D&D 5E 'Super' Multiclassing

[LotusApe]

I think I read this style of multiclassing in an old Dragon magazine for 3rd edition but I am considering using it for my 5th campaign.

Basically you take two classes per level, and get the greatest bonus from each class, along with the class abilities. So you could be a Fighter/Rogue 10 - have 10 Fighter Hit Dice and attack bonus, Rogue number of skill points and the best save scores from each class. And all of the abilities up to level 10 for each class.

It was intended to simulate high-powered worlds. I am thinking of using it because I have a campaign with just two players in it.

But I'm not sure how how well it would work in 5th edition. 5th ed has the common proficiency bonus, so maybe just giving the saves from each class, and number of skill picks too.

 

[Mercule]

Could be interesting. There isn't really much that's "best of". You'd have to grant both classes' special abilities, which wouldn't necessarily break anything. Since hit points is supposed to be the great equalizer in 5E, maybe you could give both sets of hit points, based on your goal of protecting a small party.

I will say, though, that I've run small and/or solo groups in most editions of D&D. It's always stood up pretty well. You need to handle it appropriately, though. Either do custom adventures or just pad out the numbers with NPC party members.

Note: I'm not suggesting DMPCs. Those are bad. Do not do them, ever.

 

[waxtransient]

I ran a 5e game that went up to around level 30 (using the rules in the DMG about experience and leveling after level 20). Around level 20, the whole party got epic weapons, and my rogue/warlock multiclass character received a boon that turned him into a "gestalt" character, which I think is the common name for the super multiclassing you are describing.

Anywho, all that is to say that I have seen a gestalt character in action, in this case a warlock/rogue.

It didn't break anything. As has already been mentioned, he still had the same hit points and attack bonus, so that didn't really change. Same for his proficiency bonus. He was also kept in check by the 5e action economy: he always had a useful thing to do in every situation, but at the end of the day he was still limited to just one action and a bonus action. Ultimately it gave more flexibility than raw power, although he became gestalt suddenly, so I'm sure a premeditated power gamer could do some degenerate things with gestalt.

I think 5e gestalt would get trickier if the two classes were both casters. Not sure how many spell slots you would give them, how sharing would work, etc. I think gestalt characters are a really good solution to your problem of only having two players though, much better than a DMPC =]

 

[Blue]

A very similar or identical system has received a lot of attention already with good feedback. For 5e it's being called "gestalt multiclassing" if you want to search for it.

Here's some links but there are more:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...-dirty-concurrent-multiclassing-gestalt-rules
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...ticlassing-how-s-the-balance-of-this-proposal

 

[LotusApe]

Gestalt, that's the name for it thank you.

Yeah the game is running OK so far, it's easy enough to drop HP and other stats for dangerous solo monsters that I want to use. I was just considering it if the party runs into trouble in later levels. These are new players so going gestalt straight away would be a bit overwhelming I think.

 

[mflayermonk]

You might want to look at the Scarlet Heroes game for inspiration.
1 or 2 player campaigns is what Scarlet Heroes was designed for. SH solves this problem by PCs doing Hit Dice damage and monsters doing Hit Point damage.

 

[Satyrn]

Gestalt, that's the name for it thank you.

Aye. And it was in 3e's Unearthed Arcana variant rule book.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Gestalt, that's the name for it thank you.

Yeah the game is running OK so far, it's easy enough to drop HP and other stats for dangerous solo monsters that I want to use. I was just considering it if the party runs into trouble in later levels. These are new players so going gestalt straight away would be a bit overwhelming I think.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't do it with new players. In fact i haven't done gestalt myself yet, but it does favor a more "herioc" style of play. it lets you play that guy that is equally great at swordplay and sorcery like Rand Al'Thor from the Wheel of Time, or Anomander Rake from Malazan Book of the Fallen. Or a guy that seems to be equal parts fighter and barbarian like Guts from Berserk.