Level Up (A5E) Multiclassing feats and ASIs

[Enaluxeme]

Hi! New player here.
So far I've been reading the adventurer's guide and I like what I found. Seems like this "edition" is focused on increasing player choices.
However, I have a question about the multiclassing feats.
If I'm supposed to take them with my ASIs, and to complete the chain I have to take three of them, and as a multiclassed character I will delay my ASIs and might even end up losing 1 of them... When will my ability scores go up?

 

[WarDriveWorley]

It's always a trade off with either buying feats or getting an ASI. Some of the multiclass feats (Nightstalker, Untamed, and Vigilante) do give a +1 to a stat. You can also get ASIs through other means (like strongholds)

 

[Faolyn]

Considering the expertise dice you can get, I'm willing to bet you don't need your stats to be quite as high as you might think.

 

[WarDriveWorley]

Considering the expertise dice you can get, I'm willing to bet you don't need your stats to be quite as high as you might think.

I've noticed that A5E is more forgiving of less than maxed ability scores

 

[lichmaster]

I've noticed that A5E is more forgiving of less than maxed ability scores

I'd also say that even in o5e bumping the stats to 20 isn't that big of a deal. I mean, it's useful, but many feats make the game way more interesting.
Plus, in principle most ASI could be covered by one magic item (gauntles of ogre power/belt of giant strenght, periapt of wisdom, etc).
Where 3.5 seemed to entitle PCs too many magic items, 5e seems to err definitely on the other side.
I love that with LU there are reasonable costs and crafting mechanics, so a player could actually plan to craft those magic items, ignore ASIs and get feats instead.

 

[WarDriveWorley]

I'd also say that even in o5e bumping the stats to 20 isn't that big of a deal. I mean, it's useful, but many feats make the game way more interesting.
Plus, in principle most ASI could be covered by one magic item (gauntles of ogre power/belt of giant strenght, periapt of wisdom, etc).
Where 3.5 seemed to entitle PCs too many magic items, 5e seems to err definitely on the other side.
I love that with LU there are reasonable costs and crafting mechanics, so a player could actually plan to craft those magic items, ignore ASIs and get feats instead.

Agreed. Also it took me a long time to break out of the rut ingrained by previous editions that you "HAVE" to have the best stat to be useful.

 

[Enaluxeme]

I'm unconvinced. If you actually crunch the numbers, only a few feats in o5e are worth sacrificing an ASI for, and you can't call a character optimized if it doesn't reach 20 in its main stat. An increase to damage and, more importantly, to your success chance, that doesn't cost you resources and applies to every single offensive action you take and to most other things you do is just too impactful to give up.
If I'm making a wizard/fighter and take all three synergy feats (whether I'm dual wielding or using archery) as soon as they are available (either wizard 8/fighter 4 or fighter 8/wizard 4) can I really keep up with a +3 to both Str/Dex and Int (and that's only if I'm min maxing for my background! Otherwise a +3 and a +2!) until level 16?

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, one of our more understated goals in A5E was to make characters less dependent on having maxed ability scores.

 

[lichmaster]

I'm unconvinced. If you actually crunch the numbers, only a few feats in o5e are worth sacrificing an ASI for, and you can't call a character optimized if it doesn't reach 20 in its main stat. An increase to damage and, more importantly, to your success chance, that doesn't cost you resources and applies to every single offensive action you take and to most other things you do is just too impactful to give up.
If I'm making a wizard/fighter and take all three synergy feats (whether I'm dual wielding or using archery) as soon as they are available (either wizard 8/fighter 4 or fighter 8/wizard 4) can I really keep up with a +3 to both Str/Dex and Int (and that's only if I'm min maxing for my background! Otherwise a +3 and a +2!) until level 16?

IMO ASI are almost a last resort choice if there's no interesting feat to pick. Feats make characters unique, ASI just make them incrementally more effective in the routine scenario.
If anything, the fact that an ASI would always be preferable to a feat could be used as an indication that the feat itself is not compelling.
"Optimization" means many things, of course if your sole and unique criterion is DPS in a specific scenario you can compute that easily. But I'd rather choose a fun character than a theoretically optimal one. Also because ASI can be entirely compensated for by relatively available magic items. Feats, almost never so (RAW)

 

[lichmaster]

I'm unconvinced. If you actually crunch the numbers, only a few feats in o5e are worth sacrificing an ASI for, and you can't call a character optimized if it doesn't reach 20 in its main stat. An increase to damage and, more importantly, to your success chance, that doesn't cost you resources and applies to every single offensive action you take and to most other things you do is just too impactful to give up.
If I'm making a wizard/fighter and take all three synergy feats (whether I'm dual wielding or using archery) as soon as they are available (either wizard 8/fighter 4 or fighter 8/wizard 4) can I really keep up with a +3 to both Str/Dex and Int (and that's only if I'm min maxing for my background! Otherwise a +3 and a +2!) until level 16?

Also, remember that there are strongholds, which among other benefits can bump your stats for a relatively modest cost (and they can increase your stats even above 20 if you invest enough). And that in LU there's plenty of ways to gain expertise, with the lowest giving you an average of +2.5 to the relevant roll.