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Good versatile class?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
gargs454
May 30, 2009 23:04:16 So I'm fairly new to 4th Ed. still and I'm going to be joining a game where a number of people are going to be rotating in and out due to our hectic schedules. As such, the party composition is really going to vary from week to week. I'm looking for a class that is pretty good with most any composition and was curious as to whether or not there were any obvious choices.

Leader's and Defenders seem to be the more obvious choices. I'd prefer to avoid cleric since I have one for LFR, though their healing is always going to be welcomed. The bard seems like a fairly intriguing option though given their multiclass ability.

For defenders, the fighter seems like a good choice too, but not sure if this could be problematic if we suddenly ran into a party makeup of 3 defenders, etc. I don't have any experience with the warden so any thoughts there would be appreciated as well. For books I have both PHB and PHBII. I could probably get the Power books, but would prefer to avoid doing that for now (to save money).

Anyhoo, I realize the obvious answer is "play what sounds fun" but to be honest, I have yet to have a character I didn't enjoy playing, so any thoughts as to a good, versatile class would be great. I'm not looking for a completely optimized build or anything, just something that can jump into most any party without feeling like a third wheel. Oh and obviously, any classes I haven't mentioned that would fit the bill would be welcomed as well.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.
#2
kouk
May 30, 2009 23:45:36 You might just have a couple of characters and swap as needed, much like the RPGA when a party is clearly poorly built unless someone brings in a sub. Hectic groups may require a couple of backup characters to pull in, sometimes running two at a time if not enough people show up but you want to game.

Or, go for generalist characters who can do a couple of things, like Paladins with decent backup healing, swordmages with decent backup controlling...

Of course you can rarely go wrong with more healing :P You can make a sort of melee warlord, or a whatever-you-want bard, or a different type of cleric (melee vs. ranged).
#3
AbdulAlhazred
May 31, 2009 0:43:17 One would think it would be hard to go too wrong with a bard. Of course nothing is going to work perfectly with every group.
#4
kuonji
May 31, 2009 7:45:48
One would think it would be hard to go too wrong with a bard. Of course nothing is going to work perfectly with every group.

I'm also a fan of bard.
#5
gargs454
May 31, 2009 8:06:13 Hey thanks for the suggestions guys. I agree that having a backup character might be a good idea, sole I'll probably make a fighter too, but sounds like a bard might be a good starting point as well. Hopefully I can keep playing him just to get up to a higher level quicker. :P
#6
Mad_Jack
May 31, 2009 18:32:34 Yeah, I'll go with bard as well. They've always been the default Swiss-army-knife characters...

I think you should probably go with the bow-using build (was that in arcane power, I think?), as it will cover both spellcasting and give you good ranged attacks - and you can never have too much good ranged damage...
#7
mellored
May 31, 2009 21:49:38 If your not up for a bard, avengers can cover several classes.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gargs454 May 30, 2009 23:04:16	So I'm fairly new to 4th Ed. still and I'm going to be joining a game where a number of people are going to be rotating in and out due to our hectic schedules. As such, the party composition is really going to vary from week to week. I'm looking for a class that is pretty good with most any composition and was curious as to whether or not there were any obvious choices. Leader's and Defenders seem to be the more obvious choices. I'd prefer to avoid cleric since I have one for LFR, though their healing is always going to be welcomed. The bard seems like a fairly intriguing option though given their multiclass ability. For defenders, the fighter seems like a good choice too, but not sure if this could be problematic if we suddenly ran into a party makeup of 3 defenders, etc. I don't have any experience with the warden so any thoughts there would be appreciated as well. For books I have both PHB and PHBII. I could probably get the Power books, but would prefer to avoid doing that for now (to save money). Anyhoo, I realize the obvious answer is "play what sounds fun" but to be honest, I have yet to have a character I didn't enjoy playing, so any thoughts as to a good, versatile class would be great. I'm not looking for a completely optimized build or anything, just something that can jump into most any party without feeling like a third wheel. Oh and obviously, any classes I haven't mentioned that would fit the bill would be welcomed as well. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
#2 kouk May 30, 2009 23:45:36	You might just have a couple of characters and swap as needed, much like the RPGA when a party is clearly poorly built unless someone brings in a sub. Hectic groups may require a couple of backup characters to pull in, sometimes running two at a time if not enough people show up but you want to game. Or, go for generalist characters who can do a couple of things, like Paladins with decent backup healing, swordmages with decent backup controlling... Of course you can rarely go wrong with more healing :P You can make a sort of melee warlord, or a whatever-you-want bard, or a different type of cleric (melee vs. ranged).
#3 AbdulAlhazred May 31, 2009 0:43:17	One would think it would be hard to go too wrong with a bard. Of course nothing is going to work perfectly with every group.
#4 kuonji May 31, 2009 7:45:48	One would think it would be hard to go too wrong with a bard. Of course nothing is going to work perfectly with every group. I'm also a fan of bard.
#5 gargs454 May 31, 2009 8:06:13	Hey thanks for the suggestions guys. I agree that having a backup character might be a good idea, sole I'll probably make a fighter too, but sounds like a bard might be a good starting point as well. Hopefully I can keep playing him just to get up to a higher level quicker. :P
#6 Mad_Jack May 31, 2009 18:32:34	Yeah, I'll go with bard as well. They've always been the default Swiss-army-knife characters... I think you should probably go with the bow-using build (was that in arcane power, I think?), as it will cover both spellcasting and give you good ranged attacks - and you can never have too much good ranged damage...
#7 mellored May 31, 2009 21:49:38	If your not up for a bard, avengers can cover several classes.