D&D 5E When should I Multiclass?

[Tanaka Chris]

So I've been playing around with the idea of MC. And this is the question that stumps me...


When SHOULD I dip into the other class for benefits?
Early levels I level up really fast so it'll be easy, but I worry that may lower my survivability without the benefits of unlocking the abilities in my main class.

At high levels the EXP comes in so slowly I may find myself playing a single class character for all purposes. Always assuming the mortality of my PC of course, meaning I may not ever make it to MC if I hold it off too long.


To put it in perspective, I'm looking at a Monk/Warlock combo and was thinking maybe I should go 3 levels of Monk then 3 levels of Warlock before going back to Monk all the way.


Comments and advice?

 

[UngainlyTitan]

If you go 3 levels you loose a feat, since feats are now a class feature rather than a character feature.
So I would stop at 1, 4, 8, etc rather than breaking at other levels.
There are some other considerations like Eldritch Knight who has some interesting class features, like bonded weapon and the ability to cast cantrips with a weapon attack that may be worth it as some character ability.

 

[Evenglare]

You should multiclass when the narrative calls for it.

 

[Celtavian]

Mechanically according to feat progression. Otherwise, when it suits the character concept you want to play. As nifty as many high level abilities are, you should still be quite effective without them.

 

[Juriel]

Warrior classes should go to 5 before anything else, because that extra attack basically doubles your effectiveness. It's horribly limiting, but after that, stuff opens up a lot - you're just heavily encouraged to multiclass in increments of 4, because of the feats.

 

[77IM]

Just alternate levels.

 

[Riley37]

Aragorn is a pretty good role model. Multiclass at the same points he did.

 

[AmerginLiath]

To be fair, Riley, as a 5th-level ranger, Aragorn did get his second attack and would thus be clear to multi-class by Juriel's logic above.

 

[kerleth]

I think it depends. In the OP example of a warmonk, hex+flurry of blows adds in more damage than extra attack. (Though you do have to spend a bonus action on it). Furthermore, you can get hex NOW, instead of waiting, say, two more levels for extra attack. For a fighter barbarian, getting rage to combo with action surge at 3rd level could definitely be worth delaying extra attack a level or two. I think in general you end up with a smaller boost NOW, but delay the bigger boost till later.
Also, since ability boosts are class features, the benefit of them has to be balanced against other class features. I have brainstormed up a couple of characters that would be willing to lose an ability increase because the combination of features is mechanically more valuable to the character. Ability increases are valuable, but not the Be-All, End-All that they are sometimes made out to be.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I typically go every 4 levels to make sure I get at least 2 stat upgrades / feats in the first 8 levels.