D&D General Feats are in. What is the current feel about multiclassing?

[ezo]

Obviously feats aren't new... and multiclassing is even older, but I was curious what the pulse of the game is now about multiclassing (at least here on EnWorld)?

Also, if you do it, how?
Any combination?
Two classes only?
3E where classes must be within 1 level of each other?
More "dual-classing" than multiclassing--once you take a new class you cannot increase the other(s).
Something else?

 

[Charlaquin]

I would allow my players to multiclass if they wanted to, but none of them have ever wanted to. They find remembering one class’s abilities enough of a cognitive load already, ain’t nobody trying to add another class into the mix, let alone more than that.

 

[Zardnaar]

I allow it. New class design makes it less efficient than 2014.

When you do it also matters as you'll be late get level 5-7 abilities if you do.

Higher opportunity costs.

 

[cbwjm]

I put no restrictions on it in my games. If someone wanted to pick up 1 level of every class they can do that. I'd like there to be story reasons but I don't enforce story readings for multiclassing.

 

[DragonLancer]

I allow it but next to one bothers any more. That was more of a 3rd edition thing with us. Under the new 2024, it's generally better to focus on your chosen class over trying to stick another class on. In my current Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign only one player has bothered to multiclass and that was the Monk who took a level of Ranger for the class abilities. I don't see him adding any more in Ranger nor multiclassing further.

 

[GnomeWorks]

In 5e games I run, multiclassing is explicitly forbidden. It's never worked properly, doesn't deliver what it promises, and messes with game balance.

 

[Li Shenron]

I played my share of multiclassed characters in the past, but I don't like it at all, and so as a DM I don't promote it (in the sense that I don't even mention it to players).

But if someone really wants to, then I let them multiclass as per the PHB rules of whatever edition we're using. Just don't ask me to come up with house rules or any special treatment to "fix issues". You wanna multiclass, you get what you get.

At the end of the day, none of my players in the first 11 years of 5e has multiclassed at all.

 

[Corinnguard]

Half of my current party is multiclassing atm.

1. Human Rogue (Phantom)/Fighter (Champion)
2. Bugbear Ranger (Gloom Stalker)/ Rogue (Scout)- Me
3. Goblin Druid (Circle of the Shepherd)/ Sorcerer (Lunar Sorcerer)

Multiclassing is okay, but it's something that requires a lot of thought when you decide to get into it. And you have to acknowledge that it sets you back by a couple of levels in your primary class. I wish I had started multiclassing sooner with my current character. I waited until 6th level before taking the plunge.

 

[James Gasik]

Between both campaigns I'm involved in (one as DM and one as a player), I've seen a pure Bard, a pure Fighter, a Fighter/Rogue, a pure Barbarian, a pure Ranger, a pure Wizard, two pure Clerics, and both a multiclassed Monk/Rogue/Fighter and a multiclassed Sorcerer/Warlock.

Some people want more versatility or feel that their current class is no longer giving them the benefits they desire. There's downsides to multiclassing as well. Extra Attack doesn't stack, multiclassed casters don't get new spells, ASI's are given at certain class levels, not character levels, so a Fighter 3/Rogue 3 still hasn't gotten one, proficiencies can be redundant, and you don't get all the proficiencies of new classes.

Sure, there are a few decent combos, but you still have to pay the opportunity cost of not getting everything you want online until higher level. Now if I were to start a game at a level higher than 3rd, I might be stricter about multiclassing, but until then, I have had more problems with pure single-classed full casters as a DM than I ever have with a multiclassed PC.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

In 2014 I used to use multiclassing all the time, as it was a way of introducing actual build choice.

However in 2024, it seems to just be a "cripple your character with this one simple trick" button.