Unbalanced parties

[Arkhosia]

The idea? Post your dysfunctional party and help someone figure out a way to make theirs work without switching classes!

Elf Wizard/Bard, Eladrin Wizard, Halfling Ranger, and Pixie Cleric

[ghost_warlock]

Elf Wizard/Bard, Eladrin Wizard, Halfling Ranger, and Pixie Cleric

That party would be able to get along just fine through a combination of Mark of Storm + zone abuse. Basically, everyone takes Mark of Storm, loads up on thunder/lightning powers and/or lightning weapons/resonating bow, and slaughters monsters by sliding them into the zones the wizard and wizard/bard create. If necessary, the ranger and/or cleric can train Intimidate somehow and grab the lvl 2 skill utility that lets them mark for a round. Cleric has a few native powers that mark.

[Kurald Galain]

That party would be able to get along just fine through a combination of Mark of Storm + zone abuse.
In many campaigns, people can't take Mark of Storm since it's an Eberron feat.

Anyway, I fail to see the problem of the OP. Sure, a wizard/bard is not a particularly good hybrid combination, but there's nothing wrong with wizard/ranger/cleric. What's so unbalanced about that?

In my experience, unbalanced parties are generally not about class (as long as you avoid certain "dud" classes), but because some players are good at character building and others aren't, and at paragon and epic tier you really see the difference. I've seen several paragon characters that might as well not have been there for all the good they contributed to the table.

[DefKab]

So, try out mine. A Pixie Wizard, A Dwarf Ranger, and a Wardrobes Warden MC Shaman. That's right, three lvl 1 PCs I'm DMing for. It's rough.

[Kurald Galain]

So, try out mine. A Pixie Wizard, A Dwarf Ranger, and a Wardrobes Warden MC Shaman. That's right, three lvl 1 PCs I'm DMing for. It's rough.

...why? It's pretty hard to be unbalanced at level one.

[DefKab]

Well, no, not really, which is why I'm doing it. But if they don't get more players, I'd like some advice on how they should evolve to be a working party in the later levels.

[Leewei]

A Pixie Wizard, A Dwarf Ranger, and a Wardrobes Warden MC Shaman.

... walk into a bar.

Lack of a Leader combined with a Defender with high HPs/low defenses seems to be the issue.

The Pixie should MC Artificer and pump initiative to start CCing the map as early as possible in each encounter.

The Ranger should MC Cleric and pick up the feat from HotFL that allows him to heal other PCs with his Second Wind.

The Warden should take every possible measure to improve his defenses.

[DefKab]

... walk into a bar.

Lack of a Leader combined with a Defender with high HPs/low defenses seems to be the issue.

The Pixie should MC Artificer and pump initiative to start CCing the map as early as possible in each encounter.

The Ranger should MC Cleric and pick up the feat from HotFL that allows him to heal other PCs with his Second Wind.

The Warden should take every possible measure to improve his defenses.

The wizard is pretty set on his build, MC warlock later because he wants to be an enchanter and there's a PP for warlocks...
The Warden heals others when it second winds. Letting the dwarf do that would help... Thanks.

[Kurald Galain]

The wizard is pretty set on his build, MC warlock later because he wants to be an enchanter and there's a PP for warlocks...

He could always retrain. It's not necessary to plan for paragon tier when you're only level one yet. Also, there's a similar paragon path for clerics, so he could MC there.