world that award class ranks to members?

Yes, levels are part of the story. All mechanics have story reflections. People often decouple story from mechanics, but that doesn't mean the story doesn't exist in the first place.

Your DM sucks.

Don't insult other people's playstyles just because you don't like it.

 

[Ratskinner]

I just have to interject here that I don't see this as a "story" GM problem. I mean, you can come up with whatever whacky story you want to support MC changes. (Others have notably done so already in this thread.) This sounds to me like the GM has some simulationist objections. To wit: "you have to find a teacher" "you need to dedicate yourself". Those are questions of believability/realism. I would suspect a story oriented GM (assuming they had any) would have objections more like: "that doesn't really make sense for your character" or "that's not a good choice for the plot I have outlined."

Just my $.02 worth of pedantry.

I would have thought that Arcane Trickster or Eldritch Knight + Wizard would be pretty solid for magicky stuff with some added toughness. Although from a purely mechanical point of view its debatable whether the loss of melee prowess would be worth the extra magic vs. just straight classing the magicky subclass.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

You can't be a single Class 10/10 character.... the very fact that you are using more than 1 class means that you are multicasting and use the multiclass table for spell slots.

It specifically says you add cleric and druids levels together 1 for 1 as I quoted above.

PHB: p164
"You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes."

You can't add together 1 number to if your saying you have 10 for spells slots for both then your wrong. It doesn't say you count to 10. It says you add the levels of specific classes and druid/clerics get to count 1 to 1. So they do indeed have the same spell slots known as either individual class would.

If this is how you interpret the multiclass rules at your table I'm starting to understand why your DM doesn't like multiclassing.

 

[transtemporal]

Your DM sucks. If you must play in his campaign I'd forget about multiclassing completely and just go with a reliable single class character.

I don't know if he sucks necessarily, but he's awfully married to the rigid definition of classes for someone who claims to like the story. Surely if you can justify your class mix with a kickass story, wouldn't that satisfy the story requirement?