Class help

[Someloser]

We're playing a d&d campaign called gestalts where you play as two classes that level up together (not multiclass) eitherway I'm wondering what combo's you think'd be fun. Someone is playing a bladelock barb.
I'm thinking something like druid/monk or cleirc/monk, what cool ideas do you have? Let me know I'm still very open to ideas. Thanks for help.
Sorry if my explanation is crap.

[DarkKnightJin]

The combo that I'd want to play in a Gestalt game sometime is Paladin/Bard.

Each class on their own is a force to be reckoned with. Getting short rest Inspiration and Extra Attack at the same time, on top of the otjer Bardic goodies? Oh yes, sign my butt up.
Not to mention stuff like Additional Magical Secrets or another Bardic thing, and Aura of Protection at 6th level.

You could probably combine just about any Oath and College together without much issue.
Though my combo would probably be Lore or Swords, combined with Ancients or Devotion. Possibly Conquest.

[Devils_Advocate]

Gestalt is a variant from 3.5E's Unearthed Arcana, I think. Also much like AD&D dual classing with double XP, if I understand correctly.

An important point to bear in mind is that you still only get the same number of actions per round, so having twice as many action-consuming abilities doesn't actually increase the amount of stuff you can do per round at all. Loading up on more passive powers is what increases your efficiency.

You often get the most out of combining classes that are dissimilar in the proficiencies and special powers they grant (avoid redundancy), but rely on the same ability scores to be effective. Combining Monk and Cleric is a good example, since good Wisdom is useful to both. It's also fairly straightforward in terms of flavor, since the classes already both model religious devotees by default.

[nickl_2000]

Gestalt is a variant from 3.5E's Unearthed Arcana, I think. Also much like AD&D dual classing with double XP, if I understand correctly.

An important point to bear in mind is that you still only get the same number of actions per round, so having twice as many action-consuming abilities doesn't actually increase the amount of stuff you can do per round at all. Loading up on more passive powers is what increases your efficiency.

You often get the most out of combining classes that are dissimilar in the proficiencies and special powers they grant (avoid redundancy), but rely on the same ability scores to be effective. Combining Monk and Cleric is a good example, since good Wisdom is useful to both. It's also fairly straightforward in terms of flavor, since the classes already both model religious devotees by default.

-Sorcerer/Bard would be another example of this. You get the crazy control of a Bard combined with the overall blasting of a Sorcerer (plus bardic metamagic is fun).
-Another interesting one for synergy is Life Cleric/Circle of Dream Druid. You would be able to heal faster than anyone could cause damage.
-Much more MAD, but a Necromancer Wizard/Circle of the Shepherd Druid would be interesting. The fluff and RP of this would be difficult, but you get so many minions.
-If you want something that will be powerful, but simpler go with a Wood Elf Champion/Rogue with Elven Accuracy for a major crit fishing build.
-If you want 1st round nova build you go Ranger Gloom Stalker/Rogue Assassin. This would be even better if you can be a revised ranger.



The other option would be to use one class to shore up the weaknesses of the other. A Paladin/Bear Barbarian would be a great combination. Use your spell slots for smiting (so you don't need to worry about rage concentration issues), resist all damage while raging, and get good saves due to your auras.

[CTurbo]

I love gestalt builds and there are infinite excellent combos

Fighter + anything
Rogue + anything

EK Fighter + Wizard
Ek Fighter + Bladesinger to be even more specific.

Champion Fighter + Barbarian

Paladin + Bard
Paladin + Sorcerer
Paladin + Warlock

any Ranger + Rogue combo but especially Gloom Stalker + Assassin or Scout



For a few more MAD options,

Monk + Paladin to never fail a save again

Tempest Cleric + Storm Sorcerer for ultimate blasting

Barbarian + Monk for the Dr Jekyll Mr Hide character

Wizard + Barbarian for pure hilariousness


Necromancer Wizard + Oathbreaker Paladin for extra super powered undead army

[Sigreid]

Wizard, cleric for all the magic!

[Mjolnirbear]

If you are building a mage, use warlock. Warlock spell slots are separate from, and stack with, other casters. That means you get a ton more spell slots. Any other two spellcasters share one set of spellslots.

[Anonymouswizard]

It partially depends on how spell slots from caster//caster builds work out. If you get seperate slots from both sides that's double longevity, and twice as many of the big, potentially encounter-ending spells between long rests, so caster//caster is definitely good. If not then you're not getting much power increase, only a versatility increase, and a caster//martial build might be better.

Now Paladins are a bit of an exception, in that Paladin//full caster does bring you a massive boost to your Smites either way, although it is a little less powerful if both sides share slots.

For ideas:
-Rogue (Thief)//Wizard (Illusionist) is probably the ultimate stealth build, and gives you a lot of options for messing with people's minds without giving away your position.
-Monk//Fighter is allows you to stack increased mobility, bonus action attacks, and some other goodies onto the very servicable Fighter chasis. As you'd be doing for a Dex-based build anyway this also allows either Monk/Rogue//Fighter or Monk//Fighter/Rogue for increased skills.
-Bard//Rogue allows you to concentrate your stats into Dex and Cha, mainly have abilities that don't overlap (it depends on how Expertise is treated), and gives the best access to skills bar none.

[Raynor007]

One player I was running a game for made the interesting, but extremely effective choice of multiclassing Monk and Sorcerer. The physical attributes of the Monk really gave an edge to his Sorcerer's athleticism, speed, AC, HP, etc, and spells of the Sorcerer really augmented the abilities of the Monk. Also having a real combat ability to fall back on when out of spells was helpful. Either way, it was an effective and fun character.

Another way to go might be a Champion Fighter + Rogue, with an emphasis on Ranged Attacks. Make it an Elf or Half-Elf with the Elven Accuracy Feat+Magic Initiate Feat (for Find Familiar), keep him back from the front to gain as much Advantage as possible, and you're looking at a fairly high chance to crit any given attack.

Really, I would come up with a character concept first, and then pick the classes that fit the best for that concept. You want to play a fencer or duelist-type character? OK, Battlemaster Fighter + Rogue or Bard. Want to play a Jedi? Monk and Bladelock. The ultimate melee-based mage-slayer? Brute Fighter and Paladin.

Hope that makes some sense!

[Devils_Advocate]

I wouldn't expect multiclass spellcasters to get double spell slots any more than I'd expect a double dose of skills for each character... which I think isn't how it works. In 3E they did because multiclass spellcasters had separate sets of spell slots, but that's not how it works in 5E. Warlocks are a noted exception to this, and are often said to benefit from multiclassing to Sorcerer. Here there's the chance to benefit from adding a true spellcasting class without sacrificing Warlock progression, which is certainly appealing.

But even with double spell slots, there are diminishing returns. Getting the standard allotment of spell slots is much more of a boost to a character with no or few spells. Sure, casters sometimes run out of their highest-level slots, but non-casters are permanently out of spells! Similarly with spell access. Even in absolute terms, a spellcaster gains less by gestalting another spellcasting class, as there's overlap between spell lists. Likewise, there's generally less to be gained by fusing two classes with high hit points and martial weapon proficiency.

Granted, avoiding redundancy is a bit at odds with pursuing synergy. Classes that use the same stat tend to have overlapping capabilities. (E.g., all of the Charisma-using classes have proficiency with Charisma saves, so there's an inherent trade-off there.) But doubling down isn't really getting into the spirit of combining two different sets of powers, is it? Much as there might be certain min-maxing benefits to a dual-class Ranger whose other class is also Ranger, that's not the approach I would take. I'd go so far to say that, as a general rule, you get the most of combining a full spellcasting class with some other sort of class.

The most obvious combos to me are (Human Acolyte) Monk//Cleric, (Wood Elf Outlander) Ranger//Druid, (Dragonborn Soldier) Paladin//Sorcerer, (Tiefling Charlatan) Bard//Warlock, (High Elf Noble) Fighter//Wizard, and (Human Folk Hero) Barbarian//Rogue. Those parenthetical suggested races and backgrounds aren't so much for mechanical effect (and I didn't give them as much thought as classes), but to kind of illustrate Raynor007's point that your choices should proceed from some sort of character concept.

[Keravath]

Sorcerer + warlock
Bard + warlock

Warlock resources overlap so little with other classes that they synergize really well if you are getting both (e.g. invocations) ... plus at high levels you will effectively double your 6+ spell slots with Mystic Arcanums. At level 17 you would have 2 slots of level 6+ compared to 1 for any other caster combination ... 2 wishes etc.

Circle of Shepard druid + Conjuration wizard (your summoned creature get pretty powerful)

[Naanomi]

Hilldwarf Barbarian/Dragon Sorcerer (or if UA is available, Immortal Mystic) to have all of the Hit Points

Hexblade/Conquest Paladin for a Charisma-only fear causing tank

Beastmaster/Scout would play *very* well together I think