We all are familiar with the standard Hexadins and Sorlocks. What else you got that others might not know about but are still awesome?
Monk / Moon Druid?
Fey Ranger / War Cleric?
Beast Barbarian / Soulknife Rogue?
Tempest Cleric / Fathomless Warlock?
These are just our examples but whats your favourite lesser known multi class and how did you build them. How did you explain the combo in the story?
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Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
Essentially you just dip into rogue for Cunning Action so you get to Hide, Disengage or Dash as a Bonus Action every turn. Of course it involves slowing down the rest of your spell progression, but what you lose in higher level slots you get back in savings on not having to put up defensive spells nearly as much. Fireball the enemy and then hide! Get outta town and go stand behind the barbarian when being aggro'd on. Monsters closing in? Good luck catching me with a 60 foot movement speed since I can Dash every turn for no real cost!
A 2 level dip in Rogue can be good for any class, but it works particularly well if you have potent Concentration spells that either summon creatures or dominate the mind of creatures, since you can take command, Hide and then you're cooking with gas.
I think fighter 2 is better for wizard. Gain armor, shield, and con save. Wizards like that! Action surge! Two fireballs. Force cage, action surge, sickening radiance! Reverse gravity, action surge, prismatic wall. Yeeeahhhh buddy!
8 Tome Archfey Warlock/7 Battle Master Fighter/5 Swords Bard
I won’t go over the specifics, but at level 4 you are SAD with a Charisma-based Shillelagh weapon (focusing on all Charisma-based Manoeuvres as well).
At level 20, with proper Feats, you have as many as 19 abilities that reset on every short rest.
18 Soulknife Rogue/2 Knowledge Cleric
At level 20, you’ll have proficiency in 8 skills, and any of the remaining for a Channel Divinity usage. Your average roll for a +1 non-proficient skill would be 20.25 (Reliable + Channel Divinity + Psi-Bolstered Knack). Your highest proficient skills at +17 would average36.25.
Really impressed by the possibilities of Ranger 5 (ranged) / Rogue whatever. So much goodness from Ranger 5, second attack, bonus-action clutch-heal from Healing Spirit, good stuff with Hunter's Mark and Pass Without Trace, +2 to hit ranged attacks. Rogue's Sneak Attack keeps you up in damage, and the level 10 bonus-ASI kicks in right as a campaign gets into the end-game.
Really impressed by the possibilities of Ranger 5 (ranged) / Rogue whatever. So much goodness from Ranger 5, second attack, bonus-action clutch-heal from Healing Spirit, good stuff with Hunter's Mark and Pass Without Trace, +2 to hit ranged attacks. Rogue's Sneak Attack keeps you up in damage, and the level 10 bonus-ASI kicks in right as a campaign gets into the end-game.
I think this combo works especially well with Gloomstalker/Assassin and Hunter/Scout. The former gives you an insane first round where you can put up ridiculous damage, and the latter is a quintessential always at range build.
I had great fun with Paladin 2 / Moon Druid X - You can smite with the slots gained from druid while in wildshape (Natural weapons are Weapons so this is possible). Makes Wildshape MUCH better - especially in the lower levels.
It looks very MAD with needing Wis, Cha,Str on 13 for the Multiclass alone, but you can leave Cha and Str there.
I played it as an aasimar guardian of nature following the codes of her god and destroing whoever tries to harm her forest. From the Aasimar you'll also get an ability that works in wildshape, too.
Artificer 1 /Wizard works very well. Extra HP, Medium Armor, Shields, 2 extra cantrips, extra spells known, access to Faerie Fire and Cure Wounds. If you go Artificer 2 you can even get 4 infusions. And you are not MAD
Cleric and Warlock both offer Specialism at first level, which can make a nice boost, especially for other casters. So Cleric 1/Druid can make a lot of sense, as well as Warlock 1/Bard +
Arcane Archer/Alchemist I ended up with a 6/4 split favoring fighter only because the campaign ended at level 10 and I wanted a capstone feat, but I might have stuck with only 3 levels of artificer if I could have gone on. The utility spells from artificer (Feather Fall, Identify, and Detect Magic in particular) made my fighter very versatile out of combat, and the infusions and combat spells (Expeditious Retreat and Faerie Fire in particular) complemented my ranged build very nicely. Plus, having a fighter who can be a combat medic when the healer goes down is extremely handy. I doubled down on that and took the Healer feat just to free up some spell slots. And as far as RP goes, Arcane Archers are already INT casters and experimenters with magic. I flavored it like my fighter was just a physics nerd and figured out how to do magic using nothing but math.
Four Elements Monk/Berserker Barbarian I rolled up an 8/4 split for a one-shot mostly as a joke (a zen berserker, lol) and discovered the two classes worked really well together. Many ki abilities with Four Elements are not spells and can be used while raging. Plus, having Step of the Wind to boost your jump distance allows your barbarian to attack flying creatures if they aren't too high up, and Slow Fall negates any fall damage you'd incur. Getting Evasion also helps you brush off elemental damage that your rage can't halve. I think a Four Elements monk would work well with other barbarian classes, too. It's a pretty MAD build and you sacrifice being able to put a big hurt on the baddies, but you gain a ton more options in combat and get a lot harder to kill.
Arcane Archer/Alchemist I ended up with a 6/4 split favoring fighter only because the campaign ended at level 10 and I wanted a capstone feat, but I might have stuck with only 3 levels of artificer if I could have gone on. The utility spells from artificer (Feather Fall, Identify, and Detect Magic in particular) made my fighter very versatile out of combat, and the infusions and combat spells (Expeditious Retreat and Faerie Fire in particular) complemented my ranged build very nicely. Plus, having a fighter who can be a combat medic when the healer goes down is extremely handy. I doubled down on that and took the Healer feat just to free up some spell slots. And as far as RP goes, Arcane Archers are already INT casters and experimenters with magic. I flavored it like my fighter was just a physics nerd and figured out how to do magic using nothing but math.
Four Elements Monk/Berserker Barbarian I rolled up an 8/4 split for a one-shot mostly as a joke (a zen berserker, lol) and discovered the two classes worked really well together. Many ki abilities with Four Elements are not spells and can be used while raging. Plus, having Step of the Wind to boost your jump distance allows your barbarian to attack flying creatures if they aren't too high up, and Slow Fall negates any fall damage you'd incur. Getting Evasion also helps you brush off elemental damage that your rage can't halve. I think a Four Elements monk would work well with other barbarian classes, too. It's a pretty MAD build and you sacrifice being able to put a big hurt on the baddies, but you gain a ton more options in combat and get a lot harder to kill.
Swashbuckler Rogue with 3-4 levels of Echo Knight Fighter: The abilities of these two classes have perfect synergy. The Rogue's steady aim ability works with the echo (you give up your own movement and bonus action for your next attack, and your echo's movement isn't yours, so you can move your echo into position and attack at advantage from the steady aim, and deal sneak attack). And even if your Echo was eliminated since your last turn, you can use a bonus action to create a new Echo, and can still deal sneak attack damage if there are no other enemies within 5ft of the character, or if there's another ally within 5ft of the enemy. The Fighter levels also grant a fighting style, and Blind Fighting is really good for bypassing Invisibility Blur, and other such abilities that make an enemy harder to hit in melee.
It's definitely not optimised, but it's a lot of fun.
Ghostwise Halfling for telepathy whilst wildshaped. Lucky and Brave are nice too.
Wildshape is more of a support option here, but animals don't get much in the way of bonus actions so being able to use cunning action is a great help.
Expertise is nice also. I usually put one in perception.
Dreams druid because I like the free teleportation and healing. They get some nice spells later on also. Although moon druid is better if you like to use animals for combat.
It's more of a support build taking spells like guidance, animal messenger, locate person, spike growth, and polymorph.
Swashbuckler Rogue with 3-4 levels of Echo Knight Fighter: The abilities of these two classes have perfect synergy. The Rogue's steady aim ability works with the echo (you give up your own movement and bonus action for your next attack, and your echo's movement isn't yours, so you can move your echo into position and attack at advantage from the steady aim, and deal sneak attack). And even if your Echo was eliminated since your last turn, you can use a bonus action to create a new Echo, and can still deal sneak attack damage if there are no other enemies within 5ft of the character, or if there's another ally within 5ft of the enemy. The Fighter levels also grant a fighting style, and Blind Fighting is really good for bypassing Invisibility Blur, and other such abilities that make an enemy harder to hit in melee.
This is an interesting combination, although the blind fighting style only works if the enemy you're attacking is within 10 feet of you, not your echo.
Swashbuckler Rogue with 3-4 levels of Echo Knight Fighter: The abilities of these two classes have perfect synergy. The Rogue's steady aim ability works with the echo (you give up your own movement and bonus action for your next attack, and your echo's movement isn't yours, so you can move your echo into position and attack at advantage from the steady aim, and deal sneak attack). And even if your Echo was eliminated since your last turn, you can use a bonus action to create a new Echo, and can still deal sneak attack damage if there are no other enemies within 5ft of the character, or if there's another ally within 5ft of the enemy. The Fighter levels also grant a fighting style, and Blind Fighting is really good for bypassing Invisibility Blur, and other such abilities that make an enemy harder to hit in melee.
This is an interesting combination, although the blind fighting style only works if the enemy you're attacking is within 10 feet of you, not your echo.
Good point. But having additional features to make attacking you riskier for the enemy than attacking the Echo is good too.
And at L8 that's still a +7 to hit at triple-advantage from your Echo's location to deal 2d6 + your base weapon's damage, + your Dex Modifier.
I have a High-Elf character with Booming Blade and Elven Accuracy, so when an enemy comes within 5ft of me, I'm attacking it at triple-advantage, ignoring Invisibility and Blur, dealing sneak attack damage (without needing a flanking buddy) and adding Booming Blade damage on top of the weapon's base damage, and afterwards I can move away without provoking attacks of opportunity, and if the enemy moves at all on its next turn, it takes the additional damage from the Booming Blade.
The only real shortcoming I've found so far is the delay in getting Uncanny Dodge and Evasion. I've compensated by keeping my AC as high as possible. to avoid incoming damage (studded leather with a shield and 18 Dex is an AC of 18, which isn't shabby (my character has magic items that boost it further, but I didn't factor those in because the availability of magic items are highly dependent on the DM).
Swashbuckler Rogue with 3-4 levels of Echo Knight Fighter: The abilities of these two classes have perfect synergy. The Rogue's steady aim ability works with the echo (you give up your own movement and bonus action for your next attack, and your echo's movement isn't yours, so you can move your echo into position and attack at advantage from the steady aim, and deal sneak attack). And even if your Echo was eliminated since your last turn, you can use a bonus action to create a new Echo, and can still deal sneak attack damage if there are no other enemies within 5ft of the character, or if there's another ally within 5ft of the enemy. The Fighter levels also grant a fighting style, and Blind Fighting is really good for bypassing Invisibility Blur, and other such abilities that make an enemy harder to hit in melee.
This is an interesting combination, although the blind fighting style only works if the enemy you're attacking is within 10 feet of you, not your echo.
Good point. But having additional features to make attacking you riskier for the enemy than attacking the Echo is good too.
And at L8 that's still a +7 to hit at triple-advantage from your Echo's location to deal 4d6 + your base weapon's damage, + your Dex Modifier.
I have a High-Elf character with Booming Blade and Elven Accuracy, so when an enemy comes within 5ft of me, I'm attacking it at triple-advantage, ignoring Invisibility and Blur, dealing sneak attack damage (without needing a flanking buddy) and adding Booming Blade damage on top of the weapon's base damage, and afterwards I can move away without provoking attacks of opportunity, and if the enemy moves at all on its next turn, it takes the additional damage from the Booming Blade.
The only real shortcoming I've found so far is the delay in getting Uncanny Dodge and Evasion. I've compensated by keeping my AC as high as possible. to avoid incoming damage (studded leather with a shield and 18 Dex is an AC of 18, which isn't shabby (my character has magic items that boost it further, but I didn't factor those in because the availability of magic items are highly dependent on the DM).
Elvin accuracy does not work with strength-based attacks :) I'm assuming you're using a rapier on a Dex build?
Swashbuckler Rogue with 3-4 levels of Echo Knight Fighter: The abilities of these two classes have perfect synergy. The Rogue's steady aim ability works with the echo (you give up your own movement and bonus action for your next attack, and your echo's movement isn't yours, so you can move your echo into position and attack at advantage from the steady aim, and deal sneak attack). And even if your Echo was eliminated since your last turn, you can use a bonus action to create a new Echo, and can still deal sneak attack damage if there are no other enemies within 5ft of the character, or if there's another ally within 5ft of the enemy. The Fighter levels also grant a fighting style, and Blind Fighting is really good for bypassing Invisibility Blur, and other such abilities that make an enemy harder to hit in melee.
This is an interesting combination, although the blind fighting style only works if the enemy you're attacking is within 10 feet of you, not your echo.
Good point. But having additional features to make attacking you riskier for the enemy than attacking the Echo is good too.
And at L8 that's still a +7 to hit at triple-advantage from your Echo's location to deal 4d6 + your base weapon's damage, + your Dex Modifier.
I have a High-Elf character with Booming Blade and Elven Accuracy, so when an enemy comes within 5ft of me, I'm attacking it at triple-advantage, ignoring Invisibility and Blur, dealing sneak attack damage (without needing a flanking buddy) and adding Booming Blade damage on top of the weapon's base damage, and afterwards I can move away without provoking attacks of opportunity, and if the enemy moves at all on its next turn, it takes the additional damage from the Booming Blade.
The only real shortcoming I've found so far is the delay in getting Uncanny Dodge and Evasion. I've compensated by keeping my AC as high as possible. to avoid incoming damage (studded leather with a shield and 18 Dex is an AC of 18, which isn't shabby (my character has magic items that boost it further, but I didn't factor those in because the availability of magic items are highly dependent on the DM).
Elvin accuracy does not work with strength-based attacks :) I'm assuming you're using a rapier on a Dex build?
Rapier or shortsword. This build has dexterity as the primary stat, with the strength just being the 13 needed to multiclass. It's not strictly optimal being M.A.D., but it's effective and a lot of fun.
(Also I found one error on my damage output, because four of the eight levels are fighter, it's 2d6 sneak attack, not 4d6. The character I'm currently playing deals 5d6 total damage per hit, because he has a Flametongue shortsword, but in general, magic items shouldn't factor into the viability of a build. But the Fighter levels also give action surge, and second wind, on top of the Echo, so I think it's still a good tradeoff.)
A little MADD but, you CAN replace High Strenght with High Intelligence. With Battle Ready, the ability to make magic weapons to use your int for attacks, and all your Psi abilities based on Int as well, Strenght can be a dump stat. Then you CAN grab the Armor of Magical Strenght infusion to offset your Strenght checks.
And you get a puppy for free.
It works for me
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We all are familiar with the standard Hexadins and Sorlocks. What else you got that others might not know about but are still awesome?
Monk / Moon Druid?
Fey Ranger / War Cleric?
Beast Barbarian / Soulknife Rogue?
Tempest Cleric / Fathomless Warlock?
These are just our examples but whats your favourite lesser known multi class and how did you build them. How did you explain the combo in the story?
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPmyTI0tZ6nM-bzY0IG3ww
Rogue 2 / The rest in Wizard.
Essentially you just dip into rogue for Cunning Action so you get to Hide, Disengage or Dash as a Bonus Action every turn. Of course it involves slowing down the rest of your spell progression, but what you lose in higher level slots you get back in savings on not having to put up defensive spells nearly as much. Fireball the enemy and then hide! Get outta town and go stand behind the barbarian when being aggro'd on. Monsters closing in? Good luck catching me with a 60 foot movement speed since I can Dash every turn for no real cost!
A 2 level dip in Rogue can be good for any class, but it works particularly well if you have potent Concentration spells that either summon creatures or dominate the mind of creatures, since you can take command, Hide and then you're cooking with gas.
I think fighter 2 is better for wizard. Gain armor, shield, and con save. Wizards like that! Action surge! Two fireballs. Force cage, action surge, sickening radiance! Reverse gravity, action surge, prismatic wall. Yeeeahhhh buddy!
Do it all again with your simulacrum!
8 Tome Archfey Warlock/7 Battle Master Fighter/5 Swords Bard
I won’t go over the specifics, but at level 4 you are SAD with a Charisma-based Shillelagh weapon (focusing on all Charisma-based Manoeuvres as well).
At level 20, with proper Feats, you have as many as 19 abilities that reset on every short rest.
18 Soulknife Rogue/2 Knowledge Cleric
At level 20, you’ll have proficiency in 8 skills, and any of the remaining for a Channel Divinity usage. Your average roll for a +1 non-proficient skill would be 20.25 (Reliable + Channel Divinity + Psi-Bolstered Knack). Your highest proficient skills at +17 would average 36.25.
Really impressed by the possibilities of Ranger 5 (ranged) / Rogue whatever. So much goodness from Ranger 5, second attack, bonus-action clutch-heal from Healing Spirit, good stuff with Hunter's Mark and Pass Without Trace, +2 to hit ranged attacks. Rogue's Sneak Attack keeps you up in damage, and the level 10 bonus-ASI kicks in right as a campaign gets into the end-game.
I think this combo works especially well with Gloomstalker/Assassin and Hunter/Scout. The former gives you an insane first round where you can put up ridiculous damage, and the latter is a quintessential always at range build.
I had great fun with Paladin 2 / Moon Druid X - You can smite with the slots gained from druid while in wildshape (Natural weapons are Weapons so this is possible). Makes Wildshape MUCH better - especially in the lower levels.
It looks very MAD with needing Wis, Cha,Str on 13 for the Multiclass alone, but you can leave Cha and Str there.
I played it as an aasimar guardian of nature following the codes of her god and destroing whoever tries to harm her forest. From the Aasimar you'll also get an ability that works in wildshape, too.
Artificer 1 /Wizard works very well. Extra HP, Medium Armor, Shields, 2 extra cantrips, extra spells known, access to Faerie Fire and Cure Wounds. If you go Artificer 2 you can even get 4 infusions. And you are not MAD
Cleric and Warlock both offer Specialism at first level, which can make a nice boost, especially for other casters. So Cleric 1/Druid can make a lot of sense, as well as Warlock 1/Bard +
I've played a couple really fun multiclasses.
Arcane Archer/Alchemist
I ended up with a 6/4 split favoring fighter only because the campaign ended at level 10 and I wanted a capstone feat, but I might have stuck with only 3 levels of artificer if I could have gone on. The utility spells from artificer (Feather Fall, Identify, and Detect Magic in particular) made my fighter very versatile out of combat, and the infusions and combat spells (Expeditious Retreat and Faerie Fire in particular) complemented my ranged build very nicely. Plus, having a fighter who can be a combat medic when the healer goes down is extremely handy. I doubled down on that and took the Healer feat just to free up some spell slots. And as far as RP goes, Arcane Archers are already INT casters and experimenters with magic. I flavored it like my fighter was just a physics nerd and figured out how to do magic using nothing but math.
Four Elements Monk/Berserker Barbarian
I rolled up an 8/4 split for a one-shot mostly as a joke (a zen berserker, lol) and discovered the two classes worked really well together. Many ki abilities with Four Elements are not spells and can be used while raging. Plus, having Step of the Wind to boost your jump distance allows your barbarian to attack flying creatures if they aren't too high up, and Slow Fall negates any fall damage you'd incur. Getting Evasion also helps you brush off elemental damage that your rage can't halve. I think a Four Elements monk would work well with other barbarian classes, too. It's a pretty MAD build and you sacrifice being able to put a big hurt on the baddies, but you gain a ton more options in combat and get a lot harder to kill.
Love these unique combos!
Hexblade Warlock + Sorcerer.
Not very many people know about that combo.
Swashbuckler Rogue with 3-4 levels of Echo Knight Fighter: The abilities of these two classes have perfect synergy. The Rogue's steady aim ability works with the echo (you give up your own movement and bonus action for your next attack, and your echo's movement isn't yours, so you can move your echo into position and attack at advantage from the steady aim, and deal sneak attack). And even if your Echo was eliminated since your last turn, you can use a bonus action to create a new Echo, and can still deal sneak attack damage if there are no other enemies within 5ft of the character, or if there's another ally within 5ft of the enemy. The Fighter levels also grant a fighting style, and Blind Fighting is really good for bypassing Invisibility Blur, and other such abilities that make an enemy harder to hit in melee.
In general stats have a huge impact on what multi-classing I would attempt to play as well as group and game dynamics.
Monk 3-5, Bloodhunter Order of the Lycan rest. I think you get extra claw attacks as MA attacks when you flurry for 1 KI.
Ghostwise Halfling Rogue 2/ Dreams Druid X
It's definitely not optimised, but it's a lot of fun.
Ghostwise Halfling for telepathy whilst wildshaped. Lucky and Brave are nice too.
Wildshape is more of a support option here, but animals don't get much in the way of bonus actions so being able to use cunning action is a great help.
Expertise is nice also. I usually put one in perception.
Dreams druid because I like the free teleportation and healing. They get some nice spells later on also. Although moon druid is better if you like to use animals for combat.
It's more of a support build taking spells like guidance, animal messenger, locate person, spike growth, and polymorph.
Why not go Kalashtar? Then you get a natural resistance to psychic too.
This is an interesting combination, although the blind fighting style only works if the enemy you're attacking is within 10 feet of you, not your echo.
Good point. But having additional features to make attacking you riskier for the enemy than attacking the Echo is good too.
And at L8 that's still a +7 to hit at triple-advantage from your Echo's location to deal 2d6 + your base weapon's damage, + your Dex Modifier.
I have a High-Elf character with Booming Blade and Elven Accuracy, so when an enemy comes within 5ft of me, I'm attacking it at triple-advantage, ignoring Invisibility and Blur, dealing sneak attack damage (without needing a flanking buddy) and adding Booming Blade damage on top of the weapon's base damage, and afterwards I can move away without provoking attacks of opportunity, and if the enemy moves at all on its next turn, it takes the additional damage from the Booming Blade.
The only real shortcoming I've found so far is the delay in getting Uncanny Dodge and Evasion. I've compensated by keeping my AC as high as possible. to avoid incoming damage (studded leather with a shield and 18 Dex is an AC of 18, which isn't shabby (my character has magic items that boost it further, but I didn't factor those in because the availability of magic items are highly dependent on the DM).
Edit: corrected sneak attack.
Elvin accuracy does not work with strength-based attacks :) I'm assuming you're using a rapier on a Dex build?
Rapier or shortsword. This build has dexterity as the primary stat, with the strength just being the 13 needed to multiclass. It's not strictly optimal being M.A.D., but it's effective and a lot of fun.
(Also I found one error on my damage output, because four of the eight levels are fighter, it's 2d6 sneak attack, not 4d6. The character I'm currently playing deals 5d6 total damage per hit, because he has a Flametongue shortsword, but in general, magic items shouldn't factor into the viability of a build. But the Fighter levels also give action surge, and second wind, on top of the Echo, so I think it's still a good tradeoff.)
Psi Warrior/ Battle Smith.
A little MADD but, you CAN replace High Strenght with High Intelligence. With Battle Ready, the ability to make magic weapons to use your int for attacks, and all your Psi abilities based on Int as well, Strenght can be a dump stat. Then you CAN grab the Armor of Magical Strenght infusion to offset your Strenght checks.
And you get a puppy for free.
It works for me