Which character class is the most effective / usefull at level 1 in a high level party?

[Magpied]

Just curious :)

[the David]

Why would a first level character be in a high level party?

[Magpied]

Just something I was thinking about. Like an inexperienced adventurer encounters a band of fearsome PCs. Which class, at level 1, would be actually kind of handy?

[DrDeth]

Nodwick.

[Caoulhoun]

A rogue with boots of the wilderness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCWOCPxPmus (in case anyone didn't get the reference)

[Johnico]

Bard, maybe? Because they could have a couple useful utility spells and perform?

[ShadowcatX]

In a vacuum, none of them.

Outside of a vacuum it'd depend on what they needed. A 1st level cleric can still spam a wand of cure light wounds if the party lacks a divine caster. Or a half elf with perception as a class skill can still make perception checks if wisdom based. A first level wizard can still throw mage armor on a party of monks and druids. etc.

[Crank]

If I was forced to play a level 1 in a high-level party, I'd go with Bard (for the reasons Johnico mentioned) or Gunslinger. Use some grit points to stay away from the battle and resolve ranged attacks against touch AC.

[LazarX]

Magpied wrote:

Just curious :)

None, you're dead weight, and most likely a funeral statistic unless the party takes some fantastic precautions.

[PathlessBeth]

Minor buff spells and Aid Another actions are the way to go. So something that gets one or both of those would be ideal--
rogue and bard are both excellent choices.

[LazarX]

137ben wrote:

Minor buff spells and Aid Another actions are the way to go. So something that gets one or both of those would be ideal--

rogue and bard are both excellent choices.

And what exactly is a first level of EITHER or ANY class going to do when the party faces a CR appropriate threat? The question only gets more ridiculous as the APL goes higher.

[PathlessBeth]

LazarX wrote:

137ben wrote:

Minor buff spells and Aid Another actions are the way to go. So something that gets one or both of those would be ideal--

rogue and bard are both excellent choices.

And what exactly is a first level of EITHER or ANY class going to do when the party faces a CR appropriate threat? The question only gets more ridiculous as the APL goes higher.

The same thing a familiar does, hide, and use a minor buff that is helpful but not worth as much as a high-level character's standard action (mage armor, anyone?)

[Korthis]

Witch that keeps spamming different types of evil eye. Could still use cure light wands

[Theconiel]

Plus, if experience is divided equally among the players, the newbie would level pretty quickly, assuming that the character survives the encounter.

[KenderKin]

Boot-licker.....

[Hlynrian]

Theconiel wrote:

Plus, if experience is divided equally among the players, the newbie would level pretty quickly, assuming that the character survives the encounter.

Like an Ice Wizard bot on Taskers.

[Kayerloth]

ShadowcatX wrote:

In a vacuum, none of them.

Outside of a vacuum it'd depend on what they needed. A 1st level cleric can still spam a wand of cure light wounds if the party lacks a divine caster. Or a half elf with perception as a class skill can still make perception checks if wisdom based. A first level wizard can still throw mage armor on a party of monks and druids. etc.

This

Or maybe the party needs them for something totally unrelated to level, like perhaps they are the only "innocent" available. In any case a high level party (15+) can turn a level 1 whatever into a relative juggernaut of death if need be.

[Alarox]

Theconiel wrote:

Plus, if experience is divided equally among the players, the newbie would level pretty quickly, assuming that the character survives the encounter.

Assuming there are 4 lv 20 characters and medium leveling speed, a lv 1 character could go to lv 9 after a single encounter.

[Sloanzilla]

A level 1 cleric with touch of law as a domain power would be helpful to a high level party.

[ArmouredMonk13]

The following

An Arcane bloodline Sorcerer with a familiar so they both can UMD, and funnel loads of buffs (Like Enlarge Person for the barbar and gravity bow for the archer).

A d6 caster with a 5 con so they can kill him uber-quickly and turn his corpse into bait for a tarrasque trap.

A 20CON half-orc scarred witch doctor. All the benefits of being a witch+less squishy. Take the feat Tribal Scarring for +6 HP and you start with 18HP making you about as tough as a familiar.

[lemeres]

A druid, since you bring another body to distract (read:feed) to the big toothy things.

It also can use the wand of CLW, for when the enemies decided to ignore you in favor for the party.

[Torger Miltenberger]

I'm going to also say bard.

+1 to hit and damage for the whole party a bunch of rounds per day is useful at any level.

Obviously not amazing but hey, you're contributing.

- Torger

[Reynard_the_fox]

Well, you know that offensively they won't be able to do much of anything - their to-hit, DCs, and damage are going to be infinitesimal compared to the high-level characters, and completely ignorable for the enemies. Thus, it comes down to how well they can buff their comrades - preferably without being close to danger them self. Finally, there are a few methods of battlefield control that are relevant no matter your level. For that:

-Bard
-Cleric (there are several domains that are quite handy - there's one that lets you forgo your action for the round to give someone haste)
-Wizard/Sorcerer with Grease and minor buff spells.
-Alchemist with infusions of stuff.
-Witch with Fortune hex is dandy. Since you have to be within 30 ft to cackle, though, probably shouldn't go for the enemy debuffs.