D&D 5E Treantmonk's Guide to Wizards 5e

[FormerlyHemlock]

Reviewing multi-classing, say Cleric 1 / Wizard X, is there a best time to take the Cleric level?

Depends on your role in the party. If your take Cleric 1, you get more weapon proficiencies (not that you probably care), 1 more HP, and Cha save instead of Int... negligible benefit, so chose your core class based on which saving throw you prefer (i.e. how afraid you are of mind flayers, Phantasmal Force, and Feeblemind vs. Bane, Forcecage, and Banishment).

If you do take Wizard as primary, how soon you take cleric is going to be based on party considerations. In a test party that I rolled up recently for stress-testing encounters, there's a Life Cleric 1/Illusionist X, and I'm planning on having him multiclass to cleric at level 2 so he can be a secondary tank and one of the party healers/Blessers. But in a party that had plenty of tanks already, and didn't have a Sharpshooter, Bless and heavy armor would be less important, so maybe I'd shoot for 5th level before multiclassing because Fireball.

 

[mellored]

Reviewing multi-classing, say Cleric 1 / Wizard X, is there a best time to take the Cleric level?

What hemlock said.

Either at 1 (immediately) or 6 (after fireball), or 19 (after wish and spell mastery).
Maybe at 8 if someone picks up sharp shooter.

 

[Noctem]

What hemlock said.

Either at 1 (immediately) or 6 (after fireball), or 19 (after wish and spell mastery).
Maybe at 8 if someone picks up sharp shooter.

agreed, those levels seem spot on.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Or whenever it is appropriate for your campaign. If you take it at 1 you can also take it at 2. Really makes no difference beyond 1hp and a different secondary save. Make it level 3 to have your subclass faster.

 

[Motorskills]

Or whenever it is appropriate for your campaign. If you take it at 1 you can also take it at 2. Really makes no difference beyond 1hp and a different secondary save. Make it level 3 to have your subclass faster.

I figured it might make most sense to start with cleric, for the better AC immediately. You can't multi-class at level 2 if you don't make it past level 1....

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I figured it might make most sense to start with cleric, for the better AC immediately. You can't multi-class at level 2 if you don't make it past level 1....

In addition to the better AC at level 1, starting as cleric also lets you spend your variant human feat on Heavy Armor Mastery, which you wouldn't otherwise have until level 4.

Between Greenflame Blade, AC 20, Shield, Heavy Armor Master, and either Shield of Faith or Blur, your wizard will be one of the tankiest guys around (moreso than a Bladesinger, and for longer) even before you get Spell Mastery at 19th level.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

If that is you goal. Why not. On the other hand heavy armor mastery increases STR.. which you not exactly need. But between abjurer and heavy armor master yes, you are hard to kill and useful for the party. But you will notice being one level later with your spells.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

If that is you goal. Why not. On the other hand heavy armor mastery increases STR.. which you not exactly need. But between abjurer and heavy armor master yes, you are hard to kill and useful for the party. But you will notice being one level later with your spells.

I sometimes find the increased Str useful in conjunction with heavy armor, because you need Str 15 to not be slowed by plate armor.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Ok, that's true. And you can afford to have lower dex with heavy armor. So you need int 16, Wisdom 13 or better 14 and str 15. Thag is very easy as variant human.
stats: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 the standard array will work well.

Str 13+1+1
Dex 10
Con 12
Int 15+1
Wis 14
Cha 8

Your constitution suffers but you are hit less often and never vave to think about raising dex freeing you up for some feats.
If you can live with slightly lighter heavy armor, you can have con 14 and str 13.

I personally would maybe be ok with medium armor and 14 dex instead of 15 str and take a different feat than hravy armor mastery... maybe resilent constitution.

 

[CapnZapp]

In addition to the better AC at level 1, starting as cleric also lets you spend your variant human feat on Heavy Armor Mastery, which you wouldn't otherwise have until level 4.

Whoa whoa...

You don't waste a feat on armor proficiency! Instead, start your character in a class that gives you heavy armor for "free"!

You can even stick to cleric, since two subclasses give you exactly that.

As a variant human, there's much better L1 feat choices than taking something you can easily get anyway...