D&D (2024) List of multiclass concepts as single class characters

[abirdcall]

Here is a list of multiclass concepts that can be realized using single classes in 2024. Subclasses largely make this possible. Not included are backgrounds and feats which further allow blending of themes.

I am not considering mechanical combos in this list. This is about being able to play a character who represents both aspects of the story/identity of the classes.

Some of them could be stretched a little to cover multiple themes. Where it says Cleric could sometimes be themed to Paladin for example. Some combinations are so close to each other that it is hard to separate them thematically like a Paladin/Fighter. Paladins are basically themed Fighters so more martial leaning Paladins are still just being a Paladin.

Can you think of any I missed? Are there any major concepts that are missing?

Barbarian/Cleric = Path of the Zealot
Barbarian/Druid = Path of the World Tree
Barbarian/Ranger = Path of the Wild Heart

Bard/Fighter = College of Valor
Bard/Wizard = College of Lore

Cleric/Fighter = War Domain
Cleric/Rogue = Trickery Domain
*Cleric/Wizard = Thaumaturge Divine Order (weak theming unless paired with an appropriate background)

*Druid/Wizard = Magician Primal Order (weak theming unless paired with an appropriate background)

Fighter/Sorcerer = Psi Warrior
Fighter/Wizard = Eldritch Knight

Monk/Cleric = Warrior of Mercy
Monk/Rogue = Warrior of Shadow
Monk/Sorcerer = Warrior of the Elements

Paladin/Cleric = Blessed Warrior Fighting Style
Paladin/Druid = Oath of the Ancients

Ranger/Druid = Druidic Warrior Fighting Style
Ranger/Rogue = Gloom Stalker
Ranger/Warlock = Fey Wanderer

Rogue/Sorcerer = Soulknife
Rogue/Wizard = Arcane Trickster

Sorcerer/Warlock = Aberrant Sorcery

Warlock/Cleric = Celestial Patron
Warlock/Fighter = Pact of the Blade Invocation
Warlock/Paladin = Celestial Patron w/Pact of the Blade Invocation
Warlock/Wizard = Pact of the Tome Invocation

 

[kigmatzomat]

This is basically the bard "schtick". All bard subclasses are like that.

• Valor - warrior/caster
• Sword -warrior/caster
• Dance - monk/caster
• Lore - caster/expert
• Glamour - enchanter/expert
• Creation - conjurer/expert

Caster - can imitate wizard/ sorceror/ druid/ cleric based on spell selection. 2014 can emulate a warlock and 5.5 gets a free-for-all of full-caster spell lists.

Expert - depending on choices, a bard can emulate a ranger or a thief, with softness on the combat side (no multi-attack or sneak attack)

 

[Gorck]

*Cleric/Wizard = Thaumaturge Divine Order (weak theming unless paired with an appropriate background)

*Druid/Wizard = Magician Primal Order (weak theming unless paired with an appropriate background)

I’m not sure I understand how getting one extra cantrip from your own class spell list and a bonus to a couple skills makes you a pseudo Wizard. Is it because of the bonus to the Arcana skill?

 

[abirdcall]

[QUOTE="ad_hoc, post: 9493023, member: ]
*Cleric/Wizard = Thaumaturge Divine Order (weak theming unless paired with an appropriate background)

*Druid/Wizard = Magician Primal Order (weak theming unless paired with an appropriate background)

I’m not sure I understand how getting one extra cantrip from your own class spell list and a bonus to a couple skills makes you a pseudo Wizard. Is it because of the bonus to the Arcana skill?
[/QUOTE]

Yeah it is because it represents studying which is what wizards do. As I said, it is pretty weak theming on its own but it is a choice you can make. If you also choose a background and feat to represent that you study magic that is thematically similar to being a cleric/wizard or druid/wizard.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I’m not sure I understand how getting one extra cantrip from your own class spell list and a bonus to a couple skills makes you a pseudo Wizard. Is it because of the bonus to the Arcana skill?

I'm not sure you know what bards get with Magical Secrets. They don't get cantrips from their own class list,,they get to learn extra spells from OTHER classes lists.

2014 lore bards can have 6 wizard/sorcerer spells from Additional/Magic Secrets, including Wish. Plus they have 2 more known spells than sorcerers or regular bards. Given their list starts with a core of wizard spells, they can have a slate of nothing but wizard/sorcerer spells
And in 2014 bards were the best at Counterspell/Dispel because they got Jack of All Trades. Lore was even better because Peerless Skill could be used to add a d10/d12 to the check.

2024 lorebards can (eventually) have a full roster of wizard/sorcerer spells, including some cantrips. Or cleric. Or druid.

 

[Gorck]

I'm not sure you know what bards get with Magical Secrets. They don't get cantrips from their own class list,,they get to learn extra spells from OTHER classes lists.

2014 lore bards can have 6 wizard/sorcerer spells from Additional/Magic Secrets, including Wish. Plus they have 2 more known spells than sorcerers or regular bards. Given their list starts with a core of wizard spells, they can have a slate of nothing but wizard/sorcerer spells
And in 2014 bards were the best at Counterspell/Dispel because they got Jack of All Trades. Lore was even better because Peerless Skill could be used to add a d10/d12 to the check.

2024 lorebards can (eventually) have a full roster of wizard/sorcerer spells, including some cantrips. Or cleric. Or druid.

I wasn't referring to the Bard. I was referring to the Cleric/Wizard and Druid/Wizard entries with the * next to them.

 

[Ashrym]

I’m not sure I understand how getting one extra cantrip from your own class spell list and a bonus to a couple skills makes you a pseudo Wizard. Is it because of the bonus to the Arcana skill?

TBF the OP points out those need additional support from a background and it's about flavor more than mechanics. If I make a High Elf cleric or druid with a bonus to INT skills like that with the Sage background and choose the Light or Land subclasses there's going to be a good chunk of wizard flavor and spells to work with.

I'm not sure you know what bards get with Magical Secrets. They don't get cantrips from their own class list,,they get to learn extra spells from OTHER classes lists.

Getting off-topic, but I think your impression of Magical Secrets could use some insight.

Magic Secrets doesn't give cantrips at all. Cantrips are a separate category from Prepared Spells on the Bard Table. Magical Secrets only grants access to the Cleric, Druid, and Wizard spell lists through the Prepared Spells. Lore Bards can select cantrips under Magical Discoveries because Magical Discoveries specifically added cantrips to the choices.

I sincerely doubt any DM would say no to a bard who wanted to take a cantrip from another list with Magical Secrets, but that's not how the RAW works.

2014 lore bards can have 6 wizard/sorcerer spells from Additional/Magic Secrets, including Wish. Plus they have 2 more known spells than sorcerers or regular bards.

How are 2014 Lore Bards relevant to the point being made? You seem to be conflating 2014 and 2024 rules here regarding sorcerers. Sorcerers had significantly fewer spells known than 2014 bards unless a bloodline helped.

This is because they had similar spells known progression but bards had 2 extra immediately and Magical Secrets was designed to give additional spells known instead of alternative spells to the progression like 2024 does now.

But 2014 Magical Secrets is kind of moot given both class spell progressions and Magical Secrets were updated under the 2024 rules.

Given their list starts with a core of wizard spells, they can have a slate of nothing but wizard/sorcerer spells

But not all wizard or sorcerer spells. A wizard can encapsulate all wizard spells on the bard spell list but not vice versa.

And in 2014 bards were the best at Counterspell/Dispel because they got Jack of All Trades. Lore was even better because Peerless Skill could be used to add a d10/d12 to the check.

How is this relevant now? Jack of All Trades is massively reduced in applications and Counterspell is a CON save.

14th level lore bards can still use Peerless Skill with Dispel Magic to make them good at it, but how does that match the premise of cleric, druid, or wizard flavor? What does it have to do with Magical Secrets? How often does it even come up in gameplay? Food for thought. ;-)

2024 lorebards can (eventually) have a full roster of wizard/sorcerer spells, including some cantrips. Or cleric. Or druid.

This is actually one of the reasons I opted to respond here. The "full roster" of sorcerer spells isn't possible outside of spells the sorcerer shares with other classes because Magical Secrets and Magical Discoveries doesn't allow for sorcerer spells.

The bard's "full roster" of spells from those other classes is significantly limited by the bard's spell preparation mechanic compared to those other classes as well as bonus spells those classes can access.

The bard's "full roster" of spells from those other classes requires giving up spells from the spells already prepared to allow further access into those spell lists.

A bard already has most of their spell list from those other lists. If you were to claim "bards can cast spells like wizards" then yes, a bard can focus on wizard spells from the bard list until Magical Secrets and then continue to focus on Wizard spells with a broader choice of spells from which to prepared.

This idea that this is what makes a bard powerful is a silly premise, IMO. If I were going to load up on wizard spells with a lore bard I could just make a wizard. Then I'd have more wizard spells and have them for my entire adventuring career and have Ritual Adept and have Arcane Recovery and have more spells prepared and have Spell Mastery and still have a subclass to choose as well. There's no scenario where the bard can beat any of those classes at their own game just because they also have access to those spells. Just make a wizard and have it all instead of a bard pretending to be a wizard and have some good parts of it.

Magical Secrets is useful in mixing and matching spells. That's something bards already do within the variety of their spell list and it gets better with Magical Secrets. Magical Secrets itself can add versatility but it doesn't make the bard a more potent spellcaster.

 

[Ancalagon]

And with the right background, you can "soft" triple class - an eldrich knight with the criminal background, for example

 

[Ashrym]

I would add that species choices can also impact soft multiclassing like that.