D&D 5E (2014) The simplest and most effectiv 3 PC team

[Voadam]

An alternative to valor bard or life cleric is the celestial pact warlock from Xanathars. Warlocks are the simplest mechanically of the spellcasters and the celestial pact gives them healing.

 

[aco175]

I would cover the basics with fighter, thief, and cleric. If you are making pregens you can limit the spell list and even give people a healing potion to start. Even easier is to make them all human or at least PHB like dwarf or elf. Some may depend on the adventure where if there may be poison, then make one a dwarf for the resistance.

If you need, you can run a NPC mage with them to expose them to that class a bit, but some will argue against any NPCs being more powerful than the PCs and taking any moments to shine away. An apprentice to the quest-giver may work.

It may be fun to make several PCs and let them choose. You can go over the basics like a range build or melee build and some on the races. You can have a dwarf-cleric and a human-cleric with a different domain along with a couple fighter builds. Maybe limit some to what others here are talking about.

 

[Iry]

Do you really think Life Cleric is simpler than Lore Bard? A Lot of spells to read.

You can give them a few spells choices, and Cleric spells tend to be more straightforward than Bard spells.

And while I love the Bard and social characters, I would avoid a social specialist for first time gamers. I want everyone to feel like they can contribute equally to a social challenge, and not discourage non-cha characters from speaking.

 

[CleverNickName]

Hexblade Warlock to cover the role of arcanist, diplomat, ranged fighter, and debuffer (and later, blaster). Go with a high-Charisma race like half-elf, and use your background to get access to Charisma-based skills. Max your charisma as quickly as possible, and choose feats that boost your spell variety (such as Magic Adept, Spell Sniper, and/or Ritual Caster).

Tempest Cleric to cover the roles of healer, blaster, sneak, and buffer. Go with a Mark of Healing halfling for your race, and use your background to get access to Thieves' Tools and Stealth. Pick up the War Caster feat as soon as possible. Get the light cantrip; you can't see in the dark.

Ancients Paladin to cover the role of front-line fighter, tank, healer, striker, and buffer. Choose hill dwarf for the Con and hit point bonuses, or choose mountain dwarf for the Strength and Con bonuses. You could use your background to get access to Nature and Herbalism Kits, but these aren't really deal-breakers. Carry a crowbar.

Right out of the gate, be sure to equip everyone with as good of armor as they can afford, and give them all shields. And be sure that everyone has their own melee weapon, reach weapon, and ranged weapon, in a variety of damage types (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, fire cantrips, cold cantrips, etc.)

 

[Laurefindel]

All humans

Dex (range) champion fighter (rogue-it-up with urchin background)
Str (melee) champion fighter (ranger-it-up with outlander background)
Divine Soul Sorcerer (bard-it-up with charlatan or entertainer background)

The latter might be simpler to play - and with the right spell and metamagic selection, more straightforward - than the lore bard. Furthermore, * lore * bard suggests that the character knows a lot more than the player does. Both of us know it doesn't, but take it off your player's shoulders. Also, the idea that bards must play music to cast spells is pretty ingrained in popular culture, so your player might start with a flawed conception. If you must use bard or stay PHB only; go valor bard instead for reasons Benjamin Olson mentioned.

All roles can be covered. The only thing lacking is a broader class feature differentiation/distinction, but that directly competes with getting the simplest setup. To differentiate the two fighters further, make them variant humans and select a feat for each of them.

 

[FrogReaver]

IMO. Make 1 pregen of each class and let them pick from among those.

 

[GM Lent]

The best campaign I ran in years consisted of a Barbarian (Slayer), Warlock (GOO), and a Rogue (Poisoner).

Slayer and Poisoner are subclasses from the Primeval Thule campaign setting, which coincidentally is also the setting we used.

We started at level 1 and the group had reached level 8 before one of the players moved out of state and brought an end to the campaign.

 

[Islayre d'Argolh]

An alternative to valor bard or life cleric is the celestial pact warlock from Xanathars. Warlocks are the simplest mechanically of the spellcasters and the celestial pact gives them healing.

Divine Soul Sorcerer (bard-it-up with charlatan or entertainer background)

So... Wich one ?
(Yeah... I'm not really sold on the Life Cleric)

To differentiate the two fighters further, make them variant humans and select a feat for each of them.

Yeah, they will be variant humans.
A least i can use the Prodigy feat to give an aera of expertise to every PC and still keep it really simple. (?)

 

[Li Shenron]

Hi guys.

I will soon start a campaign with 3 players, full beginners from a TRPG point of view.
So i want to start eeaaasy with the rules and the roll-playing, using pré-gen characters.

From your perspectiv what is the simplest and most effectiv team for 3 players ?
The simplicity aspect is very important : concise sheet, simple combat moove & spells is mandatory.

I'm thinking all humans, Champion Fighter + Thief Rogue + Lore Bard.
What do you think ?

All (non-variant) humans is a no-brainer.

Then I see a few different options, as it's not that easy to lower the complexity for all character classes, with Fighter and Sorcerer being the easiest. I am considering low levels only here, say up to 4th-5th, by the time you get there they won't be beginners anymore.

Generally speaking, you need at least 2 out of 3 to be competent in melee combat, it's too risky to have only 1. But you may also want to cover at least the following roles: sniper, sneaker, trapfinder, healer. I would rather take leverage of the Criminal background to cover sneaking and trapfinding than having a Rogue which is quite a tactical character to play.

First suggestion: Champion Fighter + Champion Fighter + Favored Soul Sorcerer

In this team, one character can be the tank with high Strength and Constitution: this could be a Champion Fighter with the Defense Fighting Style. I suggest a sword-and-board weapon configuration for even better AC.

The second Champion Fighter still needs to be a decent melee combatant but can focus on a high Dexterity to be better with ranged attacks, and choose the Archery Fighting Style. Make it use light or medium armors without stealth disadvantage, and pick the Criminal background so that it can cover the sniper, sneaker and trapfinder roles at once.

The Favored Soul Sorcerer allows this character to be both the healer (Cure Wounds) and another sniper (Fire Bolt). The downside is that this is not a PHB archetype, it might feel weird for a beginner to start with a non-core character.

Second suggestion: Bear Totem Barbarian + War Cleric + Draconic Sorcerer

If you can afford a PC with high Strength, Dexterity and Constitution altogether, you could replace the tank Fighter with a Barbarian (Bear Totem is maybe the simplest). Despite the appearances, using Rage is not complicated because it's a straightforward choice (by contrast, Action Surge looks simpler but has a lot more open choices). With high Dex and Unarmored Defense, this character can be the one taking the Criminal background to cover the sniper/sneaker/trapfinder roles.

The secondary melee combatant can now be a Cleric and therefore also the designated healer. Life Cleric is not the simplest, in fact it is not always easy to remember the healing boost or to know when to use channel divinity vs spells for healing. I suggest War Cleric because I think it's both the least complex and the strongest candidate for melee. Clerics in general are complex anyway because of so many spells, so write down a "default prepared spells list" instead of telling the player to pick her spells, and stick with it until she's comfortable with making changes.

With the healer role covered, the Sorcerer can be a plain Draconic for best defense.

 

[Islayre d'Argolh]

All (non-variant) humans is a no-brainer.

Some feats are dead simple (Tough, Resilient, Prodigy...).
Variant human is ok i think, with one of them.

First suggestion: Champion Fighter + Champion Fighter + Favored Soul Sorcerer

In this team, one character can be the tank with high Strength and Constitution: this could be a Champion Fighter with the Defense Fighting Style. I suggest a sword-and-board weapon configuration for even better AC.

The second Champion Fighter still needs to be a decent melee combatant but can focus on a high Dexterity to be better with ranged attacks, and choose the Archery Fighting Style. Make it use light or medium armors without stealth disadvantage, and pick the Criminal background so that it can cover the sniper, sneaker and trapfinder roles at once.

The Favored Soul Sorcerer allows this character to be both the healer (Cure Wounds) and another sniper (Fire Bolt). The downside is that this is not a PHB archetype, it might feel weird for a beginner to start with a non-core character.

You're not the first one to suggest this team.
I will seriously think about it.