Clarify an obscure mechanic for me, please.

[Rhocian Xothara]

So I'm trying to develop a sort of 'Ultimate Arcanist' build. You know how munchkins/min-maxers tend to multiclass Barbarian/Fighter/Paladin to create an awesome martial build? I've wanted to do this for some time with a spellcaster, and for a couple of years now I've just been using Coffeelocks.

The biggest problem with multiclassing spellcasters is that whilst they benefit from the multiclassing rules re: spell slots, their 'known spells' are still tied to their individual classes. My Sorcadin for a podcast game is Paladin 6/Sorcerer 4 and whilst he enjoys 4th-level spell slots for things like smites and upcast spells, he only knows up to 2nd level spells. Kinda sucks next to the Storm Sorcerer 8/Tempest Cleric 2 who can tear through enemies with Lightning Bolt - usually for max damage, too, with their Channel Divinity.

So spellcaster multiclasses lose a lot of ground on spells known - both in number and in level.

However, I believe I may have fixed this, using Wizard?

Wizards can write spells into their spellbook; the spells they write into it are tied to the spell levels that they can prepare (so a CL3 Wizard couldn't write a 'Wish' Spell into their book as they don't have 9th-level spell slots). However, using the multiclassing rule for spell slots, a multiclassed character of, say, Sorcerer 3/Warlock 3/Wizard 3 might only have 1st and 2nd level spells known and available by their first two classes, but a Wizard can have up to 5th-level spells in their spellbook, as they have 1 5th-level spell slot available and thus can prepare it.

The drawback is that whilst their spellbook's spells aren't necessarily tied to their Wizard Level, the number of spells they can prepare is (Int modifier + Wizard Level). Which is fine - no need to prepare 1st or 2nd level spells (leave that to your Sorcerer/Warlock levels); just focus on the higher-level spells that you otherwise couldn't cast.

Seems like a minor downside considering it bridges the gap for one of the biggest weaknesses of spellcaster multiclasses.

I've read and re-read the PHB on this - particularly regarding the Spellbook and Spell preparation. I'm convinced I'm right. I just need to confirm it with the community before I go and embarass myself at the table.

TL;DR: Is this all correct?

[Lord Vukodlak]

No If you are a 3rd level wizard the highest level wizard spell you can cast is 2nd level. If you have a 5th level slot you could prepare that 2nd level spell in a 5th level slot but thats it.

[Vegan Squirrel]

Short answer: no.

Longer answer.
You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class. If you are a ranger 4/wizard 3, for example, you know three 1st-level ranger spells based on your levels in the ranger class. As 3rd-level wizard, you know three wizard cantrips, and your spellbook contains ten wizard spells, two of which (the two you gained when you reached 3rd level as a wizard) can be 2nd-level spells.
...
If you have more than one spellcasting class, this table might give you spell slots of a level that is higher than the spells you know or can prepare. You can use those slots, but only to cast your lower-level spells.
...
For example, if you are the aforementioned ranger 4/wizard 3, you count as a 5th-level character when determining your spell slots: you have four 1st-level slots, three 2nd-level slots, and two 3rd-level slots. However, you don't know any 3rd-level spells, nor do you know any 2nd-level ranger spells.

Bold added for emphasis. The rules are very clear. Your sorcerer 3/warlock 3/wizard 3 considers the question of which spells they can prepare (and therefore, which spells they can add to their spellbook) by considering themselves as a wizard 3. A wizard 3 can only prepare 2nd-level spells, not 5th-level spells. The sorcerer and warlock abilities do not factor into the question.

Furthermore, a sorcerer 3/warlock 3/wizard 3 has only 1st- through 3rd-level spellcasting spell slots from sorcerer and wizard levels and 2nd-level pact magic spell slots from warlock levels. You don't have access to 5th-level spell slots in the first place, because pact magic and spellcasting don't stack for determining spell slot levels.

[RogueJK]

Edit: Ninja'd :smallwink:

Refer to the PHB section about Multiclassing. Under Spellcasting, it states:


Spells Known and Prepared. You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class. If you are a ranger 4/wizard 3, for example, you know three 1st-level ranger spells based on your levels in the ranger class. As 3rd-level wizard, you know three wizard cantrips, and your spellbook contains ten wizard spells, two of which (the two you gained when you reached 3rd level as a wizard) can be 2nd-level spells. If your Intelligence is 16, you can prepare six wizard spells from your spellbook.

Reading the Wizard class description, it states:


You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you’re a 3rd-level wizard, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook.

...

Each time you gain a wizard level, you can add two wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Wizard table.

So you learn and prepare Wizard spells as if you are (just) a 3rd level Wizard. You can only take into account Wizard spell slots (as if you were single-classed) when determining the level of Wizard spells you can learn or prepare.

[solidork]

People have been trying to turn this into a loophole for a long long time but it doesn't work, for the reasons people have outlined.

[LumenPlacidum]

People have been trying to turn this into a loophole for a long long time but it doesn't work, for the reasons people have outlined.

Yeah, me too. I figured WOTC had just gone completely nuts.

[bid]

I just need to confirm it with the community before I go and embarass myself at the table.
You are saying that a high level cleric can learn wish after dipping a single level of wizard. How sane does that sound to you?


But yeah, anything in the Classes chapter uses the class level and nothing gained from MC.