Multiclass Requirements

[Hobbo Jim]

What do you think of them? Worthwhile or to be ignored? What kind of builds are missed (for better or worse) because these restrictions were put in place?

There are obvious RP elements (a Cleric without Wisdom would be rather strange), but has anyone ran into actual mechanical reasons to enforce them? I'm sure there are some cheeses, but usually the extreme cheese is outright banned at most tables.

[CheddarChampion]

I ignore them (when I'm DM).
Generally speaking characters that don't meet the stat requirement wouldn't be great in the class.
Dips and Dex-Paladins are the exceptions, but I don't think those are bad.
If the wizard wants heavy armor and is willing to give up spellcasting progression for it, I think that's a fine trade.

[Lunali]

Like a lot of the rules, they shouldn't be ignored. They should be set aside if there's a fun to be had as a result, but the people involved should be aware that they are setting them aside.

[SLOTHRPG95]

As a DM, I'll ignore them on a case-by-case basis. Basically, I'll ignore it unless I think you're really, really fishing for a powerful dip, just for power's sake. Even then, I'd rather talk it out with the player and see if they can't come up with an RP reason why they've managed to quickly learn the basics of being a Druid w/o much Wisdom, or the like.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

I ignore them when I DM.


You can start as a cleric with 8 wisdom.
I can't see why you wouldn't be able to take more classes with low stats after it(you already have low wisdom, you won't notice it is a bad plan).
You may be bad at what you do but you could do it.

[DarkKnightJin]

I was allowed a Warlock dip with my EK, even though my Cha was 8.
This was because of story reasons.

As expected, it didn't really have the oomph you'd expect from the normal Warlock dip with EB and stuff.
I mostly used it for the ancillary benefits like Awakened Mind, and the short rest slots so I could do some more Spellcasting every fight.
I've also made gleeful use of my Mask of Many Faces and Misty Visions Invocations.

[Spacehamster]

I don’t ignore them but I make adjustments, a paladin for example is charismatic and fighty so it’s 13DEX/STR and 13 CHA instead of just STR, ranger is either STR OR DEX and WIS

[HappyDaze]

It strikes me as weird that you can't switch out of something if your governing ability score is low. I can understand not being able to switch into (not even back into) something if your score is too low.

For example, a player character starts as (for whatever reason) a Wizard with Int 8 and Strength 16. The character can advance as a Wizard and should be able to switch out to Fighter, but once they do, I could understand not letting them take additional levels of Wizard.

[Eldoxar]

I think the logic behind them is straightforward. For a single class character it is generally true that your main ability scores determine your overall performance. But this is not true when multiclassing comes into picture. Hexblade Paladin is one example, but you can just dip into Warlock with any fighter for the Darkness+Devil's sight combo, and requiring 13 Charisma is just reasonable for doing that. Not requiring it for your old class would result that you just simply start your build as a Warlock. Another example might be a nova character: Assassin(surprise crit and sneak attack)+Paladin(smite)+Fighter(action surge; maneuvers). Such a character can be incredibly strong with plate armor, and with low Dex and Charisma.

Pure mechanical rules like this one – which is not about projecting common sense into rules, e.g. you have Disadvantage on Attacks if you are Blinded – were made for ensuring balance.

[Spacehamster]

It is quite a stupid ruling to be honest, pathfinder and 3.5 has nothing like that and is quite superior systems to boot.

[Dork_Forge]

Overall I like the requirement but the only one I change is the Paladin, there's no reason it shouldn't be Str OR Dex and Cha, like the Fighter.

[JNAProductions]

It is quite a stupid ruling to be honest, pathfinder and 3.5 has nothing like that and is quite superior systems to boot.

Um... Pathfinder only had Favored Class bonuses, but 3.5 has Multiclass XP Penalties. Which pretty much everyone hates.

[Spiritchaser]

I once allowed a paladin to use Dex instead of strength for MC purposes. I would be VERY cautious before ever doing it again.

Dex sorcadins are very capable and I think there’s a solid argument for keeping the MAD requirement in order to balance that a bit.

I’m not saying I wouldn’t do it again, but I’d certainly take a close look at what the rest of the party looked like and how capable those characters were, and what they were good at.

[greenstone]

…actual mechanical reasons to enforce them?

You don't need high <Ability> to be a <Class>. Any old schmuck can learn to cast spells or swing a sword if it is the only thing they do, every day, every adventure.

But if you are a <Class> *and* a <SecondClass> then you are only spending half your time practising your skills. You need more natural talent to backstop the lack of practice.

At least that's how I think of it.

[Teaguethebean]

I think dropping restrictions on multiclasses will get us a swarm of hexsorcadin warforges who all have 20ac right of the bat and only use charisma and I mean only.

[Dork_Forge]

I think dropping restrictions on multiclasses will get us a swarm of hexsorcadin warforges who all have 20ac right of the bat and only use charisma and I mean only.

The multiclass restrictions don't do anything to stop that anyway, just put 13 in str and ignore it after that. Though the Warforged as it is currently is broken in the disruptive way, not just the too good way.

[Quietus]

You don't need high <Ability> to be a <Class>. Any old schmuck can learn to cast spells or swing a sword if it is the only thing they do, every day, every adventure.

But if you are a <Class> *and* a <SecondClass> then you are only spending half your time practising your skills. You need more natural talent to backstop the lack of practice.

At least that's how I think of it.

That's an awesome way to look at it, thank you! I think this is my new head canon.