What are the best D&D Multiclasses?
In the D&D5e there are advanced rules in the Player’s Handbook concerning the topic of multiclassing. These rules allow for a player to combine multiple classes together to make characters that truly suit exactly what the player is going for. Want a paladin that can be stealthy? Give him a few levels of Rogue. Want your ranger to cast fireball? You’re a wizard Harry!
This is a list of the best class combinations in the game. Maybe not the most powerful, but the best from a balance, storytelling, AND power standpoint. This list is not in any particular order, you can decide which is the best and worst among them yourself.
Enjoy!
10. Spell Sword (Fighter-Wizard)
Do you enjoy playing Eldritch Knights because of their ability to have both mastery over martial talents but the arcane arts as well? Then this multiclass is better, being much more efficient than your Eldritch Knight’s alter ego.
Summary:
- Many different options in and out of combat
- Heavily armored battle mage
- Complex actions and heavy synergy
How to play effectively:
- Use area-of-effect spells when melee combat is becoming ineffective (or when dashing or ranged combat is the alternative)
- If paired with the Battlemaster, micromanagement of abilities is essential and allows for completely new, unseen synergies
- Fighter at level 1 gives high hit points and proficiencies
- Wizard at level 2 allows specialization of your school of magic (I prefer evocation personally)
- Get the War Caster feat ASAP, as it is almost necessary. If that means being variant human so be it, if it means putting several levels into either fighter of wizard early on that is the price to be paid for greatness
Roleplaying hooks:
- Trained in an ancient order of Spell Swords
- Royal cadre of elite knights, not sanctioned by the holy authority (thus the reason they aren’t paladins)
- A lost doctrine of warrior techniques that has only recently been found
9. Pact Knight (Paladin-Warlock)
Charisma is the unifying factor between these two classes, and the story it tells is one of a noble paladin falling from grace, resorting to gaining power from an unsavory origin. Pact Knights have all of the power that comes with a Paladin’s smites, but also the one-shot spells of the Warlock, being a great choice for players who want to deal as much damage as they can.
Summary:
- Heavily armored war caster
- Manipulative master of persuasion
- Powerful attacks and spells
How to play effectively:
- You have access to a small amount of resources that you need for many abilities, so choose when to strike wisely
- Choose the pact of the blade (or the Hexblade archetype) letting your melee skills increase dramatically beyond that of a usual paladin
- Paladin at level 1 gives high hit points and proficiencies
- Get the War Caster feat when it is available, although it is not necessary to play this multiclass effectively
Roleplaying hooks:
- A paladin, fallen from grace, turning to darker powers for aid
- Get the Oathbreaker paladin archetype (at the DM’s discretion), as it will better reflect your role as an anti-paladin
- Perhaps you were never a paladin before, and were a nobody before the dark powers found you, turning you into their unholy champion
8. Glade Guardian (Druid-Monk)
Wisdom is necessary for both monks and druids, meaning they have natural chemistry. Glade Guardians transform into the creatures they are attempting to protect, using their advanced training in martial arts to increase their primal prowess. These could resemble a nordic bear champions who fight with a sapient fury, a Native American wolf warrior who act with the determination of the alpha, or an Indian monkey xingzhe resembling a baboon with martial talents.
Summary:
- High dexterity and wisdom
- Multiple attacks every round starting at a low level
- Nature/ primal spellcasting
How to play effectively:
- Run this idea past your DM, as it includes allowing the use of the monk’s Martial Arts while in the druid’s Wild Shape
- Monk at level 1, as druid will be used mostly for its Wild Shape only
- Level heavily into monk
- Perhaps go 2 levels into Divination Wizard as to give your character luck control
Roleplaying Hooks:
- A Nordic bear warrior, fighting a crusade in the name of god and glory
- An Aztec jaguar knight, capable of turning into the creature it’s named after in an effort to support the king by capturing slaves
- An Indian monkey xingzhe, traveling across the land challenging those who oppose his philosophy to duels of both wit and might
7. Song Seer (Bard-Wizard)
Song Seers are those who can tell the future through art, divining the natural chaos of reality into a rhythm that can be played and understood. This multiclass will give you access to an insane amount of skills and spells, as well as heavy luck control throughout your game.
Summary:
- High luck control
- Multiple skills and expertise
- Many cantrips
How to play effectively:
- Be a support character, with a focus on utility and healing
- Bard level first, with a small dip into level 2 Divination Wizard at the start, then heavy into College of Lore Bard
- Use your spells to affect the environment, creating opportunities where there were none before
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You foretold a dark future, a melody full of sorrow, and set out to change fate by hand
- You are the last of an ancient order of Song Seers that died when a vengeful student created his own organization, the Broken Tune
6. Amok (Barbarian-Fighter)
The Amok multiclass flavors the barbarian’s rage as a “battle trance” instead of an unstoppable fury. This class most often uses sword and board tactics (weapon and shield), with the frenzy of battle causing an adrenaline rush inside the character, allowing them to push their bodies to its utter limits.
Summary:
- High armor class
- High damage
- High board control
How to play effectively:
- Take your first level in fighter, dipping into Barbarian only enough to gain Uncanny Dodge for the early levels
- Get the feat Shield Master as soon as humanly possible
- Become a Battle Master Fighter and take maneuvers allowing you to change enemies states (knock them prone, move them around, ect)
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You were in a great battle, left for dead, now you fight every battle as if it is your last
- You will stop at nothing to slay your enemy, not even death can stop you
- You know your purpose in life, and that is to lead others into battle (take maneuvers that help allies instead of changing enemy states, turning you into a Warlord)
5. Inquisitor (Paladin-Rogue)
Inquisitors are those trusted few, encharged by the holy church to purge deviancy from their doctrine among their ranks. Inquisitors play similarly to rogues, but with even more damage output, and high survivability.
Summary:
- High damage
- High burnout
- Low flexibility
How to use effectively:
- Paladin levels first, get heavy armor and level into your divine smite ability
- Dabble occasionally in rogue, either Assassin Rogue (for more combat focused players) or Inquisitive Rogue (for more roleplay focused players)
- Use as many abilities as you can at once, burnout your resources to destroy the enemy
- Choose which fights you want to burn out on wisely, otherwise you’ll be lacking in the power department
- Get utility focused paladin spells, as most of your slots will most likely be spent on smiting
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You were sent on a secret mission by the church to wipe out insurrection
- You were too radical for the courts of the faith and were ex-communicated, but your righteous zeal still holds true
- You work for no state church, but instead a mysterious cult
4. Wild Spirit (Barbarian-Sorcerer)
Wild Spirits are mortal reincarnations of ethereal beings that exist purely within the Weave. They can sometimes go their whole lives without ever realizing their true potential, but once they do there is no returning to a peaceful existence. The barbarian’s rage is more in kin to their body entering a frenzy in an attempt to keep their alien soul at bay. Wild Spirits have high damage output, while also having a lot of dice rolling for things like Wild Magic.
Summary:
- High damage
- High chance
- High flexibility
How to use effectively:
- Take your first level in barbarian, and go until level 2
- Get the War Caster feat as soon as possible
- Take the Wild Magic Sorcerer origins
- Dump stat is intelligence
- Take spells that cause status effects like Color Spray or Entangle
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You were born with the soul of a fire mana spirit, expressing this intense energy through pyromancy
- You were born with an energetic soul, representing itself through the use of raw arcana (ask your DM if you can change some spells like Fire Bolt into copies that deal raw damage like Mana Bolt)
- You were adopted, not knowing your origins, but throughout your life you felt an outsider in your own home, now you know why
3. Pugilist (Barbarian-Monk)
Boxers, tavern brawlers, wrestlers, all of them fall into this line of thought. This class is for those who want to deal a lot of damage over the course of several repeated hits. Think of it as a combo class.
Summary:
- High damage
- Multiple attacks in a turn
- No weapons or armor needed
How to use effectively:
- Take your first 2 levels in Barbarian, then become a monk after
- Strength should be your highest stat, then Dexterity, CON, then WIS
- Get the Tavern Brawler feat as soon as possible
- Important feats in order: Grappler (Optional), Tough, Savage Attacker
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You are traveling brawler that wishes to seek your fortune adventuring rather than carousing pubs
- You are a professional boxer/ wrestler/ pit fighter who has decided to use your skill for the greater good
2. Duelist (Fighter-Rogue)
A Duelist is different from a Swashbuckler Rogue by the inclusion of the Fighter’s Fighting Style and subsequent Battle Master maneuvers. These maneuvers allow for more than just extended combat actions, but actually, expand the enter theme of one-on-one combat to the point that the duelist can rarely be defeated.
Summary:
- Great at one-on-one combat
- High maneuverability
- High survivability
How to use effectively:
- Become a Swashbuckler Rogue, then a Battle Master Fighter
- Get the Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style, then the Dual Wielder feat
- Use two longswords, two battle axes, two war hammers, or any other 1d8 damage dual wielding combo
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You are a traveling duelist who challenges local champions for coin, turned to a life of adventure
- You are an elite royal guardsman for a lord that was slain unjustly, you seek revenge
1. Witch Hunter (Rogue-Warlock)
Witch Hunters are those inquisitors who have made pacts with dark powers in order to slay greater evils. Their magic is usually related to the dark powers, powers they must occasionally work to retain their strength. However, this does not dismiss their quest to purge the world of whatever threat they see as greatest. Witch Hunters are Swashbuckler Rogues who have access to a small menagerie of powerful spells they use in combat to overpower their foes.
Summary:
- High damage
- High maneuverability
- Many skills
How to use effectively:
- Level into Warlock first, taking the Pact of the Blade (although the Pact of the Chain is also acceptable), then choosing your Otherworldly Patron
- Next, level into Assassin Rogue (or Thief Rogue, depending on personal taste)
- Gain access to high damage spells right away, ones that do not require upkeep (such as Witch Bolt)
- Take the feat Mage Slayer as soon as possible
- Take the feat War Caster soon, but no need to rush
Roleplaying Hooks:
- You are a member of an ancient/ royal order dedicated to the protection of the people from evil magic
- You are a traveling witch hunter, selling your prowess in return for gold
- You experienced a horrific tragedy in your past that drew you into the career of Witch Hunting
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