A new optimization challenge: An entire party, stronger than the sum of its parts.

[AttilaTheGeek]

This was inspired by this quote, which pretty much sums it up.

...in fact, I think I'd love to see a contest phrased something like, "Build the most optimal four-man party you think a DM would allow at a table, assuming it is to be played 1-20." Because that would be a real exercise in creative theory-craft with some practical application when it's done.

Assuming that both 3.5 and Pathfinder are being used, what is the most synergistic party you can come up with? In other words, a party that derives its power from the combination and teamwork of its characters, not through raw individual strength alone.

Making the challenge an entire party allows the characters to have strengths and weaknesses, but they have to cover for each other and work together to shore up those weaknesses.

[TroubleBrewing]

Team Cleric pretty much has this one in the bag, unfortunately. I see where you're driving with the proposal, but four Clerics is seriously your best option.

[flare'90]

Something like Team Solar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188138)?

[ahenobarbi]

I think a bard with optimized inspire courage, battlefield controller wizard, clericzilla and a skill-boot cloistered cleric fits the bill. All the characters act as serious power-multipliers.

[Segev]

One of the strictures is that it should be something a DM is likely to allow at his table. Whether "team cleric" falls under that is up to you, of course, but I have to question whether "team cleric" will really synergize as well as some variety.

[A.A.King]

I always liked the idea of combining one of those TO Sneak Attack focused Rogue builds, Tons of Sneak Attack Dice but hardly any BAB and combine it with a War Chanter. Use the War Chanter to pump up the Sneaky guy and now the weakness of no BAB is no more.

[JaronK]

Okay, specifically going for Teamwork here:

1) Spellthief. On their own, they're weak, but they really shine when they can temporarily "borrow" Sp abilities from other classes.

2) Factotum. Combined with spellthief, these bad boys suddenly provide endless all day casting of a select set of spells. Choose wisely.

3) Warlock. The spellthief can borrow from this guy as well, which provides even more options.

4) Binder. With the Warlock to donate spells to the Binder, and the Binder having a vestige to get any item creation feat at will, we've got some serious synergy.

Everybody in the party can be stealthy, so the entire party can work like a covert ops team. The spellthief can borrow spells from the Factotum and the Warlock, allowing all day usage of a bunch of abilities. They can also all go full diplomacy if they need to. They're very flexible that way. And they can team up to produce pretty much any magic item ever.

Option 2... the philosophers! Everybody in this party has Vow of Poverty and Vow of Peace.

1) Warlock 1/Binder 1/Marshal 1/Bard X. The primary diplomat... this guy uses Fascinate to make people stop and listen to him, and he can convert people to your side as a standard action via his ultra high diplomacy. His aura adds his charisma modifier to the cha checks of everyone else.

2) Factotum/Marshal 1. He'll need a few feats and things to handle traps, but that's his general job. He adds his charisma mod to the Int checks of everyone else. He'll also take the Lucid Dreaming skill so he can go into other people's dreams and convert them remotely while they sleep.

3 and 4) Warlock 1/Binder 1/Marshal 1/Bard X/Apostle of Peace Y. Like the first guy, but these guys are allowed to have a few defensive magic items. Handy that way. They add their charisma modifier to the Dex and Wisdom checks of everyone nearby.

The main trick here is that everyone in the party forces multiple will saves on enemies who get close, and if they fail even one they have to stop, calm down, and listen. At this point the party uses diplomacy to convert them to their side. By staying close to each other they make sure the chances of anyone passing all the saves is minimal. They don't really need magic items, so they just wander about talking philosophy with their new minions, and converting everyone to peace and love (while debating on the exact nature of the best governmental systems to implement when they've converted enough people).


Option 3: Fear The Dragons!

This entire party is made up of Unseelie Fey Venerable Dragonwrought Kobolds. Whee! Go go dragon power!

1) Factotum 1/Paladin of Tyranny 4/Hexblade 4/Ur Priest 2/Bone Knight 9, using the Dark Companion substitution. This guy has a +5 Cha boost due to his racial choice, and subtracts 4+ his cha mod from the saves of anyone nearby, making it really hard for enemies to resist what the rest of the party does. Uses the Imperious Command feat to make people cower when he uses intimidate, along with Never Outnumbered to make it an area effect.

2) Inspire Awe Bard. Uses this variant from Dragon Magic, along with Requiem and Haunting Melody, to scare all enemies. They have to save against a will save based on his perform check (which will be insanely high) or be frightened... and it even effects undead. With the tank guy above in range, nobody's going to be saving. And the duration is as long as the enemy stays too close.

3) Dread Necromancer8/Dread Witch X. Uses his fear aura along with Imperious Command to scare enemies. Undead enemies are simply controlled. Even enemies that are immune to fear are affected. His save or suck spells always get through due to the tank's save reduce ability.

4) Zhentarium Fighter 9/Evil Dread Pirate 5. Uses Imperious Command, so as a swift action everyone within 30' must will save vs his intimidate check or Cower (and because of the Bard, this will last indefinitely).

Now, this party's so effective because of the way fear stacks... the effects add up, but the duration is equal to that of the longest effect. So if anyone in the party makes something cower (which many can do), as long as the Bard stays nearby they will continue to cower forever. Even undead will be unable to resist this!

JaronK

[Starmage21]

Team Cleric may have this one in the bag, but what about Team Wizard?

Spellcaster -Wizard/Incantatrix/Archmage
Trap-finder/Sneak Attacker Wizard/Rogue/Arcane Trickster (Pathfinder version, 3.5 SUCKS)
Melee-mage Fighter(or Warblade)/Eldritch Knight/Spellsword
Healer-Wizard! Wizard/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge

[Segev]

Those are some nicely themed parties! :)

[137beth]

1) Pun-pun
2) Pun-pun
3)Pun-pun
4)Pun-pun

I think that is as powerful as it gets.

Hmm, how would you optimize a team of four commoners?
They could pool WBL to give one of the commoners decent spellcasting items.
One would focus on CHA and social skills...
One would focus on DPS (without many magic items)...
And a fourth one for...trapfinding? I'm not sure (I'm assuming that the chicken-making cheese is banned).

[Invader]

Setting aside a team with 4 identical characters I'd say;
Wizard
Rogue
Druid
Crusader

I don't really see a role that these 4 can't cover exceptionally well.

[Eldariel]

Honestly? Team Solar has the basics down, though you can improve upon that framework. Incantatrix/Spelldancer to persistify everything, Cleric/Archivist & Wizard to basically cover all spells, Artificer for nearly free equipment (and Trapfinding should it be relevant though at this point, you can minionmancy with the best of them) and then just a Psion/Erudite/Ardent (Dominant Ideal) or whatever to replicate the rest of the abilities. Some PRCs offer unique abilities so you definitely want those (Dweomerkeeper, Halruaan Elder, Spelldancer, etc.).

Then you just use your ridiculous buff stack to make everybody a monstrous melee threat while they're all still full casters with the ability to spontaneously cast basically any spell and manifest any power (these abilities can be gained in-class and bestown upon others). All weak encounters are trounced by your melee ability and you still have all the powers of D&D to bring down on any gods that may tread in your path.


I'm not going to the extremes like Tainted Scholar, Illithid Savant, Beholder Mage or such but this is certainly on the level where Planar Shepherds, Incantatars, Dweomerkeepers and company can function. You can still run a game fairly easily on this level but the number of things that can be a threat to the PCs is fairly small (mostly limited to similar stuff, deity-level stuff and high-powered outsiders/undead/dragons/etc.).

[Mjollnir075]

Huh, strangely enough, I was thinking about this very subject while at work today.

So, considering both PF and 3.5, my ideal synergistic party would probably be..

Cleric 4/Crusader 1/ Ruby Knight Vindicator 7/ Runecaster 8/ - Runecaster is my favorite Prc and I'm so glad someone finally did a handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296106) for them (Thanks, Saintheart!). This has the power to be one bad dude, with all the tasty Cleric buffs, and still ends up with 9th level spells. If using PF crafting rules, there isn't even any xp costs! This is probably my favorite build, and I would love to use it in a game. If anyone sees any reason this wouldn't work or is borked or something, please let me know!

Bard 4/Warblade 16 - DFI and Song of White Raven. A forum favorite. Better progression for Inspire Courage, if I'm not mistaken. Possible Bard archetypes? Not sure.

Paladin 2 (Holy Tactician, maybe?)/ Sorcerer 18 (Draconic or Arcane, I also like the flavor of Imperious) - Gish, obviously. Arcane Armor Mastery, in conjunction with ASF reducing materials from 3.5. If not too feat taxing, Imperious Command with the Imperious bloodline.

Tactician 20 - I haven't really read the Psionic books from DSP, but everyone comments on their viability. Upon reading this class over just now, I think it would be a good fit. Gets 9's, albeit from a specialized list, and connects the party to each other.


So we end up with a Divine gish with 9th level spellcasting, 7th level Maneuvers (I believe, I don't have the book with me here) and amazing crafting abilities to pass out best Cleric buffs, Bardblade to add craptons of d6's along with 9th maneuvers, Sorcadin gish that, if Holy Tactician works as I think it does, gives a pretty good boost to hit for the party alongside 9th level Arcane casting, and Tactician, which I suppose would be the mastermind, connecting to the party and relaying strategies with Telepathy/Teamwork Feats. Also, 9th level Powers.

Feel free to critique. I'm not an optimizer, but I would like to think I picked up a few tricks from watching the masters at play.

[sleepyphoenixx]

I'll second the awesome that is Runecaster.

Druid 19/Contemplative 1 - the tank. Uses summons and Dragon Wild Shape with Body outside Body (from luck domains Miracle). Shifter for the great first substitution level.

Cloistered Cleric 3/Swordsage 2/RKV 2/Dweomerkeeper 4/Runecaster 8 - A gishy cleric that uses turn undead to recover maneuvers and provides 9th level spells along with runes and supernatural spell 1/day. I prefer Swordsage over Crusader.

Conjurer 6/Swiftblade 9/Abjurant Champion 5 - the arcanist. Hard to kill thanks to Swiftblade and Abjurant Champion while still having 9th level spells.

Beguiler 6/Prestige Bard 1/Heartfire Fanner 5/Virtuoso 5/Mindbender 1/Unseen Seer 2 - the skillmonkey, scout and all around buffer with full bardic music. Sacrifices some spellcasting for bardic music and Heartfire Fanners buffs but that's covered by the rest of the party.

I think it's obvious i like gishes and characters that can fill multiple roles.:smallbiggrin:
Not the most powerful party but versatile, tough and able to deal with any trouble they may stumble into.

[DR27]

Marshal 1(mastery of tactics)/Crusader X
Inspire Courage Bard - with Haunting Melody, Snowflake Wardance
Spellthief 1/Beguiler 8/Unseen Seer 10/Mindbender 1
Artificer

I see this as a party that synergizes well, with the Crusader and Beguiler focusing on battlefield control, the Bard buffing/causing fear, and Artificer for general equipment/minions. It should be relatively stealthy (although the beguiler might need to cast silence on the crusader), while also rarely surprised (mindbender dip for mindsight, artificer minions).

[ArqArturo]

First, a bit of foreward, I don't own ToB, so I don't really know much about them fancy Warblades/Swordsages/Crusaders.

Now that I have that out of the way, these would be my ideal four-man team:

1.- Illumian Cleric 3/Warlock 2/Eldritch Disciple 10/Contemplative 5. Reasons why: Healing blast gives you pretty much insta-healing outside of combat, not to mention that there are incredible options for anything you might need, both in the cleric department, and the warlock department.

2.- Human Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Mage of the Arcane Order 5. This is what I call the Arcane Bomb.

3.- Human Paladin 5/Shugenja (anything other than Fire) 2/Fist of Raziel 10/Divine Disciple 5. Powerful Spellcasting, and very nice abilities to boost, as well as being the party face and tank.

4.- Illumian Beguiler 6/Spellthief (for Master Spellthief shenanigans) 1/Loredelver 10/Unseen Seer 3. Basically, the skill-monkey.

[Squirrel_Dude]

4 characters who all support each other equally, to make a stronger party? Hmm, maybe a Bard, but their buffing tends to be a one way street.

How about a Cleric that focuses on buffing/controlling undead and a Undead Bard that focuses on combat, as a start. I'm just not sure what other pieces would go along with that.

[Segev]

I do like the suggestion that a Spellthief makes for a good character in a party designed to work together rather than as a stand-alone, though I could certainly do with some ideas on how that might work out to fullest advantage.

There are probably better ways to do this, but two bards - one with Dragonfire Inspiration, and the other going War Chanter to use his Inspire Courage for the to-hit - would synergize well across an entire party's accuracy.

One of the things I would like to see is the ways that a wizard ("batman" or otherwise) or cleric can use their magics to optimize their less magically inclined allies in ways that many of our optimized builds usually rely on multiclassing to get the spells guaranteed. How can an assumption that the party casters are ready and willing to back you up with buffs change our optimization paradigms? Can they pull this off and still have the oomph they personally need to be "tier 1" on their own? Can they pull this off in a way that makes them more optimal for having the allies?

[Segev]

4 characters who all support each other equally, to make a stronger party? Hmm, maybe a Bard, but their buffing tends to be a one way street.

How about a Cleric that focuses on buffing/controlling undead and a Undead Bard that focuses on combat, as a start. I'm just not sure what other pieces would go along with that.

Hm. Bard buffing with cleric minionmancy. Takes a specialized feat, but definitely doable.

[DementedFellow]

Wasn't there something out there about 5 bards with dragonfire something another, where they each get like +5d6 damage to each attack, but there are five of them so it's 25d6 damage? Or was that a video game?

[Segev]

That's quite possibly going to count as "from the same source," so they wouldn't stack. But Dragonfire Inspiration and normal Bardic Inspire Courage would stack just fine, since one's to damage and the other's to hit.

[Prime32]

Have everyone take ranks in Ride, the Dragonlance feat that lets you count as one size larger for bearing riders, auras and "Share X" feats, and 3 levels in Devoted Defender. Make like Voltron.

[Mjollnir075]

One of the things I would like to see is the ways that a wizard ("batman" or otherwise) or cleric can use their magics to optimize their less magically inclined allies in ways that many of our optimized builds usually rely on multiclassing to get the spells guaranteed. How can an assumption that the party casters are ready and willing to back you up with buffs change our optimization paradigms? Can they pull this off and still have the oomph they personally need to be "tier 1" on their own? Can they pull this off in a way that makes them more optimal for having the allies?


May I redirect your attention to the class I mentioned, Runecaster? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296106)

Crafts runes, of any spell level, of any divine spell, into runes that are carved on either armor/weapons or items. Like rocks. Then, with a push of a button (rune), cast whatever spell was prepared. Maximised, for free (more or less), at Runecaster level 8.

Using PF rules, it just costs gold. Not to mention a crafting time of 10 min + level of the spell.

[Waker]

An teamwork oriented team?
Bard- Mostly straight Bard, perhaps drop in a level of Spellthief. Focus on buffing Inspire Courage. Backup fighter.
Crusader- Acts as the party front-liner. Can heal himself in battle with Devoted Spirit and provide boosts to the rest of the party with White Raven.
Cloistered Cleric- Provides healing, some utility spells and extra skills. Can provide backup fighting through buffs.
Transmuter/War Weaver- Buffs the party, BFC, and provides utility spells.

Fairly straightforward, no crazy power shenanigans. They neatly cover all the party roles and there is some degree of overlap in case one of them falls.

[DR27]

They kinda suck, but Cooperative Spell, Coordinated Strike, Wolfpack are all intended for party synergy - I wonder if there's something there

[ShneekeyTheLost]

You want synergy? Here, have some synergy:

1) Bard9/Warblade1/War Chanter10 (shift levels of Bard around to hit early entry on War Chanter if pre-20 levels matter). Focusing on DFI, with the feat Requiem, which allows them to affect undead.

2) Dread Necro7/Dread Witch5/Dread Necro8. Basic Minonmancy built Dread Necro. Make sure to pick up both Aura of Terror and Summon Skeletal Champion

3) Wizard/Incantatrix. Bog-standard Batman-esque wizard.

4) Druid 20. Because why not?

Big synergy between Bard and Dread Necro. In effect, every single minor skeleton in the Dread Necro's army now has a BAB of 20, including iteratives, then an additional +12d6 Sonic damage and +12 to attack and damage. Yes, they are easily killed. Yes, they are easily replaced. Yes, they hit like a mac truck. Think of them less as disposable minions and more like cruise missiles.

Bard also boosts Druid's minions if he bothers with SNA, and also boosts the Animal Companion and the Druid himself.

Wizard locks everything else down.

Dread Necromancer is also a walking field of 'Save or Flee' for more battlefield control. He also gets a full BAB and boatloads of damage and additional bonuses, thanks to the Bard, so he can wade right on in there. Since he's probably Necropolitian, he's got tons of self-healing (assuming he didn't bother going to pick up some Black Sand somewhere and obviate the problem).

Wizard and Druid deal with opponents that an army with a 35ish attack bonus and over 12d6 per hit can't deal with. Which isn't much, until you start hitting the higher end of the optimization pool.

[Segev]

And here we're getting where I was hoping to see things go.

I'm also interested in low- to mid-level tricks, things that "standard" optimized builds would either not do or would need to splash for that having a friendly party member built to support it could enable to be even better.

[Telonius]

How about ...

Artificer
Bard
Warblade (White Raven-centric)
Cleric

Four force multipliers there. Artificer for WBL-mancy, trapfinding, and utility casting. Bard for face duties, bardic music, secondary utility casting, and possible melee if you go for Snowflake Wardance. Warblade for melee and breaking action economy with White Raven. Cleric for party buffs and general Cleric awesomeness.

EDIT: When the OP is saying 1-20, does he mean single-classed the whole time?

[JaronK]

Wasn't there something out there about 5 bards with dragonfire something another, where they each get like +5d6 damage to each attack, but there are five of them so it's 25d6 damage? Or was that a video game?

Yup. That was a level 1 party, too. Five Kobold Bards with Dragonfire Inspiration using Masterwork War Drums, each with a different element so it will stack. That gives you 2d6 Fire, Cold, Acid, Sonic, and Electricity damage added to every attack. Now a 6th Bard with regular Inspire Courage for the bonus to hit. And due to the range of the War Drums, you can buff an entire army this way. Yehaw.

Most of the answers people have given have been four party members, each of whom could have world shattering power. That misses the point I think... a better party would be one where by themselves they'd be weak but in a party they'd be awesome.

As an example, a party with a Kensai 10, a War Hulk 10, a War Chanter, and any one full BAB character. The Kensai adds his BAB to the full BAB character's, so now at level 16 (which IIRC is the first level you can have 10 levels of those PrCs) the full BAB guy has 23 BAB. Now the War Chanter's ability goes off, and this gives everybody 23 BAB... including the War Hulk. The War Hulk now crushes everything.

JaronK

[TroubleBrewing]

This isn't optimized by any means, but I've always wanted to run a gritty, Roman-style soldiering campaign with party members using the shield wall feats out of PHB2.

[amalcon]

This is an older idea of mine, but it's a very good one:
Supermount (courtesy of Caelic)
Strongheart Halfling Paladin 5/Beastmaster 4/Aglarondian Griffonrider 1/Halfling Outrider 10
Feats: Prerequisites (4), Natural Bond, Devoted Tracker, Power Attack, Leap Attack
Mount Feats (from bonus HD, not counting base): Power Attack, Leap Attack, Battle Jump, Tunnel Fighting, Martial Study (Douse the Flames), Martial Stance (Leading the Charge)
Produces a 27HD Griffon with 27 BAB and gives +13 damage to everyone's charge attacks. Unfortunately getting Pounce on the halfling will be difficult (best I've come up with is to buy Scholar Tiger Claw Bracers of Pouncing Charge). At least the griffon gets pounce for free. You also get an additional animal companion -- this one won't have pounce natively, but it is still useful.

Orc Bard 1/Barbarian 1/Fighter 2/Warblade 1/War Chanter 10/Crusader 1/Swordsage 2/Exotic Weapon Master 1/Cleric 1
ACFs: Lion Totem Barbarian (Pounce)
Feats: Combat Expertise, EWP: Spiked Chain, WF: Spiked Chain, Power Attack, Leap Attack, Battle Jump, Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip, Reckless Rage
Cleric Domains: Trade for Animal Devotion, Travel Devotion
EWM Ability: Flurry
So, it's obviously a charger -- but what's War Chanter doing there? Well, it provides two major abilities to all party members:
- Gives all party members the BAB of the highest BAB'd member (in this case, the griffon's +27) (Inspire Legion)
- Gives all party members the ability to take a Morale bonus to attacks equal to BAB, in exchange for a penalty to armor class -- eliminating the need for Shock Trooper (Inspire Recklessness)

Dwarf Wizard 5/War Weaver 5/Runesmith 3/Abjurant Champion 5/Runesmith 4-5
ACFs: Focused Specialist - Transmutation (forbid Enchantment, Necromancy, Evocation), Spontaneous Divination
Feats: Enlarge Spell, Armor Proficiency x3, Combat Casting, Quicken Spell, Improved Familiar
This guy is a straight up buffer-mage -- but when he's in the vicinity of the rest of the party, he has a caster level of 27 and can charge himself (get PA from a Heroics casting -- it lasts 4.5 hours). Runesmith isn't so much for the armor as for the amazing Share Rune and Permanent Rune abilities. This guy will need to use the Tiger Claw Bracers trick to pounce, but that's not really important. Remember that he has a doubler available in the Runestaff of Power. Even your familiar can charge pretty well for itself!

If you want a fourth member, my favorite options are the Abjurant Champion Warsnake (for high-CL cleric spells) and anything that gets lots of minions. War Hulk also works.

[137beth]

I think Articifer deserves mention all on its own, because its signature class feature, creating and using items, is something that benefits the whole party. They get all the item crafting feats for free, so other characters don't have to use feats on them, and the articifer gets a bunch of boosts when making items. They can do it for the whole team really well. Suddenly any build which absolutely needed a very specific item to function can get it, at less than half price.

[Dlkpi]

Wizard, barbarian, ninja, some kind of cleric.

1) Wizard for utility casting, crafting, etc. Play the smallest race you can (pixie wizard?) and put him in the barbarian's front pocket for safekeeping.
2) Biggest, baddest, scariest barbarian possible. During combat, have the wizard in his pocket cast antimagic field and congratulations, your tank is immune to magic. Now he just has to take hits while the ninja does his work, which barbarians are awesome at anyway.
3) Ninja. Especially at 20th level in Pathfinder, at which point the Ninja can become completely and absolutely undetectable by any means. Plus, with the right combination of feats, a well-built Ninja can do upwards of 900 damage in a single round*.
4) Round off the group with some sort of divine caster to buff/patch up the party in the rare occasion that they can't easily slaughter anything in their path. Also just in case you want to make an undead army.

Magic-immune barbarian + the ninja should be able to take on just about anything, but if not, the wizard and the cleric give the party a lot of flexibility to change up their battle strategy. Out of combat, the ninja is a decent party face (with Cha as its secondary stat, and lots of extra skill ranks to spend) and between the Ninja's numerous skill ranks and the wizard's utility casting, you've got a decent skill monkey as well.

*based on a quick back-of-the-napkin calculation assuming near-perfect damage rolls, mind you.

[mabriss lethe]

How about a Bard, A Dragon Shaman, and a Marshal (or dips in these classes) along with either a cleric or druid (or possibly a dread necromancer)?

[chronomatophobe]

A party of Red wizards with Leadership and Thrallherd cohorts would be able to operate a small town.

[ArqArturo]

How about a group of Bards? Something like this (http://youtu.be/BWIW6Ti0PbE)?.

[Norin]

A party of Red wizards with Leadership and Thrallherd cohorts would be able to operate a small town.

Just a small town? :smallwink:

[Bonzai]

I DM'd a campaign where my players ran the following.

1. Psion/Wizard/ Theurge: He had immense repertoire of spells and powers, and he devoted them all towards countering whatever I threw at the party and general problem solving. His most potent ability was to be able to interrupt my turn and perform an action, which saved the parties bacon on more than one occasion.

2. Beguiler/?/Fate spinner: This build dipped into a few things for greater spell versatility, but it's core was very solid without them. Beguiler let him handle the rogue aspects of the game. His Illusions were a great distraction and defense for the party. His charms and dominates added fodder and meat shields to the parties defense and offense. It also added some out of combat utility. His most insidious abilities came from Fate Spinner. Essentially he took luck out of the equation. A party member flubbs a save? He fixes that. An NPC rolls a natural 20 to pass his save? Let's see him do that again.

3. Warmage/?/: He dipped into a PrC, but it didn't make much of a difference. He was ironically the least potent of the party, but he did have an important role. His direct damage and AoE's were decent, but his most important job was buffing the fourth party member.

4. Ranger/OotBI/?: Don't remember the exact build, but he was a highly optimized archer with a ton of shots with splitting arrows. These arrows were all buffed by the Warmage to make them flaming/searing and a few other things that vastly increased his damage output. He was a Gatling gun that mowed down anything in it's path. In addition his arrows lowered SR, so he in turn made the rest of the party that much more effective.

This party had so many redundant layers of offense and defense that it was ridiculous. Not only that, but it took things like surprise and luck out of the equation. Aside from things with high DR in an anti magic zone, there wasn't much that could make them sweat for more than a round or two.