Build to Balance an All Damage Party

2

200orcs

First Post

• Feb 7, 2019

• #1

I rarely get to play, usually I DM so I want to do this right.


I was invited to play with a pre-existing group. The party consists of


Ancestral Guardian Barbarian
Champion Fighter (bow)
Hunter Ranger
Forge Cleric


The party is at level 5, the DM is 100% RAW and probably 60% combat.


I got to watch them play and it's pretty much a DPS race. The Cleric mostly runs bane and goes into melee. The two ranged characters plink away and the barbarian rages and tanks.


Both the ranger and the cleric have healing spells.


I have no clue what to play. I have been thinking of playing a spell caster of some kind. I think the party needs control or at least buffing to become more efficient.


Any ideas?

 

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iserith

Magic Wordsmith

• Feb 7, 2019

• #2

A wizard with all utility spells (buff, control, debuff). For extra fun, don't take a single damaging spell.

 

Satyrn

First Post

• Feb 7, 2019

• #3

iserith said:

A wizard with all utility spells (buff, control, debuff). For extra fun, don't take a single damaging spell.

Click to expand...

I was gonna suggest much the same thing, except all the utility spells should be buffs, only. Like, don't attack the enemy, don't affect the enemy at all.

 

GlassJaw

Hero

• Feb 7, 2019

• #4

Wizard, Bard, Druid...

Or play whatever you want. 5E is great that way.

 

TwoSix

Dirty, realism-hating munchkin powergamer

• Feb 7, 2019

• #5

Sorcerer. If it's a new group, just drop twin haste whenever you can, they'll love you forever.

 

doctorbadwolf

Heretic of The Seventh Circle

• Feb 7, 2019

• #6

Paladins are a fun mix of support, DPR, and tanking, so that could be fun for a group like that.

 

Paul Farquhar

Legend

• Feb 7, 2019

• #7

Isn't the whole point of ancestral guardian tanking?

 

G

Ganders

Explorer

• Feb 7, 2019

• #8

They all seem like high AC, low charisma types with relatively little stealth.

A wizard for utility makes sense, but being the only character with low AC might be... dangerous. So how about a paladin instead, with high charisma and the Inspiring Leader and Ritual Caster feats?

Between the aura and the pep talks, you offer bonuses they really need, and do so proactively in every fight rather than just occasionally. The party face and ritual caster roles are non-combat roles, but the group is lacking those just as much as a controller. You can fit in with the high DPS game occasionally too, because of smites, though you aren't optimized for that.

 

Last edited: Feb 7, 2019

Satyrn

First Post

• Feb 7, 2019

• #9

Ganders said:

A wizard for utility makes sense, but being the only character with low AC might be... dangerous. So how about a paladin instead, with high charisma and the Inspiring Leader and Ritual Caster feats?

Click to expand...

He could totally get around that by playing a mountain dwarf in half plate.

 

Savage Wombat

Hero

• Feb 7, 2019

• #10

Until you are higher level, it's a bit harder to build a buff-only wizard than you'd think. The spells just aren't in the book. It gets better at higher levels.