Quote from: Batman;867332In the context of D&D, specifically the last 15 years, multi-classing has never let you "do it all" or at least not very well. Not by a long shot. It might give you more versatility in some ways, like 1 level of cleric would allow anyone to wield a wand with a cleric spell (of any level) without penalty or a skill check. But that hardly constitutes "allz the powerz". The fact is, in reference to 3e and PF, multiclassing is largely a trap except in certain situations. In 4e it's even more of a trap since you have to spend feats to do it.

When one of my players wants to multiclass, I ask what and why, mainly so I can make sure their characters don't total suck where it drastically impacts the overall group and because there's usually a better way of going about it without multiclassing.

Your right, it doesn't.  That's why the various local players in my area are always bitching about how it's 'never been done right' (note the quotations.)  And that's why to me, this speshul snooflake crap is just that, crap.  It's all about power.

Pathfinder actively discourages a lot of multiclassing.  I have seen people multiclass to try to do everything and the result is always a crappy character that can't really do anything.  There was one character who was notorious for being really weak and dying constantly even in PFS scenarios which are not made for optimized characters and are mostly pretty easy.  This was a character who

a)channeled for 1D6 and healed for 1D8 while having none of the good domain abilities.
b)sneak attacked for 2D6.
c)inspired courage for +1
d) had a 6 or 7 BAB with 2 attacks for a full round action.

at level 10.  He wasn't good for anything.  His heals didn't heal enough to be worthwhile.  His sneak attack didn't add enough damage to matter against cr 10-13 creatures.  He couldn't provide a big enough bonus to matter.  He didn't have enough attacks or a high enough bonus to be any good in combat.

No real, hard opinion on Multi-Classing, but team synergy outstrips what one multi-talented PC can do.  Unless you want you wNt to be the backup F/T/W/C, it's better to take one class and excel in your role, IMHO. And if you want hybrids, there are ways, depending on system (that whole "Eldritch/X" thing in 5E, for example). I know I prefer fast-talking rogues and plain fighters, overall, but in the 5E campaign I play in, I just took a BG that granted me some of the stealthy aspects, pumped up CHA, went with ranged/light armored stuff, and bingo-I'm the group's face, by class a fighter, but mainly a dude who can hang in a fight and still pick a lock.  The rest of the time it's about RPing his fast, smart mouth. :-) Level dips are all about mechanics, I guess. Been lucky not to run into anyone who does that--so far.  But then, I missed  straight 3E/3.5 almost completely, so that's probably why.

Quote from: Christopher Brady;867162Which is why Multiclassing is the big mess that is for D&D.  It's for those people who want it all.

Damn straight.