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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jaelommiss" data-source="post: 6463126" data-attributes="member: 6775925">At the end of the day classes are nothing more than a selection of 'kewl powerz' that are related thematically. Any time progression in ANY class is allowed, be that their original class or a second one, you are allowing the acquisition of these new powers. When the player chooses their original class they gain a selection of powers. When they level up they gain more powers. If a player believes that choosing an alternate set of powers would create a more interesting character, why should they not? Yes, a long and convoluted alternative probably exists. I'm sure they could spend the next eight levels unlocking the requisite feats to recreate the desired effect. But that doesn't answer the question of why they should not take the easier alternative. If anything, it demonstrates the elegance of multiclassing.Perhaps that player's DM believes that taking a level in another class would make that character more powerful. Why that is a bad thing? The player has earned a level. They could put the level in the class they have already advanced and get closer to its next 'kewl power', or they could progress in a different class and unlock something there. In both cases there is an advance in character strength. I ask why one is necessarily better than the other, especially when the disallowed choice would bring the character more in line with the player's view. Multiclassing allows the player to make and play the exact character that they want to play. WotC cannot be expected to make classes to fill every possible character concept that could be created, and so they allowed multiclassing to let players make the class that they want to play. I see no reason not to allow the players to play what they want to play if the rules provide the possibility and they are making choices that reflect their character.When a player comes to me and says, "Please mister DM sir, I want to play as a priest who empowers their allies by singing hymns in battle," I don't say, "Well then you want a cleric. They are battle priestly types and anything else would be wrong." I instead point them to the bard and give suggestions for reskinning the parts of it that meet their needs. I'll show them the bard's abilities that are appropriate  (bardic inspiration or song of rest, for example), and suggest starting as a cleric, putting levels into bard until they get the ability that supports their character concept, and then continuing along as a cleric to get the spells they want. I will freely admit that I am not concerned about one player growing more powerful than another. Powergamers at my table quickly learn that their enemies are often smart enough to target the greatest threat first. I also start giving out magical items to consistently weaker characters if they start to feel like they are being overshadowed.</blockquote>

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