Gestalt Characters: What would you build?

[Rhocian Xothara]

So I'm in a few games where Gestalt builds are allowed. Gestalt for those who don't know are the "have your cake and eat it" multiclasses that were a thing back in like 2e before the current 'multiclassing' format were a thing (people who played BG2 may recall some Gestalt options, called "Dual-Class").

In short: Pick two classes. Every time you level up, level both classes up.

Obviously some shared features disappear: You can't have 'Extra Attacks' from more than one source (so a Fighter/Paladin Gestalt wouldn't get two extra attacks at 5th level); Hit Dice is just whichever one is the highest; Saving throws are a choice of any two from the ones you get with each class, etc. There are some cool guides on DM's Guild.

It's great for a "high-powered" campaign where the focus is on the story moreso than on presenting your players with a real challenge. It also presents some options that are normally possible with standard Multiclassing (particularly with regards to how spellcasting works in Gestalt, or high-level class features in general). But what was interesting to see for me is the sheer number of otherwise strange builds you wouldn't normally see under Multiclassing rules.

I have two characters that are frankly boring: Fighter/Paladin. One is a Rune Knight/Glory Paladin Goliath; another is a Battle Master/Glory Paladin who uses the Unarmed Fighting style to fight like a strength-based pugilist archetype (not-so-loosely based on All Might from 'My Hero Academia', and I refuse to apologise for that!)

What aren't boring are the combinations that others took:
Feylock/Armorer Artificer
Shadow Sorc/Grave Cleric
Sorcerer/Wizard (a sort of 'arcanist' build)
And my personal favourite:
Wizard/Barbarian

I laughed at the WizBarb idea, and the player was adamant it'll work now. But to be fair, there's a lot that can be done with WizBarb without using Rage. For starters, at worst he's a Wizard with a D12 hit die and Danger Sense. But the subclass he took for Wizard at 2nd level was 'Bladesinger', and that's where Rage becomes super useful!

He's a gimmick right now, but we fully expect him to be an absolute monster at higher levels. I, for one, cannot wait to see it.

So: Given a campaign where Gestalt is legal, what would you make?

[Bobthewizard]

If spell slots stack then definitely go with two full casters.

Eloquence Bard/ Aberant Mind Sorcerer for all of the mind tricks. Eldritch Adept for Mask of Many Faces or make them a Changeling.

Evocation Wizard / Draconic Sorcerer for the ultimate blaster - sculpted, empowered, draconic fireballs.

If you like summons and have the stats for it, Shepherd Druid/ Conjuration Wizard would be great.


If spell slots don't stack then I like Warlock with a full caster. Any Hexblade/Sorcerer/Paladin combo would be great. Or shadow monk with a shadow sorcerer.

[Rhocian Xothara]

If spell slots stack then definitely go with two full casters.

Eloquence Bard/ Aberant Mind Sorcerer for all of the mind tricks. Eldritch Adept for Mask of Many Faces or make them a Changeling.

Evocation Wizard / Draconic Sorcerer for the ultimate blaster - sculpted, empowered, draconic fireballs.

If you like summons and have the stats for it, Shepherd Druid/ Conjuration Wizard would be great.


If spell slots don't stack then I like Warlock with a full caster. Any Hexblade/Sorcerer/Paladin combo would be great. Or shadow monk with a shadow sorcerer.

Spells and spell slots are tracked separately. They don't follow the "spellcasting multiclass table" rules. So a Wizard 1/Sorcerer 1 would have 3 wizard cantrips; 4 sorcerer cantrips; 2 sorcerer spell slots and 2 wizard spell slots, plus however many spells they get at 1st level each.

I think Sorcerers can still apply metamagic to the other class' spells, though.

[Amnestic]

I've had a character concept in the wings for a while - child of two retired adventurers. She was going to end up going straight fighter after her dad, but if gestalt was on the table fighter//druid, to match both parent's classes.

Dex-based. She was going to use my homebrew master merchant fighter subclass but if we're keeping to normal stuff then battlemaster/land. Decent concentration spells let her fill her actions with potent extra attacks and leave her other slots open for non-combat flexibility.

[Hytheter]

Sorcadin is a great multi-class and I'm sure it would make a killer gestalt for the same reasons except now you don't have to choose between Aura of Protection and Wish.

[nickl_2000]

Battlemaster Fighter / Kensal Monk

Archer character with CBE and Sharpshooter. Bonus action to do extra damage each turn with 4 attacks, use Focused Strike and maneuvers to make sure you whit with Sharpshooter each time. Defend from a distance easily and move around really well. That extra 1d4 damage is even crazier with action surge.


Maybe not as powerful as some of the gestalt casters, but it would be a lot of fun to drop all the damage that you would. Your hit percentage would be crazy high.






Alternately, just go Way of Mercy Monk/ Twilight Cleric and make it so that your fellow PCs have ALL the HPs. I'm pretty sure they would never die.

[Damon_Tor]

Spells and spell slots are tracked separately. They don't follow the "spellcasting multiclass table" rules. So a Wizard 1/Sorcerer 1 would have 3 wizard cantrips; 4 sorcerer cantrips; 2 sorcerer spell slots and 2 wizard spell slots, plus however many spells they get at 1st level each.

I think Sorcerers can still apply metamagic to the other class' spells, though.

Wait, so you don't let a fighter/barbarian have an extra attack at 5th level, but you let a sorcerer/wizard have double the spell slots?

[Mastikator]

Rogue Swashbuckler/ Wizard Abjurer At level 11 will add proficiency to counter spell and will benefit from Reliable Talent, meaning you can always Counter Spell every spell, even a 9th level, using a 3rd level and never fail. (always roll 10 or higher, +5 int, +4 prof = 19 or higher roll)

If you want to be Extra™ then multiclassing into artificer (armorer) to use int as your ability score for making attacks.

[TyGuy]

Seeker of the raven queen: grave cleric + long death monk, shader kai elf with spy background. Contact is a raven. PC is tasked with finding interesting souls for their patron.
Dragon knight: any fighter + draconic bloodline sorcerer, any race but probably dragonborn for dracony goodness. Total action economy breaking crazy gish. Stormfist variant: storm sorcery to bust out all that heart of the storm damage.
Tree(nt) of life: life cleric + shepherd druid, tortle or warforged refluffed as tree-person. Super broken one-man army that can
Blaster "cleric": divine soul sorcerer + celestial warlock, protector aasimar. Obviously good and unoriginal build, but with a twist in the form of really good healing/support options.

[Gignere]

Spells and spell slots are tracked separately. They don't follow the "spellcasting multiclass table" rules. So a Wizard 1/Sorcerer 1 would have 3 wizard cantrips; 4 sorcerer cantrips; 2 sorcerer spell slots and 2 wizard spell slots, plus however many spells they get at 1st level each.

I think Sorcerers can still apply metamagic to the other class' spells, though.

There is no reason to not play two full spell casters with these rules. Two full spells load out is insane.

[Lord Foul]

I'd play either Eldritch Knight Fighter or Bladesinger wizard/War mage Wizard or Arcane trickster rogue.

Blend martial prowess and magic, rip action economy a new one.
A EK/AT has stupid levels of action economy with high mobility and DPS while being decently decently tanky and having great utility, both with and without magic
EK/WM has all the blasts and defensive options he could ever want, without being restricted to them, the ability to mix spells with melee like no one's business.
AT/BS more utility focused than the other two but still plenty able to dish out the damage and take a hit. Lots of magic, and is easily able to summon up some friends to get easy sneak attack

For a charisma option because I like charisma too,
Paladin/warlock can be some of the most SAD thing in existence despite being a quality gish

[Lokishade]

The Iron Man

I already have an "Iron Man" build with a first level of Fighter, all the rest in Abjurer Wizard (or Warmage, depending on which books are on the table) and all the caveats of that choice of multiclassing. But as a Gestalt, it would be a killer. Of course, you could replace Fighter with Artificer to completely break the game.

The Librarian

The Barbarian/Wizard evoked above is completely nuts. As if being an extra durable Wizard wasn't enough, you get the equivalent of a scaling Tenser's Transformation (conceptually speaking) all throughout your adventuring career. While the two halves of this Gestalt don't directly mix to multiply the outcome, they add up for a very durable adventurer. When out of rages, cast. When out of spells, rage. The guy who picks this will never run out of cool things to do.
Alternate concept: Mary Sue (Zealot Barb/any Cleric)

The Highlander

Barbarian/Druid. At level 20, you end up with infinite rages, infinite shapechanges, spells up the wahzoo and a fluff ability that makes you live 10 times longer. If you picked an Elf, you will live for another 7000 years minimum. If suffering the effects of old age for 3000 years gives you an existential crisis, replace Barb with Monk.

Arcane Trickster 2.0

This one is Hexblade/Swashbuckler. You pick all the martial prowess and skill monkeying of a Swashbuckler and add all the utility of those sweet Eldritch Invocations plus two scaling spell slots that recharge on a short rest for maximum shenanery potential. That's my pick of subclasses, but you can mix and match any subclass, really.
Alternate concept: Jedi (Fighter/Warlock)

[Valmark]

Wait, so you don't let a fighter/barbarian have an extra attack at 5th level, but you let a sorcerer/wizard have double the spell slots?

I can understand this- most martials that aren't fighters get a damage buff that applies on each attack, so gestalting with a fighters means that the damage grows exponentially with each attack.

Meanwhile double spell slots doesn't actually sinergize in a particular way.

On that vein, Paladin/Bladelock/Barbarian/Bladesinger/Kensei/similar gestalted with a Fighter would be my go-to if I wanted to play a swingy-swingy character.

Given that I would have the ASIs for it a Barbarian/Monk also makes a lot of sense.

Known/Prepared spells Gestalt: get the spells you want to spam on your Known track, get the rest on your Prepared track.

Funny note: Barbarian/Bladesinger is probably the last thing I'd think of. You can't use the Super Extra Attack while Raging. Bladesinger's a great class but Barbarians are decidedly not what I'd gestalt them with, also because I can't reconcile their fluff (weaver of blade and magic alike coupled with a raging warrior that is incapable of using magic while in the mentioned rage).

Barbarian/Moon druid though would be a lot of fun :p

[Gignere]

I can understand this- most martials that aren't fighters get a damage buff that applies on each attack, so gestalting with a fighters means that the damage grows exponentially with each attack.

Meanwhile double spell slots doesn't actually sinergize in a particular way.

On that vein, Paladin/Bladelock/Barbarian/Bladesinger/Kensei/similar gestalted with a Fighter would be my go-to if I wanted to play a swingy-swingy character.

Given that I would have the ASIs for it a Barbarian/Monk also makes a lot of sense.

Known/Prepared spells Gestalt: get the spells you want to spam on your Known track, get the rest on your Prepared track.

Funny note: Barbarian/Bladesinger is probably the last thing I'd think of. You can't use the Super Extra Attack while Raging. Bladesinger's a great class but Barbarians are decidedly not what I'd gestalt them with, also because I can't reconcile their fluff (weaver of blade and magic alike coupled with a raging warrior that is incapable of using magic while in the mentioned rage).

Barbarian/Moon druid though would be a lot of fun :p

Are you kidding me 2 x level 7, 8, 9 spells slots is not broken?

Edit: Hell even without the gestalt rules the level 9 spells can blow martials away even if extra attack stacks.

[quindraco]

So I'm in a few games where Gestalt builds are allowed. Gestalt for those who don't know are the "have your cake and eat it" multiclasses that were a thing back in like 2e before the current 'multiclassing' format were a thing (people who played BG2 may recall some Gestalt options, called "Dual-Class").

In short: Pick two classes. Every time you level up, level both classes up.

Obviously some shared features disappear: You can't have 'Extra Attacks' from more than one source (so a Fighter/Paladin Gestalt wouldn't get two extra attacks at 5th level); Hit Dice is just whichever one is the highest; Saving throws are a choice of any two from the ones you get with each class, etc. There are some cool guides on DM's Guild.

It's great for a "high-powered" campaign where the focus is on the story moreso than on presenting your players with a real challenge. It also presents some options that are normally possible with standard Multiclassing (particularly with regards to how spellcasting works in Gestalt, or high-level class features in general). But what was interesting to see for me is the sheer number of otherwise strange builds you wouldn't normally see under Multiclassing rules.

I have two characters that are frankly boring: Fighter/Paladin. One is a Rune Knight/Glory Paladin Goliath; another is a Battle Master/Glory Paladin who uses the Unarmed Fighting style to fight like a strength-based pugilist archetype (not-so-loosely based on All Might from 'My Hero Academia', and I refuse to apologise for that!)

What aren't boring are the combinations that others took:
Feylock/Armorer Artificer
Shadow Sorc/Grave Cleric
Sorcerer/Wizard (a sort of 'arcanist' build)
And my personal favourite:
Wizard/Barbarian

I laughed at the WizBarb idea, and the player was adamant it'll work now. But to be fair, there's a lot that can be done with WizBarb without using Rage. For starters, at worst he's a Wizard with a D12 hit die and Danger Sense. But the subclass he took for Wizard at 2nd level was 'Bladesinger', and that's where Rage becomes super useful!

He's a gimmick right now, but we fully expect him to be an absolute monster at higher levels. I, for one, cannot wait to see it.

So: Given a campaign where Gestalt is legal, what would you make?

So multiclass requirements are also dropped? The wizard/barbarian doesn't need int 13 str 13, I assume. That opens up a lot for some classes with multiclass requirements disjoint from their actual abilities, like Paladins, who are no more Str based than Fighters are. Less, even - they don't have Str save proficiency. It also explains the Wizard/Sorcerer, since a Sorcerer only needs to stick to buffing spells to basically avoid ever needing Charisma for anything.

I read your other post where you cover that spell slots are simply tracked independently, so e.g. a cleric/druid simply has twice as many spell slots, with restricted use. I assume this is enforced everywhere, so e.g. Paladins can only smite with Paladin slots, Sorcerer Font of Magic/Metamagic only works on Sorcerer slots, and so on.

I see you're using a homebrewed version of Divine Smite, so I'll assume the homebrew is that unarmed strikes count as weapon attacks, not that Divine Smite works on all melee attacks.

My first instinct is a Moon Druid/Bladesinger, to be honest. Doubled up spell slots, both of which can be consumed protectively if needed, and insane AC while Wild Shaped. But I'd want to look heavily at both Cleric/Druid and Bard/Sorcerer. And Paladin/Warlock deserves a very close look, especially since Warlocks can choose not to take the EA invocation.

[TyGuy]

I think everything should stack in gestalt. They're supposed to be "OP". Why punish double martial builds? If I ran gestalt I would want to encourage variety, not stifle it.

To that end, I would also allow double dipping a single class for double the resources. Like 2x ki, channel divinity, arcane recovery, rages, etc.

[jaappleton]

I think I'd go with some sort of Ancients Paladin / Mercy Monk combo.

Paladins Improved Divine Smite for +1d8 on every attack at 11th level, using spell slots to smite, have resistance to damage from spells couples with things like Evasion would be pretty sweet.

[Valmark]

Are you kidding me 2 x level 7, 8, 9 spells slots is not broken?

Edit: Hell even without the gestalt rules the level 9 spells can blow martials away even if extra attack stacks.

I didn't say it's not broken, did I (or a variation on that term)?

[clash]

Inquisitive rogue/ shadow monk

... cause I'm batman

[Gignere]

I didn't say it's not broken, did I (or a variation on that term)?

Ok how is double level 9 spell slots not synergistic? 2x wish or cast foresight and still have a wish in the back pocket.

[nickl_2000]

Inquisitive rogue/ shadow monk

... cause I'm batman

So many bonus action choices... :smallbiggrin:

[Sorinth]

Hunter Ranger / Beast Barbarian has some interesting options. At level 3 you can make 4 attacks per turn with Horde Breaker and Claw Attacks. And depending on how the DM treats two-weapon fighting with a natural weapon you could potentially have 5 with your BA.

Though for a higher level campaign I would be very tempted to go Long Death Monk and Moon Druid. Wildshape into an Elemental and then simply never drop form while you have Ki points. Though check with the DM to be sure it works.

[quindraco]

I can understand this- most martials that aren't fighters get a damage buff that applies on each attack, so gestalting with a fighters means that the damage grows exponentially with each attack.

Meanwhile double spell slots doesn't actually sinergize in a particular way.

On that vein, Paladin/Bladelock/Barbarian/Bladesinger/Kensei/similar gestalted with a Fighter would be my go-to if I wanted to play a swingy-swingy character.


Warlock/Fighter is the way to go here, since Warlocks get EA through an invocation, meaning you can choose something else to avoid "losing" a benefit that otherwise happens if you double-up on EA granting classes or subclasses. Likewise, Artificers, Bards, and Wizards only get EA from specific subclasses, so you can avoid them if necessary, or not. Plenty of room here for a Battlesmith/Abjurer, for example, or an Artillerist/Bladesinger.

[quindraco]

Hunter Ranger / Beast Barbarian has some interesting options. At level 3 you can make 4 attacks per turn with Horde Breaker and Claw Attacks. And depending on how the DM treats two-weapon fighting with a natural weapon you could potentially have 5 with your BA.

Though for a higher level campaign I would be very tempted to go Long Death Monk and Moon Druid. Wildshape into an Elemental and then simply never drop form while you have Ki points. Though check with the DM to be sure it works.

It does. All Wild Shapes can make unarmed strikes, their natural weapons are just usually better (as is the case with the Elementals, all of whom attack for more damage than your unarmed strike normally will).

[Valmark]

Ok how is double level 9 spell slots not synergistic? 2x wish or cast foresight and still have a wish in the back pocket.
I think we have a different definition- to me two things sinergize when they work together. Being able to do something twice isn't synergistic.

Warlock/Fighter is the way to go here, since Warlocks get EA through an invocation, meaning you can choose something else to avoid "losing" a benefit that otherwise happens if you double-up on EA granting classes or subclasses. Likewise, Artificers, Bards, and Wizards only get EA from specific subclasses, so you can avoid them if necessary, or not. Plenty of room here for a Battlesmith/Abjurer, for example, or an Artillerist/Bladesinger.

Agreed, though even if you lose an Extra Attack with Fighter adding Rage/Improved Divine Smite/Song of Victory/whatever to 4+ attacks still sounds great.

By the by, Druid/Chronurgy Wizard for Concentration-less Conjure Animals (or Woodland Beings) boosted by Animal Shapes? Only works against enemies without resistance/immunity to non-magical weapons though.

EDIT: Druid and Chronurgy Wizard is just great period I think, since it helps in countering the main druid spell list downsides.

[dragoeniex]

My friend ran a lv 11 gestalt oneshot a while back. It was a lot of fun!

I decided to make "Aquaman, but on land" for the heck of it, and thus the Champion Fighter/Bladesinger Wizard by the name of Turf Terran was born. My self-imposed challenges were to pick as many spells as possible that could be ocean-themed with reflavoring, and for Turf to have a ridiculously high AC while wearing nothing but stylish pants.

With Mage Armor, Bracers of Defense, Mariner fighting style, and 20 Int and Dex, his base AC was 26. Shield would spike it to 31.

Unless, of course, he was using Haste on himself. Then it'd be 33.

He also had Tenser's Transformation to capitalize on the increased crit range. Absorb Elements and Song of Defense were additional aspects that made his concentration particularly hard to break.

The rest was mostly picked around flavor. Mass Suggestion to summon help from his land friends, Guiding Hand re-tweaked to "Guiding Fish," etc.

I had a blast playing him. Even an Ancient Red Dragon got exasperated over how many attacks it was whiffing at this pec-popping idiot.




TL;DR: I'd say any full caster/full martial builds are going to be a blast.

[Heavenblade]

Monster slayer ranger//Abjuration wizard with mage slayer and spell sniper is fun. You are a tough as nails gish whose reactipns can be used to defend your buddies and KILL ALL MAGIC

[AvatarVecna]

Barbarian//Rogue
No save overlap, good skill/expertise access.

Danger Sense + Evasion + Dex save prof = immunity to AoEs.

Unarmored Defense means getting hit rarely, Totem Rage halves basically all damage, and Uncanny Dodge further halves one attack per round. Two "half damage rounding down" on top of each other is pretty solid (and if applied to an AoE before you get evasion, a third as well). You're surprisingly tanky - even more so than a usual totem barbarian

Nobody needs it explained to them why Sneak Attack + Reckless Attack is powerful. The only real problem with getting this combo to work is that you'll have to use Str to attack with a finesse weapon...but that's still gonna be pretty awesome.[/spoiler]

Battlemaster Fighter//Mastermind Rogue
No save overlap, good skill/expertise access. You've also got a few useful tool proficiencies.

You get more ASIs than anybody else.

Extra Attack and Action Surge is more opportunities for Sneak Attack to trigger.

Maneuvers can be used to more easily set up Sneak Attacks.

You can use a BA to Help from ranged, or for some Cunning Action thing.

At mid-levels, you can spend a couple minutes of conversation/observation to learn somebody's statblock, more or less.

Lore Bard//Sorcerer
Cha full casters, you'll end up with a lot of spell options. And the lists don't have too much overlap (essentially being focused on enchantment/illusion and evocation, respectively).

Good skill/expertise access.

Past low-mid levels, Magical Secrets + Metamagic allows you to apply metamagic to spells that would normally never be a possibility.

Both classes have a lot of different options allowing them to aim in different directions; this could be used to focus you down a particular path, to be the greatest at your chosen field.

Cleric//Monk
Wis synergy, and no save overlap.

Use spells to buff yourself, then go in swinging.

Use monk speed + BA dodge/dash/disengage to get wherever you need to and slap down a heal.

Use monk defense features to make sure you need less healing (so you can save it for others). Unarmored Defense, Deflect Missiles, Slow Fall, Evasion, that kinda stuff.

Cleric has a really solid list that domains expand on - I'm sure there's some weird subclass combo that would allow you to aim in all kinds of directions. Trickery//Shadow could make a good scout, perhaps? Lots of options.

Oathbreaker Paladin//Necromancer Wizard
If this is the combo you're going for...there's honestly not a ton of synergy between the two classes, but really you're here for the undead. You're here to stack two big buffs for undead hordes without having to get another party member on board. Honestly, it'd probably be better to do something like Fighter//Paladin and Cleric//Wizard and just work with your party, but if you wanna be able to maintain your army at full power without assistance, then this is the way to go.

Paladin//Warlock (Hexblade/Blade Pact)
Cha synergy. Smites for days. It's honestly hard to go wrong here.

Sorcerer//Warlock
Coffeelock nonsense, but now both classes are full level. Yaaaaaaaaaay. /s

Moon Druid//Barbarian or Monk
Wild Shape is a defensive option: you're giving up a lot of your damage potential for a pool of hit points that won't need to be healed afterwards - its very blatantly trading offense for defense. But wild shape keeps class features, like Rage and Martial Arts and Unarmored Defense. Either of these classes combines surprisingly well with a lot of animal forms, allowing you to make that tradeoff more powerful on both offense and defense (maybe even make it viable for more than just tanking). Although to be clear: either of these options would be phenomenal for tanking - totem barbarian resistance to everything on animals is absurd, and monk's Unarmored Defense allows a high Wis moon druid to maintain good AC no matter the form (not to mention BA dash/dodge/disengage and deflect missiles and evasion and slow fall). Both of them will give a speed boost to the animals as well.

Shadow Monk//Rogue
Martial Arts and sneak attack have good synergy for non-unarmed weapons like daggers and shortbows. If you're using the optional tasha rule to get a martial weapon as a monk weapon, longbow is an excellent choice for the additional range.

Assassin or Thief could work pretty well here and have good synergy. You're here for stealth and B&E, which these two classes combine to make really easy.

Cunning Action lets you dash/disengage on BA without spending ki, saving more ki for everything else.

Expertise + Pass Without Trace makes you damn near impossible to find as early as lvl 3. This gets even worse at lvl 11, when you have Reliable Talent and can turn invisible.

Who needs to pick a lock when you can peek through the crack under the door and teleport through?

Monk and Rogue both have some nice defensive features, although there's overlap between them (double evasion, deflect missiles/uncanny dodge, that kinda thing).

[BoutsofInsanity]

Personal favorite would be a Cleric / Monk netting all the good stuff and allowing the opportunity to play a Sacred Fist.

Or really Cleric with any of the Martial Characters. Barbarians, Fighters, Rangers all increase hit dice, allow for extra attack and benefit from some monster spells.

If you have some incredible stats however, I would want to go Monk / Paladin. Especially hand waving the smite restriction, the opportunity to have perfect saves, speed, hit dice, casting, spells, and all the goodies seems too great to ignore.

[AvatarVecna]

Or really Cleric with any of the Martial Characters. Barbarians, Fighters, Rangers all increase hit dice, allow for extra attack and benefit from some monster spells.

Seconded, tbh. Cleric has such a great default list, and the best kind of spell list access, and domains can just expand on that while giving neat abilities. I'd hazard a guess that Cleric//X would basically always be viable.

[luuma]

Any Monk/Moon Druid.

- you're a full caster druid, which means that you have absurd ability to control movement. Also, you're moving an absurd distance each round, which is a neat natural synergy.
- Shillelagh quarterstaff for some nice hits early on
- You can become ten times as old as anyone else, without suffering frailty, which is useless but cool

And then you wildshape, and everything becomes glorious.
- Unarmored defense works, and generally gives you fantastic AC
- Unarmored movement works, stacking with your flying speed etc and eventually breaking the sound barrier as a giant eagle
- FoB can be used alongside whatever attacks the beast has, and so can stunning strike
- Transform into a tiny critter, infiltrate the fortress, and beat the hell out of people with your nonsensical unarmed strikes. as a squirrel.
- Plenty of ways to grapple as part of an attack. Also, you can move very fast indeed
- Tongue of the sun and moon: become a talking dog.

There's no other martial that works nearly so well with the moon druid. It's really lovely.

[Battlebooze]

Here's a nasty combination, Fighter (Battle Master) /Cleric (Grave domain).

This gives you the ability to action surge, bonus action Feinting attack with a superiority die, channel divinity with Path to the Grave, then use Inflict Wounds with advantage on your attack. At third level with up-casting, this yields 4d10 +1d8 x2 damage with a hit. 53+ points of damage on average is pretty nice and it just keeps scaling up as you level.

[Waterdeep Merch]

I've allowed gestalts (though with only best-of options regarding spell slots, with Warlock slots either replacing any others or being ignored entirely at the player's choice) for years now on a slower leveling curve. Choices have included-

*Eldritch Knight//Arcane Trickster on a Shadar-Kai with Revenant Blade. This is a an absolute shredder in combat with remarkable utility.

*Battlesmith Artificer//Chronurgy Wizard on a Warforged. Exceptional utility that can hold the line when needed, you never hurt for options.

*Devotion Paladin//Hexblade Warlock on a Variant Human. This one had premier stats going in via lucky rolls, but was vastly overestimated and turned to dust within three sessions. It was theoretically powerful, but let this be a lesson- theoretical power cannot make up for poor play.

*Arcane Trickster//Bladesinger on a Variant Human. Plays like a souped-up late-game AT out of the gate that becomes a very mobile, very flexible caster around level 8+.

I also allow for triple class gestalts at an absolutely glacial leveling rate. This isn't taken as often due to the lethality of the world making the slow leveling a serious liability, but I've had at least one make it to level 14 now-

*Devotion Paladin//Celestial Warlock//Divine Soul Sorcerer on a Variant Human with Chain Pact. An incredible package of offense, defense, healing, and support. This character singlehandedly holds the line and keeps his party together, though it took quite some time for them to get up to snuff (his primary adventuring partners outlevel him by a lot. The single-classed tomelock is now level 18 for comparison).

[Gignere]

I've allowed gestalts (though with only best-of options regarding spell slots, with Warlock slots either replacing any others or being ignored entirely at the player's choice) for years now on a slower leveling curve. Choices have included-


This spell slots combo makes more sense. Under this system I’d play a fighter/warlock or fighter/bard. Using a musket and crit fishing to do range smiting build with Eldritch smite or whispers dice.

[Waterdeep Merch]

This spell slots combo makes more sense. Under this system I’d play a fighter/warlock or fighter/bard. Using a musket and crit fishing to do range smiting build with Eldritch smite or whispers dice.

Oh yeah, I forgot the Christmas joke character that's survived for nearly two years now that's also a crit monster.

Battlemaster//Zealot Barbarian on a Centaur (reindeer) with GWM and PAM. He's retroactively realized Champion would've been a better fit, after another player got a haul of obsidian and learned how to craft with it (making brittle but exceptionally sharp weaponry- any slashing or piercing weapon made of it has an expanded crit range, but shatters on a critical failure unless they pass a DC 10 Con save). They paid the same player to then enchant it with Keen and 2d6 lightning damage, giving them an 18-20 crit range on rerollable GWM-empowered raging strikes. It's been a rather brutal build. They successfully solo'd an adult blue dragon during a thunderstorm over a volcano in midair using a fly potion while the others spectated from their comparatively brittle airship. It was basically a power metal album cover.

[TyGuy]

I've allowed gestalts (though with only best-of options regarding spell slots, with Warlock slots either replacing any others or being ignored entirely at the player's choice) for years now on a slower leveling curve. Choices have included-



This spell slots combo makes more sense. Under this system I’d play a fighter/warlock or fighter/bard. Using a musket and crit fishing to do range smiting build with Eldritch smite or whispers dice.

T3 & T4 warlock still brings mystic arcanum to the table for a 50% increase of 6 & 7 and doubling of 8 & 9 spells
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Angelalex242]

Paladin Monk with Lucky.

DM: roll a saving throw!

Joe the Holy Fist of God (Level 14+...) : :D

[Kane0]

Ranger|Druid
Monk|Druid
Paladin|Sorcerer
Artificer|Wizard
Barbarian|Ranger

Fighter, Rogue and Warlock go with basically everything, including each other

[Waterdeep Merch]

T3 & T4 warlock still brings mystic arcanum to the table for a 50% increase of 6 & 7 and doubling of 8 & 9 spells
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I consider those "warlock slots" all the same for these purposes. Though whenever they mix spell classes I let them learn spells at their normal rate for each class, including cantrips. So it's not a complete waste of time, just a bit questionable if the returns are worth it. Doesn't seem to stop my player from doing so anyway.

[Cybren]

I can understand this- most martials that aren't fighters get a damage buff that applies on each attack, so gestalting with a fighters means that the damage grows exponentially with each attack.

Meanwhile double spell slots doesn't actually sinergize in a particular way.

The "synergy" in having roughly double the spells known and spell slots is that you get to cast double the number of 1) high level spells that are dealing way more damage than your cantrips and 2) have twice the chance to have a niche spell perfect for the situation at hand. In effect it is buffing your action because you just have more high value things to spend it on. This is why I always find it a little suspect that people play gestalt this way, even if I haven't tried in in 5e yet.


T3 & T4 warlock still brings mystic arcanum to the table for a 50% increase of 6 & 7 and doubling of 8 & 9 spells
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mystic Arcanum is a lot more limited than actual higher level casting, though. It would definitely make warlock the most attractive multiclass option for pretty much every cha caster and a good chunk of others too if only warlock casting 'stacked', but I can still see other combos being fun too.

[Unoriginal]

So: Given a campaign where Gestalt is legal, what would you make?

Storm Sorcerer/4 Elements Monk.

Because who doesn't want to play Emperor Palpatine?

[Ogre Mage]

Twilight Domain Cleric/Circle of the Stars Druid. You are the ultimate light in the darkness.

[kazaryu]

I can understand this- most martials that aren't fighters get a damage buff that applies on each attack, so gestalting with a fighters means that the damage grows exponentially with each attack.

Meanwhile double spell slots doesn't actually sinergize in a particular way.


this, while true, ignores the basic premise of spell slots. casters are limited by their number of spell slots. if you double the number of spell slots available, you reduce that limitation. now, a level 5 wizard doesn't have to be as careful about using their 3rd level spell slots. becuase they're so much more free. meanwhile the martials get....**** you? thats just silly. ironically, i wouldn't actually double the spell slots if you go 2 full caster classes rather than giving martials the super extra attack. a sorc|wizard multiclass is gonna be ridiculous enough as is, they don't actually need more spell slots.

[Kane0]

I'm always a fan of the 'lock squad.

Each character gestalts something with Warlock, and everyone has either the same patron or different patrons (depending on the game).

Lock|Sorcerer = Blaster
Lock|Bard = Support
Lock|Paladin = Tank
Then add Lock|Ranger, Lock|Rogue and/or Lock|Fighter to round out the party as necessary.

Bonus points it you're all Celestial Patron, you're on a mission from God(dess)!
Lock|Paladin
Lock|Cleric
Lock|Barbarian (Zealot)

[nickl_2000]

I'm always a fan of the 'lock squad.

Each character gestalts something with Warlock, and everyone has either the same patron or different patrons (depending on the game).

Lock|Sorcerer = Blaster
Lock|Bard = Support
Lock|Paladin = Tank
Then add Lock|Ranger, Lock|Rogue and/or Lock|Fighter to round out the party as necessary.

Bonus points it you're all Celestial Patron, you're on a mission from God(dess)!
Lock|Paladin
Lock|Cleric
Lock|Barbarian (Zealot)

This does make spamming Darkness ridiculously powerful. Seems like it would flat out break the game.

[Unoriginal]

This does make spamming Darkness ridiculously powerful. Seems like it would flat out break the game.

Well two things:

1. This is Gestalt, it's already doing that

2. Spamming Darkness only works until enemies learn that complying with the PCs' tactics will get them killed.

[nickl_2000]

Well two things:

1. This is Gestalt, it's already doing that

2. Spamming Darkness only works until enemies learn that complying with the PCs' tactics will get them killed.

Both of these are fair and extremely valid points.

[Blood of Gaea]

I think a Bladesinger Wizard/Arcana Cleric Mark of Warding Dwarf who grabs Warcaster would be a lot of fun.

You'll be casting either Blade Cantrip as part of your attack action, and adding your Wis to both instances of cantrip damage. And your particularly potent Booming Blade OA combined with Armor of Agathys makes you a pretty gnarly frontline tank.

Basically, you can spend relatively minimal spellslots in combat (mainly using cantrips to attack, Spirit Guardians as a pre-fight buff, and the occasional control spell to keep fights calm), and can then use most of two fullcasting spellslot sets to do all kinds of fun out of combat things.

[sambojin]

Moon Druid // Fighter (whatever subclass).

Not a bad caster, and extra attack and action surge carries over to wildshape pretty well. Just pick the biggest attack and go ham. 3x Stegadon tail whips sounds nice at lvl12, action surge for another three for the hell of it. Great for Dino shooting forms as well.

What to do with all those extra ASIs though? All the rituals/ feat magic, random funsie abilities, or just beef up combat a bit more? The world is the mollusc of your choice.

[Arkhios]

Paladin of the Ancients/Moon Druid

Certainly MAD AF, but very thematic combimation, and given enough investment, might be a really scary combination.

[Lord Foul]

Dwarf barbearian (totem)/Druid (moon)
Or Dwarf Monk (any, probably drunken master because dwarf)/Druid (moon)
Take the dwarven resilience feat
If in dungeon, transform into something big enough that enemies can't just avoid you to target someone squishier. Become the most durable ****er around
Barbarian gives d12 HD resistance to basically everything, con to AC that also makes your resilience more effective.
Monk gets flurries, deflect missile, dodge as a bonus action with witch to use dwarven resilience, and this combo is *incredibly* SAD

Speaking of SAD...
Paladin (any works)/warlock (hexblade) cha to hit/damage/spellcasting plus self healing and D10HD to reduce reliance on con, heavy armor and shield proficiency to reduce reliance on dex
The only thing you need stats other than charisma for is skills, saves and RPing the character the way you want to

[Unoriginal]

Wait, I got it.

Long Death Monk/Conquest Paladin.

Needs good DEX, WIS and CHA, but at lvl 7 you have Hour of Reaping to scare everything in a 30ft radius, and your sweet Aura that reduces the speed of everyone scared of you within 10 ft of you to 0 plus damages them.

[Boverk]

A little late to this, but I'd probably roll

Astral Monk/(Moon or Stars) Druid - Full Caster, Great AC, amazing visual appearance...you can be a dragon aura wreathed character with multiple glowing magical arms or shift into a multi armed bear

Astral Monk/Rune Knight Fighter - great AC, lots of attacks, lots of nice buffs from the runes

Artificer/Paladin - Great AC, guaranteed access to magical items of your pick, great saves due to paladin aura and if you get to 20, +1 ac per attuned magical item.

Rune Knight/(Artificer or full caster with enlarge/reduce) - be really big and grapple everything

[Amnestic]

Ancestral Guardian Barbarian//Ancients Paladin entices me a fair bit as a tanky boy. Health, saves, danger sense, ancestral guardian stuff to keep people focused on you. Can't concentrate on spells while raging, sure, but you can use spell slots on smite instead. Or stuff out of combat like lesser restoration. Or drop a spell at the start of a fight then rage. Lots of options.

Also I know that they can Turn themselves but I would want them to be a satyr too.

[Telwar]

The thought of a ranger||monk based off of the Soft Master of the Arashikage clan amuses me to no end.

[rlc]

Spells and spell slots are tracked separately. They don't follow the "spellcasting multiclass table" rules. So a Wizard 1/Sorcerer 1 would have 3 wizard cantrips; 4 sorcerer cantrips; 2 sorcerer spell slots and 2 wizard spell slots, plus however many spells they get at 1st level each.

I think Sorcerers can still apply metamagic to the other class' spells, though.
This coupled with martial abilities not stacking just sounds like you hate martials.

[Lord Foul]

The most recent tulock and mango video reveals how great barbarian and rogue mesh in gestalt or multiclassing. Crazy fast, crazy high damage that doesn't sacrifice skill or durability with reckless attacks guaranteeing sneak attack. In combat you're a monster, just from base class abilities.

The question is, which combo of archetypes works best. Ancestral guardian fits a lot of combos best thematically
Ancestral guardian/arcane trickster? Maybe you have a shaman ancestor who taught you what they know
Ancestral guardian/assasin hello killmonger
Ancestral guardian or zealot/phantom *really* in tune with his ancestors
Storm herald/arcane trickster could be a story of uncontrollable magical heritage that they can't control

[MaxWilson]

There is no reason to not play two full spell casters with these rules. Two full spells load out is insane.

Well, there's still opportunity cost to consider. You still can't cast two spells in one turn, but if you play a warrior/mage like e.g. Battlemaster/Divine Soul, you can Action Surge 4 - 8 attacks and still Quicken a big spell like Sickening Radiance. Arguably that's better than what a Wizard/Divine Soul would be doing.

Warrior/Rogue is also very fun and hard-hitting.


I think a Bladesinger Wizard/Arcana Cleric Mark of Warding Dwarf who grabs Warcaster would be a lot of fun.

You'll be casting either Blade Cantrip as part of your attack action, and adding your Wis to both instances of cantrip damage. And your particularly potent Booming Blade OA combined with Armor of Agathys makes you a pretty gnarly frontline tank.

Basically, you can spend relatively minimal spellslots in combat (mainly using cantrips to attack, Spirit Guardians as a pre-fight buff, and the occasional control spell to keep fights calm), and can then use most of two fullcasting spellslot sets to do all kinds of fun out of combat things.

Adding an extra WIS to cantrip damage is... okay, but Bladesinger is already very MAD (needs Dex, Con, Int) even before you add a Wis dependency so that Wis probably isn't going to be very high.

Personally if I were doing a Bladesinger multiclass I'd probably be way more tempted by Bladesinger/Shepherd Druid or Bladesinger Moon Druid--they're both very tempting in different ways.

Shepherd Druid: Getting to Planar Bind spiritual Giant Apes who do magical weapon damage? Yes, please! That plus all the temp HP and conjured animals is way more appealing to me than +2-3 damage on a Booming Blade/Greenflame Blade.

Moon Druid: even with Dex 14, I can boost Int to 20 and now I get to be a Mage Armored, Bladesinging, AC 23 resistant-to-weapons Air Elemental and it doesn't even cost my concentration? And I can do this at least once per short rest? Sign me up!

[Hael]

Might I suggest picking something that feels fun and thematic, and not necessarily trying to pick the ultimate killer. You're going to be powerful enough as a Gestalt that agonizing over details isn't really the point.

But ok, i'd probably pick armorer/chronurgist or maybe Smith/Chronurgist. Simply b/c artificer makes the best class in the game basically unkillable, and gives you access to yet another way to bypass concentration ( so 3 concentration spells at lvl 10, 6 at lvl 13 with simulacrum).