VIII. Multiclassing
Basics to remember:
- You need to meet the attribute prerequisites of ALL your planned classes, including your initial class. So, to multiclass as a Ranger, you’ll always need at least DEX 13 and WIS 13, in addition to the prerequisite of any other classes you want. Making it a little more difficult for Rangers to multiclass and limiting their class options.
- Multiple instances of Extra Attack do not stack. Want three attacks? Take 11 Fighter levels. It’s the only way.
- Ability Score Increases, and by extension feats, are considered class features at set levels like everything else. Which means in many cases, you may fall short of the five expected of most single-class characters’ progression. Sometimes being an ASI/feat short may be worth it, but more often it may not be. Being two or more ASI/feats short is almost never worth it. Consider the tradeoffs carefully, in any event.
- You NEVER get the saving throw proficiencies of your new class. If you want another class’ save proficiencies to start, then you need to start as a member of that class.
Strive for 5:
A general look at all the classes will show you that the class’ 5th level is where a MASSIVE power jump occurs, particularly offensively. Warrior-type classes get their Extra Attack at that level. Full spellcaster classes get 3rd-level spells, the first real powerful level of spells. For Rogues, that’s when Sneak Attack really starts taking off. While all classes have their other major and significant levels, Lv. 5 is the first and most important of them all.
Ergo, if you’re going for a multiclass build of any sort, your first goal is to hit Lv. 5 in one class ASAP, likely your major. Pretty much without exception. Which means if you’re starting and majoring as a Ranger, you want to be a Ranger 5 and get Extra Attack before you even think of branching out.
If you started as Lv. 1 in another class (which does have its merits for some builds, notably Fighter and Rogue dips), then you need to take your next 5 levels in the Ranger class. Getting to Lv. 5 one level behind is probably tolerable, at worst you limit yourself to just one level of inadequacy. Falling two or more levels behind in that department, on the other hand, is a terrible idea.
Example of above: If dipping Fighter, starting as a Fighter gets automatic CON save proficiency without giving up anything else (you gain your extra skill back when multiclassing into Ranger). That’s great! But your next 5 levels should be all Ranger. You’ll get Extra Attack at character Lv. 6, then, which is a level late, but probably tolerable for most. As tempting as Action Surge looks at Fighter 2, hold off on it until you took your 5 vital Ranger levels. (After all, Action Surge works much better with Extra Attack in play, anyway.)
What you give up:
When planning a multiclass build for the long term, all the way to Lv. 20, it’s important to look at your primary class’ last few features, counting backwards from Lv. 20, and compare them to the levels from your secondary class(es)’ to see if it’s a build worth pursuing.
- Lv. 20 Ranger for Lv. 1 dip: You give up that weak Ranger capstone, and that’s it. Plenty of Rangers will EAGERLY give this up for another class’ Lv. 1 gains.
- Lv. 19 Ranger for Lv. 2 dip: You give up your last ASI or feat, your final learned spell, and one 5th-level spell slot (if you don’t multiclass with another caster). That is pretty significant. You want to make sure that what you gain at Lv. 2 (or Lv. 3 if you’re going further in your dip) is worth this sacrifice. Fighter’s Action Surge or Rogue’s Cunning Action? Yeah, I’d say that’s worth it. The Monk’s Lv. 2, on the other hand? Not worth it at all.
- Lv. 18 Ranger for Lv. 3 dip: You give up Feral Senses, which is a solid feature, but nothing that can’t be traded away for another class’ robust Lv. 3 abilities (looking at Fighter and Assassin Rogue, in particular.)
- Lv. 17 Ranger for Lv. 4 dip: Well, if you want to get back to your maximum number of ASIs/feats, here you go. Unfortunately, the price you pay for that is 5th-level Ranger spells, a few of which are pretty strong, and another learned spell. It’s up to you to decide whether such a trade is worth it.
- Lv. 16 Ranger for Lv. 5 dip: You give up another ASI/feat, knocking you back to one less than the maximum. This is not a level you want to give up lightly. Remember that Extra Attack from another class does not stack. And while a full caster’s 3rd-level spell list might look good, it’s probably not enough to consider taking Lv. 5 in that class unless you’re going for something else a few more levels into that class. Thus, if you’re going to stop at a Lv. 5 dip, that class needs to have a particularly appealing feature beyond a new spell level or Extra Attack (the Rogue’s Uncanny Dodge might qualify); otherwise, don’t bother.
- Lv. 15 Ranger for Lv. 6 dip: Hunters and Beast Masters both give up a fairly significant feature here, along with a learned spell, and (if you didn’t MC with another caster) a 4th-level spell slot. Not a level to be given up lightly. That Lv. 6 feature from your dip class had better be really strong.
- Lv. 14 Ranger for Lv. 7 dip: You give up Vanish and your third Favored Enemy. Very easy level to give up for a Rogue MC that’s made it this far. (Vanish is mostly redundant with Cunning Action, and Rogue 7 gets Evasion.) Otherwise, Vanish does have its appeal, but isn’t anything that can’t be given up, and a third Favored Enemy is quite easy to sacrifice.
Multiclass options:
Barbarian: Only STR-Rangers will take this, and they’ll probably want STR, DEX and WIS at 13 or higher regardless, so you’re not stretching yourself any thinner than you already are there. You do get some nice features. If planning this multi, it’s better to start as a Barbarian thanks to Constitution save proficiency, and you get your extra skill back when you go into Ranger.
- Lv. 1: 2 uses of Rage per day. Better than the Ranger capstone, at least.
- Lv. 2: Reckless Attack for on-demand advantage with STR-attacks, but you’ll be very vulnerable after. You should really only use it when you’re raging, or if you really just need to kill an enemy.
- Lv. 3: Rage up to 3 uses per day, and if you go Bear Totem you get resistance to all damage other than psychic. Good.
Bard: Requires CHA 13, and you don’t get enough in return to be worth it.
Cleric: One-level dip here can get you cantrips and 1st-level Cleric spells (which are stat-compatible being WIS-based), along with a potentially nice 1st-level Domain benefit. If you start as a Cleric, you get Wisdom save proficiency, which is better than DEX on the whole, and you still get your extra skill back when you MC Ranger.
- Lv. 1: 3 cantrips (WIS-based, Guidance should be one), 1st-level Cleric spells in your arsenal, and a 1st-level Domain Benefit. You have several options there. Nature’s Acolyte of Nature can get you Shillelagh, which would open up an interesting option to use WIS as a melee attack stat. Life, Light and Tempest are also solid choices.
Druid: Much like the Cleric, get WIS-based cantrips (including possibly Shillelagh for WIS-based melee) and 1st-level Druid spells. Also like with the Cleric, you might want to start Lv. 1 as a Druid to get Wisdom as a save proficiency.
- Lv. 1: 2 WIS-based cantrips (including Guidance and possibly Shillelagh) and 1st-level Druid spells in your arsenal. A solid level, and can be more useful overall than the Ranger’s capstone.
- Lv. 2: Land is better for dipping purposes. Natural Recovery is quite nice. Wild Shape will be more for utility, scouting and disguise, not for combat.
Fighter: If you plan a multi here, it’s pretty much strictly better to start as a Fighter. You get Constitution as a save proficiency, the best “common” save to get, and you get your extra skill proficiency back when you MC into Ranger. Easy as cake for all would-be Rangers who have the DEX 13 and WIS 13 prerequisites covered.
- Lv. 1: Another Fighting Style can be quite good, and Second Wind is there when you need it.
- Lv. 2: Action Surge. Fun fact if you’re a Gloom Stalker: Since the Dread Ambusher attack is part of your first-round Attack action, that attack repeats when you Action Surge in the first round. Lv. 11+ Hunters will also like using Action Surge to Volley or Whirlwind Attack a horde twice.
- Lv. 3: Battle Master is the best pick of archetype overall, with the healthy short rest-recharge arsenal (4 d8 Superiority Dice, 3 maneuvers).
Monk: A solid one-level dip for a Ranger to give you a little more versatility.
- Lv. 1: Unarmored Defense can result in a higher AC than studded leather if you maxed out DEX and WIS (mostly true of an archer build). And Martial Arts gives you a quick, always ready melee option complete with a bonus-action attack every round.
Paladin: You need STR, DEX, WIS, and CHA all at 13. That is ultra-MAD to the point it’s flat-out prohibitive for most. If you are willing and/or able to go with this, you do get some nice things in return. Paladin levels also add to yours to determine spell slots, so that’s nice.
- Lv. 1: Go further or don’t bother.
- Lv. 2: Divine Smite, giving you some tasty nova potential with your spell slots. You also get access to Bless, which is awesome and you’ll definitely want to cast.
- Lv. 3: Oath of Vengeance is definitely the way to go with its straight-up advantage for the biggest boss enemies. It’s not CHA-dependent like so many other Channel Divinities are. Vengeance also gets Hunter’s Mark as an Oath spell, so you can learn something else on your Ranger list, now.
Rogue: Best to start as a Rogue if you're heading this route, since you get one more skill to start, then another one still when you MC Ranger. Both start off with DEX save proficiency, so no change there.
- Lv. 1: Expertise in two skills and 1d6 Sneak Attack make for a solid replacement for your lousy capstone. Start as a Rogue and get that extra skill and free thieves’ tools proficiency while you’re at it.
- Lv. 2: Cunning Action is simply one of the best features in the game.
- Lv. 3: Assassin for the surprise auto-crits, which go VERY nicely with the Gloom Stalker’s first-round extra attack, I might add. Arcane Trickster might also be worth a look if you plan on taking more Rogue levels, allowing you to recoup some spell slots.
Sorcerer: CHA 13 requirement, with not enough in return. You won’t get enough sorcery points to play with Metamagic consistently enough to make the extra MAD worth it.
Warlock: CHA 13 requirement, with not enough in return. Sure,
Hex is better than
Hunter’s Mark, but not by enough to be worth the extra MAD.
Wizard: INT 13 requirement, with not enough in return. Take Magic Initiate or Ritual Caster instead if you want
Find Familiar.
