Elly's 5e Gestalt Rules

Introduction

To gestalt a character is to grant them most aspects of two character classes at the same time without progressing at twice their level, thereby allowing a character to gain the benefits of 20 levels in two classes at the same time, while still only having 20 hit dice and the proficiency bonus of a 20th level character (+6).

While multiclass characters are typically denoted by a single slash between them (eg. Fighter/Rogue), a gestalt character instead uses a double slash (eg. Fighter//Rogue).

Detailed below are my rules for gestalting two classes together in 5e.

Details

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Hit Dice: You choose the higher hit dice of the two classes to use.

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Weapons/Armour: You choose one of the two classes to give you weapons and armour proficiencies.

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Skills/Tools/Musical Instruments: You choose one of the two classes for your amount of skills/tools/musical instruments, but can choose your skills from either class list.

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Saving Throws: You choose one class for your save proficiencies, and then gain one of the two proficiencies from your other class. For instance, a Fighter//Rogue might choose Fighter as their primary class, and then take Dexterity from Rogue, giving them Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws at 1st level.

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Equipment: You choose one of your classes to gain equipment from.

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Multiclassing: Under these rules you cannot multiclass a gestalt character.

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Ability Score Improvements: You only get one ability score improvement feature at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th levels, instead of gaining them from both classes. Fighters and Rogues still gain their 'extra' ASIs as normal.

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Extra Attack: If both classes you took gain the extra attack feature, at 1st level you choose which side's Extra Atack you will learn, and replace the other one with a Feat that you qualify for; if you replace a Fighter's Extra Attack, you gain the additional feats at 11th and 20th levels.

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Spellcasting: You know, learn, and prepare the spells of each side of your gestalt character seperately. How many spell slots your character has available will depend on your combination of classes as detailed below.

For the purpose of the below table, Half-Casters also encompass Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters, alongside Artificers, Paladins, and Rangers.

Class Combination	Spell Slots
Full Caster//Full Caster	Standard full caster progression, +1 slot of each level you have spells for
Full Caster//Half-Caster	Standard full caster progression, +1 slot of each level your half-caster side has spells for
Half Caster//Half Caster	Standard half-caster progression, +1 slot of each level you have spells for
Spellcaster//Warlock	Standard Spellcasting progression for your spellcasting side, warlock pact magic spell slots are halved (rounded up). Mystic Arcanum is gained as normal.

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All Other Class Features: These are gained as normal for both sides.