TOPIC: Character builds

Robert Thomson wrote:

henwy wrote: I have never seen a group, not in years anyway, that has actually had two wizards.

Me neither...at least not since Sunday on a Henwy led grind.

I wonder if the number of groups running two Wizards increases significantly once the Rod of Seven Parts comes out next year. The ability from the Eldritch two-item set ability to bypass both spell and damage resistance makes the Wizards extra deadly. I've been contemplating whether to have our group shift to two Wizards next year for that reason, but I'm not sure we have two people on a consistent basis that want to play Wizard.

Our True Grind Elf Wizard was selected for much simpler reasons (by me).

1) I set up for Ranger (as a new player)
2) Another player with Ranger tokens (purple ones) showed up late. I gave up ranger to that player who could do it more efficiently. (Apologies to Raven who then had to redo that part of the character card, and then I believe recopied the entire card.)
3) True grind doesn't require skill checks, so I could maximize spell power.
4) My only two purples are a charm of heroism (that I bought) and a mage cloak (that I pulled the day before). Elf Wizard let me use both. (Although it broke up my wind set.)

I too equip a party of 10 (or 8 if people don't show up) but it is never the same 10 people so I haven't a clue what people want to play. I have equipment for 12 characters therefore. Something like charms and ioun stones I just have 10 of and wait to see which characters are picked and then add them to the character. I lost an orb of might this year so I only was allowing 2 or the 3 characters that should have it to be played, bouncing the orbs to those two. Allowing everyone to just pick whatever they want has created some interesting parties. Two wizards, no wizards, no rogue, no cleric twice (once without a druid and once with), often no bard as almost no one wants to sing.

I have found in all these odd combinations that it doesn't matter the characters as much as the players that play them. Sure have no true healer sucks, but dungeons are still doable if everyone works well together (and you have potions and scrolls for the bard to heal). So I don't worry any more when I let people pick characters, though I still make recommendations.

I agree with Jedi - it's the player who makes the character. All these suggestions are good, but think about what class you enjoy. It's not hard to find a spot on a team here on the forums well in advance so you can secure your favorite class.

Heck, you could even start your own thread and see how forumites flock to your call! When the grouping threads start popping up, look for empty slots for your favorite class.

If you're working towards building a class now, I suggest just planning it - the 2014 tokens may contain more than a few that could be effective for you. Other than that, I agree that the slider classes contain the most interchangeable tokens.

I've seen fewer monks than anything. Elf wizard next fewest; but the relatively inexperienced groups I coached on Sunday seemed to avoid druid and bard. Bard's fun - and you don't have to sing; one group's bard tap-danced a combat rhythm - very creative!

The Wizard chart is not that hard to memorize; I finally bit the bullet and did it this year. I'd post tips here, but I'm afraid Jeff would change it

Even though I was playing the bard in my non-grind runs, I had more of the wizard chart memorized than the bard chart. It had logic to it instead of being a bunch of random elements, making it easier to learn even though I spent 1 minute on it, and 10 on the bard chart.

henwy wrote: I have never seen a group, not in years anyway, that has actually had two wizards.

our group (when it is the full 10 of us) always runs with 2 wizards for the past 2 years. started out doing it that way because we didnt have enough gear to equip all the melee types.