D&D: Weird Multiclass Combos That Might Be Good In 5.5E
A new edition means, potentially, new multiclass combos that could bubble up to the top in 5.5E. It’s early days, but these might be good.
Multiclassing and weird, but powerful D&D characters go hand in hand. Whether it’s mashing together Fighting Man and Magic User, or crossing Warlock with Paladin, multiclassing has been a powerful tool in basically every edition.
And now that the newest edition is finally out in full, there are some exciting new possibilities. It’s still early days to know if these multiclass combos are good, good on paper only, or just a fun, weird idea. But for now, here are five multiclass combos you might enjoy in D&D 5.5E.
Fighter/Monk (Way of the Shadow)
Fighter has a lot to offer any multiclass character, even moreso than ever in D&D 5.5E. In the previous edition, Fighters were a great source of weapon and armor proficiencies, as well as the much-loved Action Surge. But now in 5.5E, Fighters bring even more to the table with easy access to weapon masteries and fighting styles.
Both of these elements should play well with a Monk, but especially a Monk who follows the Way of the Shadow. Taking at least a level of Fighter gets your Monk good Constitution saves, so you can maintain your magical Darkness easier. But more than that, it gets you the Nick weapon mastery, so you can make multiple attacks – 3 normally (thanks to your bonus action unarmed strike) or 4 with a Flurry of Blows. And that’s starting at level 2.
Warlock/Bard (College of Valor)
Warlocks are probably going to be a good ingredient in many a multiclass combo from here on out. One of the big changes in the new ruleset moved benefits like Pact of the Blade (which now lets you attack with Charisma instead of Str or Dex) to level 1. And at 2nd level, you gain a total of three Eldritch Invocations, meaning you can get the good Eldritch Blast.
Pair that with someone who loves Charisma and sword fighting, like the Valor Bard, which lets you swap out one of your attacks for casting a Cantrip, and you can drop an Eldritch Blast alongside your weapon attacks for maximum fun. And you can still cast a spell as a Bonus Action.
Wizard/Rogue (Thief)
Wizards are one of the strongest classes in D&D 5.5E. And thus they make for a good multiclass combo in the right circumstances. The right kind of Wizard can pair very well with a Rogue, especially a Thief Rogue. Which means you’ll want at least 3 levels of Rogue – a hefty trade off.
But here’s what it gets you: one of the level 3 Thief features is the ability to cast any spell from a magic item like a scroll, staff, wand, or the like, as a Bonus Action. And it’s a spell that doesn’t use a spell slot, so you can use your regular Action to cast a fully leveled spell.
Rogue/Cleric (War Domain)
Rogues certainly have a lot to offer a multiclass combo, but so do Clerics. And if you’re mixing the two, a Rogue/Cleric – of the War Domain specifically – can work fantastically well. As a War Cleric, you get a Bonus Action attack – so you can use that to make an attack without using your Action. Then you can ready your Action to attack off turn and potentially deliver two sneak attacks in the same round.
Plus you also get all the Cleric stuff you get, like armor profiency, weapon proficiencies, and spells. Hard to go wrong.
Sorcerer/Paladin
This old chestnut again. Sorcerer/Paladin was one of the better multiclass combos in 5E, and now it’s probably one of the better multiclass combos in 5.5E. We’ll see. But Sorcerer has a lot to offer Paladin and vice versa. The spell slots are going to be the biggest thing. More spell slots means more Divine Smite for your friends. Of course, there are some other nuances you’ll have to pick up on – like when to use your Sorcery Points for metamagic and when to use them to create more spell slots. But this could potentially keep you fighting and smiting long past the occasional short rest.
What are some of your favorite multiclass combos?
