Ideal Party Make-up.

[Torque]

As several people have pointed out, there is no ideal party for every situation, but assuming a fairly combat-focused type of game, I'd probably go with the following.

1) Dwarf Bbn/Ftr (Front-line tank. Bbn is really nice for rage, uncanny dodge, and fast movement once he can get some dwarven plate.)
2) Dwarf Ftr/Clr (Ftr to 4, then cleric all the way. Secondary front-line with extra healing and low-level buffs.)
3) Gnome or halfling Wiz (Artillery and utility spells.)
4) Human Clr (Indispensable for healing, turning, and spellcasting-take a high cha for turning and diplomacy)
5) Halfling Mnk/Rog/Drd (Find one of those feats that gives an extra favored class, start with rogue (or infiltrator) for skills, next few levels as monk for Wis bonus to AC and fast movement, then alternate Rogue and druid. Focus on the critical rogue skills- hide, move silent, search, open lock, and disable device, and use spells and wildshape to support the scouting role. When you can, take Tracking.)
6) Gnome gadgeteer (good mix of firepower, mechanical servants, and other abilities, and take the burden off the rogue for locks and traps. If you're limited to core classes, I'd say Elf Sorceror with a mix of artillery, buffs, and summoning.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

For a fairly typical game of mixed combat and social interaction:

1. Barbarian/Fighter
2. Cleric (Possibly Cleric/Sacred Exorcist or Cleric/Church Inquisitor)
3. Ftr/Rog
4. Wizard
5. Fighter/cleric or Paladin
6. Bbn/Ftr/Brd or Rgr/Ftr/Bard (archery focus)

Slots 5 and 6 are optional but really help to round out the party's healing and combat capabilities. In a six character party one healer is a marginal proposition. And one archer adds a lot to any party. More than one archer spells a party that can dish out the damage but can't take it (and has trouble avoiding taking it except by killing the bad guys in round 1 or 2) Someone in the party should have the ability to track as well.

For the record: the three person party question.
1. Cleric (elf and war domains; archery focus)
2. Ftr/Bbn/Cleric (travel and luck domains)
3. Rgr/Rog/Wizard

The Ftr/Bbn/Cleric will function as the tank but the cleric levels (and domain powers) will provide some help with healing and buffs and, also very significantly, will help with saving throws. One blown save can take out 1/3 of the party's capabilities in a three person party so you have to make sure it doesn't happen regularly.

The cleric functions as a backup fighter and heavy damage dealer (with archery). She also doubles as the party's spellcaster summoning allies and buffing the party.

The Rgr/Rog/Wiz provides some backup spell capability and serves as the party's scout. With the shield spell, the character has significant defensive capability and the rogue levels provide sneak attacks (occasionally--with 3 characters including 1 archer there won't be too much flanking) and scouting capability as well as the ability to deal with traps.

 

[Ace]

Mainly because I'm bored, but also because I'm very interested, I would like to know what you consider the ideal Six person party consists of, now a few guidelines to make it fair, Any of the Playable Races in the FRCR. That includes every from Assimar to Tiefling. ELC doesn't matter, you can go into as much detail as you want, Ie feat's and skills. I just thought this would be fun to see what each person thinks would be the best.

I am kind of bored right now so i think I will <RAISE THREAD> on this and give it another go.

Right now I think the best general Adventuring party is

Cleric
maybe an Elf with Aleartness feat and Sun and Travel Domains. He will have decent spotting abilitys and decent combat

Wizard
With only one mainline arcane caster you want a Wizard. Race, anything without and Int penltys. Feel Cheesy- Moon Elf with Prodigal caster and an 18 Int. Your next best stat needs to be Con though. Try for a 14 or more

Rogue/Ranger 1 level
Half Elf is the way to go here.
Dual weapon Sneaky Twink and Back up tracker

Fighter with 1 or 2 Barb levels depending on Dex bonus
Basic Grunt-- Half Elf or Human with a decent Int

Ranger3/Fighter to 4
Half Elf or Human tracker guy. This works best with a 14+ Int then you can keep upping the Woodslore, Animal Empathy and Stealth Stuff even on the fighter levels.

Bard/Barb 1 or 2
Slightly slower spell progression but a good fighter and all around backup guy. I would go half elf or human

 

[The Cardinal]

Priority 1:

Tank (Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin - Human, Dwarf, Half-Orc)

Artillery (Wizard, Sorcerer - any race)

Combat Medic (Cleric - any medium-sized race)

Recon (Rogue, Bard, Ranger - any race)



... then add any two of the following:

one more of Tank, Artillery, Combat Medic, or Recon

Druid (with maxed-out Animal Empathy)

Rogue/Wizard (going for Arcane Trickster)

Monk (only with *very* good ability scores - if you start at 3rd+ level, take a Githzerai!!!)

 

[holomachamp]

1 hafling rougue
1 drow wizard
4 human clerics.

 

[Ferret]

ROUGE

 

[Mark Chance]

Hmm...

The ideal party, regardless of size, consists of the characters the players want to run within the parameters of what I'm willing to put up with for the campaign in question. Right now, this means the ideal party is:

1. A dwarf wizard.
2. An elf shadowrunner (homebrew class).
3. A human diviner.
4. A human cleric.
5. A human paladin.
6. A human monk.
7. A human barbarian.
8. A human monk/psychic warrior
9. A human bard.

It certainly isn't the party I would've put together, but I'm just the GM.