The Best Class/Build for My Party's Leader?

[FreeXenon]

I don't know you or your players, but don't be so hard on yourself. You are just starting to get a feel for the game and 4E can be quite tactical when it comes to combat. Defenders and Controllers can have a really large and important affect on the flow of battle, and knowing where and when to place yourself and use your abilities can be tricky.

I'm kinda nervous about it. I'm new to 4E and I feel at least partially responsible for the demise of the first party (my defender didn't do his job and everyone died). I'm also new to the group and don't want them to think that I'm dead weight in the party.

 

[renau1g]

Runepriest...do it...you know you want to....


edit: I just realized you are new to 4e. No, do not seriously take Runepriest. A Warpriest is a good suggestion, or an Armored Warlord. Gain access to scale armor and heavy shields.

Armored Warlord

Heroic Tier
Prerequisite: Warlord, Battlefront Leader class feature, proficiency with chainmail
Benefit: You gain proficiency with scale armor, and you increase your number of healing surges by one.

 

[Aulirophile]

The issue, as I see it, is you want something 1.) Relatively uncomplicated so you can focus more on getting used to 4e and 2.) You don't want a TPK repeat. A Pacifist Cleric, properly built, is basically the anti-death of a party. Your party simply can't die if you're conscious. In addition to that you really need a second front liner because your party is mostly squishy, but being a front liner means you need solid defenses. The good armored options are Valor Bard (decent defenses, tons of surges to make up for the only decent part), Melee Cleric (or Warpriest), and Warlord. Warlord would be my first choice for a melee leader, but...

So here:

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Warpriest you will absolutely not regret.

Or this Inspiring Warlord I whipped up. Enjoy.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 11
Dragonborn, Warlord, Battlelord of Kord
Build: Inspiring Warlord
Warlord: Battlefront Leader
Commanding Presence: Inspiring Presence
Dragonborn Racial Power: Dragonfear

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 21, Con 12, Dex 14, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 21.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 11, Dex 13, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 16.


AC: 29 Fort: 26 Reflex: 24 Will: 26
HP: 74 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 19

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +17, Heal +9, Athletics +13, Endurance +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Arcana +5, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Dungeoneering +4, History +7, Insight +4, Nature +4, Perception +4, Religion +5, Stealth +5, Streetwise +10, Thievery +5

FEATS
Level 1: Armored Warlord
Level 2: Improved Inspiring Word
Level 4: Heavy Blade Expertise
Level 6: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
Level 8: Improved Defenses
Level 10: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword)
Level 11: Fight On

POWERS
Warlord at-will 1: Intuitive Strike
Warlord at-will 1: Rousing Assault
Warlord encounter 1: Vengeance is Mine
Warlord daily 1: Lamb to the Slaughter
Warlord utility 2: Inspired Belligerence
Warlord encounter 3: Warlord's Strike
Warlord daily 5: Stand the Fallen
Warlord utility 6: Rousing Words
Warlord encounter 7: Fierce Reply
Warlord daily 9: Warlord's Recovery
Warlord utility 10: Reactive Surge

ITEMS
Drakescale Armor, Heavy Shield, Magic Wyvernscale Armor +3, Magic Bastard sword +3, Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier), Amulet of Protection +3
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

 

[Chzbro]

Personally, I would suggest the Inspiring Warlord or Valorous Bard.

While it's true that a cleric might flat-out out heal a bard or warlord, the cleric pays for that with a lot less versatility (imo). I have played both ranged and melee clerics, and while they can be a lot of fun, eventually I kind of get bored with them. It's basically heal and hit stuff or heal and shoot stuff. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, in a party of 4 (especially one like you've described) the more versatility you have the more you'll like it.

Inspiring warlords are no slouches when it comes to healing, and with a reach weapon can really mix up attack options. Valorous bards can kick out loads of temp hps, and can be invaluable in small parties with at-wills like Misdirected Mark (helping you to make your tank even more effective).

It's partially personal preference, but with the warlord or bard you give yourself more options when it comes to "saving the day." The battle cleric can do a respectable job as a 2nd meatshield, but the other options are (again imo) much better at complimenting the main tank and boosting the effectiveness of the party as a whole.

One of my favorite things about 4E is that questions like "what is the best healer?" are much less useful than "what are the best ways to synergize this leader to this party?"

Another favorite thing is: No matter which you choose, you'll have fun with it. But remember, you're the leader. Worry less about how to maximize your character and more about how to maximize your allies' abilities with your character and you'll have more fun at the table (and so will they).

 

[Prestidigitalis]

I'm intrigued by the idea of a standard-issue Half Elf Valorous Bard taking the Warlord power Guide the Strike for the Dilettante power. That could be a quick route to high damage if you have an optimized ranged striker in the party. It's a ranged power, so you have to worry about positioning to use it well, but it adds a lot of flexibility.

 

[Destil]

I'd say the main consensus, is that you want a melee type to help fill out the front line.

Valorous Bard should be fine. Melee Cleric, Warlord, Runepriest or Melee Artificer would also work. Each has strengths and weaknesses. Is the sorcerer squishy? What's the party's Con scores like? Artificer has the option to move surges around really well, if your sorcerer is going to be in melee to use lots of close bursts and blasts that can be a big bonus (assuming they don't invest in better defenses).

 

[renau1g]

For almost any party I recommend Comrades Succor. It's great for my 13 surge paladin to spread out the wealth to the 6 surge wizard. Saved us from needing to stop at least 1 time. All for 25 gold per casting.

 

[Dice4Hire]

For almost any party I recommend Comrades Succor. It's great for my 13 surge paladin to spread out the wealth to the 6 surge wizard. Saved us from needing to stop at least 1 time. All for 25 gold per casting.

Where is that?

 

[renau1g]

Dragon 380. Sorry, it's only 10 gold, not 25. It does cost one person involved 1 surge also.

 

[Aulirophile]

Nevermind. XD

For almost any party I recommend Comrades Succor. It's great for my 13 surge paladin to spread out the wealth to the 6 surge wizard. Saved us from needing to stop at least 1 time. All for 25 gold per casting.

10g actually, but yeah, amazing.

Comrades' Succor

Ritual participants share their vitality and luck with one another.
Component Cost: 10 gp
Market Price: 150 gp
Key Skill: Heal (no check)Level: 1
Category: Restoration
Time: 5 minutes
Duration: Instantaneous
While performing this ritual, you and up to 5 participants in the ritual can choose to lose any number of healing surges and select another participant to gain an equal number of healing surges. No participant can have more healing surges than his or her daily maximum. Additionally, you or one participant must lose 1 healing surge when performing this ritual.

Published in Dragon Magazine 380, page(s) 89.