Party Roster

[Dromin]

We're getting close. So, so close!

That means invariably my thoughts have turned to designing my own, awesome (hopefully) party. After some waffling over a few positions, I came up with the following.

Tank/Melee Controller - Stone Mantis Monk. Grapple feats, combat reflexes. I'll send her rushing across battlefields straight at casters to grapple, and damage with flurry, natural attacks, and rakes.

Melee Damage/Controller - Male Centaur Psychic Warrior. The racial charge feats, a reach weapon, combat reflexes, and trip feats will make this another great controller. With all the self-buffs of a psychic warrior, he'll be a great fit.

Debuffer/Sneak Attacks - Female Human Death Knight. Aura feats, feint line feats. Death Knights look like the "Anti-Bard" of this game with debuffs to enemy AC and saves, and I'm all about it. I'm going "sword and board" with her, just to help with her AC. She will be right in the thick of it, debuffing with her aura. She'll also get all of the feint feats to end up with lots of great sneak attack damage and further debuff AC.

Archery - Half-Salamander Mage Knight. Increased elemental damage feats, but only after I get all of the archery feats. With the new option to have an archer version of Mage Knight, this means I'll have moderate arcane power wrapped up in my archer. The focus for him will be to get an elemental damaging bow that will stack with his racial fire damage from every weapon attack. All those dice will stack up nicely.

Healer - Male Stillfinger Halfling Bishop. I debated between this or a water druid, but all those domains decided me. Speaking of which ... Domains: Hunting, Flux, Turning, Abberation, Reach, Curing. The domain order I'll mess with, I'm sure. I wanted him to have some non-spell options for damage, so I took Hunting for the archery feats. I'll take the healing/summoning feats as I can too. He should be a pretty capable healer and summoner and have options with his turn undead power Clerics don't.

Arcane/AoE Damage - Male Moon Elf Psionicist (changed from Warlock). I debated on this one too. But man, the flexibility of high-level psionic powers is unmatched. He'll be my energy damage specialist, eventually shaping powers around the party.

You can likely tell that I am a big fan of controlling the battlefield and generating attacks of opportunity for my melee combatants. The synergies of grappled, feinted, and prone enemies, along with the death knight's aura debuff should be impressive. I'm aware that prone enemies are harder to hit with ranged attacks, but ... I have a feeling there will be other targets for my Bishop and Mage Knight.

I'm bummed that I don't have room for a bard. I considered replacing the Mage Knight with one, but I like the elemental damage buffs too much.

Now you know what I'm planning. What's everyone else gonna do with their first play-through?

[BlueSalamander]

Thank you Dromin! Sounds like an awesome party!

I go with a Wizard and a Half Giant warrior of some kind pretty much every time.

I think the various Druid flavours are super cool too.

[Dromin]

I really wanted a half-giant psychic warrior. But I think with his high damage and lower AC, he'd just be too tempting a target for the AI. Plus, with the videos I've seen, I think a high initiative is going to be important, along with charging into combat. Centaur was a race I'd not considered much until I read through the feats and really looked at their stats. Also, Dex is going to be important for combat reflexes. I want a 14, at least, and getting that with a half-giant is probably asking too much.

I'm missing out on the sweet damage of a half-giant, but hopefully making up for it with more AoO.

Wizard vs Warlock ... I went through this permutation too. Warlocks still get the transformation option, is that right? I would love to have a single mental ability score to worry about as a Wizard does, but I really like how varied a Warlock can be. Silenced? No problem. Need cold damage instead of fire? Psionics has you covered. Need just the right utility spell? Yep, can do. Warlock misses out on the spell resistance, has multiple attributes to worry about, and doesn't get a familiar ... but I think the trade is worth it.

We'll see how it all goes!

[BlueSalamander]

The Warlock is really great, the flexibility is incredible. But he doesn't get the transformation option.

True, Half Giant is not the best when it comes to ability scores.

[Dromin]

Ahhh, bummer.

I don't care. I'm sticking with Warlock! :-p

Edit: I do care! I'm going pure pisonicist now. Only intelligence to worry about for mental stats leaves me sitting a lot better anyway, considering his planned role for the party.

[calmforce]

I have been thinking about my party and so far I came up with the following separate Characters (without actually putting them together into a Party).

FIGHTER Human Death Knight (Debuffing, Sneak Attacks, Feint, Aura Feats)

FIGHTER Mantis Gladiator (Quad-Wielding whatever cool weapons your party comes across...)

UTILITY Mantis Air Druid (Multi-Purpose Caster, AC Buff from Druid stacks well with Mantis lack of Armor, Air makes Gust of Wind etc. more strategic)

HEALER Halfling Bishop with Mysticism, Life, [Flux, Silence], X, (Non-stoppable ranged healing Machine)
or
HEALER Halfling Cleric with Life and Flux

FIGHTER Half Salamander Monk (does the 1d6 fire damage stack with each and all the flurry attacks - if so, yes please!)
or if this does not work
FIGHTER Mantis Psychic Warrior with Superiour Psychometabolism (Expansion, Strength of my Enemy, Elemental Weapon ...)

[Dromin]

Nice picks, calmforce.

Yes, your half-salamander monk would get 1d6 firey fists attached to every attack in a flurry. Mine will get them with his bow. It's gonna be fun!

And I've switched yet again to pure Pisonicist after realizing Warlocks don't get transformation.

I like your choice of an Air Druid. That's an interesting option ...

[calmforce]

Thank you, I also loved your party composition. Would like to hear more about other peoples thoughts. I will not be able to fit all the Characters I would like to try into one party and playthrough

[Dromin]

That's the trouble. I want a druid and a bard too, but I also don't want to give up any of the spots I've got right now.

I guess that means another playthrough, eh? :-p

[calmforce]

I want to say probably yes, but realistically possibly and hopefully yes

The summoner class looks really really juicy too!