D&D 5E How should multiclassing be handled in 5E?

This thread could probably benefit from a poll.


I'd preferred 1e/2e style for full on multi-classing. Pick your classes, advance in them by splitting your XP evenly between them. I'd also like a way to represent someone who dabbled/dabbles a bit in another class - you can already do some of that with Backgrounds, but I'd also like to see 4e style M/C feats for it.
 

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My favourite way of multiclassing is no multiclassing.

Rather than mixing base classes, I'd be more interested in prestige classes or something similar, that would have requirements (story-based and mechanical) and would modify the further progression in your base class.

Since it's pretty much guaranteed however that 5e will have multiclassing between base classes, in that case my favourite is the 3e way (but not with the same goofy penalties and restrictions).
 

I would prefer in general 3e type multiclassing without the matching level restrictions. However I think some ideas from 4e hybrids could be used where your additional classes do not gain full benefit. I like the idea that all those level 1 features like schemes and traditions come from a proper grounding in the class rather than multiclassing into it. So for example multiclassing into wizard would gain spell casting but not the full tradition benefits.

I would like to see some form of martial and spellcasting level stacking. Maybe all your levels with combat expertise stack to give your total to hit and damage bonus, and your spellcasting attack bonus stacks.
 

First, some issues to bear in mind:

Bounded accuracy means that at high levels, it's theoretically okay to have access only to low-level spells. If your Burning Hands spell's requires a DC 13 Dexterity save in NEXT, well, you'll have a chance to affect most foes, because even high-level baddies only have a +6 Dex at most. Sure, if you have Meteor Swarm you'd do more damage, but your low-level spells aren't useless.

This is unlike in 3e, where at 15th level your top-tier spells might call for a DC 26 Reflex save, and your enemy might have a +13 or higher save bonus (I used a CR 15 red dragon as an example). That's fine for a dedicated 15th level wizard, but a dabbler who just has 1st level spells and a 13 Intelligence would be requiring DC 12 Reflex saves, which the enemies would pretty much always succeed.

So from the get-go, one of the hurdles to 3e-style piecemeal multiclassing has been avoided. Now you can pick up a few spells and they'll still be useful at high level. (It might be necessary to let their damage scale by character level, though, instead of class level.)


Second, feats in NEXT seem a lot more accepting of granting cool abilities than previously. Like, you can take a feat that lets you cast spells, which would have blown people's minds back in early 3e. If the game got a teensy bit more free-form, maybe it'd be possible to put all the things like fighter maneuvers and wizard spell slots and barbarian rages into the same pool. That might be going too far, but it's already possible to pseudo-dual-class yourself just by picking up feats that grant abilities normally reserved for a different archetype. Be an archer fighter, but pick up some healing magic through feats. Be a wizard, but learn a few fighter maneuvers so you can be a 'bladesinger.'


Personally, I'd prefer a more modular system, where you can easily pick from multiple options and toss them all into a single pot that is your character. As long as the underlying math of the game keeps the numbers in a narrow band, it'll be hard to become unbalanced, and the game will be a hell of a lot less complicated than some of the baroque multi- and dual-classing options of 1E and 2E. I'd also rather avoid Prestige Classes as things that restrict access to nifty powers. A better option, I feel, is to present a variety of slightly-above-the-curve feats, and put them in a section of "Setting Feats."

Say, "These feats typically should be tied to some organization in your setting, or require a quest to find either an instructor or some relic that can give a character access. Characters will have to work to achieve these impressive feats, which should make the players feel like they're being rewarded for investing in the game's setting. We suggest a few options for how characters might access these powers, but feel free to create your own backgrounds for them."

So the ability to, say, turn demons like you'd turn undead would require joining some organization that teaches that. And setting books could then create pseudo Prestige Classes by describing an organization, then listing the 4 or 5 feats members get access to. You still choose which feat(s) you want as you level, so not all Clergy of the Holy Nimbus have exactly the same powers. Indeed, by making the 'Prestige Class' requirements be legitimately role-playing based rather than stat-based prereqs, you'd let characters keep their main class and demonstrate their involvement in an organization by feat-choices.

Flexibility is, for me, the name of the game.
 

I would like to see 1e/2e dual-classing (which is essentially 3e multi-classing). I would also like to see 1e/2e multi-classing (which is similar to 3e gestalt characters). Both of these options need to be made available. Both of these options can be made balanced by either creating their own XP chart or some other method.

One other point about classing. I do not want to see prestige classes. I think the concept of prestige classes needs to come in when a character focuses on one class for a long time they should get a bonus. The way they were made in 3e is that you were encouraged to multi-class as much as possible and then take a PrC on top of that. No. So PrC like abilities should simply be high level abilities/feats/features of high level characters who have devoted themselves to one class. This will mitigate the munchkin aspect of multi-classing. So the question will be at low level split your XP into one or more classes and gain some initial advantage or devote to one class and access powerful features later on. So later splat books I would like to see lists of cool alternate features for high level single-classed characters not PrCs.
 

Personally I hate tracking XP, so trying to balance character options by, like, splitting XP between two classes, would not work for me. I'd like to be able to say, "You're a 10th level fighter. He's a ranger 3/rogue 2/wizard 5. You're balanced."

I don't see the appeal of parallel advancement multiclassing a la demi-humans in 2E, or the appeal of "You decided to stop casting spells and start swinging a sword? You can never learn more spells ever!" dual classing a la humans in 2E. Can you explain what about those appeal to you?
 

[MENTION=63]RangerWickett[/MENTION] I REALLY like the observation you made above. I'd add that I'd like to see 3e multiclassing but I'd also like to see the abilities that characters have scale more with character level vs class level. So class level would constrain what class abilities you'd have access to, but many or most or all of those features would be scaled a bit by character level.
 

[MENTION=63]RangerWickett[/MENTION] I REALLY like the observation you made above. I'd add that I'd like to see 3e multiclassing but I'd also like to see the abilities that characters have scale more with character level vs class level. So class level would constrain what class abilities you'd have access to, but many or most or all of those features would be scaled a bit by character level.

I like the idea as far as making multiclass characters effective but in story terms I'm not sure how it would work out. Should a 15th level fighter who takes a single level in wizard be a better spell caster than a 1st level wizard, or even a 5th level wizard because of their character level. The same goes for a spell caster crossing into fighter. Should their martial damage output be based on character level.

To be honest it has always been the martial/spell caster mix that has always been problematic but as RangerWickett points out this may no longer be a big issue
 

The problem I have with many mulitclass systems is that they seem to want to take a class based game and turn it into point buy game in disguise. I'm all for rounding out your character and all, but this is a class based game. I kind of like the 1e/2e option because level 7 fighter/ level 7 wiz is not equivalent to a 14th level character, but rather a 9th or 10th level character. The problems are using the XP distributions and accounting that goes with it; I agree that that is a pain and should be avoided (along with the "you can't advance in the first class until you exceed it with your second class" nonsense).
 

I'd like the bulk of character benefits to be packaged into choices that resemble 4e's feats, and then only grant a small essential handful of benefits by class (keeping classes few). Then, bundle a bunch of feats to make someone, say, a paladin, or a druid, or an illusionist. Nobody can change their class, but you can take any feat you like, as long as you meet the prerequisites. This eliminates all problems related to multiclassing, and goes a great distance to balance classes. It also allows an easy selection of feat bundles for players that want a simpler game, and an easy way for players who like to tinker to build their own "class."
 

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