What would you play in this group?

[Corsair]

My last character I was playing was more just an experiment to try out my DM's homebrewed class. Since we've mutually decided the class needed more major revisions, I am retiring that character to play something "normal". I was agonizing for a while over what to play next in the group though. I think I've finally decided (though I still might change my mind... again... much to the frustration of my DM), but I'll like to hear everyone elses ideas.


Current Party:

Human Warmage 12/Fighter 1
Illumian Warmage 10/Bard 1 (Cohort of above)
Halfling Paladin 8/Cavalier 3
Human Cleric X/Rogue X/Shadowbane Stalker X (don't know exact class distribution)
Half Celestial Elf Cleric 6 (NPC)


A few extra notes: The paladin does buckets of damage when charging, but is pretty mediocre when just standing around. The Shadowbane relies on some Divine Metamagic to have Persistant Divine Power to be a decent archer, and he is our rogueskills guy.

A few of the problems we encounter: The divine casters in the group don't have access to the higher level divine magic that you'd want in a 11th-12th level party. No Heal or Raise Dead. We're caster heavy, but lack a lot of the basic arcane utility magic (teleport, dispel magic unless the clerics bother with it, etc). If you play a warrior, the warmages and paladin will make your damage dealing relatively useless unless you're a damage focused specialist. If you play a rogue, you step on the Shadowbane player's toes. You could play a cleric, but again you risk making half of the shadowbane player's build redundant.

Now the party could really use utility magic, but do you want to be a mage who never gets a chance to shine at blasting because the warmages are always better? Do you want to play a tank whose only job is to keep monsters off the warmages and archer? Do you risk playing a character which steps on another players niche? Do you decide to play something without regard to what other people are playing?

I'm just trying to get a feel for how people pick what they play, and using my specific situation as an example.

 

[BadMojo]

I'd play...a Frenzied Berserker. End of party, end of problem.

Actually, I'd probably play a single class Wizard. I wouldn't mind not being a "blaster". You'll inevitably end up saving the party's bacon with a nifty spell that the Warmages can't cast.

You could always take an Item Crafting feat and keep a few choice wands on hand in case you want to take part in some Evocation fueled mayhem.

 

[jbuck]

what books do you have access to?

Or, a bard would be a nice addition to the party. what did the previous class do? you could also be a monk and specialise in all of the "utility" type combat actions (trip, dissarm, sunder), then make sure you have a good reflex save so you dont muck up the AoE spells that the warmage is probably using.

what stats do you have to play with

 

[Corsair]

Assume good stats, but its more of a theory question. Most WotC non-setting specific 3.5 material is ok.

I don't want to play a straight wizard as I am playing a wizard/loremaster in that group (set in the same world with the same DM, running parallel to this one). My previous character was FF-style summoner. Bring out a big baddy to fight for you. It served as the main meat for the group before the paladin arrived.

jbuck: My question was more about what other people would do anyways.

 

[Old Gumphrey]

I'd go with a cleric tank, dudecastle. You can get abnormally high AC, and also break out high level cleric spells. Don't even worry about damage, just get in there and tank, and throw down with Dispels. Don't worry about overshadowing the multiclass / templated characters, they should know they aren't designed to be all powerful casters. They can cover the party's healing and lower level buff needs and let you do big jobs like turning, summoning / calling, flamestriking, raising dead, and all that other jazz...although with all that warmage action you probly won't need much flamestriking. Cleric tank.

EDIT: Oh, and grab the Travel domain for slurping up all those tasty arcane spells like Teleport and Fly.

 

[Nyaricus]

Since you seem to be more or less good on all fronts (sneak, ranged, melee, spellcasting), a support class would excel here. Bards have spells, can sneak and are decent in most types of combat - and give other players loads of damage with their Bardic Music bit. Go for Foluchaun Lyrist (or however you spell that uber-overpowered PrC *devilsmiley*)

Or go for ranged specialist, maybe adding in some wizard levels and go for Aracne Archer, lessening to Shadowbaner need to play a sneaky healing ranged weapons guy.

Cleric Tank is a close third

 

[Fishbone]

Druid. Good solid healing, can get away with a High Wisdom and Monk's Belt with Wilding Clasp and Natural spell. Put point in Wisdom and Con and you are set. When wildshaped and self buffed they can totally lay the smack down. They also have a few good offensive spells like Flamestrike. Access to most of the primo healing and a burly campanion, especially with Natural Bond. Very solid all around class, doesn't mess with the pally and cleric schtick, attacks hard in melee, good spell list, sick abilities out the yang and Animal companion.

 

[blargney the second]

The paladin would *love* you if you had dimension swap. Even better if it's quickened.

-blarg

 

[Corsair]

EDIT: Oh, and grab the Travel domain for slurping up all those tasty arcane spells like Teleport and Fly.

Remember that wizard I said I was playing? She has a cleric cohort with the travel domain. Probably won't do that in both games!

Since you seem to be more or less good on all fronts (sneak, ranged, melee, spellcasting), a support class would excel here. Bards have spells, can sneak and are decent in most types of combat - and give other players loads of damage with their Bardic Music bit. Go for Foluchaun Lyrist (or however you spell that uber-overpowered PrC *devilsmiley*)

Or go for ranged specialist, maybe adding in some wizard levels and go for Aracne Archer, lessening to Shadowbaner need to play a sneaky healing ranged weapons guy.

Cleric Tank is a close third

The Shadowbane already is essentially a ranged specialist. I don't want to muck around in his area too much. As it is, I think the warmages player makes him feel a little impotent when engaging things at range considering they rarely use all their spells per day.

Frilly little sissy bards aren't my style.

Good thoughts all around so far though. I like hearing other people's opinions. If you can, keep trying to include WHY you picked what you did.

 

[Corsair]

Druid. Good solid healing, can get away with a High Wisdom and Monk's Belt with Wilding Clasp and Natural spell. Put point in Wisdom and Con and you are set. When wildshaped and self buffed they can totally lay the smack down. They also have a few good offensive spells like Flamestrike. Access to most of the primo healing and a burly campanion, especially with Natural Bond. Very solid all around class, doesn't mess with the pally and cleric schtick, attacks hard in melee, good spell list, sick abilities out the yang and Animal companion.

This is something which is specific to me. Good idea, but I don't like playing a character that feels too much like someone else's character, and in the other group there is already a druid which is almost identical to what you suggested (it's actually the same player as the halfling paladin). Good idea though.