D&D General Name your favorite 4 person party composition.

[BookTenTiger]

Someone who wants glory
Someone who wants power
Someone who wants vengeance
Someone who wants shiny treasure!

So how about:

Half-orc bard
Tiefling aberrant mind sorcerer
Human monster hunter ranger
Gnome artificer

 

[R_J_K75]

Nah, it would just weigh the party down. Definitely a "5th wheel" build.

Don't you mean "5th Wield" build?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Pretty good. But to really shine I think you need a 5 man group with another dual rapier wielding gnome paladin of the order of the owl.

Feel like I'm missing something. Dual-wield and rapiers don't seem particularly well-suited to paladins, either thematically or mechanically. Is this a Tasha's thing?

My initial impulse is to agree with one of the earlier posters; go with the core four.

Fighting man (Fighter).
Magic User (Wizard).
Thief (Rogue).
Cleric (um, Cleric).

However, most of the really fun campaigns I've had centered around martial/skill parties, with no, or minimal, spellcasting.

So ...
Fighter
Rogue
Monk
Barbarian

Call it the Conan Special.

 

[Oofta]

Feel like I'm missing something. Dual-wield and rapiers don't seem particularly well-suited to paladins, either thematically or mechanically. Is this a Tasha's thing?

My initial impulse is to agree with one of the earlier posters; go with the core four.

Fighting man (Fighter).
Magic User (Wizard).
Thief (Rogue).
Cleric (um, Cleric).

However, most of the really fun campaigns I've had centered around martial/skill parties, with no, or minimal, spellcasting.

So ...
Fighter
Rogue
Monk
Barbarian

Call it the Conan Special.

It's just a joke from long ago, Sir McStabsalot. Started as someone wanting an image of a dual rapier wielding gnome, then they wanted an owl familiar.

Besides, what would be more awesome than this party of 4?

 

[TwoSix]

However, most of the really fun campaigns I've had centered around martial/skill parties, with no, or minimal, spellcasting.

So ...
Fighter
Rogue
Monk
Barbarian

Call it the Conan Special.

My personal feeling is that less well-rounded parties (like the one above), with synergistic strengths but obvious weaknesses, are actually the most fun. Barring that, that they should have some hook that makes their play different from a normal group. The classic "Fighter, Thief, Cleric, Magic-User", to my mind, is less fun precisely because it lacks that sort of novelty.

I mean, any game with good players will be fun, but I don't see a classic composition adding to that.

 

[R_J_K75]

Besides, what would be more awesome than this party of 4?

If each of the gnomes had their own Dancing Sword that cast dancing lights as they attacked.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Besides, what would be more awesome than this party of 4?

A root canal?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

My personal feeling is that less well-rounded parties (like the one above), with synergistic strengths but obvious weaknesses, are actually the most fun. Barring that, that they should have some hook that makes their play different from a normal group. The classic "Fighter, Thief, Cleric, Magic-User", to my mind, is less fun precisely because it lacks that sort of novelty.

I mean, any game with good players will be fun, but I don't see a classic composition adding to that.

Totally agree. It's not just the novelty, though. It's the requirement for creativity. Whether it's an "old school" party without a cleric, or a 5e party without a spellcaster, specifically playing into those certain weakness makes for an interesting game.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

As a DM, I always tell people to not worry about what everyone else is playing and just make what makes them happy. If I end up with a party of three wizards, a sorcerer, and a rogue, I'll make it work.

Whatever the edition, & assuming the character concepts all fit the game/campaign....
Whatever (probably strange) idea I currently have.
Whatever makes player #2 happy.
Whatever makes player #3 happy.
whatever makes player #4 happy.

Otherwise, it has to be:

Bard
Bard
Bard
Bard

I'd honestly love to have an all-bard campaign where they're all part of a band. Sadly, it hasn't happened yet.

 

[TwoSix]

Bard
Bard
Bard
Bard

I'd honestly love to have an all-bard campaign where they're all part of a band. Sadly, it hasn't happened yet.

All bard has the advantage in 5e of being a really nice class to stack. There's obvious deficiencies in upfront AC and at-will damage, but a ton of skill and spell versatility.