best 4 man team [tier 3] [3.5]

[Teapot Salty]

Hey guys. So it's a generally agreed fact that the BEST 4 man party in 3.5 is druid, cleric, wizard and artificer, (I'm not certain on the last one) But what about in tier 3? Where everything seems more balanced.
Off the top of my head I'd imagine Warblade (primary melee/striker) Bard (support, healing, spellcasting) Crusader (Tank) and Wildshape ranger (the every man)

Thanks, and as always, go nuts.

[sideswipe]

i would say warblade, factotum, wildshape ranger, bard. with the wildshape ranger swappable for binder.

maybe just because i love factotums.....

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Bard / Dread Necromancer / Psychic Warrior / Wildshape Ranger

Good utility abilities, skills, and spells for general problem solving. In combat, you have a bunch of meleers (including Dread Necro minions) getting buffed by optimized Inspire Courage.

[heavyfuel]

i would say warblade, factotum, wildshape ranger, bard. with the wildshape ranger swappable for binder.

Personally, I'd swap WS Ranger for Mystic Ranger. If starting at a higher level (13+), Duskblade instead of Warblade as your melee monster.

[bekeleven]

Personally, I'd swap WS Ranger for Mystic Ranger.

Generally the forums assume access to the SRD, but not to dragon magazine. There are exceptions.


And yeah, all the powerhouses have been hit. Bard, Factotum, Psychic Warrior, and Binder are generalists with some healing; have at least one. Wildshape Ranger, Tome of Battle classes, and Dread Necro are powerful in combat with limited out-of-combat utility. Beguiler is a good face, skill monkey, and utility caster who can take the place of a Factotum if someone else covers healing.

Those are the 11 classes (enough for a balanced PHB!). My personal pick is WS Ranger/MoMF, Bard, Psywar, Factotum. But I don't built ToB most of the time, so that's me.

[heavyfuel]

Generally the forums assume access to the SRD, but not to dragon magazine. There are exceptions.

I realize that. It's only that the Mystic Ranger seems to be so accepted that it's a shame not mentioning them.

[Kymme]

I'm actually in a party like that right now. We've got six people, but it's kind of the same model.

We started with a Swordsage (me), a Factotum, a Binder, a Warlock, and an Incarnate. Later we got a Duskblade to round out our primary melee department.

It's pretty interesting working in a team like that. Tons of creative ways to solve problems.

[Eldaran]

Well... Ardent, Ardent, Ardent, Ardent?

If that's not acceptable I'd go Ardent for battlefield control and some utility and blasting, Psychic Rogue as skill monkey and ranged damage, Crusader for melee damage and tanking, and then Binder to be a generalist and social skill monkey.

[Divide by Zero]

Well... Ardent, Ardent, Ardent, Ardent?

If that's not acceptable I'd go Ardent for battlefield control and some utility and blasting, Psychic Rogue as skill monkey and ranged damage, Crusader for melee damage and tanking, and then Binder to be a generalist and social skill monkey.

Isn't Ardent Tier 2?

[Eldaran]

Isn't Ardent Tier 2?

I've always seen people refer to it as tier 3, but it's not even on JaronK's list. I think they're at the top end of tier 3 if they're in there though. I suppose it depends on if you count the Dominant Ideal ACF as well.

[Divide by Zero]

I've always seen people refer to it as tier 3, but it's not even on JaronK's list. I think they're at the top end of tier 3 if they're in there though. I suppose it depends on if you count the Dominant Ideal ACF as well.

I don't see how it can be lower than Tier 2. Its spell list may be more limited than the psion/wilder, but it has plenty of gamebreakers if you pick the right mantles.