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Multiclassing inDungeons & Dragonsis the key to unlocking many of the most powerful builds the game has to offer. Since all classes are frontloaded with features at levels two and three, by taking a few levels in multiple classes, you end up with a suite of powerful options that will often combine quite nicely.
That being said, many players forget that multiclassing is technically an optional rule. As a result, always make sure to check with your Dungeon Master (DM) before going down the path of the power gamer. Dungeons & Dragons is a roleplaying game first and foremost, and not all DMs are keen on allowing multiclassing, as it can easily take away from story progression.
What’s A Multiclass?
A multiclass character isa character who has taken levels in multiple classes. For example, a character who has five levels as a Fighter and two in Barbarian, or two as a Cleric and five as a Wizard, are both considered seventh-level multiclass characters.Multiclassing does typically require you to have a prerequisite ability scoreto pick up your second class, though some DMs do away with this requirement:
Dexterity 13 and Wisdom 13
Strength 13 and Charisma 13
Wizard
Intelligence 13
Due to these prerequisities, players who plan to multiclass a character often come up with this plan at character creation. Otherwise, it’s very easy to build a character who doesn’t meet the required prerequisite ability score.
Your hit points and hit dice as a multiclass character align with the levels of the classes you have taken. So a Fighter 5 / Barbarian 2 would have five d10 hit dice and two d12 hit dice. You also only maximize the hit die hit points from the class that you take your character’s very first level in. Other classes you pick up at higher levels will see you roll for hit points during a level-up as normal.
Your proficiency bonus is equal to the total level of your characterfrom both classes combined. In other words, a multiclass character’s proficiency bonus is the exact same as a single class character of the same total level. However, theproficiencies you getfrom picking up a class will vary.
While you receive all of the proficiencies you would get as normal from the class your character starts as,other classes you pick up will only grant you certain proficienciesfrom their list. For instance, a character who multiclasses into Rogue only gets one skill from the class’s skill list as opposed to the usual choice of four skills.
Lastly,class features including channel divinity, extra attack, and unarmored defense do not stack. If you already have this feature from another class, getting it again doesn’t give you another use of it. In other words, a Fighter 5 / Barbarian 5 doesn’t get to attack three times from having unlocked extra attack in both classes. You still only make two attacks with extra attack as normal.
How To Calculate Multiclass Spell Slots
Multiclass characters determine the spells they have available and can prepare as normal for each class. As an example, a Cleric 2 / Bard 5 knows three cantrips and three1st level spellsfrom the Cleric spell list, as the Cleric table shows. They also know three cantrips and eight spells of up to 3rd level from the Bard spell list.
Where things get complicated is that the number of spell slots this character has available are not present on either class’s table. Instead,there is an entirely separate multiclassing spellcaster table found in the multiclassing sectionof The Player’s Handbook.
All multiclass spellcasters use this table to determine the spell slots that they have available. Depending on the classes you’ve multiclassed into, you will calculate your multiclass spellcaster level differently. The rules for calculating your multiclass spellcaster’s level are as follows:
If you have levels in Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, or Wizard, count all of themwhen determining your total multiclass spellcaster level.If you have levels in Paladin or Ranger, count half your levelsrounded down.If you have levels in the Eldritch Knight Fighter or Arcane Trickster Rogue, count a third of your levelsrounded down.
Warlock multiclasses who have access to Pact Magic can use their higher-level Pact Magic spell slots to cast spells from their other class. In addition, they can also use lower-level spell slots they have from their other class to cast Warlock spells. In simpler terms, you may use your available spell slots to cast any spells you know no matter what class they come from.
For example, a Bard 5 / Paladin 5 multiclass would receivefive multiclass spellcaster levels from Bard and two multiclass spellcaster levels from Paladin.Consequently, they are a 7th-level multiclass spellcaster.
A Paladin 2 or Ranger 2 multiclass gives you one multiclass spellcaster level. An Eldritch Knight Fighter 3 or Arcane Trickster Rogue 3 gives you one multiclass spellcaster level, and so on.
When you’ve added all of your class levels together by applying the rules above, you’ll come up with your multiclass spellcaster level. you’re able to thenuse that score to determine your available spell slotsfrom the table below:
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
2
3
4
1
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
Determining your multiclass spellcaster spell slots can seem daunting at first. However,it’s quite easy when you understand how it worksand use the right table to calculate your spell slots.
