Dndbeyond has a great article on basic advice for multi-classing. I can't create a direct link, so you'll need to Google this: How to Multiclass in D&D for Beginners
I recommend reading it in order to make an informed decision.
Here's a copy&paste of the article. I bolded and underlined an important point to pay attention to:
In D&D, multiclassing is the act of gaining a level in another class or classes to gain advantages and abilities. When multiclassing, you are choosing to take beginning levels from another class instead of leveling up in your initial choice. If you’re a level 5 Artificer, you might take 2 levels as a Wizard to expand your arcane knowledge. That would look like Artificer 5/Wizard 2 on your character sheet.
Whether you have an exciting new build, or you’re looking for something to add a little spice to an existing build; multiclassing can truly open up a world of possibilities. Note that multiclassing in D&D fifth edition is an optional rule, so be sure to check in with your DM to make sure your build suits your table rules before you dive in.
The Benefits of Multiclassing
Added customization options
High-level gameplay opportunities for more combat-focused games
Creative storytelling opportunities, to describe how you acquired new abilities in roleplay-heavy games
Diversifying your gameplay experience mid-campaign to keep things fresh
Being able to utilize that 20/20 hindsight, and add a healer to the party
The ability to make a barbarian throw an eldritch blast
Sounds great, right? Endless flexibility, new ways to decimate your enemies, multiclassing has it all. Multiclassing can expand and challenge your knowledge of the game, and provide you with immense flexibility in telling your story.
When to Begin Taking Levels in Another Class
Technically, you have the ability to start multiclassing at level 2, reaching outside of your base class. However, in doing so it’s likely your character will be rather limited and not see many of the benefits of either class. It is commonly recommended to hold off on multiclassing until you reach at least level 5 in your base class.
In an ongoing campaign, when you can multiclass will be largely decided based on your DMs leveling structure. Milestone, XP, etc. Additionally, you will have to meet certain prerequisites to take a level in any given class. These prerequisites are determined by important spellcasting and ability modifiers, with the intention of making sure you don’t back yourself into a useless character corner. For instance, a very low INT Wizard sounds hilarious, however, your spellcasting modifier might not be entertaining.
If you’re interested in roleplaying the acquisition of your new-found strengths, here are some thoughts to spark your story integration.
You could take on a knowledgeable mentor to study under and be shown the ways of their practice.
Your character could find an ancient amulet imbued with a new kind of magic
A more aggressive character could have a change of heart, and start taking levels in healing classes to care for those they’ve previously hurt.
Working your multiclass choices into your story can make the benefits you gain so much richer, and give your character a new purpose.
How to Multiclass (And the Practical Implications of Doing So!)
Once you have your sights set on what kind of build you’re interested in, there are a few things to think about. Take a look at the level tables of the classes you’re interested in, to see how many levels you’ll need in that class for your desired effect.
Example: At 2nd level Monks gain an extra Ki point, you might want to take at least 2 levels when dipping into Monk to really pack a punch.
Remember that:
Your proficiency bonus and XP are always based on your total character level.
Your proficiencies will vary based on the classes you choose.
And lastly, to form your hit points, you’ll add together the Hit Dice granted by all of your classes to form your pool of Hit Dice.
Fortunately, we have long since graduated from the days of only having pen and paper to work out all these specifics, and DnDBeyond can make this progress a whole lot simpler. On your “edit character” page, it’s easy to just add another class and start exploring the benefits.
From there, you could practically spend all day exploring combinations of subclasses and what kind of magic the combinations can create!
Comments