Character themes for multiclassing dips

[PhoenixPhyre]

I'm not fond of traditional multiclassing, for many reasons. I let people do it and don't complain, but internally....

To quote myself from another thread, were I king of D&D, I'd



* remove traditional multiclassing
* make more feats that evoke particular features of other classes (but weakened and with level prereqs) or strengthen the features of your own class.
* give these "multiclass feats" out on a different cadence than "regular" feats, but make them a variant (so DMs can opt in).
* Profit.

So putting my effort where my mouth is, I'm looking for ideas for these feats. But not mechanical ideas. Thematic ideas. Specifically, what builds can you see being evoked by a simple "I'm <class X>, but I've got a bit of <class Y>" pattern? Things that would normally require multiclassing a few levels for? I'm thinking of these as granting a feature evocative of the alternate class. Possibly being a small feat chain.

I'd probably grant one for free every so often--so maybe at level 3 you could pick up a 1st level-equivalent feature, at 7 a 3rd level feature, at 12th a 7th level feature (or something like that, certainly lagged). This wouldn't cost anything unlike a regular feat.

Ideas (evolving list with feedback), categorized by primary class:


* Feral Brawler--unarmed raging puncher. Would normally be a monk dip.


* Cantor--theurge with cleric
* Windsong--theurge with druid
* Luchador--wrestler/unarmed (as if monk/barbarian dip)
* Note of Creation--bard/sorcerer @Pex


* Scholar-Soldier--theurge, divine heavy.
* Priest-Assassin--holy assassin, as if a rogue dip
* Holy Rager--Jekyll/Hyde barbarian dip (@sayaijin)


* Raging Shifter--less casting, more eating people. Restricted to Circle of the Moon, as if with a barbarian dip.
* Spellfire Druid--nature/arcane theurge
* Tree-god's Own--nature/divine theurge (@sayaijin)


* Dashing Duelist--Skilled melee fighter, as if with a rogue dip
* Warlord--inspiring leader, as if with a bard dip


* Order's Vengeance--monk-assassin/enforcer/spy
* God's Fist -- armored monk (w/cleric) (@sayaijin)


* Library Guardian--arcane paladin, more spell heavy
* Divine Bulwark--more-martial paladin
* Holy Lance: paladin/hexblade warlock. (@Pex).
* Fey Champion: Ancients Paladin/Fey warlock. (@Pex)


* Urban Ranger--skills, more urban focus as if rogue dip
* Forest Rager--GWF melee ranger, as if barbarian dip.


* Thug--STR rogue, as if fighter dip
* God's Blade--as if a cleric dip
* Thief Mage--conjurer-focused wizard dip (@sayaijin)


* Oathbound Soul--Armored Sorcerer (fighter or paladin)
* Anointed Soul--Divine Soul Sorcerer/Cleric (@Pex)


* Twice-bound--Armored warlock (paladin dip)


* Battlemage--armored wizard (fighter dip)
* Brother Scholar--theurge, arcane heavy. No armor.
* Mutalin--Jekyll/Hyde (as with barbarian) (@sayaijin)

[sayaijin]

Thief mage: rogue with conjurer wizard to make keys on the spot.
Jekyll+Hyde: Cleric/Wizard with barbarian.
Holy defender: cleric/monk
Serving the gods of nature: cleric/druid

[Pex]

Holy Lance - Paladin/Warlock
Fey Champion - Ancients Paladin/Fey Warlock specifically
Cantor - Bard/Cleric
War Priest - Paladin/Cleric
Living Magical Node - Bard/Sorcerer
Street Fighter - Fighter/Rogue
Rabid Beast - Barbarian/Moon Druid
Anointed - Divine Soul Sorcerer/Celestial Warlock specifically

[PhoenixPhyre]

Thief mage: rogue with conjurer wizard to make keys on the spot.
Jekyll+Hyde: Cleric/Wizard with barbarian.
Holy defender: cleric/monk
Serving the gods of nature: cleric/druid

Thanks!
I added them (with some name changes):
* Thief Mage (under Rogue): I'm seeing someone who conjures all sorts of tools--a key here, a smoke bomb there, a dagger that melts away over there, etc.
* Holy Rager (under cleric): I'm seeing someone possessed of divine fury (especially a gruumsh follower or similar) but who's primarily a cleric.
* God's Fist (under monk): I'm seeing a big buff monk, controlling his fury with the discipline of the monastery and channeling it into brutal tactics and a focus more on punching than on ki. More Rock Lee than one of the more "caster" ninja from Naruto, if you know what I mean.
* Mutalin (under wizard). This one still needs a better name, but I don't want to reference out-of-universe works too much in the naming. This is more of a traditional Jekyll/Hyde scenario, maintaining concentration while beating the snot out of someone and going through shirts at a tremendous rate. Maybe I'll move this under Barbarian...depends on which feels more primary.

[PhoenixPhyre]

1) Holy Lance - Paladin/Warlock
2) Fey Champion - Ancients Paladin/Fey Warlock specifically
3) Cantor - Bard/Cleric
4) War Priest - Paladin/Cleric
5) Living Magical Node - Bard/Sorcerer
6) Street Fighter - Fighter/Rogue
7) Rabid Beast - Barbarian/Moon Druid
8) Anointed - Divine Soul Sorcerer/Celestial Warlock specifically

1-3: doable
4: isn't that already a thing (War Clerics)?
5 doable
6: That's in the list as Thug. Unless you're looking at the flip side (more fighter than rogue, but...)
7: already in the list under a different name, unless you're looking at the flip side (more barbarian than druid)
8: I'm not sure how I feel about super sub-class-specific ones (goes for 2 as well). I'd have to think about it.

[OldTrees1]

1. Devoted Defender (Paladin Auras + Ancestral Guardian as an example)


2. For the last time, my name is not Vance!
Theme and Mechanics blend here a bit so I will understand if you skip this theme. Most caster classes (like Paladin) do not make thematic sense as Vancian casters. For half casters 5E kinda handles this as a 2:1 multiclass with Warlock.

[Lavaeolus]

I have, truth been told, for a long time wanted to make a Paladin / Bard who is basically Don Quixote: someone who's read a little too many stories and has sworn to inspire the world as a heroic knight. Of course, unlike Don Quixote -- who if put into D&D is probably some sort of Cavalier with bad physical stats -- in the D&D world an oath and a little bit of magic can go a long way. Probably a Lore Bard; in this case Lore represents reading a hell of a lot of knightly tales. If more than a quick dip in Paladin, Devotion would be a fairly standard pick. I don't have a catchy name for this one, alas.

It helps that I know the words to "I, Don Quixote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2rd8rRQqe0)" off the top of my head. Like many players, of course, I'm always looking for an excuse to burst into song during any D&D sessions. Just need to bide my time.

The other idea I had for this multiclass was a sort of Rose Knight (https://www.dandossantos.com/gallery#/rose-red/). As with many fantasy settings, D&D has had gods of beauty, love, etc.; these gods have their servants and Paladins as any other. No doubt the world has its stories of chivalric romance. This would a Glamour Bard with a knightly core, then; Ancients as the oath, perhaps. Redemption / Glamour could be interesting, with slightly different theming.

In general, Paladin / Bard can be a fun one; both Paladins and Bards can inspire in their own way, whether that be with auras or literal Bardic Inspiration. A Bard's music could be melodic and representive of the beauty and peace they've sworn to bring into the world, or said music could be the blare of warhorns and drums on the battlefield. Mix the classes together and you land somewhere on a scale from 'heavily-armored Bard' to 'more-magical Paladin'.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

I find myself thinking of this (I think) backwards to the way you approached it in the sense that I see the feat first and think of the classes it could apply to 2nd. That said I think most or all classes could have a rogue feat. I played an Inquisitor type Paladin who had a bit of rogue in him and was on a seek and destroy mission against Devils. I have a character planned for an upcoming campaign who is a Barbarian but has a bit of Rogue in him as well. I actually think there is a lot of room for Scout type Barbarians in a clan so this works well.
Despite the fact 'Thief' was one of the original classes I sort of it makes a good full class as opposed to a subclass of another.

[Unoriginal]

Magic Lineage: Wizard with Sorcerer dip

Family Stories: Bard with Sorcerer dip

Pact-Awakened Blood: Warlock with Sorcerer dip

Inherited Grudge: Barbarian with Sorcerer dip

Family Motto: Paladin with Sorcerer dip

Supernatural Birth: Fighter with Sorcerer dip

Spark in the Family: Artificier with Sorcerer dip

Blessed Bloodline: Cleric with Sor dip

Crime Family or Lawless Legacy: Rogue with Sor dip

Born Competitor: Monk with Sor dip

[BloodSnake'sCha]

The chosen one:
Paladin dip on divine soul sorcerer.

[cutlery]

I don't see any dips as "not making sense" unless you have a rigid view of classes as careers. Once an adventurer is out in the world, stuff happens.

I think it shouldn't be that hard to work "deal with the devil" (warlock) or "sometimes-righteous zealotry" (paladin) into a character arc. See also "dragon blood" (sorcerer), "Oh, nature is cool" (druid, ranger), and "$deity has chosen me" (cleric). No real need for anything super fancy.

For that matter, "I use swords now" (fighter) and "perhaps I should aim for the kidneys" (rogue) aren't that tough, nor is "hulk smash?" (barbarian).


Heading off to wizard school late in life sort of sounds like a primetime TV comedy; but wizard is hardly a popular dip for classes that don't already cast.

The way Bards are fluffed, I'd suspect you'd need to head off to a Bard college, too, or at least apprentice for awhile. Not just for the spells, but also all the other things bards do.

"I know Kung Fu" is probably pretty difficult to make happen organically without running into someone else with those skills - particularly when 5e monks are so much closer to Wuxia than Kung Fu.

So, other than Wizard, Bard, and Monk, I don't see why any of them can't happen without a relevant thing in the character's story arc - doesn't need much existing at character creation, and you don't need an entire theme for "deal with the devil" or "I use swords now".

Going to wizard school after 10 years as a cleric or a pickpocket? That's something else.


Concept before crunch is good; but the class system doesn't really support all concepts equally well; some concepts (for example, a true Kung Fu martial artist without all that Wuxia stuff; blademasters) aren't supported at all.

You can make any personality or background work; and you can make a deal with an entity from the lower planes without taking a level of warlock, or spend time in wizard school without taking a level of wizard.

[Kyutaru]

Conan - Barbarian with Rogue dip. Phenomenal cosmic rage... itty bitty presence. Sneaks, steals, and survives dungeons with the best of the them. Life is sometimes hard and we learn through the pain to get better.

Elminster - Wizard with Rogue dip. Magic doesn't solve everything. It can, when the planets align, but the rest of it the time one must rely on cunning. For a wizard with more intelligence than a dragon, not knowing a few trickster tools and deceptions almost seems a fool's blunder.

Friar Tuck - Cleric with Rogue dip. The god's work is great but sometimes it needs a lighter touch. Or a heavier one. In any case, the gods help those that help themselves. I'm helping myself to your pouch and some of your wine. The best way to fight the oppression of devils is when their back is turned.

Jon Snow - Paladin with Rogue dip. I am the sword in the darkness. The light that brings the dawn. Though my vows are sacred I will uphold them by any means necessary and neither brother nor captain nor king and country will stand in the way of justice.