"Horde of the Dragon Queen" - do any classes in particular shine in this mod?

[Klorox]

We will be going at it with a 3 man party, which is less than ideal.

We want to make three who will really do well.

So far, one guy will choose wizard and another a ranger (not sure what kind). I'm thinking I should choose a life cleric or a moon druid.

[Inevitability]

Wizard isn't an unreasonable choice. You'll be fighting lots of mooks, and area attacks can really help in removing a large swatch of them at once.

You'll want someone with good social skills (particularily deception), so someone should pick those up from his/her background.

Healing is definitely something you're going to need, so I second your cleric/druid idea. Maybe play a druid with a single-level dip in life cleric so you can cure 40 HP with a single first-level slot? A cleric with Magic Initiate for Goodberry works as well.

Also, don't forget to remind your DM the module is brutal enough with a full party and should probably be toned down to account for your lower numbers.

[djreynolds]

Having radiant damage at your disposal is huge.
My wizard was forced into melee too often at earlier levels to help hold the lines before they caved in, as everyone was resistant to elemental damage, and perhaps my fault with poor spell selections.
The cleric and paladin were huge damage makers because of their radiant damage.
Demons, devils, undead, dragons, etc have mucho resistance to many things.
I also found the plain old ranger and warlock adding their hunter's mark and hex from range, provided good consistent damage. And rogues are always welcome.

So perhaps a cleric and paladin, both have good healing, restorative abilities and radiant damage. Warlock can cover utility and EB, and rangers can lay down some damage. And a rogue, but more for his sneak attack.

You will have growing pains, IMO, with a wizard from level 1. He/she will catch up, but really not til he gets to 5th level and can grab hypnotic pattern. I found my other spells just yielded half damage most of the time and I would use a lot mirror image and blur and head off to help the paladin and barbarian, just gave the bad guys an extra target.

[Inevitability]

You will have growing pains, IMO, with a wizard from level 1. He/she will catch up, but really not til he gets to 5th level and can grab hypnotic pattern. I found my other spells just yielded half damage most of the time and I would use a lot mirror image and blur and head off to help the paladin and barbarian, just gave the bad guys an extra target.

I don't think this will be the case, to be honest. The only damage-resistant enemies in the first part of the story I could find were the Guard Drakes (who resist a pretty uncommon element).

Also, don't forget the wizard can use knowledge skills to learn a monster's resistances, then cast a Chromatic Orb keyed to whatever the monster doesn't resist (thunder is a safe pick).

[djreynolds]

I don't think this will be the case, to be honest. The only damage-resistant enemies in the first part of the story I could find were the Guard Drakes (who resist a pretty uncommon element).

Also, don't forget the wizard can use knowledge skills to learn a monster's resistances, then cast a Chromatic Orb keyed to whatever the monster doesn't resist (thunder is a safe pick).

Very true, one of spells I did not select. And perhaps that's why I had to tank go melee. Bad spell selection.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I would use a lot mirror image and blur and head off to help the paladin and barbarian, just gave the bad guys an extra target.

Perhaps the OP's wizard friend should look at the bladesinger tradition?

[djreynolds]

Perhaps the OP's wizard friend should look at the bladesinger tradition?

Very true.

You know bladesinger is perfect, in a sense, that for some reason that extra attack makes you "feel" bad *ss. I mean, you're still a wizard and unless you rolled well, you have ok hit points and more than likely, if you're me, you're throwing down big spells usually. But the extra attack is more psychological than anything to the player, its there, but so chain lightning.

Honestly, the OP has spells that he prefers and could just go sorcerer. He may get more out of that than playing a wizard.

[Falcon X]

Let me see what I remember from our games...

Sorcerer/Bard over Wizard I'm thinking. Flexibility didn't feel as necessary as a few solid spells. Invisibility was a winning spell. Feather Fall was not. Lots of smaller enemies, so sleep or area of affect spells were great.

Handle Animal had surprising uses at many steps along the way.

[JellyPooga]

Never played or run HotDQ, but just from the title I'd guess that a Dragonblood Sorcerer might do well. Lots of blasting to keep those "hordes" under control and effective Expertise in all Cha-based interactions with Dragons sounds pretty useful when dealing with a Queen of Dragons when Charisma is your primary Ability Score...

[RulesJD]

Depends.

Are you playing all the way through HotDQ and Rise of Tiamat? If so, then the answers will be different.

1. HotDQ only: You'll need a tank, and a pretty stout one at that. Lots of dex saves in this mod + tons of varied in type elemental damages. Aka someone really should be a Totem Barbarian. Advantage on dex saves + proficency in Con saves = half damage on most breath weapons (hopefully) that can be turned into 1/4 by Totem. You get effective very early on and stay effective for most of the game due to magic items.

2. RoT: Paladin. Specifically 2H greatsword Paladin. The level 6 Aura + Radiant Damage is necessary for burning down the big fights. There's a particular weapon your party is going to need as well so might as well build a character for it now.

2A. RoT: Wizard. Sweet jebus one of you needs to be a Wizard. Dragons have no spell casting abilities which means they can't counterspell you. With such a tiny party the spell Wall of Force is going to save your bacon all the damn time.

[INDYSTAR188]

If multiclass is available I would suggest:
- Rogue 2/Warlock X (Rogue and Social skills, arcane attacks, can fill several roles)
- Eldritch Knight Fighter 5/Abjuration Wizard X (primary front-liner, can handle themself and take some utility magic)
- Life Cleric 1/Druid X (party support, healing, off-tank, scouting)