GameOgre
Adventurer
The Ancients paladin I'm playing is one of five PCs, and she's a recent recruit (replacement for my previous character). We're all 16th level, and I have to say that, as fun as she is, it's been difficult for me to find a niche for her.
The wizard has the big blasty effects covered, so my only AoE attack spell - ice storm - is somewhat pointless.
The druid and the cleric have healing and buffing mostly covered, although I can still chip in via Lay on Hands and aura of vitality and the like from time to time.
The cleric and wizard can both cast banishment, so there's not much point in me prepping that spell. The cleric is a tempest cleric, so she even gets destructive wave (and before my paladin does).
Between the druid and the fact that we're mostly fighting big things like giants and dragons these days, stuff like Nature's Wrath, ensnaring strike and plant growth aren't all that useful either because it's too easy for the targets to make their saves.
Compelled duel isn't so useful because we're frequently up against a single opponent, and the others don't want to just stand around while I get all the fun.
She can't even outshine the others as a tank because the monk and the cleric both have ACs nearly as high as hers (23 vs 24) and plenty of hit points. The druid's pretty booty too. The cleric just got a belt of fire giant strength too, so her player says he's going to be having her wade into melee more with her new 25 Strength.
The only place where my character really shines is with her auras. Immunity to fear, resistance to spell damage, and +5 to all saves is nothing to sneeze at. Of course, you have to be within 10 feet of her to get that but eventually it'll spread to 30 feet.
I guess you could say she's also the party face, with the best Charisma and social skill modifiers in the game, though the other players generally don't let me do much of the talking ...
I can see your point. Really it might have been better to go with a Barbarian or a Fighter in that group as far as better defining your party role. Sounds like it might have been more useful in that particular group. Really though as long as you are having fun and stuff is getting killed then it's all good. When my guys start overlapping too much in a group I do tend to butt in and steer them into a better combo if they already have ideas lighting up their imaginations and firing those brain cells off, it's kinda hard to get them to listen.