Rate the strength of these "unusual" race/class combinations

[MicHag]

Because our group has build most of the standard race/class combinations over the years, i am considering for our next campaign to force the players into a specific unusual combination. I am thinking of either randomly letting them pick one, or give them the choice of three random ones.

Don't worry, i won't do this if the players prefer not to.

What i want to know now is if you think (with average optimization) any of the following combinations would be much weaker or stronger than another.

All of them are ECL 7 (unless i made a mistake).

Centaur Knight 1
Yuan-Ti Warlock 1
Ogre Monk 1

Halfling Barbarian 7
Kobold ToB-class 7
Whisper Gnome Paladin 7

Lizardfolk Sorcerer 6
Crucian Wizard 5
Skulk Wu-Jen 6

Half Ogre Cleric 5
Sharakim Aspect of Nature Druid 6
Goliath Healer 6

Neanderthal Rogue 7
Hobgoblin Scout 6
Dwarf Ninja 7

Thanks for your response in advance.

Also any additional suggestions for combinations are welcome.

[Hand_of_Vecna]

Centaur Knight 1
Yuan-Ti Warlock 1
Ogre Monk 1
Centaur/Knight is a fairly iconic character that I've seen in several places. I think the Yuan-ti is the big loser in this bunch. Yuan-ti is 4 bland hd and a bunchof 1/day abilities that aren't any stronger than what a Warlock will have as invokations in a few levels. Suggestion: Have Yuan-ti enhance Warlock somehow, or Rebuild as a +1-2 LA race and make invocations that replicate some of the spelllikes mandatory.


Halfling Barbarian 7
Kobold ToB-class 7
Whisper Gnome Paladin 7
The Kobold will probably outclass the others with ToB effects that don't depend on Size or Strength. Maybe substitute the Barbarian's Rage for Ki Fury, so they get +dex and can boost dex based combat maneuvers.
Skulk Wu-Jen 6

Half Ogre Cleric 5
Sharakim Aspect of Nature Druid 6
Goliath Healer 6
The Healer is weak,because it's a Healer. either don't offer Healer or attach it to a chassis that gives them a higher ECL than the rest of the party.

Neanderthal Rogue 7
Hobgoblin Scout 6
Dwarf Ninja 7

These are all fine, You might consider Rokugan Ninja for the Dwarf. It's generally considered stronger and it lacks trapfinding so he'd be dependent on the Dwarven racial ability Stonecunning and be unable to find traps in wooden floors.

[HammeredWharf]

Some guesstimates:

Awful tier:
Dwarf Ninja 7
Goliath Healer 6
Yuan-Ti Warlock 1
Ninja and healer are terrible classes. The warlock is too many levels behind for his abilities to be great.

Low tier:
Centaur Knight 1
Ogre Monk 1
Both of these have decent synergy between races and classes, but too many racial HD and the classes are weak.

Medium tier:
Halfling Barbarian 7
Kobold ToB-class 7
Whisper Gnome Paladin 7
Neanderthal Rogue 7
Hobgoblin Scout 6
All useful, but the ToB guy is the best. Could be a really good Swordsage.

High tier:
Lizardfolk Sorcerer 6
Crucian Wizard 5
Skulk Wu-Jen 6
Half Ogre Cleric 5
Powerful classes with decently low LA. Not optimal, but will work well.

Awesome tier:
Sharakim Aspect of Nature Druid 6
One of the best classes in the game with almost full character levels and a decent race.

[Fable Wright]

I'd suggest allowing gestalting Yuan-Ti levels and Warlock levels, in exchange for LA +2 not counted in the gestalt that can be bought off. Something like a Yuan-Ti HD 3/LA +2//Warlock 5 would be a level 7 character, with the next level being Warlock 1//Yuan-Ti HD +1. (After here the gestalt LA can begin to be bought off, and further warlock levels don't get gestalted with anything.)

[MicHag]

Thanks for the reactions so far and the good explanations, i should be able to balance this further with the given information so far.

[Mitchellnotes]

With the gnome substitution levels, the paladin can get hide in plain sight which could be a very interesting character, edpecially with the shadowgnome flavor.

[Xerlith]

I'll post my suggestions in red

Dwarf Ninja 7 - Invisible Fist Decisive Strike Martial Monk2/Hit-And-Run Fighter2/Swordsage3. Or Factotum.
Goliath Healer 6 - Favored Soul 6
Yuan-Ti Warlock 1 - Just maybe. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2696.0)


Centaur Knight 1 - Crusader 1. He gets IL of 3, so 2nd level maneuvers. You can work with that. Or Tauric Human/Horse, that works too.
Ogre Monk 1 - You may try Unarmed Swordsage instead.


Halfling Barbarian 7 - Do a Pouncecharger. Spirit Lion Whirling Frenzy barb.
Kobold ToB-class 7 - Warblade's open.
Whisper Gnome Paladin 7 - Champion of Valor Sub levels may be good here. HiPS and such.
Neanderthal Rogue 7 - Factotum? Invisible Fist Decisive Strike Martial Monk2/Hit-And-Run Fighter2/Swordsage3?
Hobgoblin Scout 6 - Swift Hunter build. Scout4/Ranger2



Lizardfolk Sorcerer 6
Crucian Wizard 5
Skulk Wu-Jen 6
Half Ogre Cleric 5 - Spontaneous Cleric variant (UA)

Sharakim Aspect of Nature Druid 6 - Wildshape Mystic Ranger 6.

I see you didn't look at Bards in any of your builds. Saddens me a bit.