Something I'd like to run sometime is an adventure or short campaign where everyone has to be multiclassed a certain amount. I'm thinking everyone would be level 8, with the requirement that they have at least 3 of those levels in a separate class than their main. This way, everyone can have extra attack or third level spells from their main class, and their secondary subclass up and running.
Two things I'm trying to figure out are:
What has assembled such a party? Or does it even need an explanation?
What house rules should I add, to really free up the MC options? I want the players to be able to experiment with stuff they don't normally have the chance to run, even if some of the combinations are wacky or a bit OP.
1. How did this party of weirdos come to be?
The two ideas I have so far, are: 1) They were hired by someone looking for a diverse set of skills in all of them, or 2) something has caused them to absorb the souls of some other adventurers, which now make up the lower-level side of their multiclass. Could be that something forcibly merged them, or perhaps it was the only way to save a doomed party from some soul-stealing or mind-stealing horror.
2. What house rules can help?
I think I want to allow the following, to enable more oddball builds.
Stat strain relief: We're using point buy and allowing racial ASIs to be moved around per Tasha's. On top of this, everyone gets 3 ASI points to place as desired at character creation, with the limitation that those points cannot increase a starting score above 16. (ASIs from leveling up can still raise it higher as normal)
Iron Fists: If combining a monk with something that intends to wear armor, they get the Fighting Initiate feat for free, locked into the Unarmed Fighting option. Sure, it's higher damage than the standard monk at this level, but they're still losing out on unarmored movement bonuses and that bonus action attack.
Equally valid: MC requirements for paladins, rangers, and monks-in-armor are modified so their physical side can be "Strength or Dexterity" rather than locked into one. Their need for charisma (paladin) or wisdom (ranger/monk) remains unchanged.
Alternative materials: Anyone taking levels of druid can craft a natural-material equivalent of any metal armor, if they have proficiency in the tools for some sensible material and smith's tools. The smith's tools are just a stand-in for more specialized training above the normal leatherworking or such, to make it into tougher armors. Whatever armor such a character starts with is assumed to have been crafted this way prior to the game start.
What are your thoughts? Any better ways to explain this party, or anything I should watch out for or adjust with those rules allowances?
I don't think you need any MC houserules really. Multiclassing is balanced quite well. Martial Arts doesn't need help (although it's a pretty common misconception) because 2(1d4+stat) is already better than 1d8+stat.
How meta you want to get with what a multiclass PC actually is in the world is up to you. My Barbarian/Rogue isn't some savage who turned to a life on the city streets, he's the elite guard of his tribe's shaman. He does not have "Barbarian" abilities and "Rogue" abilities, he just has a somewhat unique skillset that is the result of his training and stuff that happened in his life. Conversing with totemic spirits and hearing the whispers of the dead are the same thing for him. I think taking your combo and blending it into its own "class" as it might be described in-game can be a lot of fun.
1) I like to MC if my stats, the setting allows it, it fits with how the GM runs the game.
2) MC is just as natural as having 1 class.
My thoughts on MC, in general again I think at lower levels they can be a bit more powerful or competent but at higher levels can have trouble as they do not have the upper level class abilities. Also specific class combos might be problematic in your game so talk to your players and ask them what they are thinking so they do not put a lot of time into a concept and then have it not allowed.
Right now I like blood hunters so I have some builds; BH-Lycan Monk-Kensi, BH-Muntant Wizard-Bladsinger, BH-Mutant Ranger-Shadow Stalker w/druidic warrior and BH-any Rogue-1 Fighter-2.
MDC
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Something I'd like to run sometime is an adventure or short campaign where everyone has to be multiclassed a certain amount. I'm thinking everyone would be level 8, with the requirement that they have at least 3 of those levels in a separate class than their main. This way, everyone can have extra attack or third level spells from their main class, and their secondary subclass up and running.
Two things I'm trying to figure out are:
1. How did this party of weirdos come to be?
The two ideas I have so far, are: 1) They were hired by someone looking for a diverse set of skills in all of them, or 2) something has caused them to absorb the souls of some other adventurers, which now make up the lower-level side of their multiclass. Could be that something forcibly merged them, or perhaps it was the only way to save a doomed party from some soul-stealing or mind-stealing horror.
2. What house rules can help?
I think I want to allow the following, to enable more oddball builds.
What are your thoughts? Any better ways to explain this party, or anything I should watch out for or adjust with those rules allowances?
I don't think you need any MC houserules really. Multiclassing is balanced quite well. Martial Arts doesn't need help (although it's a pretty common misconception) because 2(1d4+stat) is already better than 1d8+stat.
How meta you want to get with what a multiclass PC actually is in the world is up to you. My Barbarian/Rogue isn't some savage who turned to a life on the city streets, he's the elite guard of his tribe's shaman. He does not have "Barbarian" abilities and "Rogue" abilities, he just has a somewhat unique skillset that is the result of his training and stuff that happened in his life. Conversing with totemic spirits and hearing the whispers of the dead are the same thing for him. I think taking your combo and blending it into its own "class" as it might be described in-game can be a lot of fun.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
MC=MultiClass,
In general:
1) I like to MC if my stats, the setting allows it, it fits with how the GM runs the game.
2) MC is just as natural as having 1 class.
My thoughts on MC, in general again I think at lower levels they can be a bit more powerful or competent but at higher levels can have trouble as they do not have the upper level class abilities. Also specific class combos might be problematic in your game so talk to your players and ask them what they are thinking so they do not put a lot of time into a concept and then have it not allowed.
Right now I like blood hunters so I have some builds; BH-Lycan Monk-Kensi, BH-Muntant Wizard-Bladsinger, BH-Mutant Ranger-Shadow Stalker w/druidic warrior and BH-any Rogue-1 Fighter-2.
MDC