Multiclass Advice - Resolved

I'm creating a bounty hunter (like the Mandalorian). We are playing 5.5e and starting at level 3.

My initial idea was Rogue 1/Fighter 1/Ranger 1 multiclass but I'm worried that the fighter level is redundant. Should I change to Rogue 2/Ranger 1 or Rogue 1/Ranger 2 or keep as is?

How would you optimise this idea?

Edit to clarify: My first priority is theme/story but I want to make the most of my options. That's what I mean by "optimise".

Edit 2: What is the best level 3 "bounty hunter" build I can make with only fighter, ranger, and/or rogue? What's the best combination? (classes chosen for story reasons)

Edit 3: I am making a bounty hunter not a Mandalorian. Mandalorian was just mentioned as a reference.

Final Edit: Thank you everyone for your help! I think I'm going to go rogue/fighter but with proficiencies etc. in tracking/survival skills.

At low levels, classes get a lot of good stuff on each level up. Multiclassing is almost always going to make you weaker than single-classing.

Even at higher levels, if you're talking about optimizing, multiclassing is only worth it if it gets you stuff that works well with the stuff you have already.

(Of course, if you're not concerned about optimizing, but just flavor, multiclass as you want, just be aware that it's likely going to hurt your performance.)

So, let's take a look at what you want. "Bounty hunter" is a job, but it doesn't say much about how you envision doing that job. 

Ranger, rogue, and fighter all do similar things in different ways, and if you try to be good at all of them, you won't be good at any.

Fighter: you fight people with weapons. You can tank pretty well, and hit hard. While you can fight any way you choose, heavier armor and big weapons are favored.

Rogue: you fight people with stealth, doing big hits from ambush. Hit and run is your way. You're good at a variety of skills.

Ranger: your fighting is somewhere between rogue and fighter. You have magic to support it, and it points you toward attacking at range or with more smaller attacks. You excel in the wilds.

Which of those feels most like your thing?

To add to the above,  At 3rd level  you can pick assassin as a subclass, and that may or may not fit your Bounty hunter theme.

As monks are great with unarmed combat, you can pick a monk as a bounty hunter as well.  To be honest, a barbarian and Paladin can also be a bounty hunter as well.

You could ask your DM if they'd allow the Mark of Finding origin feat from EFA. That's the bounty hunter essentials, and then you can build any character you want on top of that.

Edit: Technically not an origin feat, but serves a similar purpose.

Quote from jl8e >>

At low levels, classes get a lot of good stuff on each level up. Multiclassing is almost always going to make you weaker than single-classing.

Even at higher levels, if you're talking about optimizing, multiclassing is only worth it if it gets you stuff that works well with the stuff you have already.

(Of course, if you're not concerned about optimizing, but just flavor, multiclass as you want, just be aware that it's likely going to hurt your performance.)

So, let's take a look at what you want. "Bounty hunter" is a job, but it doesn't say much about how you envision doing that job. 

Ranger, rogue, and fighter all do similar things in different ways, and if you try to be good at all of them, you won't be good at any.

---

 

Fighter: you fight people with weapons. You can tank pretty well, and hit hard. While you can fight any way you choose, heavier armor and big weapons are favored.

Rogue: you fight people with stealth, doing big hits from ambush. Hit and run is your way. You're good at a variety of skills.

Ranger: your fighting is somewhere between rogue and fighter. You have magic to support it, and it points you toward attacking at range or with more smaller attacks. You excel in the wilds.

Which of those feels most like your thing?

Thank you!

In terms of ability, I want to be the same kind of bounty hunter as the Mandalorian - a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible. I've got +3 Dex and +2 Str, so I'm dex fighting focused. I want to be well rounded.

My first priority is theme/story but I want to make the most of my options. That's what mean by "optimise". I know that multiclassing is weaker, especially mulitclassing multiple times. Can I still be a strong melee attacker without taking levels in fighter? Is it better for me to stick to rogue/ranger?

Quote from cuteasdeath >>

Thank you!

In terms of ability, I want to be the same kind of bounty hunter as the Mandalorian - a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible. I've got +3 Dex and +2 Str, so I'm dex fighting focused. I want to be well rounded.

If it helps, I think Mando's closest analog in D&D class terms is a Battle Master Fighter. Especially in 5.5e where you have Tactical Mind to help you with skill stuff that might typically fall to a Rogue.

" a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible"

From that description, id say rogue. All Rogue.

But Mando is walking around in plate armor, mithral, i suppose. With a jet pack. A blaster. And a dark saber. Mando draws a LOT of attention to himself, so kinda at opposing ideas here.

If hes using a blaster, thats some sort of ranged weapon. So hes going to be dex based.

But plate armor usually requires strength. Until you can get mithral, which soesnt have a strength requirement.

"Can I still be a strong melee attacker without taking levels in fighter? Is it better for me to stick to rogue/ranger?"

Melee as in dark saber? There are melee weapons you can use that are finess based (use dex for attack and damage).

Melee as in grapple? You need strength for that. 

Melee as in unarmed punch? Monk does that with dex, but they cant wear armor at all.

Actually, do you want the armor of mando or do you not want to draw attention? Because monks are perfect at blending in. They wear normal clothing and their hands are their weapons, and they can deflect attacks every reaction. They also move fast. And at higher levels the get some crazy features.

If you absolutely want plate, you basically have a couple options:

High str and go fighter or paladin

High dex (str 15 or mithral armor and str 13) and fighter or paladin 

High int and go armorer artificer.

Now. The whole point of plate armor is that its a fixed ac, like 18. Its not affected by your dex. So the optimal build around plate is usually max your str, dump your dex to an 8, and go hands on/melee/grapple/punch/etc.

The more i think about mando, especially the tv show, he might actually be a paladin. Mando definitely has an oath thats extremely important to him.

Paladins are designed for plate. Palaidins love plate.

This is the way

Quote from SunIsGettingRealLow96589 >>

" a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible"

From that description, id say rogue. All Rogue.

But Mando is walking around in plate armor, mithral, i suppose. With a jet pack. A blaster. And a dark saber. Mando draws a LOT of attention to himself, so kinda at opposing ideas here.

If hes using a blaster, thats some sort of ranged weapon. So hes going to be dex based.

But plate armor usually requires strength. Until you can get mithral, which soesnt have a strength requirement.

"Can I still be a strong melee attacker without taking levels in fighter? Is it better for me to stick to rogue/ranger?"

Melee as in dark saber? There are melee weapons you can use that are finess based (use dex for attack and damage).

Melee as in grapple? You need strength for that. 

Melee as in unarmed punch? Monk does that with dex, but they cant wear armor at all.

Actually, do you want the armor of mando or do you not want to draw attention? Because monks are perfect at blending in. They wear normal clothing and their hands are their weapons, and they can deflect attacks every reaction. They also move fast. And at higher levels the get some crazy features.

If you absolutely want plate, you basically have a couple options:

High str and go fighter or paladin

High dex (str 15 or mithral armor and str 13) and fighter or paladin 

High int and go armorer artificer.

Now. The whole point of plate armor is that its a fixed ac, like 18. Its not affected by your dex. So the optimal build around plate is usually max your str, dump your dex to an 8, and go hands on/melee/grapple/punch/etc.

The more i think about mando, especially the tv show, he might actually be a paladin. Mando definitely has an oath thats extremely important to him.

Paladins are designed for plate. Palaidins love plate.

 

Thank you.

I am building a bounty hunter not a Malalorian. Mando (1x01) just has the kind of vibes I'm looking for in terms of abilities. It's a regular dnd world, no blasters or jet packs or sabers. I don't want the armour etc. I also do not want to use any classes except what I originally listed.

Melee as in close combat weapons. Like how the dnd weapons are organised into melee weapons and ranged weapons. While my dex is higher (+3), I still have +2 to strength.

I'm asking if multiclassing in fighter is redundant? Can I be just as/more effective with just rogue/ranger? And if so, which should I have at lv2?

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from cuteasdeath >>

Thank you!

In terms of ability, I want to be the same kind of bounty hunter as the Mandalorian - a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible. I've got +3 Dex and +2 Str, so I'm dex fighting focused. I want to be well rounded.

If it helps, I think Mando's closest analog in D&D class terms is a Battle Master Fighter. Especially in 5.5e where you have Tactical Mind to help you with skill stuff that might typically fall to a Rogue.

Thank you. Are you saying that I would get more out of fighter/ranger than rogue/ranger or rogue/fighter/ranger?

"It's a regular dnd world, no blasters or jet packs or sabers"

Blasters->pistol or hand crossbow with autoload

Jet pack-> boots of flying

Sabers-> sun blade

"I don't want the armour etc."

Ah. Thats helpful.

"I also do not want to use any classes except what I originally listed."

Then id probably suggest all rogue. 

At least to level 7 and reliable talent.

Quote from cuteasdeath >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from cuteasdeath >>

Thank you!

In terms of ability, I want to be the same kind of bounty hunter as the Mandalorian - a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible. I've got +3 Dex and +2 Str, so I'm dex fighting focused. I want to be well rounded.

If it helps, I think Mando's closest analog in D&D class terms is a Battle Master Fighter. Especially in 5.5e where you have Tactical Mind to help you with skill stuff that might typically fall to a Rogue.

 

Thank you. Are you saying that I would get more out of fighter/ranger than rogue/ranger or rogue/fighter/ranger?

Honestly, I'd just stick with Fighter, or maybe Fighter/Ranger. I've never seen a three-class character that seemed like it was worth it in any way.

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from cuteasdeath >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from cuteasdeath >>

Thank you!

In terms of ability, I want to be the same kind of bounty hunter as the Mandalorian - a tough, skilled fighter who is good at finding people while drawing as little attention to myself as possible. I've got +3 Dex and +2 Str, so I'm dex fighting focused. I want to be well rounded.

If it helps, I think Mando's closest analog in D&D class terms is a Battle Master Fighter. Especially in 5.5e where you have Tactical Mind to help you with skill stuff that might typically fall to a Rogue.

 

Thank you. Are you saying that I would get more out of fighter/ranger than rogue/ranger or rogue/fighter/ranger?

Honestly, I'd just stick with Fighter, or maybe Fighter/Ranger. I've never seen a three-class character that seemed like it was worth it in any way.

 I agree. For what you describe, straight fighter is probably your best approach. If you want the skill stuff that rogue or ranger bring to the table, look at the skilled origin feat and the skill expert general feat. (And make sure you've got some points in wisdom, for survival (tracking) and perception. To make space for it in your stats, I'd either dump dex, and go heavy weapons and armor, or dump strength, and go light weapons and armor.)

I have spoken.

If you're trying to build a Mandalorian in D&D, just do a straight classed Artificer (Armorer). Toss in some fighter levels if you feel like it.

The Artificer (Armorer) is the closest thing D&D has to a Mandalorian, and you don't need to multi-class.

Quote from HarmAssassin >>

If you're trying to build a Mandalorian in D&D, just do a straight classed Artificer (Armorer). Toss in some fighter levels if you feel like it.

The Artificer (Armorer) is the closest thing D&D has to a Mandalorian, and you don't need to multi-class.

Op has stated they have decided to restrict their choice of classes to rogue, fighter, ranger.

Honestly, my first thought was armorer as well. Mando has a lot of gadgets and artificer is crazy good with the gadgets. At some point, they can cast fly (jetpack), they have great builtin weapons (not a darksaber, but fists, flail, and a lightning gun for ranged attacks), and by level three, youre packing an ac of 20, which is beskar armor.

Thank you everyone for your help! I think I'm going to go rogue/fighter but with proficiencies etc. in tracking/survival skills.

Ranger is basically a rogue/fighter but without the penalties of multiclassing. Honestly, I'd go straight Ranger up to level 5 taking the Hunter subclass. The Hunter-Ranger is all about hunting down your prey regardless of whether your prey is human or animal, so is really the archetypal bounty hunter. The only reason to not go Ranger for a bounty hunter is if you want to emphasize some Charisma or Intelligence -based skills. So e.g. if you want more of a detective-y feel where you are out-smarting your prey like Batman then I'd go 1-2 levels of Rogue + Fighter-Battlemaster, or if you want a sly-type character like the Faceless in Game of Thrones then you'd want mostly Rogue.

It also depends a bit on how melee you want to be. Ranger's weakness is their poor concentration saves and their need to concentrate on Hunter's mark which pushes them more towards being ranged, you can compensate for this at level 4 by taking Resilient (Constitution) to make your Ranger much more resilient in general.