Builds center around predictability. Last time, I considered a way to break up the predictable acquisition of ability score increases and feats. This time I want to think about another big factor in pre-planned character builds: selecting classes when a character gains a level.

This doesn’t require a heavy-handed approach – I don’t see any problem with characters continuing to level up in a single class, or even just continuing with whatever classes they already have. Pushing back on pre-planned character builds is probably as simple as making the acquisition of new character classes a bit unpredictable, enough so that players can’t guarantee their PCs are built according to an optimal distribution of levels. I can see a couple possible approaches here.

The simplest is probably to say: when a character levels up, they can automatically take a level in a class they already have. However, if they want to gain a level in a class they don’t yet have they need to roll a number higher than the classes they already have on 1d4. If they don’t make this roll, they have to take a level in a class they already have.

This is pretty lightweight, and it doesn’t outright prevent anything except for taking characters with 5 or more classes. It just means that when a player is trying to add a 2nd class they may have to wait a level longer than they intended, and adding a 3rd class may well require another 1-2 levels in their original classes. This should be enough to make multiclassing optimization tricky, especially if the character is gaining levels through play.

A more complex option is to require the character to take a feat in order to multiclass. Specifically, I propose that this should be a half-feat, which grants a +1 in one of the attributes listed as a “multiclassing prerequisite for the class” (so a Warlock would get a +1 Charisma, a Monk could choose a +1 to Dexterity or Wisdom, etc.) – my suggested write-up is below.

This requires the character to have the feat before they take levels in the new class, which means players probably want to be using the randomized attribute increase/feat determination I described in part 1, or standard rules will require them to take a level in an existing class and spend an Ability Score Increase on a half-feat they can’t benefit from until the next time they take a level.

Multiclassed (feat)

Normally, you can only gain levels in classes you already have. When you take multiclassed, you gain the following benefits:

• Select a class you don’t already have levels in. You can now gain levels in that class.
• You get +1 to an attribute associated with the class you selected
  • Barbarian: Strength
  • Bard: Charisma
  • Cleric: Wisdom
  • Druid: Wisdom
  • Fighter: Strength or Dexterity
  • Monk: Dexterity or Wisdom
  • Paladin: Strength or Charisma
  • Ranger: Dexterity or Wisdom
  • Rogue: Dexterity
  • Sorcerer: Charisma
  • Warlock: Charisma
  • Wizard: Intelligence

You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you do so, you must choose a different class.