Most underpowered party

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Forked from: http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4th-edition-rules/268403-most-underpowered-class-2.html#post5008910

There is no most underpowered class, yet. There may be a most underpowered character, I guess. But even that would be difficult to determine, since a character that may look underpowered if examined in isolation may shine in a party with ideal synergy (which I'm not surprised to see some suggest warlords).

A (to me) more interesting exercise would be to find the most underpowered party.

So, what's the worst combination of classes and characters we can think of? What provides the least synergy?

Too not make it too easy, assume that all roles should be covered. It should look like a viable party by the basic benchmarks like:
- All roles are covered
- No character is built fundamentally wrong (like Strength 12 Fighters or Int 9 Wizards)

I guess it would be best not to be overly specific, like specific character builds with details of feats and powers - just the gist of it.

My suggestion from the original thread was:

Eladrin Star Pact Warlock (using both ability scores of course, Con and Cha)
Halfling Archery Ranger
Dwarven Protecting Paladin (Charisma focused)
Dragonborn Tactical Warlord
Elven Staff Wizard

Maybe the racial choices are a little "over-the-top" in regards to non-optimization. My primary focus was to make the leader in this class be as useless as possible - all the extra attacks from tactical warlords are wasted if no one has decent basic (melee) attacks or wants to be in melee anyway.

 

[msherman]

Not so much a full bad party build, as an example of party mis-collaboration: For a long time, the party I dm for consisted of 1 melee fighter, and 3 ranged characters, all of whom took Distant Advantage. They never could quite figure out why the feat never paid off.

 

[Thanee]

Heh. Our current party has two of those... Dwarf Paladin (Cha-focused) and Dragonborn Warlord (was Int-focused, but rebuilt to Cha-focused after a few sessions).

The other two are a Dwarf Fighter (big axe-focused ) and an Elf Cleric (implement-focused).

Can't say our party is weak, though. We breeze through most encounters in the official campaigns at appropriate levels (i.e. currently 13th level at the end of Trollhaunt Warrens), despite lacking a fifth PC most of the time (that one would be an Elf Ranger (ranged)) and lacking two of the four roles usually as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Destil]

[sblock]Elock, level 1
Eladrin, Warlock
Eldritch Pact: Star Pact
Eldritch Strike: Eldritch Strike Charisma

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 16.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16.


AC: 14 Fort: 13 Reflex: 13 Will: 15
HP: 28 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Streetwise +8, Intimidate +8, History +9, Bluff +8, Arcana +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Diplomacy +3, Dungeoneering -1, Endurance +3, Heal -1, Insight -1, Nature -1, Perception -1, Religion +2, Stealth +1, Thievery +1, Athletics +1

FEATS
Level 1: Eladrin Soldier

POWERS
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Strike
Warlock encounter 1: Arms of Hadar
Warlock daily 1: Armor of Agathys

ITEMS
Longsword +1, Leather Armor

==============================

Halfbow, level 1
Halfling, Ranger
Fighting Style: Archer Fighting Style

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 13.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 11.


AC: 16 Fort: 13 Reflex: 15 Will: 12
HP: 26 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +7, Acrobatics +11, Dungeoneering +7, Stealth +9, Perception +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Endurance +2, Heal +2, History, Insight +2, Intimidate +1, Religion, Streetwise +1, Thievery +6, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Lethal Hunter

POWERS
Ranger at-will 1: Twin Strike
Ranger at-will 1: Nimble Strike
Ranger encounter 1: Two-Fanged Strike
Ranger daily 1: Split the Tree

ITEMS
Shortbow, Leather Armor

==============================

Dwarfidin, level 1
Dwarf, Paladin

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 15, Dex 11, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 13, Dex 11, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 18.


AC: 20 Fort: 13 Reflex: 13 Will: 15
HP: 30 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +4, Intimidate +9, Heal +7, Insight +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -4, Arcana -1, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +1, History -1, Nature +2, Perception +2, Stealth -4, Streetwise +4, Thievery -4, Athletics -4

FEATS
Level 1: Dwarven Weapon Training

POWERS
Lay on Hands: Lay on Hands
Paladin at-will 1: Virtuous Strike
Paladin at-will 1: Ardent Strike
Paladin encounter 1: Valorous Smite
Paladin daily 1: Majestic Halo

ITEMS
Plate Armor, Heavy Shield, Waraxe

==============================

Dragonlord, level 1
Dragonborn, Warlord
Commanding Presence: Tactical Presence
Dragon Breath Key Ability: Dragon Breath Strength
Dragon Breath Damage Type: Dragon Breath Cold

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 15.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 13.


AC: 16 Fort: 15 Reflex: 13 Will: 13
HP: 23 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +9, Diplomacy +7, Athletics +8, History +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -1, Arcana +3, Bluff +2, Dungeoneering -1, Endurance -1, Heal -1, Insight -1, Nature -1, Perception -1, Religion +3, Stealth -1, Streetwise +2, Thievery -1

FEATS
Level 1: Saving Inspiration

POWERS
Warlord at-will 1: Wolf Pack Tactics
Warlord at-will 1: Inevitable Wave
Warlord encounter 1: Warlord's Favor
Warlord daily 1: Lead the Attack

ITEMS
Halberd, Chainmail

==============================

Staffyelf, level 1
Elf, Wizard
Arcane Implement Mastery: Staff of Defense

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 11, Cha 10.


AC: 15 Fort: 12 Reflex: 14 Will: 13
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +9, History +9, Religion +9, Nature +8

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +2, Heal +1, Insight +1, Intimidate, Perception +3, Stealth +1, Streetwise, Thievery +1, Athletics -1

FEATS
Wizard: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Elven Arcane Precision

POWERS
Wizard at-will 1: Scorching Burst
Wizard at-will 1: Illusory Ambush
Wizard encounter 1: Staffstrike Corrosion
Wizard daily 1: Sleep
Wizard daily 1 Spellbook: Horrid Whispers

ITEMS
Spellbook, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Implement, Staff
RITUALS
Animal Messenger, Comprehend Language, Unseen Servant[/sblock]

Looks like a pretty viable group to me. If I were playing Elock I'd bump Str at 4th for chain mail, though.

 

[Mengu]

I believe a good DM can design encounters which will be entertaining and challenging for any group, however underpowered they may be on paper. Having said that, I would find a group like the following, somewhat challenged.

Gnome Life Warden (sword and shield)
Dragonborn World Speaker Shaman
Eladrin Shielding Cleric (Pacifist)
Half-orc Preserving Invoker
Elf Fey Warlock

 

[Thanee]

No party is complete without a halfling barbarian.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Jhaelen]

Gnome Life Warden (sword and shield)
Dragonborn World Speaker Shaman
Eladrin Shielding Cleric (Pacifist)
Half-orc Preserving Invoker
Elf Fey Warlock

Yeah, this is a party along the lines I've been thinking!
Having any one of these (or maybe two) would be a great asset for a party, but all five of them might be a bit ... problematic.

 

[Blackbrrd]

No party is complete without a halfling barbarian.

Bye
Thanee

Actually I think a halfling could do well as a Dual-wield barbarian.

 

[Mentat55]

I actually generated a whirling halfling barbarian (the CB is so handy) with Scimitar Dance. Seems like a pretty solid build.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

more than just solid...

with decent charisma dex and stength you are dishing out considerable damage even on a miss and you have great defenses, too.