Party of 4 - I'm one of them, unsure which class - help!

[Akulious]

My friends and I got our hands on the PHB and another got the Hoard of the Dragon Queen and wants to run it.

We are starting at level 1 and the party is as follows:

Human Paladin
Hill Dwarf Bard
Human Cleric
Me....undecided.

We all rolled stats (Roll 4 discard lowest, if lower than 8 reroll)

I ended up with great stats:
16
16
14
14
12
12

I'm caught between 4 classes that look really fun. Druid/Monk/Barb/Warlock.

Unsure of which one will best help bolster the party. Halp!

[Daishain]

Well, that partly depends on what the others are specializing in.

For instance, if the cleric is going Tempest/War, and the Bard is going college of valor, your group is well set on the front line, and some magical ranged blasting from the warlock would serve well.

If on the other hand the aforementioned were going with, say, Light and Lore, that paladin could use some backup and the Barbarian is well suited to the task.

You already have two full spellcasters, so the druid is perhaps not quite as desirable as it could be. However, pick the Moon druid subclass and you can serve the same role as the barbarian, if in a different style.

Honestly, when push comes to shove, the Monk is mechanically underwhelming. So long as the paladin is taking the heat, you can make it work, but be careful.

Not knowing anything else about the party, I might actually suggest a fifth option, Ranger. It would mesh with what is present, but I don't know how appealing that class is to you.

[calebrus]

Honestly, when push comes to shove, the Monk is mechanically underwhelming. So long as the paladin is taking the heat, you can make it work, but be careful.

I couldn't disagree with this more. Monks are quite strong in this edition.
Beyond tat, I agree with everything else that he said.

[Daishain]

I couldn't disagree with this more. Monks are quite strong in this edition.
Beyond tat, I agree with everything else that he said.
They get out DPSed by almost everything and die faster than every other front line fighter. The special abilities they get from sub-classes are typically much less useful versions of caster spells. They do shine in a few niche situations, but those are unlikely to occur often.

They are usable as is, they just aren't where they should be.

[Giant2005]

They get out DPSed by almost everything and die faster than every other front line fighter. The special abilities they get from sub-classes are typically much less useful versions of caster spells. They do shine in a few niche situations, but those are unlikely to occur often.

They are usable as is, they just aren't where they should be.

What are you talking about?
At level 1 they do more damage than any other class by having double the attacks with full ability modifers or every other class.
At level 2 it gets even worse when they can Flurry of Blows for a third attack while everyone else is still stuck with a single, envious attack.
At level 3 their FoB knocks people prone which gives them advantage and even more damage on average (Due to an almost guaranteed hit rate) while everyone else is still with a single attack with only marginal benefits from their classes.
At level 5 the Monk has 4 attacks per round which is the equivalent of the Fighter's capstone. That is insane even after taking into consideration that the rest of the party now has a second attack.
It isn't until very late game (As in levels in the late teens) when the other classes begin to catch up on damage.

As for tanking, at low levels you are pretty much correct. The only thing going on for them is Deflect Missiles. At level 5 they could mitigate a bit of damage by using stunning strike and denying their opponent's attacks but it still isn't huge. However at higher levels that dynamic completely changes and they become what could very easily be considered the best tank in the game.
By the end of the game they are immune to 4 status conditions and 1 type of damage. They are also resistant to all damage but force, their opponents attack them with disadvantage, they are proficient in all saves, can re-roll a failed save if they choose and have Evasion. Basically, they are virtually immune to anything that gives them a save and anything that uses an attack roll.

[MeeposFire]

In my mind of your choices that you like I think that the warlock is best. Most of the characters listed are melee types mostly (clerics cna be ranged but most are not). The only non-melee character I can see is probably the bard and they are not the best blasters if single classed. Warlock would allow for ranged damage and with the right spell choices make a great compliment with this group I think.

I like your class choices in terms of fun and I think any will work for you but I think warlock covers a base that your party sort of lacks.

[Giant2005]

In my mind of your choices that you like I think that the warlock is best. Most of the characters listed are melee types mostly (clerics cna be ranged but most are not). The only non-melee character I can see is probably the bard and they are not the best blasters if single classed. Warlock would allow for ranged damage and with the right spell choices make a great compliment with this group I think.

I like your class choices in terms of fun and I think any will work for you but I think warlock covers a base that your party sort of lacks.

I agree with this (Except for maybe the last part - Barbarians are pretty bad imo).
I'd recommend going with a Warlock/Sorc multiclass build though.

[RedMage125]

I say Wizard. You have little "battlefield control", and wizards have that "magical solution to almost anything" thing going on.

[Envyus]

Maybe an Archer Hunter Ranger. They are actually pretty good. Monks and Barbarian's are pretty good but the Paladin likely has that covered.

[MeeposFire]

I say Wizard. You have little "battlefield control", and wizards have that "magical solution to almost anything" thing going on.

Not really one of the options he is choosing from though...

[Akulious]

Wow, thanks for all the great input. Much appreciated.

After doing a bit of reading and with some of your input. I'm heavily leaning towards Warlock - as that will lend itself to a pure ranged/spell-slinging spot that I typically don't play and will help the party. Might be fun and interesting. Also - I was coming up a bit of a back story just thinking about the class. Thinking something along the lines of a Mage in Dragon Age seeking Blood Magic.

Again, thank you all very much!

[Mandragola]

Warlock is probably a good pick with that party. You've got healing covered as all three of the others can do it, so a druid would be excessive.

What you might look at is whether your warlock can perform a scouting role for the group. If you give your character a good dex score and get proficient with stealth and thieves' tools (either through a criminal/urchin backgrounds or a multiclass dip into rogue) then you'll be able to effectively be the party's rogue. Only difficulty is you might not be all that perceptive, as having a decent wisdom score and the perception skill is tricky for a warlock. That's why a rogue dip, which brings expertise in two skills (such as stealth and perception) at level 1, can be really helpful.

Any why would you bother? Because it's fun, mainly. A friend of mine played a straightforward blaster warlock and found it kind of dull. He was a variant human with spell sniper as his feat, so he could basically stand anywhere and zap away with eldritch blasts every turn. That's effective... but boring. He didn't really have to make any tactical decisions about where he stood because it didn't matter - he just hexed stuff and rolled dice. The most interesting thing about the character was probably the hawk familiar he got at level 3 (from the normal find familiar ritual, when he got his book of shadows). That was really handy for scouting out an enemy camp for us.

[_felagund]

Rogue can be a good adition to the party also.

[Akulious]

Almost finished her - just need a few more things and good to go :)

Name: (This is one of the things that is missing)
Class: Warlock 1
Race: Tiefling
Background: Sage (though I took some things from the Hermit and Sailor)
Alignment: NE (Price for Power, but will pay pretty much anything for power)

HP: 11 (1d8+3)
AC: 13
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30

Str: 12 (+1)
Dex: 14 (+2)
Con: 16 (+3)
Int: 13 (+1)
Wis: 14 (+2)
Cha: 18 (+4)

Personality:
Utterly Serene even in face of danger (Hermit)
Crude Sense of Humor (Sailor)

Ideals:
Power: Knowledge is the path to power and domination. (Sage)

Bond:
I sold my soul for knowledge. I hope to do great deeds and win it back (Sage)

Flaw:
I harbor dark, bloodthirsty thoughts that my isolation and meditation failed to quell. (Hermit)

Languages: Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, Infernal
Skills Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception, History, Perception (possibly could replace history for Stealth?)
Tool Proficiencies: Sage doesn't give any
Weapon & Armor Proficiencies: Simple Weapons & Light Armor

Equip: (This is also where I'm unsure what to put)

Features & Traits:
Darkvision 60 ft
Hellish Resistance (Fire)
Infernal Legacy
Other Worldy Patron: Fiend
Dark One's Blessing

Spells:

Cantrips:
Eldritch Blast
Thaumaturgy
Prestidigitation

First Level Spells:
Hex
Burning Hands

What do you guys think?

[Giant2005]

Burning Hands wouldn't be on my priority list for first level spells (I would have gone with Hellish Rebuke). Also if there is much chance of you multiclassing Sorcerer, I'd suggest taking that level at first due to the Con saving throw proficiency.

[Human Paragon 3]

Go with something that can deal a lot of damage such as Fighter, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Hunter Ranger. The rest of your party seems pretty handled on healing, and the bard should be able to pick up any and all slack. Do one thing and be great at it.

EDIT: Why did you take thaumeturgy and prestidigitation? Either one should be able to provide enough special effects for the task at hand.