98
votes
Backtracking from multiclassing with consequences
This is too harsh
Your player is unhappy because her character is weaker than the other characters.
You're trying to fix this by weakening her character further.
Here is how I handle this
When I run ...
- 87.8k
80
votes
Accepted
What are the downsides to multi-classing?
There are two main downsides to multiclassing, though depending on your play style and group you may never run into the lesser of the two issues.
Falling behind single-class characters
The primary ...
- 24.3k
63
votes
Accepted
Does the same fighting style stack with itself?
Everywhere that you can get a Fighting Style includes this important sentence:
You can’t take a
Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later
get to choose again.
So it doesn't ...
- 144k
62
votes
Accepted
Can a rogue/Kensei monk use Sneak Attack with a Kensei weapon?
No, this is a converse error
Your logic is something like this:
Sneak Attack […] The attack must use a finesse […] weapon.
(Player’s Handbook, pg. 96)
Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse ...
- 345k
57
votes
Accepted
Would letting a multiclass character rebuild their character to be single-classed be game-breaking?
This is known as a "re-spec", and it's reasonable on occasion.
While changing one's character levels isn't a standard rule in D&D 5th edition, it's not unreasonable to allow a character to change ...
- 78.9k
53
votes
Can multi-classing prerequisite ability score(s) be met through a magic item?
In this unofficial tweet, Jeremy Crawford states that the prerequisite ability scores for multiclassing are intended to be met by your base score and not a temporary score. As such, we can infer that ...
- 56.8k
49
votes
How do you help a new player evaluate complex multiclassing options without driving them and yourself crazy?
The Simple Answer
Simply, you don't. It's the players' responsibility to learn the rules and build their characters. You as DM have enough on your plate without running the players through a dozen ...
- 2,701
47
votes
Does this character concept involving never taking a long rest and converting spell slots to sorcery points (aka coffeelock) violate RAW?
The big issue with this seems to rely on being able to stockpile spell slots through short rests during downtime. Unfortunately, in the Resting rules (page 67 of the basic rules), it states:
...
- 3,264
47
votes
What are the downsides to multi-classing?
For instance, we have a 3rd-level Barbarian who has started multi-classing into Druid. He's not going to be getting any more significant Barbarian abilities until 9th-level...
I would strongly ...
- 2,809
47
votes
Accepted
Is Bard level 20 utterly worthless, mechanically?
Yes, it is particularly underwhelming.
Suppose your table actually runs what the Dungeon Master's Guide calls The Adventuring Day:
Assuming typical adventuring conditions and average luck, most ...
- 144k
43
votes
Do you need to let the DM know when you are multiclassing?
Yes.
The PHB p. 163 is explicit in that you have to have the GM's permission. Prior to the game in this context means that you have to get permission from your DM before you use it in game. If you ...
- 19.4k
41
votes
Accepted
If I multiclass from ranger into Druid, can I still wear metal armor?
In the PHB pg 164 it gives you the multiclass table for what proficiencies you gain once you place 1 level into Druid (or any other class). Note on this table it also reminds you that Druids will NOT ...
- 18.6k
40
votes
Accepted
What happens when it's time to level up and I no longer meet a multiclass prerequisite?
RAW: it appears that this would not matter.
Page 163 of the PHB (emphasis mine):
To qualify for a new class, you must meet the ability score prerequisites for both your current class and your new ...
- 22.2k
40
votes
Accepted
In this absurd multi-class, is there any other benefit to having a specific starting class?
Starting Equipment
Which class you begin with may provide better starting equipment for your eventual playstyle.
Bonus Feat
(Credit to Sdjz in comments)
If Abserd is a Variant Human, the feat ...
- 73k
39
votes
Accepted
Proficiency bonuses and multiclassing: highest, add all together, or what?
Your Proficiency Bonus is based on the total levels you have as a character, not on any one class.
Your proficiency bonus is always based on your total character level, as described in Chapter 1 [p....
- 101k
39
votes
Does this character concept involving never taking a long rest and converting spell slots to sorcery points (aka coffeelock) violate RAW?
This no longer works under RAW, due to wording changes in later printings. Once your elf uses the Trance feature for four hours, they satisfy the conditions for a long rest, and thus take a long rest.
...
- 27.7k
38
votes
Accepted
Can you cast a 9th level spell if your multiclass spell slots have 9th level spell slots?
No.
The multiclass spellcasting rules are more specific and override the individual class's spellcasting rules.
Player's Handbook
You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class ...
- 5,229
38
votes
What are the downsides to multi-classing?
It takes a lot of time and effort to do it properly
It is difficult to mess up a single-class character1 but multiclassing efficiently is hard.
You have to keep in mind what features can be fueled by ...
- 62.4k
37
votes
Is Bard level 20 utterly worthless, mechanically?
It's useless, if you mainly use Inspiration in combat
This might seem like a strange statement, since Superior Inspiration triggers upon entering combat, but it's important to keep in mind how this ...
- 6,412
36
votes
Accepted
Can you multiclass out of your starting class if you don't have the required stats for it?
The multi-classing rules say on PHB page 163, under “Prerequisites”:
To qualify for a new class, you must meet the ability score
prerequisites for both your current class and your new
one, as ...
- 3,216
36
votes
Accepted
Can a rogue multiclass into druid?
Optional Rule
Unfortunately, multiclassing is an entirely optional rule, so there is no way to force your DM to allow it.
If the DM allows for it, the character needs to have a 13 in the relevant ...
- 48.2k
36
votes
How do you help a new player evaluate complex multiclassing options without driving them and yourself crazy?
Don't use mutliclassing; or, use it with some restrictions
Don't use multiclassing
Since you're throwing around words like hexsorcadin that are not in the core rules but are widely used in online ...
- 6,481
35
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to "charge up" a sorcerer/warlock by taking multiple short rests?
You cannot keep them as sorcery points, because:
You can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for
your level. (PHB 101)
But you can make spell slots out of them, as
The ...
- 61.3k
35
votes
Accepted
How does the November 2018 PH errata change the usage of multiclass spell slots to cast spells?
It doesn't
Multiclassing has its own set of rules that define what spell slots you have, and this overrides the spell slots mentioned in the wizard class section.
The errata you mention was added (I ...
- 27.7k
35
votes
Accepted
Does this strict reading of the rules allow both Extra Attack and the Thirsting Blade warlock invocation to be used together?
No.
Or, more specifically, yes, as long as you didn't get those features via multiclassing, which is never.
The multiclassing rules state:
Extra Attack
If you gain the Extra Attack class feature from ...
- 67.1k
35
votes
Accepted
What are the benefits of multi-classing over gestalting?
Gestalt isn't a choice, it's a game variant.
That's very important to understand when asking why you don't just do it: because it's not generally assumed that it's a valid option.
The game doesn't ...
- 6,240
34
votes
Accepted
How does multi-classing Sorcerer/Bard total spell slots work at lv 20/20?
You're on homebrew territory
Multiclassing a character to maximum level in multiple classes is not possible under the base rules. The maximum character level is 20, so the total levels you have in ...
- 53.8k
33
votes
Does this character concept involving never taking a long rest and converting spell slots to sorcery points (aka coffeelock) violate RAW?
Not necessarily a violation, but a concern, which I noticed thanks to Weaveworker89’s comment, that may affect this character’s ability to maintain this approach:
Adventurers can take [...] a long ...
- 345k
33
votes
Multiclass Warlock/Wizard: Can I use Int as spellcasting ability for Pact Magic slots?
You use the ability associated with the class you learned the spell from.
For example, charm person is on both the warlock and the wizard spell list. If you learned it when you took a level in ...
- 2,809
31
votes
Accepted
Does a multiclassed wizard start with a spellbook?
Yes, you are granted a spellbook by your spellcasting.
Spellcasting (PHB 114):
As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells
that show the first glimmerings of your true ...
- 19.4k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible