Good 6th Member to this party?

[Firewind]

Basically I've been invited by a couple of friends to join their PBP campaign to replace someone who had to drop out. Here are the classes in the party:

Shielding Swordmage
Hybrid Warlock|Warlord
Star-Pact Warlock
Hybrid Cleric|Avenger
Hybrid Ranger|Cleric (GMPC)

Party starting at Lv9, Additional Lv11 item is allowed on top of the normal treasure pile by the DM and she is also allowing me to turn my Lv8 magic item into cash if I want so I'm not *that* far behind the others in terms of loot and I have at least a bit of leeway in what items I can get.

I've noticed the one thing the group is badly in need of is a skill monkey (nobody has any scouting or thievery skills trained) so I was thinking of Thief (MC Fighter via Battle Awareness) because it pretty much covers every single skill they are missing and then some. That and I love to roleplay as Rogues and since it's PBP and everyone in the group is a roleplayer, there's plenty of RP to be had.

But the group already has a ton of damage already and when I talk to them a couple of the players (not very) subtly hint that they would prefer a Controller (even though I have 0 experience with playing one as I usually play Leaders or Strikers).

Anyway basically my question is this: Would a Thief (or Scoundrel) work in this group or would I be better off just going for a Controller?

EDIT: Quick addition:

It's a Scales of War campaign and there are no huge glaring restrictions except no Themes, no Thrikreen and no monster races. I was given the extra item rules to play with since everyone else is already mid Lv9.

[Ashdate]

I can't comment on the various builds there, but it's true that there isn't a single class currently in the party whose primary role is to be a controller (not even one of the hybrid halves). I think controllers can be pretty wonderful to play, the question (therefore) is whether you can get a controller who might have access to Stealth and Thievery.

The Binder (Warlock from Heroes of Shadow) can pick Thievery as a skill, but you've already got 1.5 Warlocks in the group already, and you would need to wrangle Stealth somehow too. Having a character with Stealth on their class list and getting thievery through a multi-class feat is probably (therefore) preferable.

A Hunter (Ranger from Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdom) has stealth naturally, and even uses Dexterity as their primary ability (perfect with using Stealth and Thievery). However, it's not going to control the battlefield as much as a Wizard of Psion is (it's "controlling" is generally limited to one target at a time), and depending on your skill level with 4e, an early essentials character might feel too limiting.

A Seeker could be a replacement the offers a bit more robust options, although the support for the class is still fairly weak. That said, it'll be a more effective controller than a Hunter will.

You can pick up Thievery through a variety of multiclass powers that let you pick the skill from another class's list.

[BlckDv]

I also see the restriction of "No Themes" but not "No Backgrounds" as this is a Scales of War campaign; you can likely get a good background to give you access to Stealth, Thievery or both, likely with a +1-3 on top of the access. Additionally, you could pick a Race like Eladrin or Human that give you easy access to an extra skill slot. (Tasty Human Bonus feat makes MCing for a skill or even Skill Training that much easier).

For my .02, An Eladrin Wizard who was also a sneaky thief type could be great fun in combat and in RP.

[Dimers]

I think I'd go for a skills-oriented druid ... maybe druid-MC-monk, something like that. Druid is probably the best melee controller, and I'm guessing from that list of classes that the party already has plenty of ranged. (Maybe that's why they need a controller? Keep enemies off their ranged attackers?) They're tougher than other controllers, too. You can start out with Perception easily, pick up Stealth or Thievery from MC -- maybe both, if you MC to rogue.

Sounds like what you need for stats is Wis+Dex. That benefits Perception, Stealth and Thievery, fits just fine with druid and monk tendencies, and boosts three defenses. Humans are good for everything. Drow have a controller-y racial power. Being a vanilla elf could help you enforce your control more often. Personally, I like the image of a goblin druid, and they too can get racial improvements to both Dex and Wis.

[Firewind]

I'm experienced enough in 4E, it's just I mostly play Leaders or Strikers so building a good Controller would be my main weakness since the people I tend to play with love making them so that slot is almost always covered right away one of the friends also LOVES Fighter and Sword Mage, they are his favourite classes, so Defender is always covered too).

I did speak to the DM and she honestly doesn't mind what I play really (since we do have every role covered in some form). Scales of War isn't exactly designed for min-maxing anyway.

I do have some experience with building (but not gearing) Wizards though so that said, making Mage specialising in Illusions and Enchantments would be fun, especially if I play it like a 3.5 Beguiler (It was basically a combination of a Rogue's skillset and class abilities minus sneak attack and a Sorc Specialising in Illusions).

Going Human would let me pick up a MC feat for skill training due to the bonus feat. Though Eladrin would be amusing too.

Druid would also be interesting though I think I will probably have to ask the others in how to build one that isn't terrible.

Hmm so at the moment I am thinking:

Rogue (Thief or Scoundrel both work)
Mage (Illusionist paired with Enchantments)
Wild Shape(?) Druid

[Raimun]

Something that isn't a hybrid? :smalltongue:

Enchantment Mage would be a solid choice. You said you don't have experience playing one but since you're leaning more to Enchantment than fireballs, you should do fine. It's better to do effects than damage, if you're a controller.

Here's some tips. (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28817645/Archmages_Ascension_-_The_Wizards_Handbook)

[Firewind]

Yeah I basically went for an Eladrin Mage specialising in Illusions and Nethermancy (for concealment stuff and RP reasons), loaded on on Illusion and Enchantmeent powers. Basically I play her exactly like a Beguiler from 3.5e.

The rest of the group was pretty helpful with gear suggestions. While I'm technically a little behind the group it should not matter in the long run since Scales of War doesn't exactly require min/maxing.

Basically she is a Wizard that abuses her Arcane Talents to channel Haley and steal stuff using her illusions, enchantments and teleport spells (Fey Step and Wizard's Escape).

Part of her backstory is that she obtained one of her magic items by Fey Stepping into a Wizard's study, stealing the item, "replacing" it with an illusion and then sneaking out and skipping town before an angry Wizard discovered that his prized magic item is just an illusion.