D&D 5E What is the best class for a single class only campaign?

[CleverNickName]

My "dream team" would be Clerics. (I hate cheesy power-builds, so I'm keeping it PHB-only.)
They call themselves The Church of Awesome.

For the "burglar" role:
Alabaster "Call me Al" Hardapple. He's a lightfoot halfling Trickery cleric with the Criminal background. He's a former cat burglar who saw the errors of his ways, and now uses his nimble fingers in the service of Olidammara. Leader of the group, and accomplished evangelist.

For the "mage" role:
Ixildor, of House Silvermoon. He's a high elf Thunder cleric with the Sage background. He brought disgrace on his family by dropping out of Wizard College to follow the teachings of Boccob. A bit of a dandy, he fancies himself an expert on fine art, fine food, and other fine things. He's the brains of this outfit.

For the "blaster" role:
Dawn, Keeper of the Light. She is a human (variant) Cleric of Light, with the Acolyte background and the Magic Adept feat (to gain non-cleric cantrips and spells). She is a devout follower of Pelor, and carries an intense hatred of all that oppose the light and natural order of life...especially undead. Pious to a fault, Dawn is the heart of the group--their moral compass.

For the "healer" role:
Mallori, Keeper of Life. She is a wood elf Cleric of Life, with the Hermit background (or maybe Outlander?). She is Dawn's adopted younger sister, and she shares her sister's faith in Pelor and her hatred of undead. A bit of a child-like soul, a nature-bunny, and friend of all creatures great and small.

For the "warrior" role:
Uruk Garlfang. He's a half-orc Cleric of War, with the Soldier background. He serves Kord, the God of Strength, and is always challenging people to a good-natured arm-wrestling contest as an act of worship. The muscle of the group, looks terrifying but is actually a big softy.

 

[Zardnaar]

Clerics or druid
Clerics are the best as you can have a couple solid damage dealers (light and another), a healer (life), a tank (war), and a face (trickery)

Druid works as pinch with a moon druid as tank and a shepherd as off-tank. Dreams as healer, stars as damage, and the fifth as misc. Little less deceptive and sneaky, but it's a party where everyone can be a mouse

Wars meh and isn't even good at tanking.

Light, Peace, Twilght, Arcana and maybe Nature would tank like a boss and probably clear house as well.

Death if you want a damage dealer as well.

Twilight and nature are your front liners, light can melee if need be.

Arcana can also do decent damage.

Claims clerics don't deal enough damage is laughable our ones are competing with the rogue.

Probably more due to AoE.

If clerics don't deal enough damage you're not trying hard enough git gude@game.

 

[MattW]

Rogues are (IMHO) the obvious choice. You'd have a Thieves' Guild! With lots of specialists. Cat Burglars, con men, forgers, tough guys....


Don't limit the game to just "heists" or "cons". Scenarios could be taken from Mission Impossible and other espionage genres. You could do the "Fast & Furious" or "Pirates of the Caribbean" if you really want to...

 

[Undrave]

Rogues are (IMHO) the obvious choice. You'd have a Thieves' Guild! With lots of specialists. Cat Burglars, con men, forgers, tough guys....


Don't limit the game to just "heists" or "cons". Scenarios could be taken from Mission Impossible and other espionage genres. You could do the "Fast & Furious" or "Pirates of the Caribbean" if you really want to...

Everybody is constantly speaking in Thieves Cant! Nobody remember how to have normal conversatons anymore, a trip to the bakery for breakfast ends up in a plot to steel the crown jewels!

 

[Zardnaar]

Everybody is constantly speaking in Thieves Cant! Nobody remember how to have normal conversatons anymore, a trip to the bakery for breakfast ends up in a plot to steel the crown jewels!

You're a friend of ours.

 

[TwoSix]

I wonder if Wizard and Sorcerer would have gotten more than 1 combined vote if I had said 1-2 level dips in a multiclass were OK. People really don’t seem to like a party of all squishies.

 

[Zardnaar]

I wonder if Wizard and Sorcerer would have gotten more than 1 combined vote if I had said 1-2 level dips in a multiclass were OK. People really don’t seem to like a party of all squishies.

Wizards generally crap at fighting and healing.

Sorcerer's can put up a better effort via divine souls, metamagic and races like Githyanki and Mountain Dwarf. Cast haste, attack with racial weapon. Round two cast gfb, quicken gfb.

Clerics, Bards, Druids get better cross cllass spells via domains, secrets and land druids.

 

[CleverNickName]

Rogues are (IMHO) the obvious choice. You'd have a Thieves' Guild! With lots of specialists. Cat Burglars, con men, forgers, tough guys....


Don't limit the game to just "heists" or "cons". Scenarios could be taken from Mission Impossible and other espionage genres. You could do the "Fast & Furious" or "Pirates of the Caribbean" if you really want to...

Everybody is constantly speaking in Thieves Cant! Nobody remember how to have normal conversatons anymore, a trip to the bakery for breakfast ends up in a plot to steel the crown jewels!

A party of nothing but rogues? Sounds awesome! (And as before, PHB only, just because I like a challenge.)

Introducing: The Gun Show
A clandestine group of rogues who solve problems that the local law enforcement can't (or shouldn't) get involved in. Basically people come in with a "clock" (a delicate, complicated problem that needs solving), and the Gun Show will "fix" it for them. Think A-Team meets Leverage.

In the "burglar" role:
Locke Featherfoot, the lightfoot halfling rogue (thief) with the Guild Merchant background. A locksmith by trade, and the owner/proprietor of "Locke's Clocks," the local clockmaker and curio shop. He is the "face" of the group, so he handles the business side of things: setting up meetings, arranging payment, greasing the proper wheels, and such. His store is actually the front and headquarters for this little band of heroes. His specialty is burglary, though, and he leads the group on missions that involve breaking and entering, recovery, and extraction.

In the "warrior" role:
Stok Red-Fist, the half-orc rogue (assassin) with the Soldier background. A retired drill sergeant from a rival kingdom's army, who turned against his corrupt officers and is now on the run. Stok is the "muscle" of the group, and spearheads the missions that require intimidation, shakedowns, or the skillful application of fists. When diplomacy fails, they call in Stok.

In the "healer" role:
Father Barry "Barrel" Crestwall, human (variant) rogue (arcane trickster), with the Acolyte background and the Magic Initiate feat (to gain access to cleric cantrips and cure wounds.) He is a deacon at the local Temple of Dawn and devout worshipper of The King and Queen of Light. He uses his position within the church to gain access to powerful allies, and the occasional healing potion or spell scroll. Barrel is the "networker" of the group, the one with friends in high places and eyes all over town.

In the "blaster" role:
Trigger O'Connell, tiefling rogue (arcane trickster) with the Pirate background. He was once a pirate of some notoriety, until he lost his ship to mutiny and barely escaped with his life. He is comfortable working with cannons, gunpowder, and other explosives, and he often leads the team on missions that involve sabotage, controlled demolition, or arson. If you need something exploded, Trigger is your guy.

In the "mage" role:
Felicity "Flint" Adoranis, high elf rogue (arcane trickster) with the Sage background. Like Barrel, she is a high-ranking member of the local Mage's Guild, and uses her position to keep tabs on arcane disturbances, shipments of magic items, and reports of dangerous creatures. She is the "brains" of this outfit, and leads the team on missions that involve the arcane.

 

[Undrave]

Father Barry "Barrel" Crestwall, human (variant) rogue (arcane trickster), with the Acolyte background and the Magic Initiate feat (to gain access to cleric cantrips and cure wounds.) He is a deacon at the local Temple of Dawn and devout worshipper of The King and Queen of Light. He uses his position within the church to gain access to powerful allies, and the occasional healing potion or spell scroll. Barrel is the "networker" of the group, the one with friends in high places and eyes all over town.

I think it would be more fun if his background was Charlatan and he was just faking being a priest.

 

[RoughCoronet0]

I'm not sure about best, but I would love to play in a party of all Druids.