Guide To Optimized DnD 5E Multiclassing

Author: Quetzalcoatlus

Multiclassing, an optional rule in the Player’s Handbook, allows players to pick levels in multiple different classes. We believe multiclassing is a net benefit to the game, even if it has its flaws. It allows for a vastly broader horizon of new, fun, and interesting character concepts, especially for veteran players. 

Multiclassing does not necessarily mean that your Cleric/Warlock character has a patron and deity always fighting each other. Mechanically, it simply allows you to mix and match class features, which in turn can help players actualize character fantasies that they feel base classes cannot provide: combat medics, anime-esque “gishes,” armored Wizards, and much more. Alternatively, it can provide an avenue to play a more mechanically powerful version of an archetype that is supported by the base flavor, but is underwhelming: for example, the sword and board warrior. Flavor is free, after all. Alternatively, you could be doing it solely for power reasons: you know you’re going to be playing in a challenging game, and you want your character to survive. On the whole, we believe that multiclassing opens up the game and allows for more powerful character options. In this guide, we’re going to explore some general rules to help you ensure your multiclass concept is mechanically sound and exactly as you envision them to be.

We are assuming that you are approaching multiclassing as a way to improve your build in mechanical power. Below are the factors we believe should be prioritized when approaching a multiclassed build.

Saving Throws

When multiclassing, the saving throw proficiency you get is determined by your first class. All classes start with two save proficiencies, which we will separate into two categories—one primary (Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom) and one secondary (Strength, Intelligence, Charisma). We used this categorization in our “Squishy Caster Fallacy” article as well, but will reprint it here: 

Primary Saving Throws (More Common)

• Dexterity: almost always purely for damage, which is generally preferable to more dangerous control effects, especially when they can often be mitigated with absorb elements.
• Constitution: split between damage and debilitating effects. Most notably, casters with Constitution save proficiency can, in addition to bolstering their own defenses, help the sturdiness of the entire party by maintaining concentration on their spells.
• Wisdom: the most debilitating saving throw to fail. Most characters will want to obtain Wisdom save proficiency at some point, though typically the earliest most characters that don’t start with it can afford this is late in Tier 2 or Tier 3.

Secondary Saving Throws (Less Common)

• Strength: typically lower-risk to fail; generally results in the prone or restrained conditions being applied with repeated saves to break free. 
• Intelligence: very uncommon but can be risky to fail: see intellect devourers or mind flayers.
• Charisma: very uncommon but can be risky to fail, can result in being banished or possessed.

Covering high priority saving throws is an important consideration when planning out your character build. Ideally, you will want proficiency in Wisdom and Constitution saves. Early levels of play favor Constitution save proficiency over Wisdom save proficiency, but you will definitely want Wisdom save proficiency in late tier 2 and onward. Specific starting dips for different classes will be elaborated upon below. You should also consider class features that provide bonuses to saving throws, specifically ones that you can obtain with a one or two level dip. Class and subclass features that increase saving throws include Favored by the Gods (Divine Soul Sorcerer 1) and Emboldening Bond (Peace Domain Cleric 1). Class and subclass features that grant saving throw proficiencies include Iron Mind (Gloom Stalker Ranger 7), Elegant Courtier (Samurai Fighter 7), Slippery Mind (Rogue 15), and Diamond Soul (Monk 14). You are not “dipping” for access to these features, we list these so that you can appropriately plan your starting save proficiency or feat selection to ensure optimal coverage (Elegant Courtier and Iron Mind do allow you to select a different mental save proficiency if you already have the one in question). 

Armor Class

Why be a glass cannon when you can be a steel cannon? All characters should strive for better Armor Class, as it is the primary defensive measure against most common sources of damage. In general, multiclassing improves character AC through providing medium armor and shield proficiency. Even characters that prioritize an ability score other than Dexterity can easily afford 14 Dexterity, and with medium armor and shield proficiency reach a healthy resting AC of 19 when they can afford half plate. Plate is 1 AC higher, but comes with the caveats of being less accessible due to its high cost (1500 gp) and minimum Strength requirements needed to not suffer any speed penalty. Thus, multiclassing for heavy armor proficiency is only worth it for classes which already have a Strength requirement, such as Paladins. However, you can work around these restrictions with things like mounts, other forms of speed increases (such as from certain races) that offset the penalty, or by playing a Dwarf, which are exceptions to the rule.

Initiative

In most turn-based games, going first is highly advantageous, and this is also the case for 5E. Going first means you can pick off high priority targets before they move, apply debuffs to groups of enemies and deny even more turns, or simply set up key defenses and get to cover. Going first functionally means you have extra turns over enemies who take turns after, and if that extra turn translates to denying even more turns via control or outright killing enemies, you’ll be snowballing towards victory. This is why despite the 1 lower AC, half plate and a shield with 14 Dexterity (19 AC) is often more desirable than plate armor and a shield with 15 Strength (20 AC). 

Certain class and subclass features can grant initiative boosting features at a low level. Some initiative boosting subclass features are Tactical Wit (War Wizard 2), Temporal Awareness (Chronurgy Wizard 2), Dread Ambusher (Gloom Stalker 3), Emboldening Bond (Peace Domain Cleric 1), Bardic Inspiration (Bard 1), Vigilant Blessing (Twilight Domain Cleric 1), and the ability to cast guidance. 

Level By Level Progression

Even if you spot a very appealing combo, consider how your resulting build will pan out level by level. Think of when your different synergies come together, and what you get to pick up on the way there. Plan ahead the “soft capstones” so that your desired features and synergies are relevant for their levels, as well as keep your gameplay interesting throughout the campaign.

Take for example how we arranged the Flagship Sorcerer’s progression in the first 5 levels: Starting level 1 with Sorcerer is weaker, but better for the long term as you get Constitution saving throws, then you immediately have stellar defense at level 2. The eldritch blast package comes at level 3 as a valuable active option. You have an uneventful level 4, but 5th level has web, 2 beams for Repelling Blast to synergize with it, as well as some metamagic options. If your game is more fast-paced and you can rely more on allies to make your control spells worthwhile, you might want to gain access to web earlier, and delay the second level of Warlock to 5th instead of 3rd level. 

Martial Versus Spellcaster Multiclassing

Multiclassing is always a trade-off. You’re getting the earlier features of a class in place of the later features of the one you’re currently leveled in. As such, classes that have a larger number of “dead levels” (levels in which you don’t gain anything of relevance) tend to be okay with more even splits or multiple dips¹, whereas classes that compensate you almost every level for taking them tend to work with very small dips. In D&D 5E, the former type of class includes martials, and the latter is represented by spellcasters. Why? 

For spellcasters, it’s because spells really are just that good, and delaying your spellcasting progression is going to hurt much more. Access to higher level spells means access to more devastating and powerful ways to exert your will on the battlefield. On the other hand, martial damage tends to stay fairly consistent across levels with the exception of specific jumps, such as when martials get Extra Attack. This discrepancy leads to two distinct (although not entirely different in principle) mindsets when optimizing multiclass builds for spellcasters and martials. “Half-caster” classes tend to be somewhere in between, and they can work with both small dips and more dramatic and even splits.

As such, martial characters tend towards much more even level splits while multiclassing, while full caster characters tend to focus more on small dips that specifically target weaknesses such as Armor Class or saving throw proficiencies. 

¹ ”Dip” is a term referencing briefly immersing into something. In D&D, it refers to picking a few levels (generally not more than 4) into another class.

There are 3 primary reasons for a martial to consider multiclassing:

1.  Replacing “Dead Levels” with “Active Levels.”

Full casters consistently have something to look forward to when leveling up, as they get higher level spells to play with every two levels. On the other hand, martial classes only have class or subclass features to look forward to, and class features are, unfortunately, not all created equal. Many martial classes have level ranges where the class features they are obtaining simply aren’t high-impact abilities. The levels might not be completely useless, but they certainly don’t stack up to the higher level spells. In contrast, the early levels of classes tend to have highly useful, class-defining features, which can make dipping levels into other classes much more appealing. If casters generally make small dips to address specific weaknesses, martials are generally making larger dips to accumulate as many high-impact features as they can. 

For example: Frank, who is playing Knarf, a 6th level Zealot Human (Variant) Barbarian who took Polearm Master at level 1 and Great Weapon Master at level 4, is playing in a campaign that is planned to go up to 10th level. Frank looks at the upcoming Barbarian class features he gets, and they’re not great. (Peruse our Barbarian Basic Build to see what we’re talking about.) He multiclasses his next four levels into Battle Master Fighter, giving him some useful maneuvers that increase his damage (Precision Strike) and access to a nova, which he lacked before (Action Surge). Knowing that his campaign is planned to end around level 10, he does not even lose out on an Ability Score Improvement/Feat, though he does delay it by two levels. The tradeoff is well worth it compared to the suite of lackluster base Barbarian class features from level 7 to 10 (save for a select few subclasses). 

By knowing when to dip out of a class, you can manage to keep a better progression, that also brings more toys to the table that hopefully can turn what could have been dead levels into something more interesting. This approach also benefits heavily from knowing what level range your campaign will take place in. A campaign that ends at level 8 for a Fighter versus level 15 are quite different as far as the usefulness of upcoming class features go when considering whether or not you should multiclass at level 6.

2. Obtaining spellcasting.

In some games, a few levels of spellcasting are of utmost importance for ensuring a martial character’s survival, as having the ability to use the 1st level spell reaction spells can mean the difference between life and death. Even outside of that, spells are powerful enough that they can greatly contribute to a character’s worth with relatively low level investment. Alternatively, the half-caster classes that get Extra Attack (such as Ranger and Battle Smith Artificers) often function as martials but can be better served supplementing the party by taking full caster levels after a certain point, typically level 5. Moreover, the ability to cast a spell is a prerequisite to wield many of the best magic items that don’t require you to have sufficient spell slots at all, such as wand of web, wand of winter, wand of fireballs, staff of swarming insects… which a dedicated caster might gain relatively less value from due to them already having high impact spells to concentrate on.

3. Synergistic Interactions

Another dominant reason for martial multiclassing is the more exciting one—searching for synergistic interactions between abilities. 

Let’s take a look at Laura, who is playing Arual, a 5th level Gloom Stalker Ranger who wants to amplify her strong burst capabilities. To accomplish this, she takes 3 to 4 levels of Battle Master Fighter, as the interaction between Action Surge and Dread Ambusher allows for a 7 attack nova at level 7. To top it off, she gets some nice maneuvers to help her hit her Sharpshooter shots and add additional effects to her attacks. After that, she goes for yet another interaction-based dip: one level into Life Cleric! The interaction between Disciple of Life and goodberry (popularly known as Lifeberry) makes her into an effective combat medic too. (Something we make great use out of in our Flagship Shepherd Druid.) After that, she just goes back to leveling up in Ranger, since there are still useful class features at later levels left to get (a 5 foot increase in speed, Wisdom save proficiency, spells). 

Another good example may be that of Rotciv, a 5th level Echo Knight Fighter who picked Sentinel and Great Weapon Master as his feats. His idea is to go 3 levels into Ancestral Guardian Barbarian starting from now, and use the interaction between the Echo and Ancestral Protector to slap disadvantage on a creature from a distance. This setup is not overwhelmingly powerful, due to the numerous caveats needed to operate maximally, such as the limited number of uses Rage has, the fact that Sentinel can only affect one creature per round, and the drop-off in damage output from opting to select Sentinel over Polearm Master, but it illustrates a point of interaction-based multiclasses: making use of interesting interactions that facilitate more diverse play patterns.

General Principles for Martial Multiclassing

1. Consider the consequences of delaying Extra Attack. If you start your martial character as a class that gets Extra Attack at 5th level (and you should), you probably want to wait to multiclass out until after you get Extra Attack, as being behind an attack vs. a non-multiclassed martial at level 5 is very painful. In very fast-paced or long-running campaigns, long-term survivability and utility might justify the tradeoff of delaying Extra Attack for 1 level, but these situations are generally rare when considering the general state of play in 5E. Some exceptions to that rule include Paladin/Hexblade Warlock multiclasses (which are more of a spellcaster with martial capabilities than the opposite) and Crossbow Expert & Sharpshooter Way of Shadow Monks. The latter takes a 1st level dip in Fighter to get the Archery Fighting Style, Constitution save proficiency, and hand crossbow proficiency, which is justified by the fact that the build doesn’t work otherwise and that they are still able to contribute even at level 5 by casting pass without trace twice per rest.

2. You should take into account whether you want to play in melee or at range. Paladin, for example, is not a viable option to dip into to increase your viability at range with your weapons, as they don’t offer anything to this style of play. However, if you are playing a Paladin and your party is playing at range, you should absolutely dip two levels into Warlock to have a good at will ranged option. Meanwhile, if most of your party is playing in melee, a straight Paladin or a single level dip into Hexblade Warlock suffices as staying in melee guarantees your party is in your aura, which is your main schtick.

3. Mobility options. Being able to move around and bypass obstacles is good, and for melee characters, having the option to do damage at all is even more vital. Ranged characters can afford a mount, or be Small sized for even more mount options. Melee damage dealers might consider dipping 3 levels into Echo Knight to be more comparable to their ranged counterparts by alleviating many of melee’s common weaknesses. The Mobile feat, however, is simply not worth the cost, both because of its rather low impact, and the already tight feat tax martials need for their damage dealing capabilities. 

When To Multiclass Out

It’s important to know when a class isn’t giving you as much as other classes would in the form of a multiclass. For martial characters, that’s usually after level 5, the level at which they get Extra Attack, though you can possibly eventually go back to your main class after getting everything you need from your chosen multiclass option. In a campaign that only runs to level 10, lacking Extra Attack for one whole level is a significant chunk of your campaign. On the other hand, complete 1 to 20 campaigns might see delaying Extra Attack for one level as a worthwhile tradeoff given the benefits. We’ll briefly list some good points to multiclass out for classes below: 

Barbarian: Level 6 or 7. Depending on the encounter density of your average adventuring day, going from 3 to 4 Rages per long rest can really ease some of the pressure of accurately diagnosing when to Rage versus when to hold off, not to mention a 33% increase in Rage uptime. Ancestral Guardian, Berserker, Wild Magic, and Zealot Barbarians all get subclass features at level 6 that are reasonably useful. Barbarian base class features from 7 to 14 are largely low-value and low-impact. Persistent Rage at level 15 is a game-changer, but comes far too late for the average campaign. 

Fighter: Level 6 or 7; Level 12. Fighters get an additional ASI at 6, which can be a great boon and can help the tempo of your build. Extra Attack (x2) is a notable power increase that no other martials get, so in campaigns that will run deep into tier 4, getting to level 11 in Fighter is imperative, which is why we list level 12 as a good level to multiclass into something else. 

Monk: Level 6 or 7. Monks get a small incremental benefit for every level up in that their Ki pool increases by 1 every level. Getting to level 5 is key for Monks because it unlocks not just Extra Attack but also Stunning Strike (an overrated but still useful ability with great benefits when it lands) and Focused Aim, an underrated and under-discussed ability that lets certain Monk builds reach Crossbow Expert Sharpshooter Archery levels of consistent damage. A common tactic for Monks is to get to level 5, multiclass out for one or two levels to pick up a Fighting Style from a Fighter dip or a useful Cleric level (Peace, most likely) and then returning to supplement your Ki pool or splitting off entirely into Battle Master Fighter or Gloom Stalker Ranger levels (or even a mix of these 2 strategies). 

Rogue: It’s difficult to come up with a general rule for Rogue multiclassing. A first level Fighter dip is useful for nearly all subclasses, providing armor, the Archery Fighting Style, and Constitution saving throws. However, going up to 5 levels in Battle Master before going into Rogue is probably a better move for nearly all Rogue subclasses except Arcane Trickster, which sticks with Fighter 1 to maximize their (slow) spellcasting progression. Another exception to this rule is the Soulknife, which generally doesn’t multiclass well at all.

Paladin: Level 7, 8, or 9. Aura of Protection is one of the best features in the game after Spellcasting, so obtaining it is crucial. Level 7 subclass auras range from must-have (Devotion, Watchers) to not worth it (Crown, Vengeance, Redemption). Paladins get the most out of multiclassing into a Charisma-based full caster class such as Sorcerer for the defensive reaction spells package, or picking up two Warlock levels to supplement their ranged damage and control capabilities with eldritch blast + Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast invocations. At level 8, Paladins receive an Ability Score Increase, and Paladin builds are frequently starved for such opportunities, so this is also a nice break-point.

Ranger: Rangers probably have some of the most varied options for multiclass timing. After level 5 is generally a given, when you get 2nd level spells and Extra Attack, but Canny Explorer’s 5 ft speed increase is a notable benefit, and some subclasses have a good 7th level feature worth having. Level 8 nets you an ASI, and level 9 gives you access to the powerhouse spell that is conjure animals. For some subclasses, such as Gloom Stalker, it is also worth it to go up to 11 for the excellent subclass feature. 

Interesting Multiclass Options for your Martials

Now that the principles of multiclassing are out of the way, we will discuss specific options. Not all multiclasses are created equal! These are some of the dip and multiclass options that we view as being powerful options for martials:

Gloom Stalker Ranger 3-4. The standard and reliable damage dip, with an added bonus of nice defensive and utility spells (absorb elements and goodberry). A dip in this subclass will give you access to high nova with Dread Ambusher, a reliable way to gain advantage through Umbral Sight, a Fighting Style (usually Archery, or if you’ve taken it already, Blind Fighting or Defense), Favored Foe, and even a skill Expertise. The progression on Rangers and especially Gloom Stalkers is better than spell-less martials, so this works better as your main class rather than a dip if you want to play for a long time. Many martials want 14 Dexterity (for maximum medium armor Dexterity AC bonus) and Wisdom is the best mental ability score to prioritize for saving throws, so the ability score requirements here aren’t typically onerous.

Battle Master Fighter 3-5. Getting 3-4 levels of Battle Master Fighter is a good option for any character that focuses on making weapon attacks because of Precision Attack, which makes your attack stick way more often. It is an extra explosive multiclass for Gloom Stalkers, as Action Surge synergises really well with Dread Ambusher. Monks can make great use out of this option. The 5 level option exists for Rogues, since their lack of Extra Attack and a Fighting Style isn’t nearly compensated by Sneak Attack scaling. 

Echo Knight Fighter 3-4. The Manifest Echo feature is among the most interesting features available to any martial, and it is going to serve you well for actual good mobility and alleviates some of melee’s glaring weaknesses (contrary to the Mobile feat). This dip also allows for some fun gimmicks such as the Ghostlance (albeit that character is a martial/caster hybrid). As with Battle Master, don’t overlook the non-subclass Fighter features you get, such as a Fighting Style and Action Surge.

Peace Domain Cleric 1. In higher optimization games, every party wants at least one character with this dip to give Emboldening Bold to your other party members. Ideally, it would be someone who has the least opportunity cost to pick it up, which tends to be a martial character. In general, if no one has access to Emboldening Bond yet, definitely consider this as a priority. It’s also noteworthy that this dip, like any Cleric dip, will give you access to the first level Cleric spell list, which has some good additions such as bless, command (albeit with a low save DC), and healing word.

Life Domain Cleric 1. Exclusively for Rangers or any character that acquires access to goodberry by other means, such as the Mark of Hospitality Halfling Dragonmark. Goodberry is a great spell, but Disciple of Life makes each separate berry heal 3+spell level hit points, making it significantly better. As above, bless, command, and healing word are valuable spells.

Forge Domain Cleric 1/Artificer 2. These dips are exclusively for players in games with “stingy” DMs, where you can’t reliably obtain magical two-handed polearms or hand crossbows, which are the most damaging weapons for martials in the game. Playing a martial in such games is a hard sell anyway, but if you must, these dips can mitigate this element. Artificer 2 in particular is a more significant boost as the Repeating Shot Infusion allows you to wield a shield and a hand crossbow, boosting your resting AC by 2, but at the cost of an additional level. As above, bless, command, and healing word are valuable spells (from Forge Cleric).

Barbarian 2. For melee builds to have higher damage potential than Archery Fighting Style/Crossbow Expert/Sharpshooter builds, Reckless Attack (or some other form of consistent advantage generation) is necessary. If you’ve already committed to being a Polearm Master/Great Weapon Master build that didn’t start in Barbarian, this is a surefire way to boost your damage—for the 2 encounters per day that you have Rage available. 

Of course, you don’t need to Rage to use Reckless Attack, but doing so without Rage damage resistance is a significant reduction in survivability. As a rough estimate, you can assume that advantage against you means enemies will hit somewhere between 1.25 to 1.6x as often. If most of that incoming damage was bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing, Reckless Attack + Rage would still be reducing incoming damage by around 30%, but without Rage you’re just eating extra damage, and enemy health pools are much larger than yours. We don’t recommend Great Weapon Master Fighters, but if you are one, this dip acts as a twice per day power boost for your toughest encounters.

Wizard 1 / Sorcerer 1 / Hexblade Warlock 1. These dips are mainly to acquire the defensive reaction spells. Shield, and to a lesser extent, absorb elements, and if you can afford it, silvery barbs, can greatly improve your defensive capabilities. However, you will need the spell slots to keep casting these spells throughout the day, making this a preferable option for characters that already have spell slots and lack these spells, like Paladins, Artificers, Rangers, Arcane Trickster Rogues, or Eldritch Knight Fighters. 

War Magic Wizard 2. The Wizard multiclass has some downsides, notably in point buy as you need 13 Intelligence, taking away from your Wisdom score. 2 levels in Wizard plus Arcane Recovery still means just 4 1st level slots spread out through the day, which isn’t a lot. But you can comfortably learn absorb elements, shield, silvery barbs, and find familiar, which are all very highly valuable spells that will significantly improve your defenses, and you can also pick up some handy rituals and cantrips as well. In combat you will typically only be casting reaction spells, so the restriction placed on Arcane Deflection won’t be relevant. Even Barbarians can make use of this multiclass to some degree, relying on casting spells only outside of combat or during non-Rage encounters, and they can use Arcane Deflection without issue. 

Spellcasters, unlike martials, are significantly more fond of maintaining their class progression, since spell slots and spell access are much coveted features on their own. They instead are graced with the luxury of building up defenses before anything else. The main benefits to get out of multiclassing for spellcaster characters are:

1. Sturdiness. This is your primary reason to multiclass, as a multiclassed spellcaster can be much sturdier than a martial. Sturdiness can involve Armor Class, saving throw benefits, or defensive spells—features that greatly improve your defensive capability, which we discuss in detail here. 

2. Offensive power. A two level dip into Warlock for eldritch blast with the classic Repelling Blast and Agonizing Blast invocations is a staple multiclass for its offensive power, and control that supersedes even the value you get out of its damage. With Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos out, we now also have silvery barbs which can greatly enhance our entire team’s offensive capabilities.

3. Synergistic interactions. As previously mentioned, “Lifeberry” is a really great interaction, and a one level dip to get it is often worth it. Aside from that, interactions are not the main reason you multiclass for, but rather a nice byproduct.

General Principles for Spellcaster Multiclassing

1. Now that you are multiclassing, what should you be looking for? The things you should be after with a dip or combination of dips can be followed with a simple checklist:

• High AC: You want to get proficiency in at least medium armor and shields. A resting AC of 19 without magical items is easily achievable with a feat or multiclassing, and half plate (resting AC of 20 or higher requires a bit more investment).
• Defensive spells: Shield, absorb elements, and to a lesser extent, silvery barbs. A high resting AC is important, but to be able to sharply raise your durability beyond that is what separates spellcasters from most martials. 
• Concentration protection: Having a high spellcasting ability score is often seen as a reason to race to levels where you get an ASI, but concentration helps our spells even more. We usually get this concentration protection from proficiency in Constitution saving throws through dips, but make sure to start with a class that gives this proficiency, as that is the only time they grant you saving throw proficiencies.
• Utility: Offensive options, extra spell preparations, and other synergies are always welcome additions to your kit.

Once again, most of these are further accentuated in our article on caster sturdiness, here.

2. Always keep spell slot and spell level progression in mind. However, this doesn’t mean it is the end of the world to lose out on spell level progression. There are standout spells at every spell level that will be relevant and powerful across all tiers, and reaching level 7 doesn’t suddenly mean hypnotic pattern or web are useless—far from it, in fact.

Many hesitate to multiclass with their spellcasters because they find the delay in spellcasting progression too great a cost. This is a very reasonable stance to take. Getting toys earlier is more fun than getting them later. However, from an optimization standpoint, we find that a multiclass of at least one level is more than worth it on just about any caster for long term survivability.

In games that aren’t very challenging, you might find that the extra defenses aren’t “needed,” and so it seems better to rush spell progression. However, if defense isn’t needed, then it is likely that one or two higher level spells per day, every other level, aren’t particularly needed either! In these games, a straight classed build might perform better from an impact or progression maximization perspective, but if you’re trying to maximize your party’s chances of winning, the sturdy caster is still better. A straight classed Wizard or Sorcerer is capable of achieving the sturdy spellcaster principles, but it does so at a much higher opportunity cost than a Wizard that multiclasses for the armor instead. The same goes for casters with innate armor that would multiclass for shield, such as Cleric and Druid.

Parties tend to rely on their spellcasters in critical moments. If the Cleric or Druid goes down, the party may have lost their wielder of healing word and revivify, and at the same time a large amount of their offense. If a Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard goes down, there may be many monsters who were kept at bay by a control spell who are now free to focus their fire on the next party member.

Now, you could argue that just as in some encounters, the Wizard falling unconscious leads to the party’s death, in some encounters the Wizard’s lack of polymorph leads to the party’s death. In our experience, the former is more common. Even if the Wizard casts polymorph, they might fall or drop concentration and leave the party in dire straits, but a durable Wizard who practices resource conservation will stay alive to concentrate on a different spell and, if necessary, “go nova” using Tasha’s mind whips and fireballs.

That’s not to say that we don’t enjoy getting shiny new spells. In many games, focusing on impact or progression maximization might be more fun. But the reliable choice for challenging games is investing in defense. Durable casters are truly terrifying on the battlefield. The natural response to a concentration spell gumming up the monsters is to go after the guy in the bathrobe—but what about when there is no guy in a bathrobe? What about when the spellcaster concentrating on the big spell is more durable than the martials? Now that’s a recipe for victory.

A Guideline For Powerful Spellcaster Multiclasses

Due to differences in primary ability score for different spellcasters, multiclassing is much more class specific for spellcasters than it is for martials. Every spellcaster has outstanding multiclassing options to make them powerful, which we will detail below.

Artificer

Artificer at first glance feels like a very self-sufficient class. You start with 19 AC, Constitution saving throw proficiency, and access to absorb elements right out the gate. At 3rd level, Artillerists and Battle Smiths get access to shield to round out their defenses. At 5th level, you get a small boost to your subclass feature, along with access to web. 6th level opens up pipes of haunting as an option for your infusions, which is a fantastic pickup, and 7th level has Flash of Genius. Eventually, Artificers get Spell-Storing Item to spam even more web at level 11. However, on the whole, Artificers don’t gain a ton of power between levels 7 to 11. Flash of Genius is a limited-use Aura of Protection, the level 9 subclass features aren’t amazing, and the usefulness of Magic Item Adept can vary based on table. If you are an Alchemist or Armorer, you still don’t have shield, and thus you might want to multiclass out even more. Of course, the prime candidate for this is the Wizard, which completes your trio of shield, absorb elements, and silvery barbs, and features much greater access to big gun spells when investing further. Battle Smiths in particular can fulfill a more martial-oriented role. Crossbow Expert/Sharpshooter Battle Smiths should pick up Fighter 1 for the Archery Fighting Style after level 5, but are still likely best served continuing to level in Artificer or Wizard, as spellcasting is just that impactful.

Bard 

Bards can get proficiency in medium armor and shields as well as access to the shield spell at any time with a one level dip in Hexblade Warlock. This is sufficient to completely negate their frailty, a large weakness of the base Bard class.

Alternatively, Bards can take a one level dip in Divine Soul Sorcerer to start, which provides proficiency in Constitution saving throws, the shield and absorb elements spells, and an excellent saving throw bonus in the form of Favored by the Gods. Then they can take the Moderately Armored feat at Bard level 4/character level 5, completing their defenses (Moderately Armored isn’t available at level 1 due to Sorcerer’s lacking light armor proficiency, a prerequisite for the feat).

The advantages of the Hexblade route are that the Bard’s AC comes together early on, rather than at level 5, and a second level of Hexblade provides a reliable offense and control option in the form of eldritch blast with the Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast invocations. Reliable offenses are something Bard usually lacks, so this is definitely welcome.The advantages of the Divine Soul Sorcerer route are that Favored by the Gods and absorb elements leave the Bard with more robust defenses overall, multiclassing with Sorcerer doesn’t delay the Bard’s spell slot progression, and you get Magical Secrets one level earlier.

Cleric

Clerics start with sufficient resting AC, as they start with proficiency in medium armor and shields. However, there is one multiclass in particular which takes their defenses to the next level: Divine Soul Sorcerer. Similar to Bards, Clerics benefit greatly from proficiency in Constitution saving throws, the tail protection offered by Favored by the Gods, and the holy trinity of reaction spells: shield and one of silvery barbs and absorb elements.

Druid

Do consult with your table on the classic question of Druid armor, whether it is hard mechanic or poorly-placed flavor text, how that flavor text interacts with multiclassing, or whether you can reliably acquire the non-metal version of half-plate in your game. 

Like Clerics, Druids start with armor proficiencies, but unfortunately they may or may not be able to make full use of them. If you’d like to play a Druid, we recommend you take a look at What to Ask Before Playing a Druid, and ask your DM if your character can wear metal armor, or if there are nonmetal armor alternatives available, like spiked armor. 

To capitalize on one of the Druid’s signature spells, goodberry, we strongly recommend a one-level multiclass with the Life Domain Cleric, which grants heavy armor proficiency and gives you incredible out of combat healing through the interaction between Disciple of Life and goodberry (see the Sage Advice Compendium). Whether this dip is an armor upgrade or not, you should still consider it for the healing option and for command, which can synergize with summoning spells by causing enemies to provoke multiple opportunity attacks. Another competitive option is the Peace Domain Cleric, which we’ll go into more detail about in the Wizard section.

Like Clerics, Druids also benefit greatly from one level of Divine Soul Sorcerer, for the aforementioned proficiency in Constitution saving throws, shield and silvery barbs spells, and Favored by the Gods.

Sorcerer

Like Bards, Sorcerers multiclass remarkably well with Hexblade Warlock, one level of which grants proficiency in medium armor and shields as well as the shield spell, saving the Sorcerer 2 spells known, mage armor and shield. The increased AC and freed up spells known is a big deal for almost any Sorcerer build, since they counteract the Sorcerer’s greatest weaknesses.

Multiclassing with Hexblade Warlock also grants Hexblade’s Curse, which synergizes with the magic missile spell, since Hexblade’s Curse can add to the damage of every missile. This can provide Sorcerers with a burst damage option if they can spare the spell slots and learned spells, though eldritch blast could likely serve them just as well without as much resource expenditure. 

Finally, like Bards, Sorcerers can enjoy the offensive and control capabilities offered by a second level of Hexblade through Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast. In fact, Sorcerers actually make better use of this than Bards or even Warlocks, because Repelling Blast synergizes with staple Sorcerer spells such as web and sleet storm. At later levels, Hexblade’s Curse can be used with multiple rays of eldritch blast, and with Quickened Spell metamagic is another burst damage option in the repertoire of this multiclass (though not available on turn 1). Access to Repelling Blast is one of the few reasons Sorcerers can be worth considering over Wizards when building a character. 

That’s not to say other Warlock subclasses are never worth considering. Warlock’s proficiency in light armor opens up Moderately Armored feat as a more costly way to gain 19 resting AC (and with another level investment, the Eldritch Blast package), but you get some interesting subclass features like Form of Dread or Genie’s Vessel in return. 

Warlock

Warlocks can get a reasonable amount of durability by obtaining armor and shield proficiency through a multiclass, the Moderately Armored feat, or the Hexblade subclass, but unlike other casters, they unfortunately struggle to use an essential ingredient for sturdiness: the shield spell.

It’s not too difficult for a Warlock to gain access to shield through a multiclass or by being a Hexblade, but unfortunately, the Warlock’s Pact Magic spellcasting just isn’t suited to repeatedly casting this spell. A 1 level dip in Divine Soul Sorcerer for example only grants 2 first level spell slots (in some games this might be enough, but in especially challenging ones, it won’t be). 

Warlock also has a higher relative opportunity cost for dipping into other casters than all the others, as their spell slots remain separate to ones gained from a dip, which takes away from the class’ distinct strength of being able to drop their highest level spells as many times as the party needs throughout the day.

In the end, Warlocks can be more durable than most martials, but don’t reach the level of other optimized spellcasters. If spell scrolls are something you have time to craft in your campaign, you can alleviate this issue somewhat.

Wizard 

Wizards have some extremely potent multiclass options. The first and simplest is one level of Artificer, which grants proficiency in Constitution saving throws, medium armor, and shields, without delaying spell slot progression (this being a specific trait of Artificers among half-casters) without requiring any investment in additional ability scores. Another benefit that may see use is the inclusion of cantrips such as magic stone, which you can hand out to tiny servant or animate dead, or minions from your allies, to boost your party’s offensive capabilities in Tier 2.

Fighter 1 offers the same perks in Constitution saving throw and marginally higher Armor Class potential, but has none of the aforementioned spellcasting benefits. However, in the later tiers when you’ve had all the spellcasting you ever need, Fighter 2 acts like a fairly potent capstone for your progression with Action Surge enabling you to cast two leveled spells in one turn.

The newer and even more powerful option is one level of the Peace Domain Cleric, which requires 13 Wisdom and doesn’t grant proficiency in Constitution saving throws, but gives the Wizard Emboldening Bond, an extremely powerful concentration-less party buff. Emboldening Bond grants a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus a d4 which they can add to any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw once per turn while within 30 feet of another bonded creature, for 10 minutes. It takes an action to use and you can use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus before needing to complete a long rest to use it again.

A 10 minute duration is long enough to have the ability precast in most adventuring environments like dungeons. 1d4 may not sound like much, but consider that an Oath of the Watchers Paladin, the most powerful Paladin subclass in the game, can add up to 5 to the party’s saving throws and initiative rolls, and this provides half the effect and can work in tandem with it. And since 1d4 bonus is applied once on each turn, the saving throw benefit functions basically like half a Paladin’s Aura of Protection. And that’s not even taking into account the bonus to attack rolls, which can add a lot of damage in a party with optimized martials. 

If you’re looking to optimize a Wizard, we strongly recommend you consider a 1 level multiclass in Peace Domain Cleric, or if you’re just looking for defenses, a level of Artificer.

Other Interesting Multiclass Options for your Spellcasters

Of course, you are not limited to these multiclass options for your characters, there are plenty of good options. Some other stars are:

Clockwork Soul Sorcerer 1. There is debate as to whether getting your first level in this class during character creation counts for swapping Clockwork Spells, or if you must take it later on your progression to have this benefit (this is due to the ambiguity of if you actually “gain a Sorcerer level” during character creation). In the former assumption, this one level dip can grant all three of the essential level 1 reaction spells (absorb elements, shield, silvery barbs), which would be great for a Cleric or Warlock. This presents another competitive option for Clerics alongside Divine Soul Sorcerer 1, whether the level is taken at character creation or after spirit guardians is obtained. Restore Balance is quite circumstantial, but its quite useful to counter Magic Resistance when that becomes more common, and its number of uses scales with proficiency bonus. Although silvery barbs makes this effect less unique, alternating between both options can help conserve your resources, so it still holds positive value. Additionally, if you plan on your main progression being a non-Charisma caster, playing the entirety of level 1 with only reaction spells as your spells known probably isn’t going to be a fun time.

Aberrant Mind Sorcerer 1. It has the same stipulations as the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer 1 dip, but with different strengths, as it lets you take the three essential reaction spells plus dissonant whispers, and replaces Restore Balance with the Telepathic Speech ability. Probably occupies the third place among Sorcerer dips, and is useful for the same type of characters as Clockwork Soul Sorcerer 1, but certain party compositions can make very good use out of dissonant whispers.

Undead Warlock 1-2. This dip doesn’t offer medium armor, shields, or the shield spell, but Form of Dread is an excellent offensive and defensive ability, combined with eldritch blast and the usual invocations, and is a lot of fun to pilot. The prime suspects for using an Undead 2 dip are Charisma-based Paladin 7/Undead 2/Sorcerer X (usually Divine Soul) builds.

Forge Domain Cleric 1. This dip gives both proficiency in heavy armor and the ability to either give a weapon +1 bonus to attack and damage, or armor a +1 bonus to AC. You should obviously choose the latter for the handy AC boost, unless your martials are suffering with mundane weapons and weapon damage resistance.

Twilight Domain Cleric. A top three Cleric dip, among the Peace Domain and Life Domain. It gives you a 300 feet Darkvision and advantage on rolling for initiative. The fact that it has sleep on its domain list means that it is incredibly potent to take right at level 1, but sleep won’t find much use after that.

Order Domain Cleric 1: This serves as an armor dip as much as any other domain does, except with an inferior accompanying subclass feature compared to the top tier dips. Voice of Authority lets an ally make a reaction attack upon being targeted by a spell you cast, which might come up more often with the advent of silvery barbs. This is a multiclass often praised as being highly effective, but it is a very high opportunity cost when looking at what other Cleric dips give you. The average value of Voice of Authority simply does not stand up to the value other subclasses can provide. That said, it’s still a proper armor dip, so feel free to play with it outside of High Optimization games.

Wildfire Druid 2. An interesting choice for Clerics. This doesn’t cover enough ground to be particularly high value for the progression it costs, but Wildfire Druid has a very strong second level ability that can greatly boost a party in a Mid Optimization campaign, and is absurdly fun to play. We have an entire article dedicated to this subclass, so go check it out!

Fighter 1. Not as optimal as some of the other ones, but this dip will give you armor and shield proficiency, Constitution saving throw proficiency, and a Fighting Style (for most casters you take this on, it will be Defense). Wizards and Warlocks can use this dip well. Fighter 2 is a full spell level delay in progression, but does open up Action Surge spellcasting opportunities.

As we’ve seen, multiclassing can either make or break a build, and choosing the right option can instantly elevate your experience with a character. Either mixing and matching various dips on a martial to create a more modular progression, or taking a really small glimpse at the abilities of other classes to solidify your own as a spellcaster, use this guide to navigate through those decisions more easily and realize your character ideas with your own unique spin on them.