This is really easy.
1. Full casters.
2. Partial casters.
3. Non-casters.
The simple fact that you need to be unaided and alone and equipped to handle a variety of variables pretty much sets the above list in stone.
Summoners can bring a customizable group of allies for assistence, so if you count 1v1 as: "Any effect brought on by your own power alone.", then they can arrange their summons, Eidolons, and Planar Bound allies into an almost Chess player style army.
One class I found to be useful, at least at lower levels was Alchemist. So long as I was careful, I could adapt to oncoming challenges, and even if I was blind sided, I was an Alchemist in Scale Armor, wielding a Great Axe, with bombs, self healing, and one or two defensive retreating extracts prepared.
So, my list is namely Summoner and Alchemist. Honorable mentions would be Wizard and Cleric; after all, if played smart they can do the above tricks of both classes. But then again, they need to survive levels 1-5 first.
Honestly, my biggest concern with a 1v1 character is; you need to be aware of your own weaknesses and have ways around them. Barbarians need alternate mobility, and should anticipate their magical items that grant those movements being shut down for example.
Wizards are generally the best when they are prepared, their spells and abilities allow them to adapt to almost any situation.
If it can't be done with magic, then you aren't using the right spell (Wish helps).
Druids are great for combat solutions, having a companion (at higher levels doing as much damage and with as much HP as a full fighter) helps control their opponent and allows them to cast high damage or control spells unimpeded.
So
1. Wizards
2. Druids
3. Partial Casters (Mix of martial and magic means more adaptability)
1 vs 1? I can answer that. Any class with a save or lose effect wins in 1 vs 1. Normally this is full casters.
Ooh Ooh! We should all put together 20th lvl builds and argue over which one is best!
Just a clarification for everyone, this isn't PvP.
Not sure what the point of mentioning this is. It doesn't change anything. Casters dominate at all levels. Sleep, Daze, Color Spray, etc. are all "I Win" buttons, since a CDG at low levels is nigh-impossible to survive from. (10 + Damage Dealt as a Fort Save? Having at best +6 or +7 won't stop that DC 18+ Save or Die too well; even if they do live, they're going to be cut in half, unconscious, or dead from the damage alone.)
Later levels, damage becomes a bit more viable, but so do summoned monsters, etc. So the gap just becomes even greater from there.
Full Casters > Everything. Because Full Casters get . (And then some. And then some on top of that then some. And even more...)
Divination wizards tend to be good for this as they get an initiative bonus, and as wizards that turns into getting a game ending spell of first. The higher level wizard, the better this works, but even at low levels there is color spray and sleep.
Ranged Martials aren't half bad though. You don't have to move into position to start chaingunning through their health.
Really its going to be a formula of Initiative + Win condition.
They are excellent one trick ponies but that's all they have and are squishy early so they didn't make my list.
u wot
At level 1-4 a caster isn't going to make the top 3 very often but will be great later. Also I do count summoners and summoning as class features. They are excellent one trick ponies but that's all they have and are squishy early so they didn't make my list.
...You should look around the boards a bit. A Full caster is still incredibly powerful at low level. 2nd level optimized Boom Mage puts out 4d4+9 Burning Hands. Or you could deal with the Color Spray Heavens Oracle who takes that ability to about 12th level. 1st level Witch is a 50/50 win the fight button worst case scenario that only gets more devastating as they level.
And last I checked a d8 hit die and light armor wasn't that squishy, especially when you get access to solid defensive spells like Shield, Blur, and Barkskin. Armor Expert and congratulations, you can wear a Mithril Breastplate with no issues.
2nd level optimized Boom Mage puts out 4d4+9 Burning Hands.
Link?
Jade Regent taught me that Samurai (and so presumably cavaliers too) are really nasty in 1v1. Barring unlucky crits, my players weren't used to Adventure Path enemies that could drop their hitpoints from full to nothing in a single full attack.
2nd level optimized Boom Mage puts out 4d4+9 Burning Hands.Link?
Crossblooded half-Orc Orc/dragon scorcerer with spell specialization (burning hands)
CL 4 burning hands,
+1 from favored class +4 from dragon +4 from Orc.
This isn't even a well thought out build.
So if I understand you all, save or lose effects are more or less all that matters when dealing with single enemies. Features that would negate their save or dies/sucks/lose are good but offense is best defense. Also, switch hitting like rangers are less than spells. Did that about sum it up?
If above is accurate, then this raises a new question... Wouldn't spontaneous casters be greater than prepared list casters in every single instance? Occasionally even the best caster will fail his save or lose, so would a spontaneous caster be advantaged in him be able to cast that spell again?
The two are very similar in power and very close to each other, but ultimately prepared casters (barring paragon surge) win out because it's better to have more options than it is to be able to use the same options more often. That said, a wizard throwing down with a sorcerer is in for one hell of a fight, and neither would take it lightly.
The two are very similar in power and very close to each other, but ultimately prepared casters (barring paragon surge) win out because it's better to have more options than it is to be able to use the same options more often. That said, a wizard throwing down with a sorcerer is in for one hell of a fight, and neither would take it lightly.So if I understand you all, save or lose effects are more or less all that matters when dealing with single enemies. Features that would negate their save or dies/sucks/lose are good but offense is best defense. Also, switch hitting like rangers are less than spells. Did that about sum it up?
If above is accurate, then this raises a new question... Wouldn't spontaneous casters be greater than prepared list casters in every single instance? Occasionally even the best caster will fail his save or lose, so would a spontaneous caster be advantaged in him be able to cast that spell again?
Pretty much this. They're neck and neck, and both boil down to both playstyle and semantic differences.
Wizards have more chances to find a weakness in the Sorcerer's "defenses," meaning more chance to exploit it, but a Sorcerer who has a Wizard's "weakness" will have more firepower to exploit with, since he isn't barred from spell memorization.
The way I see it, you're comparing Superman to Batman. The former is practically the best when it comes down to power and strength. The latter, on the other hand, is ready for anything and everything that comes his way. And you can bet that when Batman comes across Superman, he'll have his Kryptonite packed somewhere in his utility belt...