What to play in this party?

[Merellin]

So, Due to diferences in opinion my Cavalier will probably leave the party after our current quest is done and I'm trying to think of what to play next. The classes I'm the most intrested in trying is Oracle (Buffer and healer with some combat capability) Witch (Debuffer with heals, And some buffs?) And Summoner (Probably a self proclaimed coward with a guardian angel eidolon, Or maybe a ratfolk with a four armed rat ogre..)

The rest of the party is a Oracle (Blaster, Who we sometimes manage to beg into healing us) Investigator (Brains of the party and potion maker) Magus (Big damage in melee) 2 Rogues (One melee, One ranged) And a Ranger (Melee natural attacker, Currently a GM PC after a GM change so he took more of a back role)

[Scott Wilhelm]

Among your choices, the one that will best fill the role vacated by your party seems to be Summoner, maybe Synthesist Summoner

[Morbid Eels]

I'd say the oracle or witch actually. With that many people in a party, summons could begin to slow down the game too much and if your current oracle needs begging to do anything other than blast, they'll probably be grateful for someone else to assume the buffing / healing role.

Obviously dont feel as though you're forced into any one class though.

[Dasrak]

That's a pretty big party with most of the roles already filled out, so you really should be able to do anything you want (it certainly doesn't hurt that you've short-listed three great options). I'm marginally preferential to Witch because this party lacks a 9-level arcane caster currently. I think Morbid Eels makes a good point about the Summoner given the size of your party, so you'd need to be confident you can take your turns quickly if you choose that route.

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

I'd go witch a full arcane couldn't hurt.

I have to say I think it's odd a party of 7 has a GM pc.

[Tacticslion]

Summoner will best cover the loss of a cavalier, but can slow the game down a lot.

Oracle could be a delightful healer and buffer, but you're not going to do much else, with your limited spell selection; choose your mystery and spells carefully.

Witch would make for a phenomenal debuffer, decent healer, and useful quatortionary skill monkey, but could run into issues, depending on how quickly your party dismantles threats (of you build him as a debuffer, but the party tears the baddies to shreds without letting him do anything meaningful, that doesn't really do much for you).

Of the three, I'd lean toward witch: it's not really covered by the rest of your party and kind of makes for the best "generalist" of the three (though summoner is more powerful due to summon options).

You seem to have stronger character ideas for the summoner, though.

But really, it depends on what you want to do. What style of combat and character interaction would you prefer?

[Tacticslion]

Morbid Eels wrote:

Obviously dont feel as though you're forced into any one class though.

This bears repeating!

[Melkiador]

With such a large party size, I'd steer away from a summoner. Have you considered something like a bard or skald?

[Merellin]

I realy enjoy buffing and healing and one reason my cavalier is probably leaving is because full melee martial just dosent feel right for me. I guess i'm more of a support player type.

The GM has a GM PC because he used to be a player, But our GM struggled to keep up as he was GMing for 3 campaigns per week (Our game, Plus one that starts like an hour after our game ends, Plus a third one earlier in the week) so one of the other players agreed to take over as GM, And so his character is still with us, But has taken a background role and mostly only helps a bit in fights but tries to not do too much.

Summoner is on my want to play list because the class seems real fun and I want to try it sometime.

Witch and Oracle both also seem like much fun. I'm leaning away from Oracle a bit as we already have one, Even if he dosent realy buff or heal much.

Can Witches buff aswell, Or are they only debuff support with some healing? I havent read through their spell list yet, And I dont know what Patron to pick for a witch, Or archetype if any. Being able to debuff can be useful against tough foes..

Edit: As for Bard, I'v considerd it, But I dont realy have any ideas for Bard and dont quite know what to do with it.. It seems like it might be something I'd enjoy but.. I just dont know what to do with it.. Hmm... How to Bard..?

[Mondragon]

Bard melee focused dervish dancer of the dawn (self buff)

Bard standard with all stats upper 11 can be half tanky, full buffer, even can use shield if want to protect others.

Bard caster melee if your gm lets use Desna's Shooting Star only will use cha atack, damage, spell, etc

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

I think you'd like a bard actually, but I know what you mean about not being immediately obvious what to do with them. I made a water singer (ignoring the Undine requirement in favour of a Naiad, still water themed :P)

And yes witches can buff, ward, heal and fortune are all nice hexes and evil eye is effectively a +2 to hit for your party if you lower AC, eventually +4. Same goes for buffing party AC if you instead choose to lower enemy to hit.

If you take time mystery you get some amazing spells, including haste, so yeah you're good for buffing.

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

When I say mystery I mean patron.

[Morbid Eels]

Seeing as I managed to neglect saying which I would personally pick. Witch. Though if you're now considering bard it'd be bard. It's pretty much exactly what that party needs.

Outside of the selection already mentioned, I'd also consider an occultist. But only if you really didnt want to be a bard. You could buff a little and hand over a warrior panoply to one of the rogues if you were feeling really altruistic. And the flavor of them is pretty cool.

[Gisher]

Morbid Eels wrote:

Seeing as I managed to neglect saying which I would personally pick. Witch. Though if you're now considering bard it'd be bard. It's pretty much exactly what that party needs.

Outside of the selection already mentioned, I'd also consider an occultist. But only if you really didnt want to be a bard. You could buff a little and hand over a warrior panoply to one of the rogues if you were feeling really altruistic. And the flavor of them is pretty cool.

Yes. When the question is "what should I play?" the correct answer is always "occultist."

[Perfect Tommy]

Y'all have lots of characters; lots of suppsupport types. You really seem to be lacking a front liner, but you don't like playing them.

I would suggest warpriest or oracle of battle. Something that can fight when needed, and yet have a different emphasis at other times.

Plus, y'all are light on healing

[Merellin]

Bard sounds like I should like it, But no mather how I try I cant get any ideas for the Bard.. Most other classes I look at and I feel inspired, I find things making me want to try them, But not so with Bard.. That is troubeling..

I have wanted to try a summoner since I first read the class, They seem awesome and fun! But I worry as I read so much about how it ruins the game for the GM and all other players in the party and compleately wrecks balance..

Witch, This class seems realy fun. I'v wanted to try a full caster,But I worry about running out of spells, and Witch fixes that with Hexes! Seems much fun ^_^

Oracle, This seems like a more fun cleric. Cleric was my first character and I enjoyed it, But Oracle seems to be even more fun!

Alchemist mayhaps? I already played a alchemist, And so far it is my all time favorite class. I loved everything about it! But he died, Got eaten by a monster.. My previous alchemist focused on bomb damage, New one would be more mutagen and support bombs if I make one.

[Dasrak]

Well, I think you need to start narrowing things down. Everything you've mentioned will work just fine in your party. You seem to gravitate towards more versatile classes, which makes it very easy to make the option work. You also seem to have a good idea of the pros and cons of each class and what attracts you to them.

One good method for narrowing down your choices is just to pick two (any two), compare them, and eliminate your less favorite of those two options. Keep going until you've eliminated down to one. You'll be stuck with indecision forever if you don't just make a call, because you've got five great options here and there's no wrong answer between them.

[Morbid Eels]

Well, you dont seem to have done much narrowing down, so I doubt there's much more I can say to help you with that.

I can give advice for bard ideas though:

Spoiler:

Forget they are bards entirely. Take any character concept, chances are it can fit a bard.
Tribal shaman = bard whose mystic chanting magically empowers fighters.
War general = rousing battle speech motivates fighters.
Battlemage = beats his chest like a drum to fire-up fighters.

Perhaps you could use your less than wizard spellcasting to say you're a lazy drop-out of a mage's college? That's four ideas in less than a minute. But basically what i'm getting at is that bards dont always mean you need a lute and to prance around telling jokes or singing bad bar songs in a high pitched voice while wearing leggings. Bard can mean what you want it to mean.

My own favorite bard was an aspiring squire whose paladin was killed shortly before the adventure began. He just happened to be able to sing a little and over the course of the adventure began to sing more and more as he noticed it lifted everyone's spirits. He also made himself useful by studying magic as he came across it. It wasn't the most spectacularly creative or glorious of backgrounds, but was ultimately a very rewarding character that developed a lot as the campaign progressed. (And mechanically speaking, was no slouch in combat.)

[DrDeth]

Merellin wrote:

So, Due to diferences in opinion my Cavalier will probably leave the party after our current quest is done and I'm trying to think of what to play next. The classes I'm the most intrested in trying is Oracle (Buffer and healer with some combat capability) Witch (Debuffer with heals, And some buffs?) And Summoner (Probably a self proclaimed coward with a guardian angel eidolon, Or maybe a ratfolk with a four armed rat ogre..)

The rest of the party is a Oracle (Blaster, Who we sometimes manage to beg into healing us) Investigator (Brains of the party and potion maker) Magus (Big damage in melee) 2 Rogues (One melee, One ranged) And a Ranger (Melee natural attacker, Currently a GM PC after a GM change so he took more of a back role)

Life Oracle or Oradin. Focus on buffing and healing.

[DungeonmasterCal]

I'd go with Bard. Can buff a party, limited healing when necessary, back up party face when the Investigator is out of commission or the player is absent that session.

[Merellin]

I have managed to scribble short backstories for the Summoner and Alchemist, And started on one for a Bard. I thought, If I write backstories, Or try to atleast, For the classes I'm intrested in it might help me think of something. And i'v started getting ideas for a Bard..

A half-elf boy, Born into a somewhat poor, And somewhat large family after his human mother was seduced by a elf. His human father was not happy about it and took it out over the halfbreed child who grew up to resent his human father. The rest of his family wasent too kind to him either, Even if his mother tried to take care of him. One day a traveling Bard wanderd into town and the young half elf was facinated by the stories and music, Dreaming of traveling the land he asked the Bard to take him along, to teach him. The Bard agreed and so the half elf ran away from home, Traveling with the bard and learning his trade.

He isent much of a fighter and in combat he tries to stay away from enemies, Playing his music to inspire his allies, And casting some spells to help out but rarely actualy fighting, and when he does he probably uses a bow and stays back from fear of getting stabbed.