The PHB and subsequent errata indicate that additional attacks cannot be gained via multi-classing beyond the maximum of any one of those classes (strictly speaking of attack actions). Thus, you couldn't benefit from the warlock extra attack invocation if you were a fighter 5/warlock 5 and would still have just 2 attacks.
Would a war cleric benefit from the War Priest class feature? When making an attack action, you can use a bonus action to gain an additional attack. What if you were a 5th level fighter with 2 attacks during your attack action - if you were fighter 5/cleric 1 - could you use that class feature to make a third attack with your bonus action?
Fred
I don't see why not. I mean, if you're wielding two weapons, you can use a bonus action every turn to attack with the off-hand one. What you're describing is more restrictive than that.
My question on it is because of the odd wording. It doesn't say you can use a bonus action to take an extra attack - it says while using an action and attacking, you can use a bonus action to attack again. My guess is they were trying to specify additional weapon attacks all in the same round rather than cast a spell, then use the bonus action for an attack (that would put it a bit ahead of Eldritch knight's ability to cantrip and attack at 7th level).
It's a strange nuance. I could see it interpreted as an extra attack which would be voided based on the prior rule I started with.
This edition has a good number of cases where the wording wasn't as precise as it should have been. Not throwing stones at Wizards - the writing and editing staff is all of something like 9 people now (down from the hay-day of many dozens) so the fact they publish anything that has been playtested and well thought out is impressive. They just could have used an extra editor or two on the PHB and DMG.
The reason Extra Attack and Thirsting Blade don't stack is in their wording: "You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you use the Attack action on your turn." That is, they both let you attack twice.
The War Priest ability states "When you use the Attack action, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action." This is an action separate from the Attack action, a bonus action, that is an attack. It does not replace the normal Attack action's single attack as Extra Attack and Thirsting Blade do.
FelwredNew wrote:
Bonus Actions are really sweet, because they do not count against your attacks. So for example, if you are permitted "something really cool" as your Bonus Action during your attack round, and happen to have Two Attacks Per Round... you're technically allowed to do 3 really cool things in the round. These don't even count against your movement allowance per round! =D
As an example, if you plan to multiclass into a melee class like Paladin for extra attack, the War Domain proficiencies and War Priest feature become redundant.
Paladin will grant you the proficiencies, will let you use your large pool of spell slots to drop some heavy Divine Smite damage, and a level 4 feat such as Polearm Master or Great Weapon Master will give you non expendable ways to use a bonus action to make attacks. Even with low charisma, you can take Paladin spells that don't require saving throws.
So if you plan to Multiclass for extra attack, do not take War Domain. Take Life or Tempest. Any attack cantrips you know will also get stronger with character level, so multiclass won't hurt your ability to do ranged cantrip damage.
Vulf wrote:
FelwredNew wrote:
FelwredNew wrote:
It doesn't improve the build at all. It is simply another method of achieving the same results (at least some of the time). It all boils down to what does the character value more - a feat, or a single class level. I personally value feats higher than class levels until tier 3, at which point they are comparable (as by that point I have usually gained most of the ABIs/feats I want on the character). YMMV however.
As such, were this my character - I wouldn't hesitate to take the level in war cleric over the dual wielder feat, if I only planned on using it a handful of times/day. Now with that being said, the dual wielder feat can be used all day, so it does give more benefit for its cost - making these two options comparable (small benefit for small cost, or large benefit for large cost).
War cleric versus dual wielder wasn't really the comparison - the character is an archer build. War priest gives the extra attack (limited number of times) and divine favor (limited number of times) plus some healing. The priest level has a good deal of utility overall - it came in helpful during GenCon.
Fred
And that is a valid package - healing, extra bonus action attacks, armor, etc.
I absolutely love the way 5E has handled multiclassing. Everything is a tradeoff, and there are no clear "I win" buttons for doing so. It usually boils down to questions of:
- Do I value the feat, or the extra level of spells?
- Do I value X ability from class A or Y ability from class B
- Do I value an ABI, or a feat?
- Do I want extra attacks now, or can I justify waiting 1+ levels for it?
I made many of these same decisions when building my druid/barbarian.
- L3: 2nd level spells, or Rage (resistance)? Rage (Druid 2/Barb 1)
- L4: 2nd level spells, or Reckless Attack? I want to get Bear totem so - Reckless Attack (Druid 2/Barb 2)
- L5: 2nd level spells, or Bear Totem? Bear totem (wildshape + resist all except psychic is awesome).... (Druid 2/Barb 3)
- L6: 2nd level spells, or Feat? Feat and I want to get Extra Attacks before increased wildshape forms..... (Druid 2/Barb 4)
- L7+ I have not yet reached this level but similar decisions are to be made.
- L7: 2nd level spells or Extra Attack? Extra Attack as I can retire my brown bear except for climb speed. (Druid 2/Barb 5)
- L8+: I am going druid hereon out in order to improve wildshape forms.
- L9: Grants aquatic forms (Crocodile and Giant Octopus IIRC)
- L11: Giant Elk becomes my go-to form as I have extra attacks. Two hoof attacks against a prone target is win.
- etc
Pauper wrote:
It can improve a Paladin build, the say paladin/cleric 12/8 or paladin/fighter/cleric 12/6/2. Paladin on it's own does not get more than 2 attacks/round without the pole arm master feat. This allows bonus action attacks from war domain channel divinity and 1 attack gains +1d8 damage and better stats or more feat choices and many more spell slots as 14 lev caster. The fighter combo gives you a second fighting style/action surge/bonus attacks and still keeps you with 10 level slots.
Coredump00 wrote: