Gestalt Characters
A design philosphy for characters from 3rd Edition D&D, these rules have not been implemented for 5th Edition D&D. Until now. Multiclassing in 5th edition implies a give-and-take in order to achieve the benefits of two or more classes; taking a level in the rogue class while you are a 1st-level fighter means that you would delay your progression in the fighter class, and at the end of the campaign, you will lack some features from both classes.
With gestalt characters, you recieve the benefits from both classes, without having to sacrifice levels of class features by the time you reach 20th-level. The options that you suddenly possess at your disposal increase significantly, and you can create some interesting combos or character builds to really achieve your character concept.
Building a Gestalt Character
The first thing that you need to do is have a character concept in mind and choose two classes; at first-level, you will be considered a 1st-level character with the class features of both classes. This means that your proficiency bonus scales as though you are a single class, from 1st-level to 20th-level.
But, building a character such as this needs to possess some specifications, in order to promote a more balanced system for the game. Gestalt characters are, of course, going to be more powerful than a standard character, but some limitations can be created so that your game experience is still as fun and challenging as it was before you implemented this system.
Level-Up Progression
The progression of your character's training and experience is symbolized in the rate at which your character gains class levels throughout your campaign. Because your character possesses two traditional skill-sets, this rate should be considered halved, meaning that it should take twice as long in order to gain new class levels.
For example, in a campaign that uses traditional experience, simply double the number of experience that your character needs to reach the next level. At 1st-level, you would need 600 XP, rather than 300 XP, to reach 2nd-level. For DMs that implement milestone leveling, consider the milestones that you have in mind and simply require more of them from your players to achieve a higher level.
Hit Points and Hit Dice
Each character possesses a number of hit points to symbolize their ability to continue fighting in combat, and those hit points are composed of specific hit dice. For a traditional character class, each class possesses a specific hit dice. But for a gestalt character, we have an issue.
If we ignored game balance and wanted to treat each character level as twice as effective, you'd have twice as many hit dice and twice as many hit points. But, because of the amount of options that player characters suddenly possess, gestalt characters could stand to give up some of their combat effectiveness.
So, gestalt characters use the hit dice value that is lowest from their two classes.
For example, a 1st-level fighter/wizard would possess a d6 hit die, rather than a d10. While this does limit the ability for the fighter to sit on the front-line, it also helps to mitigate one of the best gestalt class combos: fighter/any caster, because Action Surge is a powerful ability that would allow a character to cast two spells in a turn, while not giving up any abilities in return. Other gestalt class combos have similar reasoning for limiting it in this way.
Saving Throw Proficiencies
Each character class possesses two saving throw proficiencies, to symbolize that character's specialty to avoid certain types of dangers or resist certain effects or abilities. Like hit dice, gestalt characters possess an issue of balance.
A gestalt character can only ever begin with two saving throw proficiencies, like traditional characters. If your two classes share the same saving throw proficiencies, then you automatically recieve those. If your two classes do not share the same saving throw proficiences, you may choose two from among those pool of options.
For example, a 1st-level fighter/barbarian shares strength and constitution saving throw proficiencies, so those are your saves. A 1st-level fighter/paladin would have four options, however, from which to choose two: strength, constitution, wisdom, and charisma.
Skill Proficiencies
Each character class has a list of skill proficiencies from which to choose, to help customize your character to your liking. Gestalt characters possess two classes simultaneously, which means that they could potentially have a huge number of skills. However, skills are a huge part of the game, so creating a huge number of skill proficiencies could mean that those challenges are heavily skewed in the gestalt characters' favor.
When you choose your skill proficiencies, you may choose from the combined list of skill proficiency options. However, you may choose whichever class offers the lowest number of skill proficiencies between your two classes.
For example, a 1st-level barbarian can choose two skills, and a 1st-level rogue can choose four skills; a 1st-level barbarian/rogue would choose two skills from the combined list of options offered by both classes. While a 1st-level rogue would be a better skill monkey than a 1st-level gestalt barbarian/rogue, this makes logistical sense: your character spent time honing their rage and their roguish tendencies, meaning that they may be less specialized at either.
Other Proficiencies
Each traditional character has a list of other proficiencies, in addition to saving throw proficiencies and skill proficiencies. A gestalt character simply combines these proficiencies, rather than limiting them.
For example, a 1st-level wizard gains no armor proficiencies or tool proficiencies, but does possess a small number of simple weapon proficiencies, like daggers or quarterstaffs. A 1st-level fighter gains no tool proficiencies, but does have proficiency in all weapons and armor and shields. A 1st-level fighter/wizard would therefore have proficiencies in all weapons, all armor, and shields.
Starting Equipment
Using the variant rule of starting with a certain amount of gold based on each class, you would use the lowest value between your two classes.
For example, a wizard begins with 4d4 x 10 gold pieces and a sorcerer begins with 3d4 x 10 gold pieces; a gestalt 1st-level wizard/sorcerer would begin with 3d4 x10 gold pieces of wealth, in order to purchase your starting equipment, such as adventuring packs or weapons. This would allow you to customize your loadout, without assuming that you had double the amount of time to earn money than a traditional 1st-level character.
Class Features
When you create a traditional character, you gain class features at each level in a single class. When you create a gestalt character, you gain class features at each level in both classes.
For example, a 1st-level fighter/wizard has the following list of class features, from both classes:
- Fighter: Fighting Style, Second Wind
- Wizard: Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery
When this character reaches 2nd-level, they gain the following class features, from both classes:
- Fighter: Action Surge
- Wizard: Arcane Tradition
When this character reaches 3rd-level, they gain the following class features, from both classes:
- Fighter: Martial Archetype
- Wizard: -
This effectively means that a gestalt character would possess the subclass features of both classes, alongside all other class abilities.
Ability Score Increases
A traditional character gains ability score increases at different levels, as indicated on their class chart. A gestalt character, despite reaching these levels in two classes, only gains one ability score increase, rather than one for both classes. Some classes gain additional ability score increases, such as the fighter or the rogue, and gestalt characters with either of these classes do gain these additional ability score increases.
For example, a gestalt fighter/paladin would gain two additional ability score improvements than a traditional paladin would, at 6th-level and at 14th-level.
Spellcasting
A traditional character with the ability to cast spells gains spells and has spell slots indicated by their class table. A gestalt character with two classes that both contain spellcasting presents a huge balancing issue. For example, double the number of spell slots for a gestalt character with two full casters would be a huge bump to spellcasters; two 9th-level spell slots at 17th-level wizard/sorcerer would be insanely imbalanced. So, consider the following specifications.
As when a traditional character multiclasses between two classes that have different spellcasting abilities for their spells, you have to consider this when you choose your spells. A gestalt wizard/sorcerer who has fire bolt from the wizard list uses intelligence for their spellcasting ability modifier, but has ray of frost from the sorcerer list uses charisma for their spellcasting ability modifier. Your spellcasting attack modifier and spell save DC would be calculated differently for the spells you possess.
You calculate spells known/spells prepared between both classes separately, following the normal rules for each class separately. However, you possess the spell slot progression of whichever class gains higher spell slots. A gestalt character with two full casters, such as wizard/sorcerer, would only have the spell slots of a full caster, as normal, but would simply have more spell options throughout the day to spend on those spell slots. Gestalt full caster combo characters do possess cantrips, meaning that a 20th-level wizard/cleric would have 10 cantrips - 5 from wizard and 5 from cleric.
For example, a gestalt 5th-level sorcerer/paladin would have a full caster's spell slot progression, rather than the paladin spell slot progression. You would know 5 cantrips and 6 spells of 1st- through 3rd-level from sorcerer, and with a Charisma of 16, you would be able to prepare 5 paladin spells. Despite only having access to the spell slots of a full caster, you are still subject to the normal preparation rules of a paladin, meaning that you prepare spells from the paladin list as though you only have access to the spell slots of a half-caster. This would mean that you can choose 5 paladin spells of 1st- or 2nd-level, alongside what spells you would know as a 5th-level sorcerer. However, as normal, you can use your higher level spell slots to up-cast your paladin spells, such as cure wounds at 3rd-level.
Do Similar Class Features Stack?
Certain class features share names or even effects; several martial classes gain the Extra Attack feature at 5th-level, for example. Generally, these features do not stack, the same way that they would not stack if a traditional character multiclassed.
Unarmored Defense is another example of a similar feature, shared between monk and barbarian; in this case, a gestalt barbarian/monk would choose whichever version of that feature would grant the higher armor class. If the gestalt barbarian/monk had 16 (+3) dexterity, 14 (+2) constitution, and 12 (+1) wisdom, then they would choose the barbarian version of Unarmored Defense, as it would grant an AC of 15, rather than 14.