D&D 5E To MC or not MC? That is the question!

[DND_Reborn]

Not a bad idea. I do something different with multiclassing. It works out well at my table but your idea has some merit. You will however have the problem with palylock...

Thanks.

I am not as concerned with the paladin/cha-based abuse. We have a Paladin/Cleric in our current game, and yeah he smites a lot, but he also casts a fair amount as well.

My reasoning was mostly because the dual-casters we have seem to have so many spell options, knowing what all the spells do and choosing what to use takes too much time. The players simply aren't organized or experienced enough in most cases.

Also, I've noticed the loss of power associated with MCed caster compared to pure caster classes is more detrimental in the long run and I would like to discourage some of it without absolutely saying no.

 

[jmartkdr2]

From the responses so far, I am thinking if I allow multiclassing, I would only ban dual-full-caster combos unless you do it from the beginning and keep them equal as you advance.

So, no sorcerer/warlock, no cleric/wizard, etc. unless at 2nd level you take the second class immediately. Then, if the two classes are ever more than 1 level apart, the lower class can no longer advance as the separation represents your decision to focus on the stronger class.

Other multiclass combinations, up to two classes only, and with any degree of difference in level, would be allowed as normal.

I am not sold on it, myself, just something I came up with this evening. What do people think about the idea?

Honesty I think even that's overthinking it, since dual-full caster is already generally one of the weakest multiclass combos in the game.

If you really feel the need to stop cheese, just make cantips scale to class levels and link the Charisma to attack part of Hex Warrior to Pact of the Blade instead (leave in the weapon and armor proficiencies at first level, though.) I don't even bother with that much myself, but I just trust my players to not be cheesy. (In their builds. The humor is Wisconsinite.)

 

[FrogReaver]

Not a bad idea. I do something different with multiclassing. It works out well at my table but your idea has some merit. You will however have the problem with palylock...

Delaying Paladin abilities is a big deal. The palylock a different take on the class but it's not a straight upgrade over single classed paladin.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Honesty I think even that's overthinking it, since dual-full caster is already generally one of the weakest multiclass combos in the game.

If you really feel the need to stop cheese, just make cantips scale to class levels and link the Charisma to attack part of Hex Warrior to Pact of the Blade instead (leave in the weapon and armor proficiencies at first level, though.) I don't even bother with that much myself, but I just trust my players to not be cheesy. (In their builds. The humor is Wisconsinite.)

a bunch of cheesheads, huh?

Actually, I don't mind the cantrips as it gives the casters a way to do damage on par (or close enough) to the non-casters. The dual-casters in our game are extremely effective, it just takes forever to get them do make a choice sometimes... very annoying.

 

[jmartkdr2]

a bunch of cheesheads, huh?

Actually, I don't mind the cantrips as it gives the casters a way to do damage on par (or close enough) to the non-casters. The dual-casters in our game are extremely effective, it just takes forever to get them do make a choice sometimes... very annoying.

Ah. Not the usual problem, that.

Not that analysis paralysis isn't a common problem, I just haven't seen it exacerbated by multiclassing. That sounds... painful.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Ah. Not the usual problem, that.

Not that analysis paralysis isn't a common problem, I just haven't seen it exacerbated by multiclassing. That sounds... painful.

IT IS!!!



Seriously, though, you should see the time it takes for our Paladin/Cleric to pick his prepared spells when he has to! Utterly mind-numbing...

 

[jmartkdr2]

IT IS!!!



Seriously, though, you should see the time it takes for our Paladin/Cleric to pick his prepared spells when he has to! Utterly mind-numbing...

"After three hours of carefully considering what we might face based on completely baseless conjecture and no real information, I have decided - to prepare the same spells as yesterday."

Dammit, Alex.

 

[TwoSix]

IT IS!!!



Seriously, though, you should see the time it takes for our Paladin/Cleric to pick his prepared spells when he has to! Utterly mind-numbing...

I'm not sure how your suggested rule change (dual casters must be within one level of each other) actually fixes that problem. If anything, trying to ready two different prepared selections from two different spell lists seems like it would only exacerbate the problem.

 

[CleverNickName]

If anybody's got them, I'd love to see some house rules for bringing back the "Favored Class" mechanic from 3rd Edition/Pathfinder. It was one of the more interesting racial traits back in the day.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I'm not sure how your suggested rule change (dual casters must be within one level of each other) actually fixes that problem. If anything, trying to ready two different prepared selections from two different spell lists seems like it would only exacerbate the problem.

Preparing multiple lists is what is already happening, and well, that part doesn't address that issue TBH.

My first thought was to simply not allow dual-caster MCs, but then I thought if they started that way (at least story-wise) it makes more sense. I generally don't like to not allow combinations players want, but I also don't see how (without a lot of time off/down time) a Wizard could pick up a level of Cleric, for instance.

Of course, the same could be true of most MC combinations. I was more a fan of dual-classing in earlier editions and I might do something like that now.

Still thinking it all over.