Multiclassing has become a staple mechanic in Dungeons and Dragons, particularly when it comes to character progression. After all, Multiclassing in D&D means taking or “dipping” into the levels of another Class and integrating them into the build of a player character. As such, instead of having a character with levels exclusive to a Class, a Multiclass option adds much-needed originality to a character’s experience.

Unfortunately, with around 14 canonical Classes in D&D 5ealone, and with almost no limit as to how many Classes a character can dip into, the idea of Multiclassing can be quite overwhelming for beginners. Thankfully, a little tinkering can help players arrive at “meta” versions of the best multiclassing combinations in D&D.

Updated September 2, 2022 by Rhenn Taguiam: With the rest of 2022 marking the release of Spelljammer: Adventures In Space and Dragonlance: Shadow Of The Dragon Queen as upcoming Dragons & Dragons 5e adventures, it makes sense for D&D 5e fans to want a headstart into planning the characters they’d make to conquer the challenges in these books in no time. To those who plan on Multiclassing, ideal options to consider include Artificer-Cleric, Barbarian-Fighter, and Bard-Paladin Multiclasses to maximize both survival and utility offerings.

12 Any Class, Up To Fighter 11

  • Multiclass Option: Fighter
  • Requirement: Strength 13 or Dexterity 13

Of all Multiclassing Combinations in D&D 5e, dipping into Fighter is almost always a safe choice. While the Fighter has an immense lack of explosive skills and abilities compared to its peers, the Fighter does hold potential in its many features.

Perhaps the only limiting factor to dipping into Fighter is its prerequisite. While Strength 13 or Dexterity 13 isn’t too high of a number to reach, a Class can only meaningfully dip into Fighter if DEX and STR aren’t their dump stats. To avoid compromising their original Class, players should probably dip up to Fighter 11.

11 Any Charisma Class Pairing

  • Multiclass Option: Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock
  • Requirement: Charisma 13

If a player looks into the Multiclass Prerequisites in the game, they’d notice that almost all Ability Scores except Intelligence and Constitution are assigned across groups of four Classes. And of those groupings, it’s the Charisma Classes that seem the most fluid and creative with regards to the Multiclass options. Inside this particular group are the Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer, and Warlock Classes - all Classes that feature their own unique brand of Spellcasting.

Unlike other Classes, it’s perhaps extremely useful to capitalize on pairing these Classes with each other given the synergy their Class Features have. Limitations on dips depend on what kind of build players are going for, but it might help to consider stopping once any of these Features are attained:

10 Battle Smith Artificer / Up To War Cleric 1

  • Multiclass Option: Cleric
  • Requirement: Wisdom 13

Despite being inventive versions of Wizards, the Artificer is still known for its rather squishy builds. Thankfully, the Battle Smith Artificer subclass exists to give Artificers at least a bit of an edge in the defensive department. Save for this, however, a Spellcasting-focused Class like the Artificer might be hard to pair with other Classes, since multiple dips can forfeit Ability Score Increases to Intelligence.

Thankfully, even a single dip into the Cleric Class, specifically the War Cleric subclass, can be beneficial. Dipping a single level alone can give the Artificer a massive boost into defenses, such as access to marital weapons, heavy weapons, and a few nifty extra offensive options without packing an excessively-high Wisdom Score.

9 Storm Barbarian / Up To Echo Knight Fighter 3

Raging Barbarians specialize in tapping their Rage to deal massive amounts of damage which, when paired with the right Multiclass, can transform them into specialized juggernauts. However, it’s important to remember that dipping into even a single level of another Class will inhibit access to the Barbarian’s Level 20 ability that can let players get a 4-point boost to both their Strength and Constitution Scores and get them a limit of 24.

As such, one of the more worthwhile ways of capitalizing on this loss of a capstone is by compensating with a Fighter dip. Particularly, getting an Echo Knight subclass for this Multiclass allows Barbarians to diversify the way they approach their melee attacks. Unleash Incarnation alone allows Barbarians to attack from multiple points at once, further allowing them to deal more damage.

8 Valor Bard / Up To Devotion Paladin 2

  • Multiclass Option: Paladin
  • Requirement: Charisma 13

While they do have a reputation for being romantic, Bards specialize heavily in their Spellcasting abilities, making it quite difficult to have them benefit from weapons and heavy armors. Not only that, but Bards need to get to at least Level 15 to maximize the dice pools for their Bardic Inspiration, and Level 17 to access 9th-Level Spells.

In this regard, one of the most practical options of Multiclassing a Bard is getting two dips in Paladin, specifically the Devotion Paladin. A Valor Bard that does this greatly boosts their combat potential, especially since they can now access Divine Smite alongside a plethora of nifty benefits.

7 Cleric (Any Subclass) / Up To Swashbuckler Rogue 3

  • Multiclass Option: Rogue
  • Requirement: Dexterity 13

While healers at heart, Clerics specialize in dishing out damage up close as a martial Class. In turn, they benefit greatly from having high Strength for attacks and high Wisdom for their Spells. However, one of the most unique dips players could do is get five levels in Rogue, particularly the Swashbuckler subclass.

With this, the Rogue’s innate Initiative boosts allow Clerics to get in combat first, allowing them to heal allies in need of health much faster. Not only that, the Swashbuckler’s features such as Rakish Audacity and Fancy Footwork can further boost the Cleric’s performance in melee.

6 Barbarian, Up To Paladin 6

While a Barbarian taps into their primal rage to ensure they can protect their brethren, the gods can transform them into a mighty Paladin that uses divine fervor to eliminate celestial foes. At its core, the combination of these two sturdy warriors can make for a bloody battlefield. However, practically speaking, a Barbarian could use the more defensive dipping of the Paladin to boost the survival of their party.

In essence, this Multiclass gives the player expanded options on how they can tackle combat. While tapping into Rage can be all-consuming, the few Spell Slots they can allot into Smites can give them additional damage options in combat. Here are other things to consider:

5 Cleric, Up To Rogue 3

It’s a common trope for Clerics to be relegated as healers, but their lack of melee viability makes them a bit fragile when up close to the enemy. Thankfully, dipping into Rogue can surprisingly give Clerics the necessary “oomph” they need to outlast enemies with a rather unique method: sheer speed.

When approaching this Multiclass, it’s important to understand that the Rogue’s first three levels are some of the best Multiclass options available. Given the Rogue’s compatibility with most melee classes, the Cleric can most certainly appreciate the new abilities on top of their already massive healing.

4 Druid, Up To Cleric 5

There’s no reason for a Druid not to worship the divine, which is why their understanding of nature makes it perfect for them to become a Cleric. After all, a Druid suffers from the lack of defense and quite a redundant set of Spells. With the Cleric’s help, a Druid can get quite a lot of versatility in the form of more proficiencies and defensive abilities.

More than that, dipping into as high as Cleric 5 will be able to transform the Druid into a more formidable support unit for the team. Here are some points to consider in the process of dipping into the Cleric:

3 Monk, Up To Fighter 4

  • Multiclass Option: Fighter
  • Requirement: Dexterity 13 or Strength 13

A Monk is only as useful as the training they commit to their bodies as living weapons, but it doesn’t make it bad for them to know a thing or two about being a Fighter on a rough battlefield. While the Monk can have more than enough speed to chase enemies on a battlefield, the focus on reaching their targets does impose combat limitations on how much damage a Monk could commit to in a fight.

Unlike any other Class that can benefit from the Fighter’s extra features, the Open Hand Monk can specifically tap into the Echo Knight to maximize their damage output. Whereas typical Fighter dips can go as high as Fighter 11, this Monk/Fighter hybrid could benefit even with just a dip into Fighter 4. Here are some points to consider:

2 Rogue, Up To Sorcerer 6

  • Multiclass Option: Sorcerer
  • Requirement: Charisma 13

Who says a Rogue cannot commit to studying the nature of magic? Granted, a Rogue might not be as dedicated as a Wizard to mastering magic, but a Rogue with the origin of that of a Sorcerer can tap into their natural gifts even without formal training.

And in the context of Multiclassing, the Spellcasting power of the Sorcerer can add an undeniable edge to the quick thinking of a stealthy Rogue. With this build, a player needs to focus on emphasizing the stealth aspects of the Rogue with their Sorcerer, which makes the Shadow Sorcerer an ideal build, with these taken into consideration:

1 Wizard, Up To Artificer 5

  • Multiclass Option: Artificer
  • Requirement: Intelligence 13

Ideally, any Wizard would lean towards the School of Evocation to gain access to some of the most explosive Spells in the game - because why choose something else other than Fireball? Thing is, a straight Wizard build would make them quite the glass cannon, and therefore very attractive as a target for enemies. Thankfully, a dip into Artificer might help circumvent these problems, and it’s made especially easy given their nature as Intelligence-based Classes.

At its core, dipping into Artificer alone provides the player with a multitude of extra features, as well as handy utility Spells that their Evocation Wizard won’t be able to access. It’s highly recommended for the Artificer to take up the Artillery Subclass for the additional defense. More than that, the Multiclass option provides the following:

Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen is slated for a December 6, 2022 release.