Best 1 Level Multi Class for a Fighter?

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Just wondering.

I'm doing the Bard thing now and some Bard features would be kinda cool for a fighter. Fighters will always do damage so fun cantrips like Viscous Mockery might make it worth it all on their own.

What is the general idea?

[joaber]

You'll never use Viscous Mockery with the damage of fighter attacks. Bard is an amazing 3 lvl dip, not that usefull at one.

In fact, probably, the best 1 lvl dip class is fighter. Work for almost every class, lol.

Cleric would be good to get bless or cure, but few uses day.

[gfishfunk]

The best depends on what you are doing (but I ranked them going down the list imo):

Barbarian 1 is pretty good: 2 rages, some extra strength rage damage. Not bad for a tank fighter.

Rogue 1 is a great movie good dip. Expertise (in, say, athletics for a shield master shove master) and some sneak attack damage.


Bard 1 for bardic inspiration is actually pretty good, and you can grab a couple of emergency spells, like healing word. Even at level 20, throwing out a level 1 healing word gets a PC back on its feat from unconscious - and its a bonus action.

Cleric 1 is good for the same reason as bard, but I think the bardic inspiration is better for a level 1 feature.

Monk 1 is not terrible! It gets worse as you level, though, because your extra unarmed attacks do not scale well.

Wizard, Sorcerer, Ranger, Paladin, and Warlock really don't shine until you hit level 2 at least.

[Zene]

Yeah it really depends on what kind of fighter you are, and what you want to do.

If you want to be a grappler, a rogue 1 dip for expertise in athletics is unparalleled.

If you're a great weapon fighter or a sharpshooter that doesn't plan to use a hand crossbow, war cleric can be good.

If you want to up your survivability, dipping into a class that gets the Shield spell can be nice, but usually isn't worth it for that alone.

If you want to up your damage, dipping into hunter for hunter's mark or warlock for hex *might* be worth it.

In most cases, though, it's not worth it for fighters, especially at lower levels. It's just not worth having to wait an extra level for the fighter stuff.

[Citan]

Just wondering.

I'm doing the Bard thing now and some Bard features would be kinda cool for a fighter. Fighters will always do damage so fun cantrips like Viscous Mockery might make it worth it all on their own.

What is the general idea?
Hi!

Two-times answer: NONE if you care about getting up to lvl 20, capstone is too good.

Nearly any otherwise, barring maybe Paladin.
My personal order:
1st tier: Cleric, Wizard, Warlock.
Cleric provides many useful spells for self-care (Bless, Healing Words) and more or less interesting features depending on Domain choice.
Warlock is gravy for any Fighter because of short-rest Hex, but brings very little otherwise.
Wizard seems the less of the three at first, but the fact he can learn as many as he wants and ritual-cast, along with gravy spells such as Shield, makes it a very solid choice also.
Personal preference for Wizard but an Eldricht Knight with low WIS and INT could work very well with a Cleric.

2nd tier. Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Druid
Barbarian is always solid for a STR Fighter thanks to 1/long rest rage.
Rogue brings arguably the most if you go for finesse weapons and/or shield, small extra damage but more importantly Expertise in Athletics (to pair with Shield Master).
Sorcerer brings a few good cantrips and Shield to the table, Draconic being probably the best choice here.
Druid gives versatile cantrips, a few good self-buffs (LongStrider, Jump) and other good spells in case you are an EK, and Wild Shape can be put to good use for some scouting / spying / Rp.

3rd tier. Bard, Monk, Ranger, Paladin.
Bard gives you a few healing things, and Bardic Inspiration, although on long rest which diminishes its value.
Monk provides potentially good AC for a wise and agile Fighter, and better attack if you dip early. However, it falls short soon enough and, from a purely mechanical point of view, you will regret it most of the time unless you really gear for it (bump WIS, take Magic Initiate: Druid/Cleric maybe)...
Ranger brings Favored Terrain and Enemy, which is very good but also very situational.
Paladin brings only Divine Sense and extremely small healing (Lay on Hands), so nearly 0 value (especially considering what you lose).

It's a bit hard to tell them apart in each tier, but if I had to try anyways it would be something like this.

01. Wizard (INT EK) / Cleric (others).
03. Warlock (CHA enough Fighter) / Rogue (any other).
05. Barbarian (STR Fighter) / Draconic Sorcerer (DEX Fighter) / Druid (EK).
08. Bard
09. Ranger
10. Monk.
11. Paladin

[JellyPooga]

1 level dips are rarely worth the investment.

Rogue stands out here because it's very front-loaded in that regard, granting Sneak Attack and Expertise. Sneak Attack is great because it allows you to deal Greatsword damage with Rapier/Shortsword and you can wield a Shield, but the benefit tapers off a bit after level 5 when the "once per turn" clause kicks in vs. Extra Attack. Expertise is great becuse it's one of the few abilities that once you've got it, it automaticaly scales with your level. Besides, who doesn't like actually being good at Skill checks?

Dipping into a Fullcaster Class (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) gives you some nice utility...at low level. After you get to level 5 or so, though, the utility of those few 1st level Spells and Cantrips starts dropping off. After level 10, you'll probably be wishing you never dipped in the first place as the efficacy of those few low-level spells pales by comparison to what you're missing out on by delaying that level (like additional attacks, ASI's/Feats and Archetype features).

As for everything else; well, they really don't offer much until you hit level 2 or 3.

Hunter Ranger 3 stands out as a great addition to Fighter, for me, because it not only grants you Hunters Mark to boost your damage potential with every attack, but also grants you an Extra Attack with Horde Breaker. Fighter 11 might get three attacks, but so does Fighter 5/Ranger 3, a whole three levels earlier...on the condition that you have multiple targets. Not a bad trade-off in the short term (long term is a slightly more tricksy question for any multiclass). The addition of another Fighting Style and an extra Skill Proficiency (not to mention the benefits of Natural Explorer) is always nice, too.

[djreynolds]

Shield master with expertise is devastating for the entire party.

IMO, dump dex or chr, but leave one at 13, so you can grab expertise in athletics and perception.

[rooneg]

Dipping into a Fullcaster Class (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) gives you some nice utility...at low level. After you get to level 5 or so, though, the utility of those few 1st level Spells and Cantrips starts dropping off. After level 10, you'll probably be wishing you never dipped in the first place as the efficacy of those few low-level spells pales by comparison to what you're missing out on by delaying that level (like additional attacks, ASI's/Feats and Archetype features).

Note that one option here is to do a 1 level dip early, then increase your investment later. I've got a Deep Gnome EK that took a 1 level dip in Wizard early so he could get Find Familiar and have access to some more spell options. Once I hit Fighter 7 for War Magic I'm going to take at least 4 more levels of Wizard so I can get Arcane Ward and access to some of the better self-buff spells.

I don't think it would be really worth it to just take that 1 level of Wizard and then stop, but since the character is going to want more Wizard eventually taking that 1 level early seems reasonable.

[gfishfunk]

Note that one option here is to do a 1 level dip early, then increase your investment later. I've got a Deep Gnome EK that took a 1 level dip in Wizard early so he could get Find Familiar and have access to some more spell options. Once I hit Fighter 7 for War Magic I'm going to take at least 4 more levels of Wizard so I can get Arcane Ward and access to some of the better self-buff spells.

I don't think it would be really worth it to just take that 1 level of Wizard and then stop, but since the character is going to want more Wizard eventually taking that 1 level early seems reasonable.

I can't argue with that.

I'm generally ok with playing a less-than-optimal 1 level dip early to get the basic 'feel' of what I plan on doing. I played a Warlock / Barbarian that dipped very early for 1 level of barbarian just for the feel. It was less than optimal but very fun.

[JellyPooga]

Note that one option here is to do a 1 level dip early, then increase your investment later. I've got a Deep Gnome EK that took a 1 level dip in Wizard early so he could get Find Familiar and have access to some more spell options. Once I hit Fighter 7 for War Magic I'm going to take at least 4 more levels of Wizard so I can get Arcane Ward and access to some of the better self-buff spells.

I don't think it would be really worth it to just take that 1 level of Wizard and then stop, but since the character is going to want more Wizard eventually taking that 1 level early seems reasonable.
I can't argue with that.

I'm generally ok with playing a less-than-optimal 1 level dip early to get the basic 'feel' of what I plan on doing. I played a Warlock / Barbarian that dipped very early for 1 level of barbarian just for the feel. It was less than optimal but very fun.

True enough. Staggering advancement in your "dip" Class is a good way to feel-out the benefits and keep them relevant. If we're talking about just a 1-level dip though, it's probably just not worth the investment in the long run. Having said that; if you know the game isn't going to progress past a certain point, then the long-term value (or lack thereof) is less pronounced.

[Specter]

If you've got a good Charisma, 2 or 3 inspiration dice never hurt anyone. Otherwise it depends whether you're DEX (Rogue, Ranger) or STR (Barbarian). Or just grab Sorcerer/Wizard for Shield. The only bad level 1 dip for Fighter is Paladin.

[Bahamut7]

If you rolled your stats and can have good Dex and Wis, I would say a dip into Monk.


Potentially best AC out the door
Extra Attack from the start
Can focus on Dex instead of STR
Unarmed Damage is better if you have no weapon


I would do this route with Monk at level 1. The drawback is that only 1 dip into Monk leaves out Unarmored Movement, Tradition benefits, Stunning Strike, Missile Deflection, Ki Points, Flurry of Blows, and Martial Arts Die increase.

The ability to focus on Dex over Str will grant a better AC then with Armor (which means it can never be taken from you), better initiative, and better saving throws against AOEs. You will also get 2 attacks out the door (though one is unarmed).

If your Int is high enough and it is allowed by your DM, you can always dip into Soul Knife for a damage boost.

[X3r4ph]

Shadow Sorcerer 1.
You get to cheat death. You get the Shield spell which is fantastic. Mending cantrip to fix your gear.

Wizard 1.
You get Shield and Absorb Elements. Because of Arcane Recovery you get to save your ass 3 times. It's not bad.

Is It so good you want to delay your next attack? Probably not. But in my opinion it's much more fun to have more options that being a meat grinder.

[Misterwhisper]

The best class for a level 1 fighter is 1 more level of fighter.

Action surge is that good.

It is why most people take 2 levels of fighter late game for the added use of an action.

[RulesJD]

Easy Answers:

1. Are you going to be a Melee Fighter?

Then 1 level dip Barbarian. Rage damage + Damage Resist simply can't be beat for usefulness, all at the loss of 1 AC (Half-Plate vs Full Plate). It also gets you 1 step closer to Barbarian 2, which is the biggest damage increase (Reckless Attack) for a melee character in the game.

2. Are you going to be a Ranged Fighter?

Then 1 level dip Cleric (I recommend Life). Bless + Archery FS + Sharpshooter = lol. Healing Word as you'll be a range is vital as well, Guidance gives you a minor version of the Alert feat.

[Specter]

The best class for a level 1 fighter is 1 more level of fighter.

Action surge is that good.

It is why most people take 2 levels of fighter late game for the added use of an action.

I don't think he means his Fighter is at level 1.

Anyway, a more detailed analysis of each:

Barbarian: 2 Rages a day speaks for itself. That and the possibility of being shirtless if you so desire.
Bard: If you have 14CHA, 2 Inspirations a day. A few spells like Healing Word, and cantrips. And a skill!
Cleric: Domain-dependent, I'll choose War any day. Divine Favor is great to smack even harder. One or two extra attacks a day. A bit of healing too.
Druid: 2 cantrips and 2 daily spells. Nothing better than what other classes can give.
Monk: A bonus action attack forever. Pretty good if you're not dual-wielding, or already using the bonus constantly.
Paladin: Divine Sense and Lay on Hands (5HP). Absolute garbage.
Ranger: A bonus skill, along with tracking, stealth and foraging bonuses, which are usually situational.
Rogue: Two expertised skills, a bonus skill, Thieves' Tools and an extra d6 damage to one attack. Hard to go wrong.
Sorcerer: 4 cantrips (more than anyone else) and spells. Assuming Draconic, better AC for DEX builds.
Warlock: Two short rest spells (which should be spent on Hex), cantrips and a way to earn temp HP with murder (assuming Fiend).
Wizard: some spells (Shield and Absorb Elements), cantrips and getting spells back on a short rest.

None are truly bad except Paladin.

[Haldir]

Do not listen to the people who say "spell casters are only a good dip for low levels."

Bless, Shield, Hex, Shillelagh, and countless other level 1 spells remain pertinent and powerful throughout all levels of play.

Cleric is without a doubt the strongest one level dip.

[JellyPooga]

Cleric is without a doubt the strongest one level dip.

I disagree that there's no doubt. Cleric is a very strong 1 level dip, but it doesn't scale at all (well...much). Both Rogue and Warlock offer abilities that scale without any further investment (Expertise and Eldritch Blast respectively) and depending on campaign style, Cleric might be offering something that simply runs out of steam; Bless for example, is only good for as many spell slots as you have to cast it, but Expertise just keeps on giving and you can pick up Guidance for the far lower investment cost of a Feat instead.

[rooneg]

you can pick up Guidance for the far lower investment cost of a Feat instead.

I agree with you on almost everything you said, but it is super not clear that a feat is a lower investment than a 1 level dip.

[JellyPooga]

I agree with you on almost everything you said, but it is super not clear that a feat is a lower investment than a 1 level dip.

I agree that it can be a point of contention, but Fighter gets Feats to spare, so for the case in point a Feat is, I think, a lower cost.

[Citan]

I disagree that there's no doubt. Cleric is a very strong 1 level dip, but it doesn't scale at all (well...much). Both Rogue and Warlock offer abilities that scale without any further investment (Expertise and Eldritch Blast respectively) and depending on campaign style, Cleric might be offering something that simply runs out of steam; Bless for example, is only good for as many spell slots as you have to cast it, but Expertise just keeps on giving and you can pick up Guidance for the far lower investment cost of a Feat instead.
You make some point, but the truth seems more complex. After all, enemies too scale as you progress, both offensively and defensively.
So while the mook becomes irrelevant past some time, the most dangerous creatures gain better AC (harder to hit), more nasty spells (and you are at best proficient in STR, CON and WIS with Resilient, with the latter having lesser stat), so 1d4 from Bless may make the difference unless you are fighting Legendary Creatures. ^^

Having a Healing Words ready is similarly always useful in a large party with little healing capability, especially with Fighter having no other bonus action than TWF or GWM.

Even a Shield of Faith may be a good option even at higher levels. And since there is no competition for concentration (unless you are an INT EK), it's as efficient resource management as it gets.

So, is it worth losing capstone? Probably not (imo at least).
But is it useful every level? Certainly, especially considering how it increases your chance to reach higher level by surviving in the first place. ^^

With that said, you could put a solid argument for someone that is only interested in a specific lvl 1 spell and doesn't care about increasing his magic: Magic Initiate in this case would do the trick far better (only 1 slot/day loss, keep the capstone), especially on this class which has more ASI than others. :)
In that regard, I agree with others saying that a dip in a full spellcaster is much more interesting when you plan on taking more levels later, and a bit lackluster otherwise (unless you are really interesting in some 1st level feature such as Draconic Resilience).

[JellyPooga]

But is it useful every level? Certainly, especially considering how it increases your chance to reach higher level by surviving in the first place. ^^

I won't disagree that a 1-level Cleric dip won't stay useful and it will certainly help to stay alive to reach those higher levels, only that it doesn't scale. That +1d4 from Bless or +2 AC from Shield of Faith isn't getting any better without further investment in Cleric or some other casting Class (even if that means going EK, which may or may not have been the original intent). Expertise, on the other hand, gives you +2 at level 1 and +6 at level 20 without having to invest any further into Rogue after that 1-level dip. When you consider that, as your level increases, you'll be facing larger damage values being thrown around and the higher possibility of actually being hit, the relative value of Bless actually diminishes because you're much less likely to be able to maintain Concentration (and it's not like you're going to pick up War Caster just for Bless, but again, if you were going EK anyway this may be a possibliity). You may well find yourself burning both spell slots on a single fight, if it's a tough one and then you're little better off for the Cleric dip. With the Rogue or Warlock dip, if you're using the abilities they grant in combat, then you're able to use them in every combat, whatever your level; they keep on giving, where the Cleric...just runs out.

So the take-away from this, I suppose, is that if you were going EK anyway, then the Cleric dip is more valuable than if you were going Battlemaster or another Archetype because in the latter case you won't be investing in the support a high-level caster requires to maintain concentration spells and you don't have the additional spell slots to keep it relevant over mulitple encounters.

[gfishfunk]

I have definitely gained a further appreciation for Cleric as a viable 1 level dip multiclass for fighter, but Barbarian and Rogue are still preferable: The stat requirement makes it a low cost entry point, whereas Cleric is a slightly more MAD multiclass. I would still generally be for it, however, because Wisdom saves are very important.