Need a good party-minded Tier 1

[veven]

I was recently invited to play in a friend's game with two guys who are new to D&D. The DM has a history of rough encounters so I want to make sure their first experience with D&D is a positive one. The idea was to play a Tier 1 character who focuses on bettering his team mates or making things easier for them while still being able to turn on the god-mode switch should things start to get messy.

I was thinking maybe a War weaver or something like that...Maybe something sort of gishy too if it's possible. The gish part is not a high priority. I am thinking either a transmutation specialist or going with an Elven Generalist....i don't really like banning schools.

Any other ideas that can pull off the same general tricks are greatly appreciated. One thing is, I don't yet know what they will be playing, so my character will likely depend on what they end up doing.

[Mystral]

I'd advise you play god.

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19873034/Treantmonks_guide_to_Wizards:_Being_a_God

(for those of us who don't know what I mean and don't want to read the link: god is a wizard archetype that specialises not on doing everything himself, but buff his allies and debuff his enemies so his allies have an easier time doing the work for him)

[gorfnab]

Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8
Sublime Chord casting nets you the God like powers while the Bardic abilities, such as Inspire Courage (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9830.0), buff and better the party. If you want to gish throw in Snowflake Wardance, Slippers of Battledancing, and a Harmonizing Crystal Echoblade.

[Little Brother]

How tough you want? We can have bajillions of buffs that lasst 4 hours, we can have 9th-level Arcane, Divine, and Psionic.

Before I give a build, I want to know if you wanna play CoDZilla or Batman, and to what extent.

[GoatBoy]

Gish probably isn't a great idea if you're focused on party support. You've only got so many actions per round.

Archivist grants bonuses to allies in addition to its spell list, so you'll have more freedom in which spells to prepare in turn.

Artificer can help with items and buffs as well, and you can save the really potent items/infusions for when things go sour (take the Rapid Infusion feat if this campaign doesn't use action points.)

Malconvoker from Complete Scoundrel will help the party by conjuring a bunch of meat shields. This combines very well with the conjurer variant in Unearthed Arcana (summon monster spells are a standard action) but will require banning schools. This works well with a God-wizard, as previous poster suggested.

[Coidzor]

Warweavers from Heroes of Battle are very party-minded. Combine with certain PrCs and you'll be able to fit all levels of spell into your weave.

Additionally, remind the DM to not be a **** if you're suspecting he's going to be one, rather than attempt to deal with an interpersonal failing on his part in game.

[DoctorGlock]

See how your DM interprets the Ardent's magic mantle, then see if you can go Ardent 1/STP Erudite 5/War-Weaver 5/Incantatrix 9 or something like that. Buff your party into team solar and turn your enemies into quaking bags of pus. Your party will love you, your DM will break out a chainsaw.

[JaronK]

I basic DMM Persistent Cleric, when focused on the right buffs, should do the trick. Things like Recitation, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, Lesser Mass Vigor, and so on let you spread your power out to the whole party.

JaronK

[Flickerdart]

You're probably better off with Cleric, since new players might have the "someone needs to play bandaid" mindset. If someone had to be forced to take Cleric before, they'll be demanding it after they see what a proper Cleric can do. Same with Wizards and not-fireballs, though.

[Darth_Versity]

Well the two most obvious are War Weaver, as you already said, and Archivist. Both are excellent Tier 1's but also provide plant of party support.

My Personal Choice Would be a Wizard/War Weaver that takes the Arcane Disciple feat to get the Healing domain and can now use wands of CLW thus becoming the party healer/buffer/debuffer/battlefield control/blaster. And can fill all of those roles quite well.

I'd also take Sanctum Spell for early entry into War Weaver and to get Heal as a 5th level spell so it can be cast through the weaving in an emergency.

[Flickerdart]

Well the two most obvious are War Weaver, as you already said, and Archivist. Both are excellent Tier 1's but also provide plant of party support.

My Personal Choice Would be a Wizard/War Weaver that takes the Arcane Disciple feat to get the Healing domain and can now use wands of CLW thus becoming the party healer/buffer/debuffer/battlefield control/blaster. And can fill all of those roles quite well.

I'd also take Sanctum Spell for early entry into War Weaver and to get Heal as a 5th level spell so it can be cast through the weaving in an emergency.
I do not think it's a good idea to introduce Sanctum Spell cheese to them. It's probably best to keep it simple - Wizard 10/War Weaver 5/Archmage 5 (for Arcane Reach, primarily, for easier buffing).

[veven]

I think I'll probably use a combination of the above two posters. They likely will be in the mindset that in battle healing is super important so Arcane Disciple: Healing will come in handy. I do feel a bit icky about Sanctum Spell stuff with new players...I don't want that to set a precedent. I like the simple stuff.

Either that or I'll flip it around and play a divine magician Cleric with the magic domain. Hmmm... that sounds fun.

As for the Archivist suggestion, I totally would but I just finished playing one and would like to try something new.

[warmachine]

Cleric. Lots of buff and de-buff spells as well as healing, so you help others rather than make them redundant. An experienced player, such as yourself, can prepare the right spells to prevent catastrophe when the DM chucks around paralysers, level drainers, grapplers and spell resistance and enforces core only. Has the armour and HP to go toe-to-toe in melee if necessary.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Fire Elf or Grey Elf, Martial Wizard (Conjurer) 5/ Paragnostic Apostle 1/ Incantatrix 10/ Divine Oracle 4.

Get Improved Initiative and Spontaneous Divination at Wizard 1 and 5. Get Abrupt Jaunt from PH2, then take Obtain Familiar at 3rd level with the Elf Wizard 3 substitution level to get a hummingbird familiar. Use the Otyugh Hole to get Iron Will for Incantatrix and the Frog God's Fane to get Skill Focus for Divine Oracle. Take Mind Over Matter from Paragnostic Apostle.

Start out by casting Grease or Glitterdust or Web or Stinking Cloud or Black Tentacles, then probably put Haste on the party. If you can take flaws then get Spell Focus: Transmutation and Ability Enhancer from Dragon Compendium, so your Bull's Strength and similar grant a +6 and Animalistic Power from PH2 grants +4 to all three physical stats.

Definitely get Extend and Persistent Spell, probably get Sculpt Spell for crowd controls, and Quicken Spell is useful later on. Consider getting Arcane Disciple for the Winter domain and enough 1st level Pearls of Power (and Lesser Rods of Extend) to cast Snowsight on everyone and always keep Obscuring Snow active (Frostburn).

[Hoboshank]

Artificer. Make everyone in your party an obscene number of magical items so thy can plow through everything. Then if the worst happens you can dual wield then metamagic wands and easily destroy whatever happens to be in your path. The number of wands/items also allows you incredible versatility so youre never caught off guard

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Cleric with DMM Chain Spell.

Everyone will think you are the party buffbot and healbot... until you DMM Chain Reach Slay Living and wipe out all opponents with a single move action and a 5th level spell slot...

[veven]

Is there any kosher way to get Heroics on a cleric's spell list?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Is there any kosher way to get Heroics on a cleric's spell list?

You could use Anyspell from the Spell domain to cast it 1/day, maybe more with a (few) 3rd level Pearl of Power to recover Anyspell and set it up again. You can get the Magic domain and use a Wand of Heroics, or better yet get a (few) Eternal Wand that's usable 2/day.

[Psyren]

Archivist and Artificer are T1s specifically designed with teamwork in mind. Erudite is amazing at teamwork with a psionic party.

But really, T1's whole thing is... anything. If you want a teamwork-focused wizard or druid, the game is your oyster.