The group I DM have embraced 4e via Maptools, we play 5 hours every Sunday, we're all friends.
We have Lambrini, Tiefling Wizard stays out of trouble and provides the artillery; Vik, Eladrin Rogue does all the stealth work and generally gets stuck at the front, initiates all combat (or so it seems); Daja, Dragonborn Paladin- the Tank; Falco, Dwarven Cleric- mainly a Tank too; and Talwyn, Elven Ranger.
The problem is every fight the Rogue (who is the least experienced role-player/gamer- but good at it) is stuck at the front and usually the first into the trouble.
The Paladin Tank and the Dwarven Cleric (who doesn't want to be the Tank all the time) then rush in to allow the Rogue to manouevre a little, and sometimes to save his bacon.
The Wizard stands at the back and blasts away.
The Archer specialist Ranger 90% of the time, and always at the start of every combat is last in line and uses his bow exclusively- he never gets hit.
No problem except the Ranger has as good stealth as the Rogue, but does no scouting ahead- leaving the Thief to get stuck in the mix, and make decisions unaided when the baddies get in on him. Even though the Rogue has the 2nd worst AC, low HPs, a great To Hit, but poor damage, unless he's got Combat Advantage.
The Ranger has a better AC, Hit Points, Movement, Attacks and Damage in Melee then Falco, the Cleric, but doesn't help out in the front line at all.
So exclusively he stands at the back and opens up- which can be devestating but the other players have to sit in the middle and get bogged down with combat- always.
The Ranger wants none of it, and then complains that the other players are not thinking about the game tactically enough.
I've tried to explain to the Ranger that it might be a good idea for him to share the scouting but he's not going to do it, and to perhaps take the weight off the Cleric every once in a while but that's a no goer as well.
The result of this mix is at the end of say six encounters the Paladin has a handful of Healing Surges left, the Wizard is down two or three, the Cleric and the Rogue have either got one left or are all spent and the Ranger has maybe lost one, some days he's not even lost a hit point.
Any suggestions?
We have Lambrini, Tiefling Wizard stays out of trouble and provides the artillery; Vik, Eladrin Rogue does all the stealth work and generally gets stuck at the front, initiates all combat (or so it seems); Daja, Dragonborn Paladin- the Tank; Falco, Dwarven Cleric- mainly a Tank too; and Talwyn, Elven Ranger.
The problem is every fight the Rogue (who is the least experienced role-player/gamer- but good at it) is stuck at the front and usually the first into the trouble.
The Paladin Tank and the Dwarven Cleric (who doesn't want to be the Tank all the time) then rush in to allow the Rogue to manouevre a little, and sometimes to save his bacon.
The Wizard stands at the back and blasts away.
The Archer specialist Ranger 90% of the time, and always at the start of every combat is last in line and uses his bow exclusively- he never gets hit.
No problem except the Ranger has as good stealth as the Rogue, but does no scouting ahead- leaving the Thief to get stuck in the mix, and make decisions unaided when the baddies get in on him. Even though the Rogue has the 2nd worst AC, low HPs, a great To Hit, but poor damage, unless he's got Combat Advantage.
The Ranger has a better AC, Hit Points, Movement, Attacks and Damage in Melee then Falco, the Cleric, but doesn't help out in the front line at all.
So exclusively he stands at the back and opens up- which can be devestating but the other players have to sit in the middle and get bogged down with combat- always.
The Ranger wants none of it, and then complains that the other players are not thinking about the game tactically enough.
I've tried to explain to the Ranger that it might be a good idea for him to share the scouting but he's not going to do it, and to perhaps take the weight off the Cleric every once in a while but that's a no goer as well.
The result of this mix is at the end of say six encounters the Paladin has a handful of Healing Surges left, the Wizard is down two or three, the Cleric and the Rogue have either got one left or are all spent and the Ranger has maybe lost one, some days he's not even lost a hit point.
Any suggestions?