Ideal Party Composition and Character Optimization for Storm Kings Thunder

[PartyChef]

Forgive me if this already exists but I searched for it and only found one thread that went off topic.

So, what does everybody think works well or would work well for Storm Kings Thunder? Having looked only at the first chapters, I am still on the Fire Giants base but couldn't wait to ask this, it looks like athletics and physical saves are hugely important.

This I thought a ranger over a rogue, a barbarian over a fighter, a paladin over a cleric, and a sorcerer over a wizard might make a good party. I also have not considered the level 10 end point but that has to alter what classes are valuable.

Also, any good combo's small ranger on flying moon druid comes to mind but my players find it hard to cast buff spells on each other so an entirely team build seems unlikely.

This post is going to be fairly short as I am on my phone. I will likely extend it once the weekend hits but we are set to start this weekend so I wanted to fish for ideas and opinions before I rambled my own two sense onto a page.

[Herobizkit]

If you're a player in Storm King's Thunder (or any pre-gen), it's generally considered bad form to read the adventure ahead of time. Your DM would be well within their rights to exclude you from their game should they find out.

SKT likely features more outdoorsy excursions than 'standard'.

I generally design theme first, optimization second. If I had a group, I'd likely want:

a UA Ranger II (Beastmaster) or the Hunter Ranger (maybe a Firbolg for race?);
a Paladin (bonus points if Ancients, but much to be said for Crown and Protection);
a Druid (either type, though a Drow/Underdark Land Druid really gets me hyped);
a Dwarven Storm Cleric (for what I hope are obvious reasons)
a Half-Orc Bard (probably Lore, but Valor works well here too).

Definitely no humans or halflings because no one likes needing light sources. :)

[Oramac]

I'm really loving my Tempest Sorcerer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?493427-Tempest-Sorcerer-Tank&p=20954743#post20954743) in SKT right now. Our party is around 6-8th level at the moment.

Myself
Dwarven Battlerager Barbarian
Water Genasi Life Cleric
Vuman Lore Bard

Plus one or two other players who sporadically show up.

Honestly, I wouldn't call us "optimized" at all, but even so we're able to take deadly encounters without any problem (so far, at least).

Our DM has even joked "don't mind me. I'm just here to track hit points."

The only hint I'll say is: Hypnotic Pattern is your friend. :)

[RulesJD]

Honestly, it's prettttty open to almost any class.

With that said, two in particular "niches" are needed.


1. A class that excels with 2H weapons and can tank. Generally this means a Barbarian. Giants (not a spoiler that they're in the adventure) have massive +to hit and thus high AC tanking is pretty useless. 1/2 damage is significantly better.

There are a...lot of 2H weapons, one or two in particular that are important.

2. A class that can cast Hypnotic Pattern. That spell is pretty much the VIP of SKT.

[DanyBallon]

Definitely no humans or halflings because no one likes needing light sources. :)

Darkvision only treat darkness as dim light, so you roll all your Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight with disadvantage. Light sources are pretty much needed for any races. :smallwink:

As for party composition, I'd suggest to go with whatever you want. But a lot of overland travel and outdoor encounters fit very well thematically with rangers and barbarians.

[Oramac]

2. A class that can cast Hypnotic Pattern. That spell is pretty much the VIP of SKT.

Truth.

I highly recommend two classes that can cast it. In my group, both myself and the Bard cast it, and it's taken encounters that should have killed us and turned them into a cakewalk.

[Aembrosia]

Waterdavian Noble background Lore Bard and Grassland Druid backline for reasons
Sorcadin folk hero background for reasons
Reghed variant clan Barbarian for reasons (or Fighter)
Criminal background ranger y'know... for reasons.

I have run the whole book and I am running it again. This group will breeze right through it.

Editing Note: Backgrounds are more important than your class mechanics if you're roleplaying instead murder hoboing. You go for a diplomatic victory at the end of which you pit all of your supporters against one another and come out ontop ruling the world. It comes down to language proficiencies. The Waterdavian Noble Bard speaks bureaucrat. The druid speaks with beasts and plants, we mostly care about treants here. The Folk Hero sorcadin rallies the smallfolk to arms and negotiates terms with the various ancient dragons. The reghed goliath barbarian speaks Bothii and Giant, uniting the fractured tribes and translating for Giantkind. The ranger can go flash some gang signs somewhere they're here for the dps the huge deeeeeeps.

[imaginary]

I agree with much of the above. SKT is not an adventure you can just power through. Knowledge and diplomacy are important. Divination, geographical knowledge, languages, politics, persuasion.

I actually think a ranger would be great. Not for the damage bonus against giants, but for the knowledge checks and outdoors skills.

I've actually been thinking of a fun character to play: a half storm (or cloud) giant. Basically a reflavored goliath with levels in tempest cleric and/or storm sorcerer.

[Oramac]

I've actually been thinking of a fun character to play: a half storm (or cloud) giant. Basically a reflavored goliath with levels in tempest cleric and/or storm sorcerer.

I would like to introduce you to the Tempest Sorcerer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?493427-Tempest-Sorcerer-Tank&p=20954743#post20954743). :)

This is the exact character I'm playing in SKT right now, and it's all kinds of fun. Both in and out of combat. I'm Half-Elven, but a reflavored Goliath would work just fine too, and get you closer to the 15 Str required for plate.

[PartyChef]

Just to be clear. I am the DM but my party is mostly younger, more inexperienced players and I want to be able to provide build advice to ensure they can each contribute.

The hypnotic pattern and 2h advice give me two characters and I can guarantee we will have one social char so it looks pretty good so far. Thanks folks.

[DanyBallon]

Just to be clear. I am the DM but my party is mostly younger, more inexperienced players and I want to be able to provide build advice to ensure they can each contribute.

The hypnotic pattern and 2h advice give me two characters and I can guarantee we will have one social char so it looks pretty good so far. Thanks folks.

It would be nice if all the characters have some means to contribute while travelling, either social skills for interraction with NPCs, outdoor skills, being proficient navigating boat or driving wagon, etc.

It's not much, but new players will feel useful, and will help them impersonate their character.

[Herobizkit]

Some rando suggestions - feel free to use or ignore at your leisure.

If they're all new players, the most important rule is Fun First.

SKT isn't exactly a "beginner's" module; as I understand it, it's more of a sandbox than a linear adventure. Without a clear goal, be prepared for them to make terrible, often fatal mistakes. ^_^

Having a character that's well-built is a great boon, but not knowing how it works is what will get everyone killed.

Optimization isn't necessary for their survival. They're a team; they should learn to lean on each other. :)

If they're playing something built for them with zero input from them, the characters might as well be plastics Sorry pegs as they figure out how to roll d20+mod and what that even means.

D&D in general has 3 tiers, of which you're likely familiar, but if not: Social, Exploration, Combat.
5e pre-gens tend to assume a party of 4 with a Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, and Wizard.

Between 5 players and careful background choices, you should be able to get everyone to contribute at least to two of those tiers apiece.

Avoid adding in Feats; there's already enough to learn and the base game assumes the players don't have them.

Wizards tend to be 'hard-mode' for beginners, mostly because of the wealth of options combined with the lack of familiarity of spells and their effects. I'd suggest leaning the players towards spontaneous casters with a smaller spell list.