Multiclassing is a popular method of character customization in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. A player can combine two classes to create a unique build with some of the abilities of both. However, multiclassing is a double-edged sword. It's very easy to get wrong. A player could end up with a character who is simply worse than if they'd only taken one class.

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The barbarian and monk classes are two of the more popular to combine. Both are warriors who rely more on raw force than on their equipment. Monks typically fight bare-handed, and use abilities and Ki to keep up. Barbarians can fight without armor, and use Rage and its benefits over martial tricks. A multiclass of the two can work. However, it's also one of the easier multiclass combos to mess up.

Updated 6th of October, by Isaac Williams: Multiclassing is still the best way to customize a D&D character, and still one of the riskiest. Both monks and barbarians have received more options in the past few years. Some of these give a multiclass of the two even more potential. However, it's still easy to fumble the multiclass. As such, this list has been updated to include these new options in its guidance.

Constitution Is Important For Any Frontliner

A character dying from being shot in DnD

One of the key issues with multiclassing monk and barbarian is that it uses a lot of ability scores. Barbarians use Strength for most of their abilities, while monks tend to want Dexterity and Wisdom. With all of these, it can be easy to overlook Constitution. A player who neglects it in favor of other abilities scores, however, may regret it.

A barbarian and monk multiclass is likely to be a highly mobile character, but that doesn't mean they won't ever get hit. Dealing a lot of damage to the enemy doesn't matter if the character can't take damage in return. Constitution is important, even with every other ability score the multiclass is likely to need.

Commit To Strength Or Dexterity

A Zealot Barbarian fighting a pair of enemies in DnD.

One of the earliest decisions a monk and barbarian multiclass needs to make is the direction they want to focus on. Monks traditionally use Dexterity and barbarians Strength, but they provide benefits either way. A barbarian's Rage damage and Reckless Attack only apply to Strength-based attacks. Dexterity can be used with Unarmed Strikes or monk weapons, and improves Armor Class.

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In effect, it comes down to what the player wants to do. If damage is the goal, then Strength is more important. If the player wants their character to be a tank, Dexterity will be far more useful. Either is a good choice, but the player has to commit. A character who tries to do both won't be effective at either.

A Versatile Weapon Can Be The Best Of Both Worlds

An unarmored Barbarian crouching in a swamp in DnD

A player building a monk and barbarian might want their character to fight entirely bare-handed. It's a valid and viable approach, but not the most powerful. A weapon with the versatile property can let a character get the most out of both of their classes. It's likely to have a bigger damage die than the monk's unarmed strikes, making the most of the character's weapon attacks.

Any two-handed weapon can do this more effectively, but they don't work with monk abilities. Monk abilities like Martial Arts need the character to attack with a monk weapon. The best two-handed weapons have the Heavy property, which stops them from being monk weapons. As such, a monk and barbarian may want to use a spear, a versatile simple weapon. Alternatively, a Way of the Kensei monk or a race with weapon proficiency can use bigger weapons like a longsword or battleaxe.

Be Careful With Levelling Early On

A party trying to plan in a tavern in DnD

Multiclassing has an inherent trade-off. A character who multiclasses gets the abilities of two classes, but they don't get the higher-level abilities of either. This even comes into play at lower levels. A character who doesn't get Extra Attack or a similar way of boosting their damage by fifth level risks falling behind.

As such, a barbarian/monk has to be careful with their early levels. They may want to take only one level of one class before taking five of the other, just to keep their damage consistent. Whether that's one level of barbarian and five of monk, or vice-versa, depends on the exact build in question. Once a character has Extra Attack, things open up more.

Play Tactically In Combat

dnd 5e battlerager dwarf barbarian charging into battle

The whole point of multiclassing is to pick up new abilities. It's then on the player to make best use of those abilities. Both the monk and barbarian are perfectly capable in combat on their own. Multiclassing them, however, creates unique combat opportunities that neither class can do on their own.

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Both classes get Unarmoured Movement and other movement powers, making them one of the most mobile characters in the game. A monk/barbarian never has to sit on the front lines and fight whoever closes with them. They're maneuverable enough to target lone, weakened enemies. With Rage's damage reduction, they're free to stick to that enemy, rather than using hit-and-run tactics.

Make Sensible Choices With Feats

A Sorcerer casting from a book in DnD

Feats are another way to customize characters in Dungeons & Dragons. They give a character abilities that no class features give. In 5e, feats are fairly unbalanced, and some are more useful than others. Building an effective character involves picking the correct feats.

An important decision is whether the character needs feats at all. A monk and barbarian multiclass needs a lot of high ability scores. They may prefer to take Ability Score Improvements over feats. If a player does want feats, however, they have some great options. Tough makes the multiclass far more durable, Mobile makes them even harder to pin down, and Crusher opens up opportunities with Unarmed Strikes.

Choose A Synergistic Race

A Half-Orc Barbarian wearing little armor in DnD

Race has become less important to optimization over the course of Fifth Edition. Books like Tasha's Cauldron of Everything loosen up the restrictions on races and ability scores, and the One D&D playtest materials seem to be continuing this trend. It's no longer as important to pick a race with a Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom bonus for a monk/barbarian.

However, race can still have an impact. Players want to pick something with traits that benefit a monk and barbarian multiclass' abilities. A human could get them a free feat. A half-orc or goliath can help their tanking abilities. A hexblood from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft can increase the character's damage with a free casting of the Hex spell.

Choose A Monk Subclass Carefully

A Monk from D&D as seen on Magic: The Gathering Adventures in the Forgotten Realms card Dragon's Disciple

A perk of multiclassing is that the character can get the abilities of two or more subclasses. For players who want to optimize, it's key to pick the right one. The monk has several options that can be excellent when multiclassed with a barbarian, it all depends on how they want to play.

RELATED: D&D's 10 Best 5e Feats For Monks, Ranked

A Way of the Kensei monk gets access to more martial weapons, and more tricks they can carry out with them. A Sun Soul monk can provide a ranged attack to a multiclass that might otherwise lack one. The Way of Long Death provides even more tanking ability. The Way of Mercy adds some unique tricks in healing allies and debuffing enemies. All are viable choices, but the player has to pick according to how they want to play.

Pick The Right Barbarian Subclass

Totem Warrior Barbarian Path of the Bear DnD 5e

Barbarian subclasses are some of the most straightforward in Dungeons & Dragons. They typically give the character more combat abilities when they rage and some utility abilities. No choice is a truly bad one, but there are some that are less effective when used with the monk. For instance, any that uses a bonus action every turn is going to compete with a monk's Martial Arts, Step of the Wind, and Flurry of Blows.

As such, the Berserker, Battlerager, and Storm Herald are all less useful. A Bear Totem Barbarian can vastly improve a character's tanking capacity. The Zealot improves their damage even further while also gaining party-boosting abilities. An Ancestral Guardian can become an effective tank or a hit-and-run debuffer. It again depends on what exact role the player wants to fulfill.

Pick Specific Features From Each Class

A leonin monk preparing to fight in DnD.

The most effective multiclasses have a distinct purpose. Dungeons & Dragons 5e's design doesn't reward splitting levels evenly between classes. Doing so creates a character that is too diluted to be truly effective and cuts them off from powerful high-level abilities. Instead, the best multiclasses identify specific abilities they want and take a class as far as they need to get those abilities.

As such, a multiclass is likely going to lean more towards either the barbarian or the monk. A barbarian with a bonus action attack from Martial Arts and enough ki points to do a few tricks is perfectly powerful. So is a monk who has a few Rages to shrug off attacks or do more damage. Whichever way the player leans, they should favor one class rather than trying to be both at once.

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