1. How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Spell
2. How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Stat
3. How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Spells
4. How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Players

The greatest benefit of multiclassing as a warlock is that your Pact Magic feature gives you spell slots that are in addition to those you gain with the Spellcasting feature from other classes, as opposed to contributing to your cumulative level on the Multiclass Spellcasting table (PHB 164). The greatest drawback to multiclassing as a warlock. Multiclassing in Dungeons and Dragons 5e can be rewarding, but it can also end up cheating you out of abilities you'd otherwise get - it mixes together aspects of various classes and does so in a way unique to this edition of the game. The rules are clear as to how many spell slots you get based on your various spell caster levels. Some other options. If you don’t want to forbid multiclassing, but want to have some reasonable restrictions, here are some suggestions: 1) Require a PC to advance 3 levels in any class they have before multiclassing. This is not unreasonable. Abusing this ability will eat your 1st-level spell slots, so consider some levels in Sorcerer to get Font of Magic so that you can turn higher-level slots into cost-efficient 1st-level spell slots. Channel Divinity: Order’s Demand: If you have sufficient Wisdom to back this up, it can be effective both in and out of combat.

Multiclassing in Dungeons and Dragons 5e can be rewarding, but it can also end up cheating you out of abilities you’d otherwise get — it mixes together aspects of various classes and does so in a way unique to this edition of the game. Multiclassing in previous editions worked differently per edition — the way it worked in AD&D or in 3rd Edition is not how it works now. So how does it work, and should you be looking at multiclassing? Well, to answer the second question first — the whole post is going to be about how it works — I’ll just say that there are significant pros and cons to multiclassing. Certain class combinations work extremely well together, and others really do not.

So let’s go over multiclassing, how it functions, and whether or not you should give it a try.

What is Multiclassing?

Multiclassing is, on the surface, very simple. You start off like all characters — your first level will be in a specific class. For the purposes of this example, we’ll say you started as a Wizard. Let’s say you made third level as a Wizard when you decided you wanted to focus on melee combat, and when you reached fourth level, you decided to multiclass as a Fighter. Great! Except in order to multiclass, you have to have a 13 or higher in the primary attribute for the class you’re currently playing (Wizard, in this case) and in the class you intend to pick up (Fighter). So if you only have a 12 Str, you can’t multiclass as a Fighter. These stats are called your prerequisites.

You can see on the chart above what the primary attributes are for each class. So, for example, it’s easier to multiclass into a class you already have a high primary attribute in — so if you wanted to take a level of Paladin on your Warlock, you probably at least have that Charisma at or above a 13, but the Strength could be harder to come by unless you did your research in advance.

If you’re planning to multiclass from the jump, it might be worth it to put a strong stat in something you normally wouldn’t. If your Wizard starts off with the standard array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 10 and 8, for example, and you’re planning to multiclass into Fighter later, you might want to put your 15 in Intelligence, your 14 in Constitution, and the 13 in Strength. That 14 in Con is because it’ll help with HP while you’re trying to get ready to switch classes — a reasonably high Con is good for every single class, that’s why it’s not considered a prerequisite for any class.

More doesn’t always mean… more

Now, certain things are pretty straightforward. Your Proficiency Bonus is always based on your character level, not your class level. So in the case of your Wizard/Fighter above, if you took three levels of Wizard before starting to take Fighter levels, and took two levels of Fighter, you’re a Wizard 3/Fighter 2, which makes you a 5th level character, and thus your Proficiency Bonus is a +3, just as it would have been for a 5th level Wizard or 5th level Fighter.

Okay, so what do you get, and what don’t you get when you multiclass? Well, for starters, you don’t get all the proficiencies. Each class has a certain amount of proficiencies like armor types, weapon types, and in the case of classes like Bards skills and musical instruments you learn by taking a level in the class, which you can find on pages 163 and 164 of the Player’s Handbook.

When you multiclass into a new class, you get the features of that class at that level except for some special circumstances. For example, if you already have Extra Attack (you’re a 5th level Barbarian who decides to multiclass into Fighter or Paladin, for example) then your Extra Attack from your Barbarian levels do not stack with Fighter or Paladin Extra Attack — if you’re a 10th level character with 5 Barbarian and 5 Fighter levels, you do not get another Extra Attack when you hit Fighter 5.

This is also the case for Channel Divinity — if you’re a Cleric who multiclasses into Paladin, you’ll get different types of Channel Divinity, but you only get extra uses of it when you gain a level in a class that specifically states it grants an extra use of Channel Divinity. Similarly, Barbarian and Monk Unarmored Defense (or any other kind of Unarmored Defense that might happen down the line if a new class with it is added) doesn’t stack, and in fact, you can’t even get another kind of Unarmored Defense if you already have it. So Barbarians who take levels in Monk don’t get to add their Dex, Con and Wisdom to their AC.

How spellcasting complicates multiclassing

Okay, you’re thinking — that’s a bit complicated, but I have a basic understanding.

Well, buckle up. We haven’t talked about what happens when you multiclass between two or more spellcasting classes. This is where it gets complicated. If you just have one spellcasting class — say, the Wizard/Fighter I mentioned above — then you may be thinking we’re good, I just have the one class that can cast spells, I just use the rules for that class and level. And you’d be right, unless you took (as an example) the Eldritch Knight subclass, which you did because you hate me.

I’m going to try and cover this now, but I won’t lie — you should definitely go look at page 163-164 in the PHB here. Basically, for this example, let’s assume you’re a 5th level Cleric/ 4th level Wizard. You are a 9th level caster, who can cast 4 Wizard Cantrips, 4 1st level spells, 3 2nd level spells, 3 3rd level spells, 3 4th level spells, and 1 5th level spell. However, as a 4th level Wizard, you only know up to 2nd level spells, and as a 5th level Cleric, you only know up to 3rd level spells. However, you can cast the spells you know using those spell slots, essentially casting a 3rd level Cleric spell at 5th level, for example. You still have to prepare your Wizard spells as normal, and your Cleric spells in the usual manner. You’ve sacrificed deeper knowledge of spells for a broader array including divine and arcane spells.

Multiclassing Pros and Cons

We’ve covered the basics, but I mentioned there were pros and cons to multiclassing. The pros are generally rooted in the flexibility it offers. If you want to be able to combine a Barbarian’s rage with a Champion Fighter’s ability to get a Critical Hit on a 19, for example, going Barbarian/Fighter multiclass has a lot of appeal. Why wouldn’t you do that? Why not give your Monk a Rogue’s ability to sneak attack?

Well, for starters, the deeper you get into a class, the more features of that class unlock. An 11th level Fighter gets a 2nd Extra Attack, which your Barbarian 3/Fighter 8 will not have and won’t get for three levels. Similarly, you won’t be getting the Barbarian’s extra rages, Brutal Critical ability, or Fast Movement — you’ve given up a lot of strength that Barbarians get at higher levels to play a hybrid character who gets to add Barbarian rage and the power of a Primal Path (but just the first ability) to the toolkit of a Fighter. You’ll get those Fighter abilities later than someone who just stuck with Fighter from the beginning, and you won’t ever get certain Fighter abilities at higher levels like that last Extra Attack that Fighters get at level 20.

Now, for most players, stuff at level 20 isn’t all that important — most campaigns don’t even reach level 20, and even if you did, the ability to use a Barbarian Rage while getting two uses of Action Surge is nothing to sneeze at. It really comes down to what you actually want to do with your character and how you imagine them, but it does have to be pointed out again, the complexities of a multiclassed spellcaster are not easily navigated for all players. But if you really want to roleplay a character who started out a raging Barbarian before learning how to sing and encourage her allies? Yeah, you can do that — just make sure your Barbarian has a Strength and Charisma above 13.

Multiclassing might not be for you, but it exists if you’re feeling adventurous or have a character concept that just won’t be constrained by one class. For more resources, the folks at Critical Role did a pretty solid video explaining it here, and there’s lots of stuff available at D&D Beyond to help out.

• Adventuring
  • Equipment
• Character
  • Classes
  • Races
• Combat
• Gamemaster rules
  • Magic item indexes
  • Monster indexes
  • Templates
• Rules
  • Abilities
• Spellcasting
  • Spell indexes
  • Spell lists

The Cleric

Class Features

As a cleric, you gain the following class features.

How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Spell

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per cleric level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per cleric level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor. shields
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a mace or (b) a warhammer (if proficient)
• (a) scale mail, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail (if proficient)
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• A shield and a holy symbol

Spellcasting

As a conduit for divine power, you can cast cleric spells.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You learn additional cleric cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Cleric table.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Cleric table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of cleric spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the cleric spell list. When you do so, choose a number of cleric spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your cleric level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 3rd-level cleric, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of cleric spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells. The power of your spells comes from your devotion to your deity. You use your Wisdom whenever a cleric spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a cleric spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast a cleric spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.

Spellcasting

Focus You can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells.

Divine Domain

Choose one domain related to your deity: Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, or War. Each domain is detailed at the end of the class description, and each one provides examples of gods associated with it. Your choice grants you domain spells and other features when you choose it at 1st level. It also grants you additional ways to use Channel Divinity when you gain that feature at 2nd level, and additional benefits at 6th, 8th, and 17th levels.

Domain Spells

Each domain has a list of spells—its domain spells— that you gain at the cleric levels noted in the domain description. Once you gain a domain spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.
If you have a domain spell that doesn’t appear on the cleric spell list, the spell is nonetheless a cleric spell for you.

Channel Divinity

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel divine energy directly from your deity, using that energy to fuel magical effects. You start with two such effects: Turn Undead and an effect determined by your domain. Some domains grant you additional effects as you advance in levels, as noted in the domain description.
When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again. Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your cleric spell save DC.
Beginning at 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity twice between rests, and beginning at 18th level, you can use it three times between rests. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain your expended uses.

Channel Divinity: Turn Undead

As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring the undead. Each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.

How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Stat

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Destroy Undead

Starting at 5th level, when an undead fails its saving throw against your Turn Undead feature, the creature is instantly destroyed if its challenge rating is at or below a certain threshold, as shown in the Destroy Undead table.

Divine Intervention

Beginning at 10th level, you can call on your deity to intervene on your behalf when your need is great.
Imploring your deity's aid requires you to use your action. Describe the assistance you seek, and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your cleric level, your deity intervenes. The GM chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any cleric spell or cleric domain spell would be appropriate.
If your deity intervenes, you can't use this feature again for 7 days. Otherwise, you can use it again after you finish a long rest.
At 20th level, your call for intervention succeeds automatically, no roll required.

Life Domain

The Life domain focuses on the vibrant positive energy, one of the fundamental forces of the universe, that sustains all life. The gods of life promote vitality and health through healing the sick and wounded, caring for those in need, and driving away the forces of death and undeath. Almost any non-evil deity can claim influence over this domain, particularly agricultural deities (such as Chauntea, Arawai, and Demeter), sun gods (such as Lathander, Pelor, and Re-Horakhty), gods of healing or endurance (such as Ilmater, Mishakal, Apollo, and Diancecht), and gods of home and community (such as Hestia, Hathor, and Boldrei).

Life Domain Spells

Bonus Proficiency

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor.

Disciple of Life

How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Spells

Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level.

Channel Divinity: Preserve Life

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to heal the badly injured.
As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke healing energy that can restore a number of hit points equal to five times your cleric level. Choose any creatures within 30 feet of you, and divide those hit points among them. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum. You can't use this feature on an undead or a construct.

Blessed Healer

How Do Spell Slots Work With Multiclassing 5e Players

Beginning at 6th level, the healing spells you cast on others heal you as well. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that restores hit points to a creature other than you, you regain hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level.

Divine Strike

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Supreme Healing

Starting at 17th level, when you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell, you instead use the highest number possible for each die. For example, instead of restoring 2d6 hit points to a creature, you restore 12.