I've noticed some interest in a couple of my homebrew multiclassing and high-level stuff, but I understand that it's hard to read for the international crowd as the bulk of this blog is written in Dutch... On this page, I will translate the homebrew setup that - in my opinion - better fits both multiclassing and reaching level 20 (as any class, but again with a focus on multiclassing).
We will first have a brief overview of some of D&D 5E's design principles and the effect they have on multiclassing. Then we discuss the case for moving Ability Score Improvements out of class progression and into character progression. Finally the concept of Capstone Feats is introduced, with all the benefits this brings for multiclassers.
We will first have a brief overview of some of D&D 5E's design principles and the effect they have on multiclassing. Then we discuss the case for moving Ability Score Improvements out of class progression and into character progression. Finally the concept of Capstone Feats is introduced, with all the benefits this brings for multiclassers.
A look at D&D 5E's design
To kick it off, let's state upfront that multiclassing is awesome! You can get into some pretty funky combinations, with some nice combo's running off abilities that you get from different classes. There's plenty of optimised examples of this like the Sorlock (Sorcerer 17/Warlock 3), or more exotic combo's like the Druid / Barbarian with a few levels of Paladin splashed in for an enormous raging bear that can also Smite. Maybe you want to run an even funkier construction - cool! You get a lot of benefits for multiclassing, because of D&D 5E's "front-loading" design principle. In fact, let's have a look at some of 5E's design principles:- Simplicity above all. D&D 5E is targeted very strongly at lowering the barrier for entry for new players and you don't want to bury them in tons of rules. Use as few interlocking systems as possible, and don't weigh those systems down with un-intuitive rules and out-of-the-blue restrictions.
- Classes are front-loaded. The things that make any class unique to play and give the powerful, characteristic features should come in the early levels. New players should feel unique and powerful right off the bat.
- A lot of characters (and the campaigns they play in) will not exceed level 14. Therefore, design should be focused at making the first levels really pop and less priority is given to higher levels of play. There's even lore (which is brought over from earlier editions) that characters at around level 15 'retire', tend to their own business/keep/studies/etc until called upon in the face of world-shattering machinations.
- When at all possible the system can and should be extended by DM's/players/the community. Think homebrew spells, equipment (the list in the PHB is not quite exhaustive), Backgrounds (which is explicitly stated in CH4 of the PHB), entire worlds/campaigns, monsters etc...
Because of front-loading, multiclassing will usually get you what you want from other classes in the first two or three levels, but it also comes with several drawbacks. Most noticeably, while you gain a ton of abilities from your new class, you are not advancing in your main class. All well and good that your level 3 Wizard is dipping into Fighter for those sweet hitpoints and armor proficiencies, but you don't get spell (level) progression this time around, lessening your efficiency in your core class.
Ability Score Improvements and You, the multi-classer
What I find weird most of all is the fact that Ability Score Improvements (ASI's) are linked to Class Levels instead of Character Levels. Your Character Level is the sum of all the levels you have in all classes. Taking our WIZ3/FIG1 example again, they now have a Character Level of 4. There is a table for Character Level Progression in Ch1 of the PHB, where you can see that the XP-threshold and your proficiency bonus are tied into character level. I'd like to take the ASI's from the Class progression, and also integrate them with Character Progression. You get a feat or an ASI at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 19. This works for all Classes, except the Fighter (with extra ASI's at level 6 and 14) and Rogue (extra ASI at lvl10). We can leave those ASI's in place on the Class Progression tables.
With those modifications in place, our level WIZ3/FIG1 gets an Ability Score improvement or feat, properly expressing the growth they made as a character. They take a hit in the Spells department, do get some fun stuff out of the Fighter class, and on the whole don't take a hit to their overall power level as a character.
The Character Progression table now looks like this:
Wait, what is this Capstone thingie at level 20?
Every class in D&D 5E has a Capstone ability. Something you get at level 20 to signify that you've made it and are now the top dog. But not everybody gets a Capstone Ability. Not if you multiclassed. As stated before, a lot of the design focus went into the early levels and high-level play isn't supported as well. In my opinion, anyone who makes it to level 20 should be eligible for a reward, not just single-class PC's.
This is why I'd like to suggest decoupling the capstone abilities from the classes and making them into feats. Special feats. "Capstone Feats". These Capstone Feats are only accessible at level 20, and are only accessible if you meet a certain prerequisite number of class levels (From here on I'm taking the Character level 20 as implied in Capstone Feats). This puts a restriction on getting a Capstone Feat - which is a shame, because 5E goes out of its way to prevent restrictions - but the flexibility gained with these feats far outshines the downsides.
Looking back at our multiclassed Fighter/Wizard, who has reached 20th level with 3 class levels in Fighter and the other 17 in Wizard, now that character deserves a Capstone, right? And we can definitely say that Wizard is the main class in that meld, right? Well then, by taking the Signature Spell ability, making it a Feat with the prerequisite Wizard level 13 and Bob's your Uncle!
Breaking down all existing Capstones, we get this list:
| Prereq. | Name | Description |
| BARB 13 | Primal Champion | +4 STR, +4 CON, limits for each are raised to 24. |
| BARD 13 | Superior inspiration | When rolling initiative and you have no Bardic Inspirations, gain one. |
| CLER 13 | Divine Intervention | Divine Intervention works without rolling for it. |
| DRUI 13 | Arch-druid | Unlimited Wildshape, no VS components for spells, wildshape casting. |
| FIGH 13 | Extra Attack (3) | 4th attack. |
| MONK 13 | Perfect Self | When rolling initiative and you have no Ki points, gain four. |
| PALA 13-OoD | Holy Nimbus | Aura of holy light for 1min, creatures starting in 30' take 10 dmg. Adv on saving trows against fiends and undead. |
| PALA 13-OoA | Elder Champion | For 1 min: regain 10 hp per turn, casting paladin spells that take 1 action are now a bonus action, enemies in Melee have disadvantage against your spells. |
| PALA 13-OoV | Avenging Angel | For 1 hour: wings, fly speed 60'. Aura of menacing 30'; Wisdom save or become frightened. |
| RANG 13 | Foe Slayer | Once per turn Wisdom bonus on attack or damage against favored enemy. |
| ROGU 13 | Stroke of Luck | Once per long rest, turn a missed attack into a hit, or take 20 on an ability check. |
| SORC 13 | Sorcerous Restoration | After a short rest, regain 4 spent Sorcery points. |
| WARL 13 | Eldritch Master | Once per long rest, regain all spell slots after entreating patron for 1 min. |
| WIZA 13 | Signature Spell | Choose two 3rd level spells; they are always prepared, don't count towards your prepare-limit and once per short rest you can cast them without expending a spell slot. |
Some examples
In one fell swoop, this table enables multiclassing PC's to still grab a Capstone on reaching 20th level. And from here on out, we can get creative. If you and your group find some of the capstones listed in the PHB to be lacking in epic proportions you can now create a second capstone for that class that has some more shine to it. Or allow entry to, say, the Wizard's Capstone feat to more spellcasters:
Signature spells
Prereq: Wizard 13 or Sorcerer 13
Choose two 3rd level spells; they are always prepared, don't count towards your prepare-limit and once per short rest you can cast them without expending a spell slot.
Prereq: Wizard 13 or Sorcerer 13
Choose two 3rd level spells; they are always prepared, don't count towards your prepare-limit and once per short rest you can cast them without expending a spell slot.
Note: Maybe raise the level requirement to 15, to more strongly signify that this feat is intended for your 'pure' spellcasters.
But why stop there? We could create Capstone Feats for subclasses? The Paladin has 'm, why not everyone? Especially in the case of the Warlock, where every kind of patron has a very specific flavorig to them, a separate Capstone for each could really make it come together. The example below is a rough outline for an Arcane Trickster Capstone:
Spell Muncher
Prereq: Rogue/Arcane Trickster 13
Whenever an enemy casts a spell for which you succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, you counter the spell. You regain one spell slot of a level equal to the countered spell, or lower if you not yet expended any slots of that level or the spell was level 5 or above.
Prereq: Rogue/Arcane Trickster 13
Whenever an enemy casts a spell for which you succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, you counter the spell. You regain one spell slot of a level equal to the countered spell, or lower if you not yet expended any slots of that level or the spell was level 5 or above.
And to top it off, let's look at capstones for really multiclassed PC's. Did somebody build up their Fighter/Cleric in equal parts to level 10/10? Did somebody build their character out of three classes and are now a Sorcerer 9/Warlock 7/Fighter 4? Did somebody take a level in every class possible? (OK, maybe not invite them to future sessions...) With Capstone Feats aimed at those situations, we can reward the creativity those players put in their characters upon reaching Level 20. For example, a Master of the Wild (Barbarian 10/Druid 10) could get this capstone:
One With Nature
Prereq: Barbarian 7 and Druid 7
When you wildshape, you automatically enter rage. You can cast Druid spells while raging.
Prereq: Barbarian 7 and Druid 7
When you wildshape, you automatically enter rage. You can cast Druid spells while raging.
In conclusion
Multiclassing is cool and high level play is cool, but the rules in the Players Handbook seem to exclude the two. By rearranging the Ability Score Improvements and taking Capstone Feats out of the class descriptions and placing them into their own 'protected feat group', we can enable multiclassed characters to truly reap the rewards at level 20. For single-classed characters these adaptations change exactly nothing.
I think the one change described here can work without the other - I just rolled them both into one because both changes shift some stuff from the class progression into the character progression.
I love this idea, it's so simple but it just works
BeantwoordenVerwijderen