party synergy!

[the humanity]

I love to get everyone together and have everyone figure out what they want their character to do and adjust them so that the little things you didn't care about let everyone do what they want easier (Example : the bard picks up a whip because the sorcerer has Grease)

Like all things in role playing, I'm sure there is a higher form of optimization, or at least times where characters just naturally fit way too well.

What are some of the best examples of party synergy you've seen?

[atemu1234]

Abjurer buffing the Necromancer and the Conjurer's minions?

[WeaselGuy]

The Invisible Rogue delaying his turn until after the Invisible Cleric, who then casts Hold Person. Then the Rogue promptly Coup de Grace's the defenseless chump, tacking on Sneak Attack damage for good measure.

For the record, my character was the "defenseless chump" in this scenario. At like, level 4. I wasn't as amused as the DM.

Also, lance wielding mounted level 1 Human Fighters with Mounted Attack, Ride-by Attack, and Spirited Charge really don't care how long you spent creating your awesome OA Samurai, at level 1 they will kill you.

Again, DM was much more amused at this than I was. The tables were turned when I made a Star Elf Warlock with Eldritch Spear as my replacement. Next level he gained Summon Swarm too.

[danzibr]

Abjurer buffing the Necromancer and the Conjurer's minions?
More than this, DFI Bard buffing. Level ~10, +10 to attack and damage, +10d6 energy damage. Imagine a couple dozen skeletons with that.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

More than this, DFI Bard buffing. Level ~10, +10 to attack and damage, +10d6 energy damage. Imagine a couple dozen skeletons with that.

Without a feat, that doesn't work. Inspire Courage and its derivatives are all morale effects. As such, even if it's a buff, undead are immune.

[Seclora]

Without a feat, that doesn't work. Inspire Courage and its derivatives are all morale effects. As such, even if it's a buff, undead are immune.

Luckily, there is a feat for that. Requiem, out of Libris Mortis. There's also Song of the Dead, out of Dragon Compendium, which will work for mind-effecting spells.

Edit for on-topic:
Lots of party members with sneak attack, wizards with grease, Ice slick, and hold person. Psions with Energy stun, other stunning effects. Not using wind wall when all your allies are ranged.

[WeaselGuy]

Without a feat, that doesn't work. Inspire Courage and its derivatives are all morale effects. As such, even if it's a buff, undead are immune.


Luckily, there is a feat for that. Requiem, out of Libris Mortis. There's also Song of the Dead, out of Dragon Compendium, which will work for mind-effecting spells.

Edit for on-topic:
Lots of party members with sneak attack, wizards with grease, Ice slick, and hold person. Psions with Energy stun, other stunning effects. Not using wind wall when all your allies are ranged.

Yeah, if I were playing a Bard in a campaign with a known Necromancer ally, I would probably PrC into Dirge Singer anyways.

[Dayaz]

Pathfinder-

In a single character?

Vitalist/Cleric with the feat that lets them forcibly add people into their collective. Turn all the enemies into healing nodes from using your channel positive. Extra points for trolling their healer because you just steal all the heals he tries to give his guys.

Yes, I made a trolling healer. It was probably my favorite game I've ever played, and my character spent most combats literally doing a cheer routine for her party.

Pickpocket Rogue/Drunken Master Monk with Throw Anything. Sneak up on the opponent, steal all their weapons/potions, then beat them to death with their own belts, while hitting other people in the face with potions and hurting them from a distance. Extra points for stealing the barbarian leader's greatsword and killing his sorcerer cohort with it.

Group synergy examples:

Had a Warder in one campaign that the badger animal companion and brawler always let move first, so he could charge into the fight. Which meant that when they charged right after him, they benefited from his class feature that gave them +2 armor, balancing out their -2AC from charging. If the enemy still managed to hit them, My Warder would negate it with a Warning Roar. My DM thought it was funny -shrugs-

(3.5) Had a Necrocarnum Incarnate//Rogue gestalt that used his zombie to provide flank fodder for him and the Wizard/Arcane Trickster//Rogue/Assassin. Between his lesser undead and my big guy, we managed to keep a decent amount of flanking going on in almost all of our fights. Our Dm was less than amused by this one.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Luckily, there is a feat for that. Requiem, out of Libris Mortis. There's also Song of the Dead, out of Dragon Compendium, which will work for mind-effecting spells.

Thus my comment of "without a feat." I'm AFB, but I thought Requiem still only allowed bardic music to affect sentient undead. *shrug*


Shadowsun Ninja works well with anyone that heals off of negative energy, themselves included. I'd have to double check how they interact, but I'm sure something can be done with Bloodstorm Blade, fling ally, and the party rogue.

[Andreaz]

Good examples. Hmm...
My current party's composed of Warlord, Ninja, Bard, Druid, Wizard.
Bard has aoe intimidation, Wizard is an illusionist con man, Druid's a straightforward warrior that loves to summon us some storms, Warlord and Ninja operate almost identically, except the warlord's tanky. All level 5.

Synergy comes in the following form:
Bard gives wide area debuffing that also gates in further debuffs, especially from wizard and ninja.
Wizard applies crucial, nasty debuffs. Usually in the form of illusions and minor terraforming (pits! pits!)
Warlord closes in as a frontliner. Moderate damage, tankiness and a full melee lockdown combo, on top of maneuvers that further debuff enemies.
Druid also closes in, offering moderate melee damage, small scale terrain editing and large area damage with some control for spicing.
Ninja skirts around looking for a positional fault or surprise. In the lack of those, she can always go invisible or use a couple one shot tricks to stagger and deal minor ability damage. Hers is the highest damage.

It's very typical for this group to fully lock down small parties and kill them before they can do as much as shout for help. The overall damage is only fair, but unless we are at a large numerical disadvantage or get ambushed, we dictate every step the enemies take.

Trip is ever present, and flanking is stronger because warlord. Warlord presences also cover for inspire courage, so the bard can stick to dirge songs and dragonfire inspiration.
If a large group comes by, earth itself rains over them and they are funneled into our blades or scattered away. A single enemy will be staggered, fatigued, tripped and maybe even stunned without requiring us to lose damage on that round.

[ericgrau]

Just off the top of my head...

Blind fight + sleet storm / etc. major vision effect.
Multiple casters spamming mass resist energy to have enough spells/day to keep it up all day + fireball
Grease/greater invisibility + ranged party rogue
Mage armor + party druid/monk
Mass inflict X wounds + all undead party + shield other spamming: So you hurt enemies at the same time you heal up, and you spread out the damage so mass heals are more effective. Also undead are immune to most non-hp effects.
Whole party has optimized hide and move silently, constantly takes a 10, gets the drop on most foes
Often related to above one: Whole party has ranged weapons and/or ranged spells, makes good use of cover, full attacks, focus fire and special arrows for DR. Often drops most melee opponents before they can land their first hit. Bypasses many obstacles, etc. Magic arrows and tactical movement (mundane or via magic item) bypasses most other anti-arrow stuff. As do ranged spells.

[Seharvepernfan]

Whole party has optimized hide and move silently, constantly takes a 10, gets the drop on most foes


I thought you couldn't take 10 on opposed checks?

[WhamBamSam]

A dedicated mounted character with limited mount-as-class-feature capabilities (say, a Binder using Andras or an initiator) and another character who can serve as a non-crappy mount (such as a Druid or Metamorphosis/Polymorph-favoring Gish).

AoE electricity damage (especially if it's at-will like it is for a DFA) and Mechanatrix/Lesser Mechanatrix front liners who are healed by electricity. Works similarly to the undead+negative energy stuff others have mentioned.

There are, in fact a lot of ways to turn friendly fire (especially AoE effects) to your advantage if you look for them. I'm personally fond of Cunning Evasion+HiPS, as I like my sneaks.

Anyone who can really leverage a move action (Shadow Pouncers especially, though there are a number (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?403739-Alternate-Uses-of-Move-Actions&highlight=alternative+uses+for+move+actions) of possibilities) and something like Grant Move Action or Clarion Call+shenanigans from another party member.

The SSN out of combat healing also works really nicely if you've got someone with fast healing or somesuch in the party. It also circumvents the potential issue of healing based on the damage dealt when you arguably aren't dealing damage due to smacking things healed by negative energy.