Single Race Parties

[Imaginari]

What do you think would make the most interesting or effective SINGLE race party?

Are their any advantages to a single race party that might outweigh the disadvantages, and thus a traditional multi-race party?

For example, I've always thought a party of Eladrin would be pretty awesome. They could all teleport together around traps and other obstacles. There is a lot of potentially for teamwork based on their freedom of movement. And it could be far easier for them to gain surprise or close quickly. Of course, Eladrin don't make the best Defenders for example, and they'd sacrifice some of the more 'optimized' class builds with their Dex/Int focus.

A party of Dragonborn could be pretty devastating as well. And all humans could be extremely versatile with multiple complementary feats and skills. Of course there aren't always enough at-will powers for each class to really take advantage of all their benefits.

What kind of single race party do you think would be cool, either simply for style, or to optimize combat? Ideas?

~imaginari

 

[Cadfan]

I had to vote Elf. They cover every role reasonably well. They're good clerics, so there's your leader. They're good rogues and rangers, so there's your striker. They're ok wizards (dex and wis are secondary stats for wizards, so you lose on Int but you gain elsewhere), and they're ok fighters (dex and wis are secondary stats again).

Its not the only workable option. Human is probably the most efficient, buts kind of too obvious of a choice.

 

[Surgoshan]

I went with halflings, because it would just be amusing to have them running around underneath all the really big guys, stabbing them in the groin.

 

[Digital M@]

I voted Dwarf. Human would be the most effective, but dull. I just like dwarves and because of that I can create many different motivations for such a party.

I hate halflings and would just work on killing them all quickly

 

[Lord Falls Grand]

You know another point in favour of the all eladrin party is they can all trance for for 4 hours sumultaneously and all be aware while doing so. So I voted eladrin. The feystep teleport is also nice as mentioned above.

 

[Cryptos]

I'm developing a campaign setting where dozens upon dozens of civilizations have built up empires and seen them crumble. The land just seems to resist order on any large scale for any length of time. Bad things happen to those with imperial ambitions. Various ancient empires had items or places of power that supported their empires (such as Star Shrines, places to commune with Cthonic-like beings, my version of a Daedric Shrine from Elder Scrolls.)

Anyway, I had a fallen empire or two without a gimmick, and although I wasn't a fan of Warforged, I'm tempted to include them now at some point. So I figured I'd let the players of the first campaign "unlock" them by finding this vast field of dormant warforged (sort of like the army of terracotta soldiers found in ruins in China), and either the race would become available after that point or not depending on what these first PCs do.

Following that, I could see a group entirely made up of Warforged as being an interesting possibility for a follow-up campaign.

For core, a group of Eladrin would be interesting in terms of tactics.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I went with:
Dragonborn, Eladrin, Half Elf, Human.

All human, well we see that all the time out of D&D, so it works.
All Half elf, because you could have everyone with one ability someone else has with the Dilitente.
Dragonborn - Breath weapons galore - imagine one mass breathing by a party of five covering the same area - especially at higher levels with a couple of feats thrown in.
Eledrin, some of the same thing... just saw jumper, so the idea of the whole party porting behind the enemies and swarming them from behind is amusing.

 

[Nifft]

Tieflings cover all roles quite well: Controller (Wizard), Leader (Warlord), Defender (Paladin) and Striker (Fey Warlock).

Elves cover every role tolerably well: Leader (Cleric), Striker (Rogue, Ranger), Controller (Wizard with Orb focus), Defender (Paladin), though these last two are only decent thanks to the elf re-roll ability.

Humans cover three roles well: Controller (Wizard), Striker (Warlock), and Leader (Warlord). Humans can do Defender (Fighter) tolerably well, but it's not their forte.

Dragonborn do well in three roles: Leader (Str Cleric, Cha Warlord), Defender (Fighter, Paladin), and Striker (Warlock).

Dwarves would make an interesting party: Controller (Orb Wizard) heavy on Wisdom, Defender (Fighter, Paladin), Leader (most excellent Cleric), and Striker (Warlock). I wonder if a Dwarf Ranger (TWF) would be awesome.

Halflings are Strikers (Warlock, Rogue, Ranger) and maybe Defenders (Paladin).

Half-Elves only cover Striker (Warlock) and Defender (Paladin), though a case could be made for Leader (Warlord).

Eladrin would be interesting Warlords, and they're obviously good as Controllers (Wand Wizard) and decent as Strikers (Rogue). Dwarf Weapon Training works to make Dwarf a decent Fighter choice, and I wonder if Eladrin Soldier could do the same work for Eladrin Warlords.

- - -

So in summation: Tieflings rule!

Cheers, -- N

 

[Imaginari]

Following that, I could see a group entirely made up of Warforged as being an interesting possibility for a follow-up campaign.

For core, a group of Eladrin would be interesting in terms of tactics.

Funny you should mention that. You know, I've written an entire campaign where all the players were warforged. I think they have so much potential, and such an interesting psychology and background. Imagine the forging of a warforged nation, or what a fallen one might be like as you mentioned. Laborers that could work without sleep. No need for most of the population to harvest food and livestock. To be able to live in just about any environment. The list if their unique qualities goes on.

But I didn't mention them here be they're more for the Eberron setting. Though things might be changing. But yes, warforged would be my first choice for a single race party.

~imaginari.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

For just coolness I went with Dragonborn and Eladrin.

It be just fun to have a whole party breathing fire on the enemies, or teleporting across the battlefield.