Paladin + Monk + Druid + Sorcerer: a good party?

[mrjam]

We are launching a new Ptolus campaign (using only the core books+ptolus), and my players want to create the following PCs:

- human sorcerer
- half-elf monk
- elf druid
- human paladin

Could they have some problem without a rogue and a cleric?

 

[Crothian]

We had something similar that worked well. We had the Druid and Monk but also a Barbarian and a Bard. It worked out just fine.

 

[Kristian Serrano]

We are launching a new Ptolus campaign (using only the core books+ptolus), and my players want to create the following PCs:

- human sorcerer
- half-elf monk
- elf druid
- human paladin

Could they have some problem without a rogue and a cleric?

Clerics really aren't that necessary. The party can just as easily purchase healing potions. My current Eberron campaign doesn't include a cleric and they do just fine. The sorcerer could substitute a rogue with the right spells.

My only concern would be with a druid in an urban campaign. Is that character going to be obnoxious during the whole thing, or will the character be forgiving?

 

[Rackhir]

We are launching a new Ptolus campaign (using only the core books+ptolus), and my players want to create the following PCs:

- human sorcerer
- half-elf monk
- elf druid
- human paladin

Could they have some problem without a rogue and a cleric?

Depends on if they run into a lot of traps and undead (I'm not familiar with Ptolus).

Undead are reasonably handleable as death ward is on the druid spell list (albeit a bit later 5th vs 4th for clerics) and hitting things hard works on most undead.

Traps are more likely to be a show stopper since there isn't much non-rogues can do to counter act them, short of just sucking up what ever they dish out. Some spells can offer a way to by pass certain kinds of traps and a clever party can work around others, but there's a much greater potential for them either causing critical damage or stopping the party's progress cold.

 

[MarkB]

We are launching a new Ptolus campaign (using only the core books+ptolus), and my players want to create the following PCs:

- human sorcerer
- half-elf monk
- elf druid
- human paladin

Could they have some problem without a rogue and a cleric?

Having both a Paladin and Druid helps bolster the healing, though you'll be inconvenienced by conditions which require anything better than Lesser Restoration to rectify. Take plenty of CLW wands and you'll be fine.

A monk makes a reasonable trap-springer, as his class features give him superior survival prospects versus most commonplace trap effects. Or as an alternative, summoned monsters make excellent trap-fodder.

I'd say it's a reasonable group. You've got most of the main bases covered one way or another, though you may want to have someone invest cross-class skill points in Use Magic Device, just to make up for the lack of access to Cleric-only spells.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Could they have some problem without a rogue and a cleric?

Sure- just be aware that any party build could have problems in any campaign depending upon adventure expectations and playstyles.

For example, I was in a 2Ed campaign in which all of the players had PCs and all of the players took turns behind the screen. During one adventure, the party was completely stymied by a magical obstacle, and had to retreat after being unable to make any headway.

After the session, the DM asked why we didn't use "X"...at which time we explained that no PC in the party was capable of "X." He was thinking of his PC.

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

If the sorcerer has access to spells or magic items that can take the place of rogue abilities, it might not be too bad.

 

[Stormborn]

As others have said, it all depends on the players and the adventures. Its entirelly possible in Ptolus to never set foot in a dungeon as such and run various urban based mystery and intrigue type games, or never set foot in the city proper and stay in the dungeon forever.

Play it out for a few levels and see what happens. If worse comes to worse have them help out some poor orphan who just happens to turn out to be one of the greatest trap finders int he world. Or have them hire one from the Delver's Guild.

 

[Herobizkit]

I'm not at all familiar with Ptolus, but I love the dream team you have set up to play. Everyone but the Sorcerer can double as front-line warriors; Monks have great saves to avoid traps and can flit all over the battlefield with the Tumble skill and the various move/attack feats; Druids make great combat Healers as well as having some battlefield control spells (like Entangle); The Sorcerer will be more of a few-trick pony but you know he'll always have the spell you need.

Multi-classing would greatly benefit this party as well:

Paladin + Favored Soul = More healin' at the drop of a hat.
Monk + Rogue = Ultimate Ninja
Druid + Fighter = More strength-at-arms
Sorcerer + Bard = Many, many magics. Many.

[Proviso: Your DM ignores Favored classes. Elves have Mage as a Favored class, so unless your Druid multis with Mage, she'll suffer an XP penalty. I ignore them IMC, and the fact that there are DM's that enforce them makes me boggle. ]

 

[Nate Jones]

I'm not at all familiar with Ptolus, but I love the dream team you have set up to play. Everyone but the Sorcerer can double as front-line warriors; Monks have great saves to avoid traps and can flit all over the battlefield with the Tumble skill and the various move/attack feats; Druids make great combat Healers as well as having some battlefield control spells (like Entangle); The Sorcerer will be more of a few-trick pony but you know he'll always have the spell you need.

Multi-classing would greatly benefit this party as well:

Paladin + Favored Soul = More healin' at the drop of a hat.
Monk + Rogue = Ultimate Ninja
Druid + Fighter = More strength-at-arms
Sorcerer + Bard = Many, many magics. Many.

[Proviso: Your DM ignores Favored classes. Elves have Mage as a Favored class, so unless your Druid multis with Mage, she'll suffer an XP penalty. I ignore them IMC, and the fact that there are DM's that enforce them makes me boggle. ]

Eeew, yuck...you got your Fighter in my Druid soup. While others certainly don't share my opinion, I myself would never play that multiclassing mess. I could perhaps see the rogue/monk, but the others I wouldn't touch with a 10.1 foot pole. Sorceror/Bard? Do you want to ever get spells? And cleric would undeniably be a better option than favored soul (If, by some strange compulsion, you were forced to multiclass into a divine casting class at all) - you still have spontaneous healing, but you also have the option of not having healing. Of course, all of this only applies if you run your games like my DM does - high expectations of character ability.