What is essential to a party?

[FearlessJDK]

I am feeling a little stuck by what kind of party to create. I've rolled a Paladin and Wizard.

I'm thinking I should roll a Cleric because healing and was thinking about a rogue for getting through doors/traps. However I was also hoping to have a ranged character (Ranger most likley.) But that's more characters then I can include.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Insert Name]

I don't play a Pally... at all, but they can heal, yes?
Avoid Rogue. Ranger is good! Fighter Ranger, Wizard, Wizard worked quite nicely for me last run through :)
Not sure what DLCs you have but Barbarian and Sorcerer I also found enjoyable and effective. I found that if you are fairly careful, you don't need a dedicated healer to get through the base campaign. If that is indeed what you are playing through.
I personally find Wizard Essential to mainly identify things. I am impatient. They also deal tons of damage :)

[Berserkr]

Healing with spells is kind of pointless while in combat most of the time just use potions, craft them while travelling or resting

[Zeel Ara]

Beefy melee, high damage melee, high damage range, support/healing, and spell-based control. You need to cover all five. How you do that is up to you. Sadly, in a game with only 4 character parties, it becomes very restrictive, since you need at the very least one of the characters to fill two of the roles. It encourages min/maxing and thus removes the room for player expression. A poor design choice with the sole benefit of making UI easier to handle.

[DiceWrangler]

The only healing spell that you need is Healing Word and, maybe, have Revivify on your spell list so that you can use a scroll and avoid a premature "Game Over." Also, I would pick a DEX-based Ranger with the Lowlife background (for Thieves' Tools) over a Rogue.

ps. Healing during combat -- except to bring-up a fallen character -- is a waste of Actions and D&D 5e is all about Action Economy. Note that Healing Word is a Bonus Action and not a Standard Action.

[FearlessJDK]

Thanks everyone. While I'm no stranger to TTRPGs/TRPGs, I am not familar with 5E so the insight help. I'll admit to being rather pleased that healing may not be a neccesity. I never loved the idea of feeling like I *had* to take a Cleric.

[Dallas S]

Yeah healing in combat isn't really a thing in 5e. I mean it is a thing, but 9 times out of 10 you're better off damaging an enemy with that turn, and healing does so little that it might not even do anything if the enemy hits you and downs you anyway.

The only healing spell worth it is healing word because it's a bonus action and at a distance, you only use it on a companion who is downed.

Paladin lay on hands is really good too because you only need to use 1 point of lay on hands to bring a party member back up.

[Barden]

Paladin, Cleric, Wizard, and Ranger (low life background) works great. I actually have my rangers fight with two weapons more than a bow & my wizard is the ranged specialist (either via bow or spell).

[Raverik]

wizard or someone with academic background is must since it allow you to craft equipment and most end game gear is crafted

[Dallas S]

Originally posted by ¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯:

wizard or someone with academic background is must since it allow you to craft equipment and most end game gear is crafted

You don't need wizard or academic background for that.

You just need someone with proficiency in Arcana OR mancalon rosary.

And all the best gear is bought from the faction merchants, not Crafted.

[BigRockWall]

Originally posted by Dallas S:

Originally posted by ¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯:

wizard or someone with academic background is must since it allow you to craft equipment and most end game gear is crafted

You don't need wizard or academic background for that.

You just need someone with proficiency in Arcana OR mancalon rosary.

And all the best gear is bought from the faction merchants, not Crafted.

Welllllllllll IDK about your last sentance. Stun maul is crafted. Thunderbolt warhammer is crafted. Wardenblade, crafted. Both crossbows are crafted. Unless you are playing a user made campaigns that have all the gear either as RNG loot drops or at the vendors. But in the official campaigns, crafting is good.

[Dallas S]

Originally posted by BigRockWall:

Originally posted by Dallas S:

You don't need wizard or academic background for that.

You just need someone with proficiency in Arcana OR mancalon rosary.

And all the best gear is bought from the faction merchants, not Crafted.

Welllllllllll IDK about your last sentance. Stun maul is crafted. Thunderbolt warhammer is crafted. Wardenblade, crafted. Both crossbows are crafted. Unless you are playing a user made campaigns that have all the gear either as RNG loot drops or at the vendors. But in the official campaigns, crafting is good.

I didn't say it was bad, just saying it's not necessary. Plus by the best magical gear, I mean things like belt of giant strength, brightwall, cog of coh, cloak of aracnida, bracers of defense +2, cloak of displacement, mantle of spell resistance etc are all either bought or found.

[BigRockWall]

Originally posted by Dallas S:

I didn't say it was bad, just saying it's not necessary. Plus by the best magical gear, I mean things like belt of giant strength, brightwall, cog of coh, cloak of aracnida, bracers of defense +2, cloak of displacement, etc are all either bought or found.

Gotcha. Then yeah agreed. None of the crafted weapons i mentioned are necessary strictly speaking. My first play through of CoTM i didn't read guides and just winged it, ended the game with mostly basic +1 gear and didn't have any problems. But they definitely made consecutive campaigns more enjoyable when i did craft them.

[guard65]

Not a single class makes a difference since 5e is super-mutt you can get away with all the same class with no healer. Of course you need to know the play style for such a party and cover your assets. Run what you feel good about and drift from that on future scenarios.

[Uncanny_Vorgor]

Paladin: Face of the party, Good dps and can also make a decent support with lay on hand and using shield fighting style.

Wizard: Will be the one enchanting your weapons and armor, Great utility and dps with their spells, will also be the one having all the skills requiering int (such has knowledge arcana, history, and nature)

Cleric: Good support, good spells (if you pick sun, war or law), Good dps and tank (I recommand going Dex instead of Strength so that your melee and range use the same stat, (can also be a good lockpicker if go dex and pick the lowlife background)

Ranger: Good utility with the spell Goodberry so that you don't have to carry rations, can make a good lockpicker with the lowlife background, High dps, Good cc.

Also here are some links to help you with team comp

https://www.neoseeker.com/solasta-crown-of-the-magister/guides/Party_Composition

https://www.reddit.com/r/CrownOfTheMagister/comments/ty78dz/a_subjective_guide_to_solasta/

[Raverik]

Originally posted by Dallas S:

Originally posted by ¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯:

wizard or someone with academic background is must since it allow you to craft equipment and most end game gear is crafted

You don't need wizard or academic background for that.

You just need someone with proficiency in Arcana OR mancalon rosary.

And all the best gear is bought from the faction merchants, not Crafted.

i may be wrong but as far i know the only way to get proficiency for manacalon rosary is either be a wizzard or pick academic background

by gear i mean weapon and armor