D&D 5E Most unique, fun multiclass (2 classes)

[Warpiglet-7]

What is the most unique entertaining multiclass you have played or pondered?

I have been reading Tasha’s and thinking about how rarely some of these are probably played!

There are 1000s of combos. I may well play a rune knight/genie warlock. I was also interested in a rune knight/battle smith!

Or perhaps a wildfire Druid and an Oath of the watchers Paladin….

I am not interested in super optimized but that is ok too. Just would like to hear about weird pairings that perhaps have been fun!

I played a war cleric/celestial warlock. His divine source was the 7 heavens and his patron a fallen but good angel trying to find redemption in guiding a mercenary fighter who was trying to be redeemed!

Hit us with some cool ideas! Bonus points if two classes and incorporates some lesser played subclasses!

 

[BookTenTiger]

I played a Dragonborn paladin / sorcerer (dragon bloodline) that was really, really fun. The story was that he was a knight in a holy order that worshipped Bahamut. His red dragon heritage, however, gave him more "firepower" than the other knights, and made him less trusted. In the archives of the order he discovered a secret sword technique that requires red dragon heritage. He trained himself, but when he was discovered he was kicked out of the order.

Now he used a mix of his paladin training and raw red dragon firepower in combat. He would call on Bahamut for healing and smites... Then he'd say, "Bahamut, look away" and launch a bunch of fireballs.

It was a super fun combo!

 

[jmartkdr2]

I've had a lot of fun with barbarian/druid, especially if I leverage it make the character item-independent (ie all you need to bring to the adventure is a sprig of mistletoe) It's effective enough, although in practice you're either a slightly tougher druid or a barbarian with Wildshape. You don't really switch-hit because the most effective option is whatever the party is lacking.

I've also run a celstial bladelock / gold dragon sorcerer which is fun because Elemental Affinity and Radiant Soul both apply to greenflame blade - resulting in very big hits, although it's very much a glass cannon build.

 

[TwoSix]

It's certainly not optimal or anything, but psi knight fighter 5/soulknife rogue 9/aberrant mind sorcerer 6 would hit a lot of subclass features all based around psionics and not be awful at combat.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Rogue 1/Cleric (Knowledge) 1/Bard (Lore) 18.

If you play a half-elf (+2 skills) and grab the Skilled and Skill Expert, you can grab every skill prof in the game: 2 (half-elf), 2 (background), 4 (starting as Rogue), 2 (Knowledge), 1 (Bard MC), 3 (Lore), 3 (Skilled), 1 (Skill Expert) = 2+2+4+2+1+3+3+1 = 18 skills, which is...all of the skills. You also get Expertise: 2 (Rogue 1), 2 (Knowledge), 4 (Bard 3 and Bard 10), 1 (Skill Expert) = 2+2+4+1 = 9, which is half of all skills.

Further, you'll have a Rogue's weapon proficiency, and Cleric gives medium armor and shields, so you can go medium armor + rapier + shield for a versatile, effective character in essentially any environment. Grab eldritch blast with one of your Bonus Magical Secrets and you've got a character who can do solid damage, mix it up in melee when required, and kick almost any skill roll to the curb.

Alternatively, drop both feats (they're probably only going to pick up skills you don't really care that much about anyway) and pump your Charisma, or nab the ridiculously-powerful Elven Accuracy, or Ritual Caster (Wizard) to pick up some of the most diverse ritual spells in the game. Choose your spells (especially Magical Secrets) to adapt to whatever the party needs: you can become a blaster, a healer, a control specialist. You may not be the absolute best at whatever you choose to focus on, but unless it's very specifically "be a front-line melee combatant," you'll do it well. (And even then, green-flame blade may be enough to make melee combat work too.) Edit: Aw poo, totally didn't consider the "only 2 classes" thing. Well...I'll leave it here anyway. Sorry about that.

I've also considered a character along the lines of what @jmartkdr2 said, though probably would do celestial tomelock/gold dragon sorcerer instead, possibly with the hope that the character's "celestial" patron actually also happens to be their gold dragon ancestor. Probably just enough Warlock to pick up the pact boon (to grab Book of Ancient Secrets.) Those Warlock spell slots might be useful early on, but would mostly go toward powering metamagic--the result of having a deeper relationship with the true origin of the character's magical abilities. The only real pain there is falling a bit behind on your spell progression.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Variant HumanRogue3/bard5/sorcerer3 with Ritual Caster as starting feat.
I really don't know how I ended up bard, although I did not really plan that...

After all it was for story reasons as well as optimizing fun... now bard 6 sounds so intriguing.... as does rogue 4 and sorcerer 4... same as every single level...

 

[Zardnaar]

Kinda partial to Divine Soul/Cleric multi.
Quicken toll the dead as a death cleric/DS.

 

[Mad_Jack]

Circle of Land (forest) Druid/Feypact (tome) Warlock

Although it's definitely not much of a stretch from a narrative point of view, I have a druid/warlock named Fionn mac Tadg (pronounced Finn Mc Teague)... He's intentionally modeled on several traditional Irish mythological characters.

He's a hell of a utility caster with a pretty decent selection of cantrips and between the land druid's recovery feature and his pact magic, he's got a lot of spell slots to burn. If he's not casting something, he's got both Eldritch Blast and Shillelagh to cover his combat needs.
Outside of combat he's a great face-man, with high charisma, decent wisdom, and proficiency in most of the social skills.

His custom background is called "Underhill"* - at some point, you either somehow accidentally found your way into the feywild or were swept away there by a fey, and you've spent X number of years/centuries as a "guest" of a member of one of the Fey Courts, willingly or not.
In his case, as a young druid he got invited to a fairy revel and woke up the next morning as the "guest" of a Fey Lord. Having spent decades as a diplomatic envoy for his lord, the two became friends and the Lord eventually released him from his service when he wanted to return to the material world. He now wanders the world to see how it's changed in his absence.

*

Spoiler: Underhill Background

This gives just a little bit more than a standard background, specifically an extra language, as I wrote it specifically for this character to be used in a PbP on another forum... However, I also wrote it somewhat generically to give a number of choices so folks could tailor it to a particular character's backstory. Feel free to steal/adjust as necessary.

Background - Underhill

Perhaps you made an unwise deal for power. Perhaps you stumbled across a faerie circle. You've had some sort of encounter with a Fey being and, whether willingly or not, you've found yourself whisked off to the Feywild and spent a number of years (or decades, or centuries) there as a guest or prisoner of the Faerie Folk. Your time there could have been terrifying or wonderful. Perhaps you were a servant, forced to cook and clean, or labor for them mixing potions or poisons. Perhaps you apprenticed yourself to an artist or artisan and learned a craft. Or served some lord or noble as a courtier or emissary.
Because of your time in the Feywild, you are comfortable in the company of the Fey. You speak their languages and are familiar with the workings of Fey society and the intricacies of the Fey Courts. Now you've either found your own way back to the material world, been released from service, or escaped.

Skills: You gain proficiency in Persuasion and Deception.

Languages: You speak any two of the following languages: Elvish, Gnomish, Sylvan or Undercommon.

Tools: You gain proficiency in either a musical instrument, one type of artisan's tools, an herbalist's kit, or a poisoner's kit.

Feature: You are able to favorably negotiate with any non-hostile Fey or sylvan beings for
hospitality or aid, without them attempting to trick you or otherwise take advantage of
you, provided you have something suitable to give in return or are willing to do them a favor.

Equipment: You own one of the tools listed above, a set of traveler's clothes, a signet ring, badge or other trinket signifying your former allegiance/servitude to your Fey host/captor, and 20 gold pieces (either a parting gift or the proceeds from whatever you
stole while escaping).

 

[aco175]

5e bard can do it all.

Maybe a rogue thief/ warlock genie would be cool to play and get into places. It would take a while to get the cool powers though.

 

[ECMO3]

Here are some of my favorites I have played:

Goblin Rogue 1/Fey Wanderer 15:
7 skills, 3 with expertise, a ton of spells, +19 In deception and persuasion with guidance on top of that, 1d6 sneak attack and the best part of cunning action. Summon an Army of Fey to fight for you. Throwing frightened around on a reaction every turn. Only character I have ever had ever roll a 40 on a skill check!

Mountain Dwarf Enchantment Wizard 4/Order Cleric 8:
Plate and shield with an 8 strength and 8 dexterity with shield of faith and shield spell on top of that. Not using a weapon in combat a single time in 12 levels of play and not even having a weapon on your person after 2nd level. At will Hypnotic Gaze as an action and the ability to still cast meaningful enchantment spells as a bonus action.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hi there. I’m Dannyalcatraz, and I’m a multiclassing junkie. The majority of my PCs going back to AD&D have been muliclassed or dual-classed, so I’ve come up with some different ones over the years. Not all of them have gotten played.

Some of the more memorable ones:

1) a PC based on being a houngan. He was a mix of Necromancer & the OA Shaman.

2) a Marshal/Duskblade/Battle Sorcerer (w/Stalwart Sorcerer ACF). He was essentially an “Arcane Paladin”. Key mechanics included the Marshal Auras and the Knowledge Domain feat as a substitute for Paladin’s Smite. With all the relevant KS maxed out, that was actually more flexible than the original.

3) a Clc of Nature, (Plant & Earth Domains)/Sorcerer/Geomancer. Inspired by 1990s era Swamp Thing lore, this PC’s Geomancer Drift levels were all from the plant options list. Key mechanics revolved around the original Sacred Healing feat* which let you do an AoE healing effect by burning a Turn Undead (only, no other Turns worked), paired with Extra Turning. Despite not having the levels to turn many creatures, this feat combo allowed the character keep the party & NPCs going through RttToEE with only a few healing spells ever being cast. Practiced Spellcsster was also important. Brew Potions had him producing edible healing tubers from his flesh, and he had gaining an Earth Elemental familiar on his Feat wish list.

4) a Starpact Warlock/Psionic whose Dwarven clan was devoted to hunting and destroying Aberrations.

5) a Dragonborn Hybrid Paladin/Cosmic Sorcerer based on the Islamic scholar from The Thirteenth Warrior.

6) a Warfogrd Battlmind/Infernal Pact Warlock designed as a mix of Hellboy and a sentient LeMarchand Box from Hellraiser.

Tangent: my last 3.5Ed PC was technically a single classed Hengeyokai fighter, but between the use of templates (2-headed cryo) and Fey heritage feats that gave spell-like abilities, he had a very F/Mu type feel.


* FWIW, I contacted WotC: the later feat with the same name was NOT intended to replace this feat. Someone simply didn’t check the name agains already published material.

 

[Stormonu]

I've had great fun with paladin (devotion)/warlock(hexblade). Protection combat style, Sentinel, Martial Adept (Commander's Strike, Maneuvering Strike) and Hellish Rebuke. No matter what the enemy does or who they try to attack, it's the wrong choice and they'll pay for it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

If we throw older editions into the mix:

Half elven Magic-user/riddlemaster (survived to level 10/13 IIRC).

Gnomish artificer/illusionist

 

[cbwjm]

This might sound a little basic, but I kind of want to run a barbarian/rogue dual wielding shortswords. With the changes to two weapon fighting removing the bonus action to make the offhand attack, this is looking like it might be even better in the future.

 

[jgsugden]

Real character I ran from 1 to 20:

A Glasya Teifling Religious Archer / Hunter. She believed that Asmodeus was doing everything he could to win the Blood War and that the Ends Justified the Means. She essentially evolved into a Religious Assassin.

Gloomstalker 5
Cleric of Order 1
Divine Soul Sorcerer 5
Battlemaster 4
Assassin 3
Divine Soul 6 and 7.

Her background had her escaping from a Drow Settlement where she was a servant and protector to a diplomat that was murdered. After she developed to 5th level, she took on the Cleric of Order level because she'd become awfully preachy - and it was fun for her to use Healing Words to instruct her allies to attack. However, the Favored Soul sorcerer was a better implementation of her concept so we switched to that after one level. At level 3 of Favored Soul she was able to use metamagic to quicken spells, so she usually did that while also attacking with her bow. She stayed away from 'attack spells' usually and focused on buffs or healing. At level 5 Divine Soul, she started to begin most battles with a Haste Spell (for better or worse). After that she added Battlemaster and Assassin levels as she'd developed into more of a religious assassin. The return to Divine Soul for those last 2 levels was not very character driven - it just seemed like the way to open up the most interesting options for those final levels. She was an effective Sharpshooting archer with a wide array of fun abilities that she could use on a bonus action. One of my favorite PCs.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

What is the most unique entertaining multiclass you have played or pondered?

I have been reading Tasha’s and thinking about how rarely some of these are probably played!

There are 1000s of combos. I may well play a rune knight/genie warlock. I was also interested in a rune knight/battle smith!

Or perhaps a wildfire Druid and an Oath of the watchers Paladin….

I am not interested in super optimized but that is ok too. Just would like to hear about weird pairings that perhaps have been fun!

I played a war cleric/celestial warlock. His divine source was the 7 heavens and his patron a fallen but good angel trying to find redemption in guiding a mercenary fighter who was trying to be redeemed!

Hit us with some cool ideas! Bonus points if two classes and incorporates some lesser played subclasses!

Im partial to a Moon Druid/Kensei Monk. That’s a fast bear with notably higher AC than a normal bear lol

Also fond of Swashbuckler Rogue/Fey Chain Pact Warlock. Booming Blade, Warcaster, Armor of Shadows, good to go. (/Hexblade is obviously more powerful here, but less fun)

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Im partial to a Moon Druid/Kensei Monk. That’s a fast bear with notably higher AC than a normal bear lol

Also fond of Swashbuckler Rogue/Fey Chain Pact Warlock. Booming Blade, Warcaster, Armor of Shadows, good to go. (/Hexblade is obviously more powerful here, but less fun)

Powerful enough is good enough. I like “different” and fun.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Powerful enough is good enough. I like “different” and fun.

Agreed. I’d much rather have “good at all pillars” than “maximally powerful at one, who cares about the others?”

The 5e is built, it’s not easy to build a character who isn’t good enough.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Agreed. I’d much rather have “good at all pillars” than “maximally powerful at one, who cares about the others?”

The 5e is built, it’s not easy to build a character who isn’t good enough.

Honestly the only time I ask someone to think it through is if they want to play a wizard and have never played. Then we coach them about staying alive and let them run.

Otherwise if you pick literally any subclass you can have fun.

 

[Horwath]

My 1st 5E character was wood elf rogue(assassin) with 1 level of fighter and Outlander background.

I wanted to play a ranger but when I read PHB, I have decided that ranger sucks and that this will be my variant of a ranger

One other multiclass I had was a skill monkey:
Rogue4(scout)/Cleric1(knowledge)/Bard4(lore). Feats skilled expert×2(house ruled that it can be taken twice)
All 18 skills, 10 expertise.