Design the best well rounded party of 4

[Ace]

I vaguely recall seeing a similar post someplace (WotC?) in the past. BUt I thought this would be a good topic for discussion.

Design the best, most well rounded party of 4 20th level characters. Be prepared to handle any encounter, creature, or situation. What combination of classes would you want?
Feel free to use multi-classed characters, as well as prestige classes.

My choices are of the KISS variety

Human Barbarian 2 (rage 1 day, fast movement, uncanny dodge) Fighter X PRC (I don't use ,many PRC's so I won't suggest one) X to 20

as Kunimatyu suggested Arcane: Human or Halfling wizard11/fatespinner4/archmage5 thats an awesome stomp combo. Optionally Wizard 5 Loremaster 10 Fate Spinner 4 Archmage 1 for a brainy wizard

Elf Cleric 5 Radiant Servant 10 PRC granting Celerity or Elf domains 5 You get a bow slinger undead busting super cleric

The rogue is a little tricky. I think a Rogue X Cleric X PRC X is a pretty good combo -- race HMM Human or Half Elf (for the Night vision thing)

Gestalt is a little easier

Paladin/Warmage

Monk/Wizard

Fighter/Psion

Druid/Rogue

#1 gets a great saves, great AC (full plate for 1 feat) and BAB Turning, Mount, utility, smite and healing and blast spells

#2 is amazing saves, is fast as hell, has decent attacks and full magic

#3 Full caster with full combat in full armor

#4 is a bit different. It offers decent spells, trap finding, shape changing and a wide range of nasty tricks FREX shift to bird attack with 10d sneak attack from tree. Ouch. Also the class has built in flankers (summoned stuff) It is a low AC class though -- so get #2 to make you some bracers AC +7 with wild form or something


Another option to #4 is a Rogue/Scout/ UA Shapechanging Ranger variant -- Warlock combo. This gives you a little sneak attack -- some fast movement-- wild shape and lots of warlock blasting while in a chain shirt

 

[Nail]

For the fighter, a good ole Ftr/Bbn will do nicely.

For the Cleric, an elf with Travel and Luck domains is the easy choice.

For the artillery, you really can't beat a human Sor with a few Prcs.

And for the "clean-up" PC, an elven Rgr/Rog is best.

 

[Drowbane]

In a nutshell, for maximum power and nastiness, I'd go with:

Tank: ranger1/monk2/brb2/ftr2/paladin2/templar 1/holy liberator4/tactical soldier2 and then fill out from there with whatever, probably more templar and tactical soldier.
Arcane: wizard11/fatespinner4/archmage5
Healer: cleric6/radiant servant of pelor10/contemplative4

And then a Druid20.

No rogues because a party of magicky folks should be able to duplicate nearly everything a rogue can do with magic, stealth and all.

Tank ~ Orc (non of this 1/2 orc BS) Barbarian 6 / Fighter 4 / Orc Warlord 5 (FRCS) / War Chief 5 (Complete Minis)
Tank's Cohort ~ Feral (savage species), Stony (Underdark), 1/2 Ogre (Savage Species version) Bbn 1 / Fi 6 / Warhulk 10... (ECL 18 w/ 50str... not counting magic... or the +10 Str the warchief can throw on his follower-types)
Tank's Follower's ~ Orcs!! Lots and lots of orcs!

Druid ~ Druid 19 / Beastmaster 1 with Natural Bond. Gotta have that uber-pet to back up your cheesy tank and your uber cheesy tank-cohort Such a Druid critter could be on the -6 Animal list as a 20th Druid... o.0
Cohort ~ none, this player already has enough on his plate... besides he'd get a Leadership penalty from his companion

Arcane/Divine~ What kunimatyu said

Start out chaotic, get the barbarian levels, and then become lawful. He loses Rage, but he's only taking Barbarian for the speed and uncanny dodge anyway. It's very cheesy. I'll use it in the next campaign with a DM I don't like.

and while you're at it, use the Barbarian variant in UA that gives Favored Enemy instead of rage... thus you lose NOTHING! mwahahahhahaha

Gestalt is a little easier

o.0 If we were talking Gestalt... ok...

*edit*
(funny how when it comes to Powergaming ideas, I tend to build E*V*I*L characters)

Tank ~ Orc Barbarian 6 / Fi 4 / War Lord 5 / War Chief 5 | Marshall 20 (Mini's handbook)

Cohort ~ (I don't think Cohorts should get Gestalt... but if they did...) Stony, Feral 1/2 Ogre (LA 3) Fighter 6 / Warhulk 10 | Barbarian 17

Druid ~ Faen/Spryte (Arcana Evolved) Druid 18 / Nature's Warrior 2 | Rogue 11 / Warshaper 5, Beast Master 1, Nature's Warrior 3 (basicly planning the build such that Nature's Warrior allows full Spell Casting w/Druid...)

Magical Might ~ Cle 5 / Wiz 5 / Mystic Theurge 10 | Psion (telepath my fave) 20

more Magical Might ~ Warlock 20 | Rogue 10 / Ur Priest 10 ~ Throw in a few Item Creation feats and spend majority of wealth making Staves, Wands, party gear, etc.

And... I'm spent...

 

[was]

Just to be a little odd:
1.) Fighter/Paladin
2.) Ranger/Cleric
3.) Rogue/Warlock
4.) Monk/Wizard

 

[beaver1024]

Cleric focused on Magic and Travel.
Cleric focused on Luck and Trickery.
Cleric focused on War and Strength.
Druid.

 

[andargor]

Tank: ranger1/monk2/brb2/ftr2/paladin2/templar 1/holy liberator4/tactical soldier2 and then fill out from there with whatever, probably more templar and tactical soldier.

Aside from the alignment cheesiness, what's the Favored Class of that character? It's worth far more than a 20th level character (with the remainder filled in) considering the XP hit.

EDIT: Hmm, although you only hit the penalties at 4th level for 6 levels, so not that much, but still...

Andargor

 

[Drowbane]

Aside from the alignment cheesiness, what's the Favored Class of that character? It's worth far more than a 20th level character (with the remainder filled in) considering the XP hit.

EDIT: Hmm, although you only hit the penalties at 4th level for 6 levels, so not that much, but still...

Andargor

What XP hit?

Base Classes: Ranger 1, Monk 2, Barbarian 2, Fighter 2, Paladin 2 <----- All of these are within 1 lvl of each other, no XP hit.
Prestige Classes (which don't impose Multiclassing xp penalties): Templar 1, Holy Liberator 4, Tactical Soldier 2...

Total Levels: 16... 4 more to fill out with whatever.

 

[Joker]

Four Clerics with Extend Spell, Persistant Spell, Extra Turning, and Divine Metamagic. And among them most of the Item Creation Feats.

Power, Flexibility and overal snazziness.

 

[andargor]

What XP hit?

I sit corrected. I've never played a character with more than 2 base classes, and didn't know about the "1 level difference" rule.

Andargor

 

[seans23]

duergar bard
kobold paladin
half-orc wizard
halfling aristocrat