Wizard/fighter multiclass

[Ivas]

I want to play an arcane gish, but I don't like eldrich knight. Is wizard/fighter any good?

Or, alternatively, can I be a pure wizard while being a frontline?

[BW022]

The problem with multiclassing martials in 5e is that their most powerful ability is to attack multiple times at 5th-level through extra attack. At higher-levels melee requires a lot of armor, and hit points. Any level you take in wizard delays this and makes you weaker in melee as you'll delay when you can get extra attack, lower hit points, less feats, etc. Likewise, the ability for a wizard to cast high level spells which can end combats fairly quickly, deal a lot of damage quickly, etc.

For example, imagine being a fighter/3 wizard/2 vs. a fighter/5 and facing say a high giant. Well, you have 6 fewer hit points, only get one attack vs. two, no feat/ASI, and honestly 2 1st-level spells are too weak to ever be worth casting against things you might be fighting. An eldritch knight as your spell casting will be pretty much as same (first level slots), but at least you get more hit points and extra attack.

Better choices might be a ranger or paladin. At 5th-level, they would have extra attack and access to 2nd-level spells by 5th-level. Other options are bard or warlock. College of blades bard would get you medium armor and shield (3rd-level), extra attack at 6th-level plus full caster level on spells -- with many being more wizard like than a paladin or ranger. You'd give up heavy armor, some hit points, and a fighting style. Warlock with pact of the blade gives you extra attack at 5th-level through an invocation and you get 3rd-level spells at 5th. You'd give up some hit points, fighting style, and armor. You could pick back some of these by using a feat or certain races. You could also multi-class fighter/1 warlock/5 for the hit points, heavy armor, and starting saves while only costing you a single level on the extra attack.

If you really want to play a fighter/wizard... go for it. However, you should still go eldritch knight until 5th-level for the extra attack, after that go wizard. It is less hit points, feats/ASIs, and your spells will feel 'dead' for a lot of levels, but if you enjoy playing it, have fun.

[WeenerTuck813]

Wizard is a bad one to multiclass

And EK kinda sucks.

At least on TT. Who knows for this game.

If you wana be a Gish go straight Swords bard, or Pala/Warlock/Sorc combo of some kind.

[Angarvin]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von WeenerTuck813:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Angarvin:

oh, you're talknig about learning a fireball spell. well, you can do that from a scroll. you don't have to get it via leveling, so i don't see that as an issue.

Right but you don’t get level 3 spellslots, so you can’t use it.

You listed EK8/Wizard4
Wizard gets level 3 slots at 5, not 4.
And EK8 is a level 2 caster. Neither of these gets you level 3 spellslots

Edit sorry I misread, you said 7/5 before that

that's why you combine the levels, like i said. which will give you level 3 slots. 2+4=6 level caster with 3 level 3 slots. i think phb even specifically mentiones that this can give you slots higher than you would know any spells for. which i guess is a problem normally, but not for a wizard which can just learn from a scroll, no?

[Ivas]

So, thanks guys. I guess I'll go bard. I really didn't think about it before)

[Foolswalkin]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Angarvin:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von WeenerTuck813:

That’s not what I mean.

Level 5 Wizard gets Fireball.
If you get level 4 Wizard + level 3 EK, does that give you fireball?

I thought not but I’m not very familiar with this combination

oh, you're talknig about learning a fireball spell. well, you can do that from a scroll. you don't have to get it via leveling, so i don't see that as an issue.

MC casters prepare/know spells as if they were single class casters. Neither 4th level Wizard nor 3rd level EK can prepare a 3rd level spell.

The combination part is for spell slots to cast from, not prepare.

[WeenerTuck813]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Angarvin:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von WeenerTuck813:

Right but you don’t get level 3 spellslots, so you can’t use it.

You listed EK8/Wizard4
Wizard gets level 3 slots at 5, not 4.
And EK8 is a level 2 caster. Neither of these gets you level 3 spellslots

Edit sorry I misread, you said 7/5 before that

that's why you combine the levels, like i said. which will give you level 3 slots. 2+4=6 level caster with 3 level 3 slots. i think phb even specifically mentiones that this can give you slots higher than you would know any spells for. which i guess is a problem normally, but not for a wizard which can just learn from a scroll, no?

This is the part I wasn’t sure on. I don’t mess with EK ever so I wasn’t clear on these rules

[Angarvin]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Foolswalkin:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Angarvin:

oh, you're talknig about learning a fireball spell. well, you can do that from a scroll. you don't have to get it via leveling, so i don't see that as an issue.

MC casters prepare/know spells as if they were single class casters. Neither 4th level Wizard nor 3rd level EK can prepare a 3rd level spell.

The combination part is for spell slots to cast from, not prepare.

ah, i see. that does sound right actually. i stand corrected then.