D&D 5E Multiclassing in self class instead.

[Jushirambo]

Hello everyone, i think in the possibility of get a multiclass of another archetype of same class, for example Barbarian of Bear totem 3/Barbarian of Frenzy 3, what kind of issues that variant may be cause?

 

[NotAYakk]

Seems like a bad idea for many reasons.

1. Your main-class features end up making no sense. Do you get 2+2 rages, or just 2? What is double reckless attack?

2. Subclasses often "modify" core class features in ways that are not intended or designed to stack. The various "rage" enhancements, for example, could make rage unbalanced. Some encourage enemies to eliminate you, some discourage it; having both has multiplicative, not additive.

3. Classes which are strong to dip could become breaking. Suppose that every Warlock class had something as strong as Hexblade's curse. That has a limited balance impact, because you can only MC Warlock 1 once. Now you can do it for each subclass. (Cleric 1 might be an example of this; lots of Cleric subclasses have very strong level 1 features).

So random combos will often be underpowered or mechanically confusing, and certain ones might stretch the bounds of the game. Patches to the mechanical issues will probably produce other issues (like the one where you can pick any subclass first feature when you gain a new subclass feature; subclass features are not ordered randomly, and instead fit into the main class's power growth curve. They often intentionally have certain levels with ribbons, and others with large combat boosts; if you can pick and choose, you can get over-ribboned or over-featured.)

 

[DND_Reborn]

Hello everyone, i think in the possibility of get a multiclass of another archetype of same class, for example Barbarian of Bear totem 3/Barbarian of Frenzy 3, what kind of issues that variant may be cause?

Well, for one thing whenever you have the same feature twice, it doesn't stack.

Another option would be "multipathing". In multipathing, you keep your class and advance in that class normally, but when you would get the next subclass feature, you choose the first feature of a different subclass.

Using your example with Barbarian. Suppose you begin by taking Bear Totem at level 3. Then, at level 6, instead of taking the next feature in Bear Totem, Aspect of the Beast, you instead choose the first feature of Berserker, getting Frenzy. Then, when you get to level 10 Barbarian and get another subclass feature, you choose either the second one from either subclass: choosing Aspect of the Beast from Bear Totem, or Mindless Rage from Berserker.

The only downside is this tends to be a bit more powerful in some ways since the first subclass features are typically better than the second ones, but it isn't always the case and a lot depends on what you want.

Anyway, such a character would be Barbarian 6 (Bear Totem 3/ Berserker 3), giving you all the features of a level 6 Barbarian as well as Frenzy (Berserker) and Spirit Seeker and Totem Spirit (both from Totem Warrior).

 

[Jushirambo]

Well, for one thing whenever you have the same feature twice, it doesn't stack.

Another option would be "multipathing". In multipathing, you keep your class and advance in that class normally, but when you would get the next subclass feature, you choose the first feature of a different subclass.

Using your example with Barbarian. Suppose you begin by taking Bear Totem at level 3. Then, at level 6, instead of taking the next feature in Bear Totem, Aspect of the Beast, you instead choose the first feature of Berserker, getting Frenzy. Then, when you get to level 10 Barbarian and get another subclass feature, you choose either the second one from either subclass: choosing Aspect of the Beast from Bear Totem, or Mindless Rage from Berserker.

The only downside is this tends to be a bit more powerful in some ways since the first subclass features are typically better than the second ones, but it isn't always the case and a lot depends on what you want.

Anyway, such a character would be Barbarian 6 (Bear Totem 3/ Berserker 3), giving you all the features of a level 6 Barbarian as well as Frenzy (Berserker) and Spirit Seeker and Totem Spirit (both from Totem Warrior).

"Multipathing" is a nice concept, and is more like something i was searching with this variant, but in some cases is worse to pick a level 3 feature twice instead to pick a 6 level feature,

I wanna create a kind of skill tree like a diablo games

 

[dave2008]

"Multipathing" is a nice concept, and is more like something i was searching with this variant, but in some cases is worse to pick a level 3 feature twice instead to pick a 6 level feature,

I wanna create a kind of skill tree like a diablo games

There was a recent UA article on variant class features. I don't recall if there was anything for barbarians in there, but you might check that out.

 

[DND_Reborn]

"Multipathing" is a nice concept, and is more like something i was searching with this variant, but in some cases is worse to pick a level 3 feature twice instead to pick a 6 level feature,

I wanna create a kind of skill tree like a diablo games

In some cases it is worse, depending on what you want, and delays the upper subclass features. But, in other cases, it is better. Just depends on what you are looking for. The bottom line is multipathing seems to do what you want, and you aren't repeating levels of a class you already have (which would gain you nothing really except more HD, which multipathing also gives).

One thing you really shouldn't do IMO, is allow a character to subclass-jump within the same class. The idea would be taking the first subclass feature for one subclass, and then skipping over the first feature and getting the second feature instead for a different subclass!

The barbarian example would be Barbarian (Bear Totem 3) and then switching to Berserker, but skipping Frenzy and just leaping to Mindless Rage at level 6.

 

[Jushirambo]

There was a recent UA article on variant class features. I don't recall if there was anything for barbarians in there, but you might check that out.

Barbarians in this case is just a example,'ll take a look in these UA later, tnx.

 

[dave2008]

Barbarians in this case is just a example,'ll take a look in these UA later, tnx.

Here is the link (and it does include barbarians): Variant Class Features

 

[Jushirambo]

In some cases it is worse, depending on what you want, and delays the upper subclass features. But, in other cases, it is better. Just depends on what you are looking for. The bottom line is multipathing seems to do what you want, and you aren't repeating levels of a class you already have (which would gain you nothing really except more HD, which multipathing also gives).

One thing you really shouldn't do IMO, is allow a character to subclass-jump within the same class. The idea would be taking the first subclass feature for one subclass, and then skipping over the first feature and getting the second feature instead for a different subclass!

The barbarian example would be Barbarian (Bear Totem 3) and then switching to Berserker, but skipping Frenzy and just leaping to Mindless Rage at level 6.

2 good way to ride with these "feature" unlimited swapping of features is really OP. Now i think both variants is more like a skill tree instead multiclassing

 

[Jushirambo]

Here is the link (and it does include barbarians): Variant Class Features

Thanks