Roughing out an alternate "multiclassing" framework

[PhoenixPhyre]

It's no secret I dislike level-by-level multiclassing. The exact reasons aren't really germane here, but suffice it to say I think that it was a mistake in 3e and even more of a mistake in 5e.

Instead, I'm working through some (hypothetical, at this point) concepts for replacing the horizontal growth that it brings without the "dip and grab that frontloaded feature" downsides. Effectively, I'm splitting the space covered by multiclassing into several "chunks", each addressed by a different, more focused solution.

1. I have a dominant class and want a splash of something else. The solution is what I'm calling "Emulation Features", a parallel advancement track that has two different modes--picking your current class or a different one. Picking a different one gives you a couple of the key features in a slightly altered form alongside your regular features. Not, as current, replacing your current features. These have short "tracks" -- if you focus on one class in particular, you end up with features sort of similar to a half-progression <other class>. Picking your own class gives you the Dedication features instead--these focus on making you better at what you already do. More, stronger rages, better martial arts, etc. Ideally, it should be a real choice and staying in your own class should give you more vertical power than taking an emulation feature elsewhere.

2. I want about a 2:1 split (say 4-6-ish levels worth), mostly for the thematics (including subclass flavorings) If possible, this would be a custom subclass for whatever you consider your primary. Easiest way is to pick relevant class/subclass features and graft them onto the parent class with enough glue/refactoring to make it fit.

3. I want an even split. Here's where a fully custom class comes in, probably made largely of grabbing features from both and rearranging them.

This thread's only really about the first part, the Emulation features, since that's what I've done the most with so far. And is more focused on identifying the core features of each class and breaking them out into bite-size chunks.

Emulation Feature frequency: 3rd, 8th, 13th, and 18th level.

Special rules for Spellcasting: Some of the class Emulations grant the Spellcasting feature. If you already had the Spellcasting feature, you only gain the new spells and associated mechanics (such as the wizard’s spellbook, Ritual Caster, Focus, and spellcasting ability) as set out in the class entry you are Emulating. You do not gain any spell slots. If you do not already have the Spellcasting feature, you gain spell slots as shown in the Emulation Spellcasting table.

The Emulation Spellcasting table also has a Caster Level line–this is your effective level when preparing (and scribing, in the case of wizards) new spells from that Emulated class. For example, someone with the Regular Wizard Emulation feature has a Wizard casting level of 1. They can only scribe or prepare spells that a first level wizard could; when casting from a wizard scroll, they count as a 1st level wizard. Cantrips, however, use your full character level as usual.

Emulation Features
These are still all WIP. They're mostly what you'd get by taking 1, 4, 7, and 10 levels (respectively) in the class, but not exactly. Some have been tweaked. And some are placeholders (poor barbarian Supreme and Ranger Supreme...)

Regular: Spellcasting (including Tool Requirements)
Greater: Infuse Item, Spellcasting
Superior: Flash of Genius, Spellcasting
Supreme: Magic Item Adept, Spellcasting


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level


Regular
1
1/-/-/-/-
1


Greater
1
2/-/-/-/-
4


Superior
2
3/1/-/-/-
7


Supreme
2
3/2/1/-/-
10




Regular: 2 uses of rage as a 1st level barbarian.
Greater: Reckless Attack OR Danger Sense, +1 rage
Superior: Fast Movement, +1 rage
Supreme: Brutal Critical (lol), +1 rage damage


Regular: Bardic Inspiration (d6), Spellcasting
Greater: Jack of all Trades, Spellcasting
Superior: Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration, Spellcasting
Supreme: Bardic Inspiration (d10), Expertise (as 3rd level), Spellcasting


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level
Spells Known


Regular
1
1/-/-/-/-
1
1


Greater
1
2/1/-/-/-
4
3


Superior
1
3/2/1/1/-
7
4


Supreme
2
4/3/2/1/1
10
5




Regular: Domain feature (1st level, no proficiencies), Spellcasting
Greater: Channel Divinity (1x/rest, from domain), Spellcasting
Superior: 6th level domain feature, Spellcasting
Supreme: Divine Intervention (as 10th level cleric), Spellcasting


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level


Regular
1
1/-/-/-/-
1


Greater
1
2/1/-/-/-
4


Superior
2
3/2/1/1/-
7


Supreme
2
4/3/2/1/1
10




Regular: Wild Shape, Spellcasting
Greater: Wild Shape Improvement (4th), Spellcasting
Superior: Wild Shape Improvement (8th), Spellcasting
Supreme: Spellcasting


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level


Regular
1
1/-/-/-/-
1


Greater
1
2/1/-/-/-
4


Superior
2
3/2/1/1/-
7


Supreme
2
4/3/2/1/1
10




Regular: Second Wind (1d10 + Proficiency), Armor Proficiency +1 (none -> light -> medium -> heavy, shields counts as one step instead of increasing), Weapon proficiency +1 (limited -> simple -> martial)
Greater: Fighting Style, Extra Attack
Superior: ASI
Supreme: Indomitable x2, ASI


Regular: Ki (2), Martial Arts (d4), Unarmored Defense
Greater: Ki (4), Deflect Arrows, Unarmored Movement (+10)
Superior: Ki (7), Martial Arts (d6), Ki-Empowered Strikes, Evasion
Supreme: Ki (10), Stunning Strike, Purity of Body


Regular: Divine Sense, Lay on Hands (5)
Greater: Divine Smite (2x 1st level/day, does not use spell slots), Lay on Hands (20)
Superior: Aura of Protection, Lay on Hands (35)
Supreme: Aura of Courage, Lay on Hands (50)


Regular: Favored Foe
Greater: Fighting Style, Hunter’s Prey
Superior: Defensive Tactics
Supreme: Nature’s Veil


Regular: Sneak Attack (1d6), Expertise (1 skill)
Greater: Sneak Attack (2d6), Uncanny Dodge
Superior: Sneak Attack (3d6), Evasion, +1 expertise
Supreme: Sneak Attack (4d6), Reliable Talent


Regular: Spellcasting
Greater: Spellcasting, Metamagic (x2), Font of Magic (4)
Superior: Spellcasting, Font of Magic (7)
Supreme: Spellcasting, Font of Magic (10)


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level
Spells Known


Regular
2
2/-/-/-/-
1
2


Greater
3
4/3/-/-/-
4
4


Superior
4
4/3/3/1/-
7
6


Supreme
5
4/3/3/2/1
10
8




Regular: Invocation (x1), Bonus Spells from chosen patron
Greater: Pact Boon, Invocation +1, Spellcasting
Superior: Invocation +1, Spellcasting
Supreme: Invocation +1, Spellcasting


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level
Spells Known


Regular
-
-/-/-/-/-
-
-


Greater
1
0/1/-/-/- (SR)
4
2


Superior
2
0/0/0/2/- (SR)
7
4


Supreme
3
0/0/0/0/2
10
6




Regular: Spellcasting
Greater: Spellcasting
Superior: Spellcasting
Supreme: Spellcasting


Rank
Cantrips
Slots
Caster Level
Min. Spells in book


Regular
3
2/-/-/-/-
1
3


Greater
3
4/3/-/-/-
4
6


Superior
4
4/3/3/1/-
7
9


Supreme
4
4/3/3/2/1
10
12

[PhoenixPhyre]

Dedication features: These you can take instead of an Emulation feature. Same "start at the bottom and work up" rules apply, and you can only pick your own class for these ones. Just like you can't Emulate your own class.

Artificer
Regular: +1 Infusion known/active
Greater: Recover a Flash of Genius on SR
Superior: Spell Storing item can hold 3rd level spells
Supreme: +1 Infusion known/active

Barbarian
Regular: +1 rage
Greater: Wisdom saves vs loss-of-control have a minimum roll of 10 while raging.
Superior: Increased crit threat range (+1)
Supreme: Increased crit threat range (+2)

Bard
Regular: +1 Bardic Inspiration
Greater: +1 die size for Bardic Inspiration
Superior: +1 Magical Secrets
Supreme: Can Bardic Inspire self

Cleric
Regular: Extra use of Channel Divinity
Greater: +1 spell prepared
Superior: Threshold for Divine Intervention goes up by 2
Supreme: +1 spell prepared

Druid
Regular: Non-moon: +1 step on max CR (so ½ at 2, 1 at 4, and 2 at 8). Moon: Free use of wildshape healing (counts as biggest available slot)
Greater: + 1 spell prepared
Superior: Wildshape can also do monstrosities.
Supreme: + 1 spell prepared

Fighter
Regular: Roll 2d10 + level for Second Wind instead.
Greater: Action surge gives you an extra bonus action and movement as well
Superior: Indomitable reroll is at advantage
Supreme: Indomitable becomes Legendary Resistance.

Monk
Regular: +1 die size for martial arts
Greater: +WIS ki
Superior: Flurry no longer costs ki
Supreme: Diamond Soul also gives you expertise in one saving throw of your choice.

Paladin
Regular: +1 effective level for Lay on Hands
Greater: Aura goes to 15’
Superior: Reroll smite damage 1x/SR
Supreme: Apply the extra smite damage to a creature type of your choice as well as usuals.

Ranger
Regular: Gain Favored Foe (if you don’t have it). If you do, increase die size by one at each step (1d6 -> 1d8 -> 1d10)
Greater: Gain a choice from Hunter’s Prey, even if you already have that feature (but must choose a different option).
Superior: Favored Foe no longer requires concentration.
Supreme: Gain a choice from Superior Hunter’s Defense, even if you already have that feature (but must choose a different option).

Rogue
Regular: Limited Reliable Talent–count any die roll on proficient Ability Check under a 5 as a 5.
Greater: +1 expertise
Superior: +Uncanny Dodge now can be used 2x/round (1x/turn) but doesn’t cost your reaction.
Supreme: Sneak attack can trigger 2x on your turn(?)

Sorcerer
Regular: +1 metamagic choice, +CHA sorcery points
Greater: +2 spells known (any arcane list)
Superior: +1 metamagic choice, +1 spell known (sorcerer list)
Supreme: +2 spells known (any arcane list)

Warlock
Regular: +1 invocation
Greater: +1 Pact Magic spell slot
Superior: Mystic Arcana can be upcast (act as regular slots)
Supreme: +1 6+th level spell known

Wizard
Regular: +1 spell level restored on Arcane Recovery
Greater: If you have a <School> Savant feature, spells of that school cost no gold to scribe in. If you don’t, pick one and get its regular benefit (half gold and time cost).
Superior: Expertise in Arcana and one INT skill of your choice.
Supreme: +1 Spell Mastery

[olskool]

I went completely retro with multiclassing. A Class is like getting a college degree, you can multiclass but it is harder. You have to have all of the scores for both Classes at 15+. You start at 1st Level in EACH Class and you split your EXP between both Classes so you level up half as fast... but you do level up in TWO Classes instead of one. You use the SMALLER Hit Die and worse Saving Throws as well.

[animorte]

I'm throwing in a note here to remind myself it exists because I've been working on a sub-classing framework that this reminds me of. I think this is really cool and I'll throw out some more feedback when I get more time.

You put a ton of work into the stuff you do for this game. I greatly admire that. Keep it going strong.