#if you're a paladin who plans to take just one level of hexblade you really should do it at level 2 if you dumped strength

[red-dragon-archfiend]

I don't have enough time or experienced with enough classes to write a detailed multiclassing guide, but for D&D players, especially new players, wondering if they should multiclass, the simple answer is "probably not". Multiclassing is, in general, bad. The game was not balanced with it in mind, and it's very easy to muck up your character if you don't know what you're doing. I'm not just talking from an optimization perspective, either; it's difficult to justify it narratively in a way that doesn't cheapen the significance of what class levels represent. You don't become a Bard by practicing the lute for a week. You can't become a Wizard without years of study. If you plan to multiclass, my advice would be to find some way of tying it narratively into your primary class somehow; an Eldritch Knight becoming a Wizard is sensible, because they already have an understanding of how to work arcane magic, they just need to spend some time focusing on that over improving their martial abilities to learn enough to start filling out a spellbook. Of course, that still takes a long time, but the Eldritch Knight's previous experiences mean they already know how to cast multiple spells already. If you want to multiclass for story reasons, ask yourself two questions: Is multiclassing really the best way to convey this change in my character, and, if so, do they have the adequate time, experiences, and resources to practice the skills necessary (physical training, study, spiritual attunement, etc.) to even START being that class? The reason I put so much weight into class levels is because the Player's Handbook itself makes a point to clarify what sets a member of each class apart from others who seem similar on the surface; not every soldier in a given army is a Fighter, chances are most of them aren't. And Paladins are even rarer! To achieve even one class level is a strong indication of skill and effort, and I as your DM would expect you to consider how your character achieves levels in a second class. My campaign features a Fighter/Warlock multiclass, and her patron is both the supplier of her occult magic, and her instructor, personally training her in her dreams, so she can level up in either class and it'll make sense. My favorite combination, Paladin/Sorcerer, can be explained by latent powers emerging in response to their experiences and the holy power they channel within themselves, perhaps a gift from their deity or the result of them or their ancestor slaying a creature like a dragon or vampire whose blood imbued the Paladin's bloodline with arcane magic. Maybe a Monk/Cleric comes from a monastery that reveres a specific deity, and that Monk caught their deity's attention, choosing the Monk for a holy mission. If multiclassing is part of your character's backstory or projected future, having a plan for it is key to making them still feel like a cohesive, singular character.

#musings #dungeons and dragons #take my advice with a grain of salt since not all groups will put the same weight into class levels as i do #but the reason most wizards are depicted as elderly is because wizardry is extremely difficult and takes a long time to master #class levels being rare or hard to achieve is kind of necessary from a worldbuilding perspective #if becoming a wizard was possible after what amounts to a college course there'd be wizards everywhere #and the players wouldn't be as important because their own abilities wouldn't be anything special for a long time #i didn't talk about optimization very much since i think most d&d players don't care about that as much as roleplay and thematics #but if you're questioning if multiclassing would be good for you #look at the benefits you'd get from even one level of another class and ask if that's worth setting your main class back permanently #even one bad multiclass level can become a problem with initiative is rolled and you're functionally one level lower than you should be #it's also why timing when to multiclass is important! #it's tempting to multiclass as soon as you hit level 2 but unless you're starting as your secondary class you should really wait #until you're at least level 5 or so because that's a big power spike #and once you achieve that it doesn't hurt as much to delay levels in your main class in favor of another #that's variation in this of course #if you're a paladin who plans to take just one level of hexblade you really should do it at level 2 if you dumped strength #you don't want to be relying on 13 strength for weapon attacks any longer than you have to #and if you're only interested in the thematic elements of a class remember that flavor is free! #plus you can use things like your background to give you a feel akin to a different class #a warlock entertainer who makes a deal with the devil to save their music career is a cool way to get bard flavor without multiclassing #especially since if you manage to become a true bard you probably don't need the devil's help anyway