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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RogueJK" data-source="post: 7894719" data-attributes="member: 170">Moon Druids are laser-focused around using Wild Shape in combat, and Combat Wild Shape is heavily level-dependent.  That Bear form that seems so powerful at Level 2 is weak by Level 7 and completely outclassed by Level 10.  A serious Moon Druid only wants to multiclass in extremely small amounts, for very specific purposes, like dipping 1 level of Barbarian or Monk to raise your Wild Shape AC and gain a few other small benefits.  Any other multiclassing is a waste for a Moon Druid.However, dipping a few levels of another type of Druid with a Ranger is workable, for some basic Wild Shape forms and some cantrips and a bit of additional spellcasting.  Though a likely better option would be starting with Ranger 5 and then going straight Druid, since Ranger is honestly rather lackluster at higher levels and works best as a 3-5 level dip from another class.  The other Druid subclasses are less heavily dependent on Druid levels than a Moon Druid, so you won't notice the missing 5 levels as much, especially since you're focusing more on melee fighting.Another great option for an even more effective melee-focused nature character is to go Ranger/Nature Cleric. A Nature Cleric dipping 5 levels of Ranger trades some of its spellcasting power for a very nice bump to its melee effectiveness, with an Extra Attack, a few nice lower level Ranger spells, and some extra melee damage from Ranger subclasses like Hunter or Gloomstalker.  Compared to a Ranger/Druid, you still get the "Melee Champion of Nature" vibe, just in a slightly different flavor.  It has a higher melee damage output than the Ranger/Druid, but you do lose out on some of the Druid's utility.  You're giving up some of the Druid's more utility-focused spells, as well as the ability to use Wild Shape for exploration, but you get noticeably more melee-focused spells and abilities instead.A Ranger 5/Nature Cleric X can rock Medium/Heavy Armor and a Shield, make two Attacks, have extra damage from Gloomstalker/Hunter plus eventually Divine Strike, plus make a Bonus Action attack with Spiritual Weapon, and also be concentrating on a spell like Hunter's Mark, Bless, or Spirit Guardians for extra damage or attack bonuses. For this route, I'd go Ranger 1, then Cleric 1, then 4 more Ranger levels up to Ranger 5, then straight Cleric from there.  It's a capable melee fighter with some added spellcasting and buffs from the get-go, but ramps up steadily at Level 4 (Extra melee damage from Ranger Subclass - Hunter or Gloomstalker), Level 6 (Extra Attack), Level 8 (Spiritual Weapon bonus attack), Level 10 (Spirit Guardians), and Level 13 (Divine Strike).</blockquote>

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