Wow guys i love the responses. i was building a Cleric and the d6 you get from healing doesnt seem like a great option not to be able to perhaps finish a bloodied monster, and instead wait for the fighter to do its massive damage on something that was near death anyway. So let me throw this out here then. Im kind of stuck on the cleric, since i already told the DM. What would be the optimal build for a lvl 3 Cleric in a party with a barbarian, warlock, rogue, psion, assassin?
For that party, I would go with more of a front line durable battle cleric, maybe multiclass into warden. Probably go with Goliath. Something in the lines of:
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====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 3
Goliath, Cleric
Build: Battle Cleric
Background: Geography - Mountains (Athletics class skill)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 15, Dex 11, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 11, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10.
AC: 18 Fort: 16 Reflex: 12 Will: 18
HP: 37 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 9
TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +5, Insight +9, Heal +9, Athletics +11, Perception +9
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +3, History, Intimidate +1, Nature +6, Stealth, Streetwise +1, Thievery
FEATS
Cleric: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Goliath Greatweapon Prowess
Level 2: Defender of the Wild
POWERS
Channel Divinity: Healer's Mercy
Cleric at-will 1: Righteous Brand
Cleric at-will 1: Invigorating Assault
Cleric encounter 1: Healing Strike
Cleric daily 1: Moment of Glory
Cleric utility 2: Shield of Faith
Cleric encounter 3: Divine Glow
ITEMS
Ritual Book, Dwarven Chainmail +1, Luckblade Greatsword +1, Symbol of Life +1, Healer's Brooch +1
RITUALS
Gentle Repose
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This would give you two rounds of marking (during one of which you can make sure you have resist all 5), a few good powers for negating damage encounter long (resist all 5 everyone, +2 AC everyone), and resources for buffs and temporary hit points, while keeping you up to par on damage at a respectable 1d10+7. Maybe Scale or Toughness would be a good next feat.
Your group size is large enough that I would recommend one other person pick up an emergency heal via a multiclass. Not sure what the barbarian, warlock, assassin, and psion builds look like but they may all have various ways to help along the damage mitigation. So you shouldn't feel too burdened in the healing department. Make sure the warlock always remembers his shadow walk, the assassin uses teleportation and insubstantial defensively, the psion helps by imposing penalties, etc.