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Multiclassing could be assisted by separating the mechanics of each base class and then clearly differentiating the mechanism for it.  Combining classes during multiclassing would therefore create unique characters in both theme and mechanic.

An example of this would be:

Arcane Classes:
Warlocks (all at will spellcasters)
Sorcerers (all encounter based casters)
Wizards (including all Vancian daily spellcasters)
 
Divine Classes:
Clerics (daily divine casters)
Paladins (at will divine casters)
Bards or Healer or Priest?? (encounter based casters)

Martial Classes:
Fighters (at will powers)
Barbarians (daily powers)
Rangers (per encounter powers)

Psi or Ki type classes: 
Psion (daily powers)
Monk (at will powers) Warlord?? (encounter powers)

Players could then multiclass between arcane, ...

The final option could be a custom point buy class.  Point buy system could be something like this.

		At Will (Continuous)						Per Encounter						Daily
Level	Total	1	2	3	4	5	6	1	2	3	4	5	6	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	16	16	32	48	64	80	96	4	8	12	16	20	24	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
2	21	16	32	48	64	80	96	4	8	12	16	20	24	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
3	26	16	32	48	64	80	96	4	8	12	16	20	24	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
4	31	16	32	48	64	80	96	4	8	12	16	20	24	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
5	36	16	32	48	64	80	96	4	8	12	16	20	24	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
6	41	16	32	48	64	80	96	4	8	12	16	20	24	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
7	46	16	32	48	64	80	96

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With the design of 5th edition still underway, I wanted to rant a little about the ability (or rather the current inability) to add PC classes to monsters. Being able to make an orc into an orc fighter is pretty vital to my enjoyment of the game, mostly because making a classed creature equates with the DM’s ability to make NPC opponents.

This is a topic with some baggage, which needs to be discussed and acknowledged: past attempts have led to preconceived assumptions of what mixing classes and monsters means.

What Has Come Before

Almost no monsters had classes in the first couple editions. You had monsters and you had PCs and the rules were sketchy when you tried to make an encounter with say human fighters or an evil necromancer. You could add classes to some humanoid monsters,

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To provide a different feeling for each class I propose using different mechanics for each.

Fighter - Martial Damage Dice (replenished each round)
Wizard - Vancian spell system (replenished each day after long rest)
Cleric - Something like the Divine Favor System (named by Wrecan)
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
Described by me at:
community.wizards.com/kezzek/blog/2013/0...
Rogue - Skill tricks, skills, bonuses, and abilities all applied at will without limits
Sorcerer, Warlock - powers as in 4th edition (at will, per encounter, per day)
Psion, Monk - Power points or Ki pool....

It seems like there is always a push to create new classes to develop a character for every individual concept.

I think this is problematic.  A character class should not represent a single conceptualized character.  Otherwise, it would require thousands of classes to fit every conceivable idea.

Character class should represent a mechanic.  A mechanism for developing the concept that you envision.

So you want to create an assassin class.  Is it necessary?  Can you create your killer using the rogue mechanic, or the wizard mechanic, or the fighter mechanic, or the cleric mechanic?  If not, what is missing?  Is there just a new power that you want?  If that is the case, the solution is to create a new power, not create a new class.

This same holds true ...

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Upon a recent posting about the design of the Paladin Classs, learned that the ranger will be designed in a similar fashion, and that the biggest issue with the ranger is incorporating the animal companion. 
It appears the direction of handling them was "I'd like to look at simply treating the companion as a simpler, second character that gains XP, levels"
 
To tackle this, I looked at creating a base leveling system and background; then create the complexities within the animal subtypes, to resemble races with their own variants. 

Background: Animal
skills: survival, listen, spot
trait: Survivor; as long as you are within your natural environment, you (the animal) dows not need to roll survival checks. If the you are hunting for more than one individual, add +3 to

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Warlock Casting

• *: automatic success

• a: at advantage

• n: normal

• d: at disadvantage

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