Why are 5e cantrips connected to character level and not class?

Think of cantrips as simple spells the character knows as they advance in experience levels in their class more of these simple spells become known to them. Where as your character's regular spells are more potent they require spell slots to use them where as cantrips do not you can use them over and over again without even using spell slots. During the low level for magic-users you discover your regular spells get used up quickly in combat so to keep them from being completely useless they might have cantrips which they could still use to fight during combat. Because anyone would know a low level magic-users most likely wouldn't survive in melee combat and they wouldn't be able to do anything besides being a target if they ran out of spell slots for their regular spells. All spells are always based upon the caster's level of the class.

The number of cantrips known are tied into the class level not the overall character level.

As for multiclassing characters is an optional rule in D&D 5e which I don't think players should be permitted to multclass from a perspective of weakening the overall character. Here's why you have to sacrifice something to gain very little in the process of multiclassing a character. For example a 4th level Fighter/2nd level Sorcerer is still only a 6th level character but a 6th level Fighter would be more proficient in melee/projectile combat than that multiclass Fighter/Sorcerer. And a 6th level Sorcerer would be a more powerful spell caster than that multiclass Figher/Sorcerer. Now the reason why you no longer would need to multiclass in D&D 5e because the classes themselves have built into them prestige classes so you don't have to sacrifice anything such as a 6th level Fighter: Eldrich Knight....Show more