Multiclassing in D&D 2024

Everything you need to know when multiclassing your character.

How does multiclassing work?

Multiclassing let’s you take levels in other classes. You can only do this when you level up and any class you multiclass into will mean starting at level 1 in that class and progressing up the levels like you would normally.

For example, if you’re a level 5 rogue and you want to multiclass into a fighter, you don’t take the fighter’s level 6 features, you take their level 1 features.

You can also multiclass into as many different classes as you like. Technically, you can have levels in paladin, ranger, sorcerer and druid if you really want, but this almost certainly wouldn’t be optimal.

Requirements for multiclassing

Achieving requirements for multiclassing isn’t hard. You simply have to be levelling up and have 13+ in the primary ability score of both your original class and the class you want to multiclass into.

Below is every class and the primary ability score required for multiclassing:

• Artificer – 13+ intelligence
• Barbarian – 13+ strength
• Bard – 13+ charisma
• Cleric – 13+ wisdom
• Druid – 13+ wisdom
• Fighter – 13+ strength or dexterity
• Monk – 13+ dexterity and wisdom
• Paladin – 13+ strength and charisma
• Ranger – 13+ dexterity and wisdom
• Rogue – 13+ dexterity
• Sorcerer – 13+ charisma
• Warlock – 13+ charisma
• Wizard – 13+ intelligence

You may notice that some classes are a little harder to multiclass into as they require 2 ability scores be high enough (monk, paladin and ranger). You might also notice that fighters are the easiest as you need 13+ in strength or dexterity.

What you do and don’t get when multiclassing

Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as working out what you get at level 1 from a class and adding it to your character sheet. There are some exceptions and individualities to be aware of.

What you don’t get

• All skills and tool proficiencies, just those specified on the multiclass section
• Saving throw proficiencies
• Starting equipment
• The hit points a class receives at level 1 (you just get the hit points you get from levelling up normally in that class)
• Weapon and armor training. You only get the training stated in the class’ multiclass section

Things you do get when multiclassing

• Features appropriate to the level you’ve gained in that class
• Hit dice of that class
• Hit points equal to a roll of that class’ hit die + your constitution modifier
• Proficiencies and training stated in that class’ multiclass section
• Prepared spells appropriate to that class’ level
• Spell slots as determined by the multiclass spell slot table (or the class’ spell slot table if your character is only using 1 spellcasting class)

What do you get from each class when multiclassing?

You might decide you want to dip into a class in part because you want a certain aspect of that class. For instance, you might have a sorcerer that wants light armor and shield training. That means you’ll need a class for which you meet the ability score requirements and has that training (a fighter might work for a sorcerer).

I’ve listed below everything you get from each class when multiclassing into them other than the features (which will depend on how many levels you decide to dip).

Class	Hit dice	Hit points	Proficiencies	Weapon training	Armor training	Spellcasting
Artificer	d8	1d8 + con modifier	Thieves’ tools, tinkerer’s tools	None	Light armor, medium armor, shields	Yes
Barbarian	d12	1d12 + con modifier	None	Martial weapons	Shields (unarmored defence as level 1 feature)	None
Bard	d8	1d8 + con modifier	1 skill, 1 musical instrument	None	Light armor	Yes
Cleric	d8	1d8 + con modifier	None	None (level 1 feature can give martial weapon training)	Light armor, medium armor, shields (level 1 feature can give heavy armor training)	Yes
Druid	d8	1d8 + con modifier	None	None (level 1 feature can give martial weapon training)	Light armor, shields (level 1 feature can give medium armor training)	Yes
Fighter	d10	1d10 + con modifier	None	Martial weapons	Light armor, medium armor, shields	No
Monk	d8	1d8 + con modifier	None	None	None (unarmored defence as level 1 feature)	No
Paladin	d10	1d10 + con modifier	None	Martial weapons	Light armor, medium armor, shields	Yes
Ranger	d10	1d10 + con modifier	1 skill	Martial weapons	Light armor, medium armor, shields	Yes
Rogue	d8	1d8 + con modifier	1 skill, thieves’ tools	None	Light armor	No
Sorcerer	d6	1d6 + con modifier	None	None	None	Yes
Warlock	d8	1d8 + con modifier	None	None	Light armor	Yes (pact magic)
Wizard	d6	1d6 + con modifier	None	None	None	Yes

Which class should you start with?

If you’ve paid careful attention, you might have noticed that you don’t get everything a class has to offer when you multiclass into them. For example, barbarian has light and medium armor training that you don’t get when multiclassing, and no class will give you heavy armor training. You also don’t get things like saving throw proficiencies.

This can play into your decision of which class should be your starting class. For example, you may want to play a bard/sorcerer, but want proficiency in constitution saving throws. Maybe you only plan on a 2 level dip into sorcerer for innate magic and metamagic. But because sorcerer will give you constitution saving throw proficiency and bard won’t, you might take a level in sorcerer first, then take your bard levels after even though bard will form the core of your class progression.

Below are the traits you gain from each class at level 1 when they are the first class you take to help you work out which should be your starting class.

Class	Hit dice	Hit points	Saving throw proficiencies	Proficiencies	Weapon training	Armor training	Spellcasting
Artificer	d8	8 + con modifier	Constitution and intelligence	2 skills, Thieves’ tools, tinkerer’s tools and 1 artisan’s tools	Simple weapons	Light armor, medium armor, shields	Yes
Barbarian	d12	12 + con modifier	Strength and constitution	2 skills	Simple and Martial weapons	Light armor medium armor and shields (unarmored defence as level 1 feature)	No
Bard	d8	8 + con modifier	Dexterity and charisma	3 skills, 3 musical instruments	Simple weapons	Light armor	Yes
Cleric	d8	8 + con modifier	Wisdom and charisma	2 skills	Simple weapons (level 1 feature can give martial weapon training)	Light armor, medium armor, shields (level 1 feature can give heavy armor training)	Yes
Druid	d8	8 + con modifier	Intelligence and wisdom	2 skills, herbalism kit	Simple weapons (level 1 feature can give martial weapon training)	Light armor, shields (level 1 feature can give medium armor training)	Yes
Fighter	d10	10 + con modifier	Strength and constitution	2 skills	Simple and martial weapons	Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, shields	No
Monk	d8	8 + con modifier	Strength and dexterity	2 skills, 1 artisan’s tools or musical instrument	Simple weapons, martial weapons with the light property	None (unarmored defence as level 1 feature)	No
Paladin	d10	10 + con modifier	Wisdom and charisma	2 skills	Simple and martial weapons	Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, shields	Yes
Ranger	d10	10 + con modifier	Strength and dexterity	3 skills	Simple and martial weapons	Light armor, medium armor, shields	Yes
Rogue	d8	8 + con modifier	Dexterity and intelligence	4 skills, thieves’ tools	Simple weapons and martial weapons with the finesse or light property	Light armor	No
Sorcerer	d6	6 + con modifier	Constitution and charisma	2 skills	Simple weapons	None	Yes
Warlock	d8	8 + con modifier	Wisdom and charisma	2 skills	Simple weapons	Light armor	Yes (pact magic)
Wizard	d6	6 + con modifier	Intelligence and wisdom	2 skills	Simple weapons	None	Yes

How does spellcasting work when multiclassing?

If you multiclass and only one of your classes uses spellcasting, you follow the progression for spellcasting with that spellcasting class based on the level you have in that class.

If you multiclass and use 2 spellcasting classes, then your prepared spells are based individually on what each class gains. This means that a multiclass for a Lv3 ranger and a Lv2 druid will get the prepared spells prescribed for a lv3 ranger and the prepared spells of a Lv2 druid.

When it comes to spell slots, this changes. Spell slots will instead follow a standard progression. For a multiclass of 2 full casters, this means you’ll get level 5 spell slots when your combined class levels reach level 9 and level 8 spell slots when your combined classes reach level 15 irrespective if the split in your multiclassing.

There’s a table on p45 of the Player’s Handbook that demonstrates this progression.

This becomes a little more complicated when we bring in half casters (like rangers and paladins) and third casters (like arcane tricksters and eldritch knights). If you have a multiclass in these your spell slot progression changes a little:

• Half casters – Half your levels for this class (rounding up) to determine your level on the multiclass spell slots table.
• Third casters – Divide your level for this class by 3 (rounding down) to determine your level on the multiclass spell slots table.

It’s possible in doing all of this, that you end up with spells slots higher than the spells you can prepare. If this is the case, you can still cast spells of a lower level with higher levels spells slots. You can also upcast spells that allow this too.

It does mean you have to be a little careful as if you want some high level spells (like wish or meteor swarm) then you’ll need to make sure you don’t multiclass too heavily.

Benefits of multiclassing

Theres a lot of benefits you can pick up by multiclassing and some great combos you can make too. For this article, I’ll stick to broader benefits, but in future articles, I’ll tackle some great multiclassing combos you can make.

It is worth being aware that in D&D 2024, all subclasses kick in at level 3. Previously, some, like warlocks, would kick in earlier. It can limit some of the stronger multiclass options that were available in the old rules.

• Grab armor proficiencies – Classes like sorcerers and wizards can really benefit from grabbing some armor proficiency. You might also want a rogue or bard with shield training for some extra protection.
• Better saving throw proficiencies – You could start your character progression with a multiclass dip to take a better saving throw proficiency. Constitution is often a useful one for concentration saving throws.
• Pick up strong, early level features – Some level 1-3 features can be quite powerful and worth a multiclass dip. Things like a barbarian’s rage, a sorcerer’s metamagic, a warlock’s eldritch invocations or a bard’s bardic inspiration can all be very useful for other classes.
• Fill skills gaps – Something like a rogue will get you an extra skill proficiency, proficiency in thieves’ tools and, if you take 2 levels, expertise too, helping you fill party skill gaps.
• Create the character you want – A class may not have the right subclasses and features to embody the character you want to play. But multiclassing could make that character. For instance, if you want to play Batman, you might want to play a warrior of shadow monk with a dip into an artificer for your gadgets

On their own, many of these things are not worthwhile so you will want to make sure there’s good synergy across multiple aspects of whatever class you multiclass into.

Disadvantages of multiclassing

But multiclassing does come at a cost. This means there are some disadvantages too:

• Delayed main class progression – Many of the best features of a class come at later levels. By multiclassing, you’re delaying when you access these features or preventing yourself getting them altogether. Some features also grow in power as you gain levels (like a rogue’s sneak attack). This can lead to multiclass characters feeling underpowered compared to single class characters with higher level features.
• Incompatible features – Not all features work well with one another. A barbarian’s rage may seem great for increasing resilience, but using it completely nullifies your ability to cast spells. Some features are specific about only working with that class’ spells and other features too. A sorcerer’s innate sorcery might seem like a great way to beef up a Wizard’s spells, but it only works with sorcerer spells so won’t work with your wizard spells.
• More complicated – Just one class usually has a lot to consider when playing, adding another class (or more) makes things even more complicated. I generally wouldn’t recommend multiclassing for new players, and even seasoned players may prefer to stick to a single class.

Ultimately, multiclassing can work really well, but needs careful planning and consideration. In future articles, I’ll tackle how you can effectively multiclass different classes.

---

That’s everything you need to know about multiclassing in D&D 2024. Let me know if you have any favourite multiclass combinations in the comments below.

Spotlight on D&D 2024

All the latest updates on what’s changing with the 2024 rules revision.