Which WotC base classes fill the 4 core roles well?

[Seeten]

Core Four Comparisons
MAGE: (baseline: wizard)
Dread Necro: + Spontaneous Casting, AC, HP, DR, Turning - Versaility, Aligment Restriction, Familiar

Dread Necromancers get a familiar. Its even a more powerful familiar than normal. Any non-good isnt so bad for restriction, either. They do take a pretty big hit for versatility, though.

 

[Psion]

I don't feel a spellthief is up to snuff as a rogue replacement. Too flimsy and too limited unless the campaign frequently features spellcasters... and in that case, the lack of evasion is a liability.

 

[Endur]

Warriors: fighter, barbarian, paladin, ranger, monk, swashbuckler, cleric, druid
Experts: rogue, scout, ninja, bard, wizard, monk, spellthief
Divine Casters : cleric, druid, healer, monk
Arcane Casters: sorcerer, wizard, warlock, bard, witch

 

[Glyfair]

Divine Casters : cleric, druid, healer, monk

It baffles me enough that people would consider a monk for the sole warrior in a group. However, do you really feel they fit the divine caster role? I just don't see that at all!

 

[Andor]

Warriors: Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, Ranger, OA Samurai, Hexblade, Duskblade, Psiwarrior, Binder, Soulborn, Totemist
Experts: Rogue, Ninja, Spellthief, Incarnate, Artificer
Divine Casters : Cleric, Druid, Shugenja, Spirit Shaman, OA Shaman, Favored Soul
Arcane Casters: Wizard, Sorcerer, Wu-Jen, Psion*, Wilder*
5th Character - Party booster: Bard, Marshal, Dragon Shaman
5th Character - Misc: Everything else

*Only if the magic/psionics transparency rule in in effect.
** I don't have Complete Psionic so I don't know about it's new classes.

 

[Klaus]

The core group doesn't have 4 roles, but 9. Enter my analysis:

Fighter: Primary Combat

Cleric: Healing, Support Magic, Undead-dealing, Secondary Combat

Wizard: Magic Artillery, Support Magic

Rogue: Reconaissance, Opportunistic Combat, Trap-dealing

9 roles.

Primary Combat: High BAB, High AC, High hp, High damage output
Secondary Combat: Helps Primary Combat
Opportunistic Combat: Archery or mobility oriented, but low staying power
Magic Artillery: Big BOOM spells
Support Magic: Buffs, counterspells, divination, transport
Reconaissance: Sneaks around and/or asks questions, wilderness survival, avoids party being surprised
Healing: Cure wounds, removes poison, dispels adverse effects
Trap-dealing: Finds and disarms traps, mundane and magical
Undead-dealing: Turns undead and/or protects party from undead abilities

Artificer: Support Magic, Magic Artillery, Trap-dealing

Barbarian: Primary/Secondary Combat, Reconaissance

Bard: Support Magic, Opportunistic Combat, Reconaissance

Druid: Support Magic, Healing, Reconaissance, Secondary Combat

Monk: Reconaissance, Opportunistic Combat

Paladin: Primary Combat, Undead-dealing, Healing

Ranger: Secondary Combat, Reconaissance, Healing

Sorcerer: Magic Artillery

Soulknife: Secondary Combat, Reconaissance

 

[CRGreathouse]

Paladin: Primary Combat, Undead-dealing, Healing

Ranger: Secondary Combat, Reconaissance, Healing

I like your analysis, but I have trouble seeing the ranger filling the role of the healer. A cleric is a healer; a paladin is less good than a cleric for healing, but works in a pinch. A ranger, with slower access to healing spells and no lay on hands (both w.r.t. paladins), just isn't up to the task.

I'm not sure if I'd put it in primary or secondary combat; they do have full BA and full proficiencies, plus more combat feats than paladins. Their d8 isn't the best, but I think they probably qualify for primary combatant.

 

[Cyberhawk]

One thing that I've noticed is that DMs tend to have a different idea on the "Cleric" slot.

Some say have it covered means "Someone must have Turn Undead". (ie you're invading the Tomb of the Eternally Evil Ghost Army or something...)

Others use it to mean "You must have a Healer" (ie you're going to be on a long quest with no reinforcements and lots of people shoving pointy things at you).

If the DM means either of these, especially the first, then that's going to help refine your choices.

Just my 2 coppers...

 

[Remathilis]

Dread Necromancers get a familiar. Its even a more powerful familiar than normal. Any non-good isnt so bad for restriction, either. They do take a pretty big hit for versatility, though.

Doh! been a while since I read that one. Dangit.

 

[Klaus]

I like your analysis, but I have trouble seeing the ranger filling the role of the healer. A cleric is a healer; a paladin is less good than a cleric for healing, but works in a pinch. A ranger, with slower access to healing spells and no lay on hands (both w.r.t. paladins), just isn't up to the task.

I'm not sure if I'd put it in primary or secondary combat; they do have full BA and full proficiencies, plus more combat feats than paladins. Their d8 isn't the best, but I think they probably qualify for primary combatant.

I forgot to mention that, as you go further down the description, the lesser is the class' contribution in that area. So a Ranger has very minor healing, but can work in a pinch (mainly because, since it's in the spell list, he can use wands of cure wounds).

As for Primary vs. Secondary, I chose Secondar for a few reasons: lower HD (d8), lower AC (light armor only) and, for quite a few rangers, the archery combat style (which removes the ranger from the front row, where a Primary Combatant should be). So can a ranger be a Primary? Yes. A higher Con offsets the lower HD, mithril armor and high Dex negates the low AC and the two-weapon style offers great damage output. A character *could* fulfill a different role, even if his class originally couldn't, through clever planning.