Can a character acquire multiple archetypes from the same class?

Question

I have a player that wants to build a Dragonborn Outlander Ranger/Sorcerer, with Slaad as the first Favored Enemy.

The archetypes for the Sorcerer are Draconic Bloodline and Wild Magic. Being Dragonborn fits the Draconic Bloodline. And her backstory, in which she was used in a Slaadi ritual, fits rather well with the Wild Magic archetype. As such, the player would like both archetypes.

My thoughts are that I will simply let them Multiclass in Sorcerer twice, thus becoming Rang 3/Sorc (Dragon) 1/Sorc (Wild) 1. While I realize this goes against the standard rules, I can't see where it conflicts. So, my question is this:

Are there any other guidelines for acquiring multiple archetypes within the D&D 5th edition class system that I am missing?

Answer 1

Using the books' rules, no, you can't.

You can only choose your archetype once, when you achieve that level (e.g. 3rd lvl Fighter). The only way to get another archetype would be leveling the same class from 1st level again, doing something similar to a multiclass Fighter/Fighter.

Although, as mentioned here, multiclassing rules in PHB specifically state

With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in level, instead of gaining a level in your current class.

And in Sage Advice

Can I multiclass into the same class to pick more than one subclass?

Multiclassing is designed solely for taking different classes. For example, you can be a fighter/rogue, but not a rogue/rogue.

(Just explaining to people that might get here to question the same thing and don't know why it is against standard rules, as mentioned in the text)

Hopefully, the books aren't everything

I know the same about specific official guidelines to multiple archetypes as you - I don't know any. And yet, I've created some NPCs and let my players create some PCs with multiple archetypes, although admittedly some turned out being broken. Anyway I might help:

• Create a mixed archetype that takes out some features from one archetype and adds from the other.
• Your scenario seems motivated by the background and race of the character, so it seems you want the most flavorish characteristics. From Wild Magic, you want Wild Surge and from Draconic Bloodline you want the Draconic Resilience.
• Balancing both of them together: If you give them the Tides of Chaos from Wild Magic as well, decrease the AC given by draconic resilience and don't give them the HP bonus. Also nerf some of the wild surge effects from the table as you seem fit.
• If you give them the full Draconic Resilience, don't give them Tides of Chaos. Honestly, I think Wild Surge by itself is not a "good" feature that actually needs to be balanced if you just give it for free. For example, casting a Fireball centered on yourself usually means killing yourself and half your party. There are enough negative effects already and its trigger is the DM wants to, so you can actually just give it for free and balance it through when you trigger it.

Personally, I would make them take the Draconic Bloodline archetype and just give the Wild Surge feature for free. Balance-wise it is does not seem broken to me, although I do have less experience with Wild Magic Sorcerers than almost every other subclass.

Answer 2

Basically, the only thing that you could do would be to take a feat or several that provided a similar class feature to the archetype that you are missing.

For the mix you are thinking of specifically, there are not feats that provide the features you are looking for. However, for say, an Eldritch Knight fighter that wanted to dabble in Battle Master, there is a feat that provides Combat Superiority dice and allows them to select a limited number of those features.

Again, this doesn't exist for every class, though you may be able to work with your Player to develop a feat that would provide some basic early level archetype support.

Answer 3

The answers per the rules is no (see Can you multiclass the same class twice for different class features?). I was led here to research this myself because it struck me that 3 levels of Rogue Swashbuckler (to get the lvl 3 sneak attack power) plus 17 levels of Thief to get the two complete turns in the first round would make you the ultimate alpha striker (perhaps aside from a Barbarian...).

But sadly, no, it's not allowed.

The multiclass rules are specifically designed for mixing different classes, not different types of the same class.

With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in level, instead of gaining a level in your current class. (PHB, p. 163)

A DM can make any rule s/he wants of course, and could create a special class just for you that is a mix/match of archetype powers, but that would introduce a risk to game balance.

D&D 5e isn't 3e or Pathfinder - it's not designed to play rocket tag and be a min/max game.

Answer 4

RAW, no.

There is no rules-as-written method to gain two archetypes from the same class, to my knowledge, except UA versions of Strixhaven multi-class archetypes. Which is very.. debatable.

However, you are the DM.

You are explicitly encouraged to alter the rules when it will add to your game or avoid taking away from the fun or the story of the game. You are the final arbiter of rules at your table and can freely change them.

Having the character expend two levels in the sorcerer class to gain the first level benefits twice (keep in mind though, the spells would still progress normally - and stack with any other spellcasting classes etc as spelled out in the multiclassing rules) is perfectly balanced as regards the Draconic and Wild Magic bloodlines. Neither gives anything particularly notable at 1st level and they do not 'combo' in any meaningful way. The second level features of the Sorcerer class are more valuable than either, so losing out on those (for a level) is a straight trade-down.

You could also simply give both at level 1 with very little impact on character power. Unless this character is already outclassing others, multiclassing from ranger to sorcerer is not a particularly optimized move and likely they are not mechanically overshadowing others. The minor bump of getting draconic and wild magic instead of one or the other is very unlikely to change much in that regard.

This is true for the vast majority of options in 5E D&D. You can usually read through the abilities and find any combination of things that may actually shake things up (which are usually not mutually exclusive and can be gained normally) when players bring them up. Likewise, if there are any issues in the game from abilities interacting to create results you didn't expect or that are too powerful (Thunderous Smite + Cloud of Daggers oneshotting bosses, for example) you can simply have a chat with the player about changing them to be more in line with the mechanical results of other players' abilities - as again, you are the DM. The rules are required to be filtered through your perception and intellect in order to create a fun and interesting game for your players, whether that means houseruling to allow/create things, or houseruling to remove/alter things.

Answer 5

I keep seeing everyone throwing in the Multiclassing statement of "With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in level, instead of gaining a level in your current class. (PHB, p. 163)" But what I am not seeing, is people seeing the ine word to break it all. OPTION.

You have the OPTION to take levels in a new class. I have recently been tasked with making a whole slew of characters for a dungeon crawl game for beginners to gain knowledge in many aspects of the game, D&D5e. And with that, have studied the book and many other guides extensively, and all I've found is methods towards making characters within one class multiple ways, AND in multiple facets towards inversion.

I would debate against the norm of answers and state that the Multiclassing feature as writ states NOTHING against Multiclassing within one's own class, given you choose a different Archtype.

Now let me explain how I had come across this. When leveling, you still have a choice as to how you spend your exp and dole out your points. Choice. You CAN accrue experience and when enough is saved, you do have the ability to dive Right into a secondary Archtype.

Using the Sorcerer, for ease of explanation, the Draconic Resilience and Wild surge. By law of lore and the basis of D&D(Storytelling) you can leave a tale of two lives in one.

The biggest thing is EXP needed to do such, let's dally back to a Fighter/Fighter. Sure, your walking right back into the same low level class features of Action Surge and Second Wind. Obviously you wouldn't be able to gain these features twice, that would go against the fighters training regime. But in that same token, your training can allow you to start as a Champion, a fighter for entertainment. Now using the Storytelling Clause, who's to say that Champion of the people doesn't decide to go into the Military, and enjoys it. A Champion being mostly akin to a Gladiator, there is some Moxy and bravado in it all, which having that intimidating demeanor, why not become a Battle Master. Barking your orders and using your flashy skills hard learned in the arena to be the basis for the Battle Masters maneuvers.

Being an avid player for almost 2 decades, this has been a fierce debate over many Players.(and I mean that totally in a nice way, but players don't run a game) But when you ask a DM, and state the correct correlation of STORY with the precise method of acquisition towards set up, I've met none who can deny the rules as writ do Not state you're unable to facilitate levels back within your class, just with the Intelligence to know you can't take certain features twice over(unless the features state they are able to be taken multiple times)

Again, this is an opinion as credible as any other. And using the same wording from the PHB as others do. Just seeing the words they seem to overlook.