All You Need To Know About D&D Multiclass

A potent tool for character improvement is multiclassing. While individual classes are practical on their own, occasionally considering numerous classes can give a character some healthy new options while also letting you explore intriguing plot possibilities.

Multiclassing is also challenging, with many difficult choices while creating a character. Multiclassing can make the process overwhelming, especially for new players. This page aims to provide advice on multiclassing possibilities from a character optimization standpoint and explain multiclassing in terms that are clearer and more detailed than those in the Player’s Handbook.

What is Multiclassing in D&D 5e?

By gaining levels in a different playable class, you can multiclass in D&D 5e, an optional ruleset. Multiclassing refers to giving your character, various classes.

Due to the variety it offers, multiclassing is popular among D&D 5e players. By allowing you to take multiple classes, you can more fully customize your character and create ideas or builds beyond your main class’s limitations.

Simply put, multiclassing is the process of giving your D&D 5e character levels in various classes.

Choosing to multiclass your character is the easiest step in the process. It ultimately comes down to choosing whether or not to add a second class to your character creation, assuming your Game Master (GM) permits it.

How does Multiclassing Work?

At its essence, multiclassing is a relatively straightforward system. However, some guidelines influence your approach.

One of the main reasons this concept could turn off novice players is the multiclassing rules in 5e. The prerequisites, skill implications, and spellcasting challenges appear to be a pain.

On this page, two terms are used in earlier D&D editions but are not recognized in the fifth edition. However, I’ll use them throughout the text because they’re helpful descriptors of multiclassing notions at their core.

Character Level: The total number of levels your character has earned across all classes. Your Character level and Class Level are the same numbers for characters with only one class.

Class Level: Your total number of levels in a single class is your class level. Joe, for instance, has a class level of 3 in Fighter and 1 in Rogue if they are both fighters.

When Should You Multiclass? 

You can only switch classes when you would typically level up. You can choose to take a level in a different class rather than raising the level of your present class by one.

In 5e, you can use only multiclass when your character would ordinarily be able to level up. This restriction applies regardless of how you advance your character—through gaining experience points, hitting milestones, or any other means.

You should consider multiclass when you want to fill a gap in your character’s abilities, such as a wrong action economy, a low AC, or new spellcasting choices. As previously mentioned, many characters function well as single-class characters, but occasionally new class qualities can significantly enhance your character.

Multiclassing Prerequisites & Requirements 

A minimum Ability Score is needed to multiclass into another class. Depending on the class you want to multiclass your character into will determine the required Ability Score.

Your character must achieve a minimum Ability Score for each class before multiclassing into it. The minimum score required for each class is the same (13). The Ability Score needed varies based on the class you want to multiclass into.

Multiclassing Skills

Some classes allow you to be multiclass into them, which gives you access to extra skill proficiency. But not all classes follow this rule.

In general, multiclassing does not result in acquiring new skill proficiencies. 

However, when you take your first level in three classes, you receive a second skill proficiency (always only one). These courses offer the following abilities:

Bard: One skill of your choosing

Ranger: One talent from the ranger’s list. 

Rogue: One talent from the list of the rogues

To pick up an extra skill when multiclassing, you must choose from the Bard, Ranger, or Rogue.

Multiclassing Proficiencies

When you are multiclass into a class, almost all of them provide additional proficiencies. Depending on the class you multiclass into, these proficiencies change, but they typically involve tools, armor, and weapons.

Some classes grant your character additional proficiency with weapons, armor, and other tools in addition to multiclass skills. The majority of classes award more item proficiencies. Only the wizard and sorcerer deny your character further proficiencies.

Hit Points & Hit Dice

Hit Points are Additive: As you advance in levels, you will roll for hit points (or take the rounded average, which you should always do) and add them to your hit point maximum in the same way as you would if you advanced in your original class. Remember that for your class, you should use the “Hit Points at Higher Levels” field rather than the “Hit Points at First Level” entry. Your character level, not your class level, is meant by “Hit Points at 1st Level.”

Hit Points are Additive: As you advance in levels, you will roll for hit points (or take the rounded average, which you should always do) and add them to your hit point maximum in the same way as you would if you advanced in your original class. Remember that for your class, you should use the “Hit Points at Higher Levels” field rather than the “Hit Points at First Level” entry. Your character level, not your class level, is meant by “Hit Points at 1st Level.”

Proficiency Bonus

Your character level determines your proficiency bonus. Although it is listed in the class features table of every class, it advances depending on your overall level rather than your level in a particular class. Your Proficiency Bonus is still competitive even if you multiclass.

Ability Score Increase

Increases in Ability Score are a class feature. While Fighters and Rogues receive more significant Ability Score Increases than most classes at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, it is still a class feature. It is entirely feasible to multiclass to the point where you never see an increase in ability score.

All You Need To Know About D&D Multiclass

A potent tool for character improvement is multiclassing. While individual classes are practical on their own, occasionally considering numerous classes can give a character some healthy new options while also letting you explore intriguing plot possibilities.

Multiclassing is also challenging, with many difficult choices while creating a character. Multiclassing can make the process overwhelming, especially for new players. This page aims to provide advice on multiclassing possibilities from a character optimization standpoint and explain multiclassing in terms that are clearer and more detailed than those in the Player’s Handbook.

What is Multiclassing in D&D 5e?

By gaining levels in a different playable class, you can multiclass in D&D 5e, an optional ruleset. Multiclassing refers to giving your character, various classes.

Due to the variety it offers, multiclassing is popular among D&D 5e players. By allowing you to take multiple classes, you can more fully customize your character and create ideas or builds beyond your main class’s limitations.

Simply put, multiclassing is the process of giving your D&D 5e character levels in various classes.

Choosing to multiclass your character is the easiest step in the process. It ultimately comes down to choosing whether or not to add a second class to your character creation, assuming your Game Master (GM) permits it.

How does Multiclassing Work?

At its essence, multiclassing is a relatively straightforward system. However, some guidelines influence your approach.

One of the main reasons this concept could turn off novice players is the multiclassing rules in 5e. The prerequisites, skill implications, and spellcasting challenges appear to be a pain.

On this page, two terms are used in earlier D&D editions but are not recognized in the fifth edition. However, I’ll use them throughout the text because they’re helpful descriptors of multiclassing notions at their core.

Character Level: The total number of levels your character has earned across all classes. Your Character level and Class Level are the same numbers for characters with only one class.

Class Level: Your total number of levels in a single class is your class level. Joe, for instance, has a class level of 3 in Fighter and 1 in Rogue if they are both fighters.

When Should You Multiclass? 

You can only switch classes when you would typically level up. You can choose to take a level in a different class rather than raising the level of your present class by one.

In 5e, you can use only multiclass when your character would ordinarily be able to level up. This restriction applies regardless of how you advance your character—through gaining experience points, hitting milestones, or any other means.

You should consider multiclass when you want to fill a gap in your character’s abilities, such as a wrong action economy, a low AC, or new spellcasting choices. As previously mentioned, many characters function well as single-class characters, but occasionally new class qualities can significantly enhance your character.

Multiclassing Prerequisites & Requirements 

A minimum Ability Score is needed to multiclass into another class. Depending on the class you want to multiclass your character into will determine the required Ability Score.

Your character must achieve a minimum Ability Score for each class before multiclassing into it. The minimum score required for each class is the same (13). The Ability Score needed varies based on the class you want to multiclass into.

Multiclassing Skills

Some classes allow you to be multiclass into them, which gives you access to extra skill proficiency. But not all classes follow this rule.

In general, multiclassing does not result in acquiring new skill proficiencies. 

However, when you take your first level in three classes, you receive a second skill proficiency (always only one). These courses offer the following abilities:

Bard: One skill of your choosing

Ranger: One talent from the ranger’s list. 

Rogue: One talent from the list of the rogues

To pick up an extra skill when multiclassing, you must choose from the Bard, Ranger, or Rogue.

Multiclassing Proficiencies

When you are multiclass into a class, almost all of them provide additional proficiencies. Depending on the class you multiclass into, these proficiencies change, but they typically involve tools, armor, and weapons.

Some classes grant your character additional proficiency with weapons, armor, and other tools in addition to multiclass skills. The majority of classes award more item proficiencies. Only the wizard and sorcerer deny your character further proficiencies.

Hit Points & Hit Dice

Hit Points are Additive: As you advance in levels, you will roll for hit points (or take the rounded average, which you should always do) and add them to your hit point maximum in the same way as you would if you advanced in your original class. Remember that for your class, you should use the “Hit Points at Higher Levels” field rather than the “Hit Points at First Level” entry. Your character level, not your class level, is meant by “Hit Points at 1st Level.”

Hit Points are Additive: As you advance in levels, you will roll for hit points (or take the rounded average, which you should always do) and add them to your hit point maximum in the same way as you would if you advanced in your original class. Remember that for your class, you should use the “Hit Points at Higher Levels” field rather than the “Hit Points at First Level” entry. Your character level, not your class level, is meant by “Hit Points at 1st Level.”

Proficiency Bonus

Your character level determines your proficiency bonus. Although it is listed in the class features table of every class, it advances depending on your overall level rather than your level in a particular class. Your Proficiency Bonus is still competitive even if you multiclass.

Ability Score Increase

Increases in Ability Score are a class feature. While Fighters and Rogues receive more significant Ability Score Increases than most classes at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, it is still a class feature. It is entirely feasible to multiclass to the point where you never see an increase in ability score.