I've seen a number of threads discussing how to put together an optimal party for whichever AP. I enjoy these because I like thinking about how the different character classes can work together and how this would work out in a roleplaying context.
However, in practice our games take on a (much welcomed) Darwinian feel of survival of the fittest. Structural flaws in the party are solved (and occasionally created) by PC death and the introduction of replacement characters (supposing the dead PC isn't raised or reincarnated).
What are your experiences? Has your party changed substantially over time or do the player characters remain the same?
(melee) barbarian, (melee) samurai, (melee) inquisitor, (melee) rogue, (melee) battle cleric, (melee) druid and (blasty) witch
and combats were fun but clustery-effy kind of affairs where everyone argued over the best squares to beat the enemy from.
(melee) barbarian, (melee) samurai, (archer) ranger, (skills) rogue, (support) oracle, (blasty) witch and (blasty) sorcerer
after his reincarnation the rogue took a keen interest in survival (for RP reasons) and combat was completely changed. The barbarian and samurai formed a tough front line while the other PCs generally stayed back and engaged in (mundane or magical) ranged combat or supported the frontline with spells.
(melee) samurai, (archer) paladin, (skills) rogue, (support) oracle, (blasty) witch and (blasty) sorceror
and now the samurai acts more as a tank (occupying space along with his horse to keep enemies at bay) and the remainder of the party fights almost entirely as a ranged unit (the rogue is back to flanking from time to time), a complete turn around from how we played when I started.
All of the iterations have been fun and the surviving characters have markedly changed their approach to combat to adjust to their changing experiences and the party around them.
Our groups usually change alot.
If a character dies and is not being raised, most of us will make something completely different.
Unfortunately, that often weakens the group. Because that role is nolonger filled.
Example from last fall:
Our cleric died. He was the in and out of combat healer as well as the harmful condition remover.
Now part of the reason he died was that he wasn't well made for how he was being played. He was trying to be the second front liner and tank. But he wasn't built for it. Only moderatly decent str, con, hp, armor, and saves. But he was still our primary healer and condition remover. He was more than adequate at that.
New char is a gunslinger. Very well built and effective at that role.
But the group doesn't have a real healer. Have a multiclass fighter / paladin with only a medium charisma. He could prepare 1 lesser restoration. And if he channeled healing or use LoH to heal then could use them against the undead we were fighting. No handy source of infinite click sticks. No one had the feats to make them.
So we spent the next few levels almost always on the verge of death.
Eventually someone decided to retire their char and bring in an oracle.
So we spent the next few levels almost always on the verge of death.
Eventually someone decided to retire their char and bring in an oracle.
Our experience was similar: Our (poorly made for) battle cleric died and rerolled as a very effective blaster sorcerer. We spent a lot of time without someone in that role and when our druid died her player rerolled as an oracle.
No one ever thanks the Cleric enough. Our party stay the same for the most part.
1st game: wizard, cleric, monk, "swashbuckler", bard
2nd game: rogue, monk, fighter, cleric, wizard
3rd game: wizard, cleric, cleric, monk, "swashbuckler"
Our DM said, "this is pretty much the same party as before."
I told him, "now you know our favorite classes as people."
No one ever thanks the Cleric enough.
From now on I'm going to high five her every time she casts Shield Other on me. Seriously, there are so many times that my tank (samurai or fighter depending on the campaign) has been able to stay up and keep the bad guys away from our casters thanks to her (oracle or cleric, respectively) divine support. To say nothing of the curing of HP damage, ability damage and general divine buffing.
Those sessions we spent without a dedicated divine caster were dark ones indeed.
My party seems to be taking the Darwinian selection method, since they've decided Fighter, Barb, Ninja is a good combo.
They have a serious potion habit.