Rate this party (again, after first session of play)...

[The Cardinal]

all level 1, Scarred Lands (Ghelspad), 3.5

LN Charduni Fighter
LG Human Paladin
TN Wood Elf Bard
CN Forsaken Elf Rogue
NG Human Sorcerer/Cleric of Syhana
CG Human Ranger (aberrations FE, TWF)

 

[Numion]

Hmm.. no full cleric, thats not good.

But then a full bard. And a rogue. Do you need both?

I wouldn't rate this party highly. Like 2/5

Suggestions:

Kick the bard, replace with a full cleric.
Make the sorc/cleric a full cleric.

Make those front-line or archer clerics. Turn one of the fighter types (paladin, fighter or ranger) into an archer, so that you have 2 archers.

Maybe replace someone with a full wizard or sorc, but thats not mandatory, IMO.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Hmm.. no full cleric, thats not good.

In my main group we don't have a cleric at all. My character has 2 levels of bard and 5 of sorcerer. We get on just fine without a cleric. My bard has healing spells and we all have potions and I have a wand of cure light wounds. So if you are concerned about healing, the bard should do just fine. I've never played a paladin but they have healing powers as well.

 

[Numion]

In my main group we don't have a cleric at all. My character has 2 levels of bard and 5 of sorcerer. We get on just fine without a cleric. My bard has healing spells and we all have potions and I have a wand of cure light wounds. So if you are concerned about healing, the bard should do just fine. I've never played a paladin but they have healing powers as well.

Well, I've played a cleric for a while now, and I wouldn't waste my slots on healing either. I've just noticed that 2 clerics / party make the adventuring that much easier, because of their protective magics, offensive magic/melee power and sheer hardness to kill. When played properly clerics are hands down the hardest class to kill. Someone has to finish the job, you know

Wands are the right way to go for healing, but one shouldn't underestimate the power of (3.0e) Heal at higher levels. Can reverse combat situations.

Basically, IMO, an efficient combat party is divided in two: frontline and secondline. The purpose of the frontline characters (which in our campaigns are fighters, barbarians or melee oriented clerics) is to beat down the enemy and keep it from reaching the second line. The purpose of the second line is to shoot down the enemy with arrows or spells. With a large party there is room there for a third group of characters: rogues and monks, that can add mobility to combat, dealing with trouble spots.

Combat isn't always that straightforward, but characters shouldn't be completely dependent on the group anyway.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Well, I've played a cleric for a while now, and I wouldn't waste my slots on healing either. I've just noticed that 2 clerics / party make the adventuring that much easier, because of their protective magics, offensive magic/melee power and sheer hardness to kill. When played properly clerics are hands down the hardest class to kill. Someone has to finish the job, you know

Wands are the right way to go for healing, but one shouldn't underestimate the power of (3.0e) Heal at higher levels. Can reverse combat situations.

Basically, IMO, an efficient combat party is divided in two: frontline and secondline. The purpose of the frontline characters (which in our campaigns are fighters, barbarians or melee oriented clerics) is to beat down the enemy and keep it from reaching the second line. The purpose of the second line is to shoot down the enemy with arrows or spells. With a large party there is room there for a third group of characters: rogues and monks, that can add mobility to combat, dealing with trouble spots.

Combat isn't always that straightforward, but characters shouldn't be completely dependent on the group anyway.

I can see that. I wasn't really thinking about combat. I guess it really boils down to how combat heavy your game will be.

 

[Atridis]

I'm not familiar with the Scarred Lands, or with how much role-playing your group gets into, but I wonder what in heck a Paladin is doing with these guys. I can see him either leaving or getting thrown out, depending upon who offends/annoys whom first. An interesting group concept that could fit this roster might be a warden and a gang of well-behaved prisoners, sort of a "Dirty Half-Dozen" or "Les Femmes Nikitas", something where everyone (except the Paladin) is being coerced. It could be fun, so long as there's something rock-solid holding them together.

 

[S'mon]

The group looks good on combat & scouting, but weak on magic. A full cleric & a full Sorcerer or Wizard would definitely be handy. 3/5

 

[The Cardinal]

additional info:

the dwarf will multiclass into a fighter/cleric at level 2
the rogue will multiclass into a rogue/wizard at level 2
the bard has Dex 20 and is a great archer
the dwarf specializes in spiked chain

 

[ArcOfCorinth]

You know, I've seen one cleric pop up in all my years of playing D&D. No one in my groups have ever liked them and we've made it just fine without them.

 

[Norfleet]

Half-clerics are useless. Don't do half-clerics. Either go with the full monty, or just skip it.

As everyone is undoubtedly aware, the primary purpose of a cleric is the one people shout "Medic!" at. There are a few oddball variants, which largely function as tankmages, but by and large, clerics heal people.

However, the effective ability of a cleric to heal people in combat is a function which very closely follows the cleric's acquisition of healing spells: The Cure * Wounds series becomes ineffective in combat almost as fast as you get them. Therefore, a half-cleric will lag so far behind that he'll be playing a game of catch-up until he gets Heal.

And a Sorceror/Cleric? I do hope the party is willing to be that character's crutch until he starts racking up those MT levels.