One-Class Groups

[Speely]

I like doing themed mini-campaigns and one-shots. One of my favorite themes is the "one-class-party." A troupe of Bards. A study group of Wizards. A band of Fighters or a gang of Rogues, etc.

For some classes, there are enough subclasses and other options within said subclasses for viable variations that make this workable. However, this might not work for all classes.

What are some all-one-class groups you would like to run or play in, and what classes do you think fall short in this respect?

[Galithar]

I honestly don't think any 5e class would be bad for this. Sorcerers would, in my opinion, be the worst though, at least it run at low levels. The Sorcerers just take a bit longer to get off the ground.

I would love to play in an all Warlock game though. The Invocations give enough options to be varied, and the roleplay of being a group of good guys (gals) or evil gals (guys) that sold themselves for power sounds fun to me.

[Speely]

I honestly don't think any 5e class would be bad for this. Sorcerers would, in my opinion, be the worst though, at least it run at low levels. The Sorcerers just take a bit longer to get off the ground.

I would love to play in an all Warlock game though. The Invocations give enough options to be varied, and the roleplay of being a group of good guys (gals) or evil gals (guys) that sold themselves for power sounds fun to me.

Funny you say that, because even though Sorcs would be my first choice for a bad group here, locks would be my second.

Ok, maybe Barbarians would be in front of Warlocks on the bad scale.

[stoutstien]

I've ran one class parties for ever class but fighter and can be a ton of fun. My favorites were bard and cleric.

[Lunali]

IMO the worst would be barbarian, not because they'd necessarily be weak, just that they'd have the least difference in playstyle

[Speely]

IMO the worst would be barbarian, not because they'd necessarily be weak, just that they'd have the least difference in playstyle

I agree, mostly because all Barbs are "When you are raging..." subclasses. Makes them really one-note.

[stoutstien]

I agree, mostly because all Barbs are "When you are raging..." subclasses. Makes them really one-note.

WWE style. Four Babs flying tackling, choke slamming, and smashing chairs over the head off all that stood in their path.
-Halfling totem Barbarian
-half-orc zelot
-lizard folk ancestral Guardian
-Dwarven battlerager.
The halfling end up taking the mounted combat feat to pull off tag team attacks.
Lv 1-11 before they all died on purpose to challenge the arch devils in a a tournament to free the souls of a world.

[sophontteks]

Locks would be one of the best if the players knew how to build them. They can handle every role.

Sorcerers I agree would be too weak early on.

I'd give it to Bards and warlocks as the best. Probably Clerics too. Very flexible classes, all of them.

[Speely]

WWE style. Four Babs flying tackling, choke slamming, and smashing chairs over the head off all that stood in their path.
-Halfling totem Barbarian
-half-orc zelot
-lizard folk ancestral Guardian
-Dwarven battlerager.
The halfling end up taking the mounted combat feat to pull off tag team attacks.
Lv 1-11 before they all died on purpose to challenge the arch devils in a a tournament to free the souls of a world.

Haha I stand corrected. This is why I love this forum :)

But what about Monks, y'all? That could be a really effective group.

[thoroughlyS]

Ranger would be another contender for worst full party, because there aren't that many directions to take a build mechanically. Bard and Warlock seem like the best options, thanks to access to Extra Attack.

[stoutstien]

Ranger would be another contender for worst full party, because there aren't that many directions to take a build mechanically. Bard and Warlock seem like the best options, thanks to access to Extra Attack.

I fixed rangers by just making their spell casting more druids. If they can switch spells out it really makes up some lost ground.
Also give phb sub classes extended spell choices like xan options that was just uncalled for.

[pygmybatrider]

I think most classes would probably be fun and viable to do this with. Like most people have said Warlock, Cleric and Bard jump out straight away as classes that would do well because they can fill a variety of different roles in a party. I’d probably add Paladins in the top tier as well - between emergency healing, a heap of nova, and stacking different auras, they’d do just fine on their own.

Druids go here as well IMO. Between a Moon Druid or two for melee damage dealing/tanking, a Shepherd Druid for all the minionmancy you could ever want, and a Land Druid to debuff/CC, you’re in for a treat. Pass Without Trace and Wild Shape also makes for a super sneaky party.

Fighters and Rogues I think would also do well. Stacking a bunch of action surges and BM maneuevers or disadvantages from Cavalier marks would be nice. Lots of Rogues mean lots of opportunities for sneak attacks. Inquisitive would be great in tandem with others. Scout is basically a better ranger. Skills for days in an all-rogue party.

I think Rangers would actually be okay too - they can reasonably heal, deal damage, and take damage all on their own. Probably not the most interesting party to play, but hardly non-viable.

Sorcerers would probably be fine after about level 5 but getting there could be a struggle. With a stone sorc tank, Divine Soul support, draconic blaster, you’d do pretty well after you got set up.

Wizards working together as a team would be deadly if they could make it past the first few goblin encounters alive. A party of barbarians would make for some miserable sack-o’-meat slogs in combat but are still barbarians. can I use Strength for Insight?

Roughly organising classes into tiers:

Top tier, no dramas, single class party functioning as needed: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Warlock

Middle tier, missing an archetype or some straight up power, but workable: Fighter, Ranger, Rogue

Bottom tier, still manageable - it’s 5e - but needing some solid teamwork during character creation, or slow to start, or limited options: Barbarian, Sorcerer, Wizard

Edit: forgot Druids!

[Falcon X]

Druids!

*We are being chased by local cult members.
“Hey, where did they go? All I see are these four lizards chilling out here.”

Mother Nature just wrecks the enemy.
- we all use mold earth to burrow at 20’ per round
- we chain thunder waves and thorn whips to place the enemies right where we want them.
- Ever had 4 Call Lightnings active at one time? You just rain 12d10 damage on whatever you want for 10 minutes.
- How about our smallest guy casts tidal wave and the others cast water walk? Now we surf through the jungle!
- everyone has healing, food every day, disease healing, etc.
- I’m pretty sure casting 4 Control Weather’s at one time will take down a fleet of ships.
- 4 heat metals can disable the leadership of a large group.
- Conjure 8+ velociraptors to go all Jurassic Park on the enemy.
I could go on....

[CTurbo]

I love one class parties! I have been in an all Fighter party and an all Cleric party.

The all Fighter party was an unstoppable machine in combat but struggled a little in everything else. We did "ok" though.
The all Cleric party was just great at everything. It was fun being out on a holy mission to protect the world of a demon invasion. I'd like to do the all Cleric thing again.

I think a band of Bards would be a ton of fun too, and one of the most effective options overall. Paladins would be possibly THE best option for overall single class party awesomeness.

I'd really like to play an all Rogue party too. I actually made a thread about this one a while back.

Warlocks and Druids would be great too.

Despite the lack of diversity among subclasses, I don't think a party of Rangers would be bad at all.

I don't understand the Sorcerer hate either. I think they'd make a decent single class option. Imagine a whole party of subtle spell casters? Why would Sorcerers be worse than Wizards?

I think Monks and Barbarians would be the worst. I'd hate the fight a party of either of them, but they'd struggle in the other pillars of the game. Imagine a party of Monks with the social pillar of the game?

[Speely]

I'd really like to play an all Rogue party too. I actually made a thread about this one a while back.

I would too! I really want to run or play a campaign where the PCs were a mini thieves guild. Lots of opportunities for fun shenanigans.

[Trustypeaches]

A full rogue party sounds like a lot of fun, if one of them picks up Pass Without Trace and they all invest in Stealth Expertise. MAXIMUM Stealth!

Everybody goes Assassin and ends combat in a single round. Easy.

[ImproperJustice]

A party of all Monks would be supremely entertaining.

I think an all Sorc Party might be fine. They would just work differently.
Lots of cantrip spammage, twinned invisibilities, subtle illusions, etc....
They would probably bypass as many encounters as they could.

At level 5+?

Just imagine what 5 empowered fireballs would do to an encounter.

[Mr.Spastic]

I definitely agree that druids would be the best from the core rules but looking at the UA releases Mystics and Artificers would be an interesting setup. Mystics would be broken, because the UA release is bot balanced well. Artificers would be really fun. Mainly because you would get so many magic Items that it would be ridiculous. And you would have a bunch of large automatons running around with you. You could flavor it that you all are apart of the same artificers guild. You would also be able to have almost every tool proficiency, assuming a party of four.

[Luccan]

The less specific flavor in the baseclass (not necesarilly subclasses) the bette, in this case. Barb and Ranger come up short because both the classes have pretty strong default flavor. I think Sorc suffers from having too few subclasses, none of which really let them branch out. Even wizard gets a physical combat subclass.

I've always wanted to do a group of Rogues in a game. You know what might be really interesting, actually? Paladins with different oaths. The party dynamic having to negotiate their strongly held moral beliefs would be interesting with the right group.

[CTurbo]

There are tons of UA Sorcerer subclasses.

I agree about mixing a bunch of different oath Paladins. Playing in a group of mixed domain Clerics was fun too.

[Malifice]

IMO the worst would be barbarian, not because they'd necessarily be weak, just that they'd have the least difference in playstyle

That's not a party, it's a horde.

DM: OK as you enter the city gates, a guardsman approaches and announc...
PCs (as one): GROG/ SKORD/ COHAN/ BORK/ UNGARR THE UNFETTERED ATTACK!

[Angelalex242]

Oh, I dunno. I think a party of 4 tortle shadow monks would be quite entertaining. Just remember to bring pizza. ;)

[Joe the Rat]

I've got notes on kitting out Warlocks to simulate most other classes, at least in role and feel. Druid ends up being hardest, only for the wildshape aspect.

Xanathar's makes it way too easy.

[GlenSmash!]

The all Bard party would be both very successful and very annoying.

[tieren]

I would love Ranger if the test allowed the UA Guardian Conclave subclass to be the melee tank, with PAM and sentinel it would control a pretty vast area with a reach weapon (glaive).

Throw in a Hunter, beast master and horizon walker and I think it would be a lot of fun.

Not directly on topic but I would like an all small race party, or for a real change of pace an all flying race party (winged tiefling/aarakocra, etc...).

[Speely]

Clerics would probably be totes OP here. Nature, Arcana, Knowledge, Tempest/War, Light. Boom. Choose any 3 to 6. You don't need a healer because everyone is a healer. Everyone has access to both Restorations. Lots of opportunities for consistent damage.

And any one person in the party could switch from their primary role to healer immediately.

Bards are much the same, but a cleric party also runs the gamut for Channel Divinity options.

Also, a holy party of different deities is ripe for great RP fodder (as has been said earlier in this thread, and effectively also applies to Paladins as well.)

[Malifice]

Clerics would probably be totes OP here. Nature, Arcana, Knowledge, Tempest/War, Light. Boom. Choose any 3 to 6. You don't need a healer because everyone is a healer. Everyone has access to both Restorations. Lots of opportunities for consistent damage.

And any one person in the party could switch from their primary role to healer immediately.

Bards are much the same, but a cleric party also runs the gamut for Channel Divinity options.

Also, a holy party of different deities is ripe for great RP fodder (as has been said earlier in this thread, and effectively also applies to Paladins as well.)

A Rabbi, a Priest and an Imam walk into a bar...

I can't really see a party with mixed clerics of different Faith's doing so well together!

[CTurbo]

Clerics would probably be totes OP here. Nature, Arcana, Knowledge, Tempest/War, Light. Boom. Choose any 3 to 6. You don't need a healer because everyone is a healer. Everyone has access to both Restorations. Lots of opportunities for consistent damage.

And any one person in the party could switch from their primary role to healer immediately.

Bards are much the same, but a cleric party also runs the gamut for Channel Divinity options.

Also, a holy party of different deities is ripe for great RP fodder (as has been said earlier in this thread, and effectively also applies to Paladins as well.)

The all Cleric party I was in was awesome. I was a Tempest and we had a Nature, Light, Arcana, and Knowledge. No heavy armor, but we all used shields. We absolutely destroyed a Glabrezu using nothing but Spirit Gardians and a few Spiritual Weapons by surrounding it and dodging.

[Callak_Remier]

I think most classes would probably be fun and viable to do this with. Like most people have said Warlock, Cleric and Bard jump out straight away as classes that would do well because they can fill a variety of different roles in a party. I’d probably add Paladins in the top tier as well - between emergency healing, a heap of nova, and stacking different auras, they’d do just fine on their own.

Druids go here as well IMO. Between a Moon Druid or two for melee damage dealing/tanking, a Shepherd Druid for all the minionmancy you could ever want, and a Land Druid to debuff/CC, you’re in for a treat. Pass Without Trace and Wild Shape also makes for a super sneaky party.

Fighters and Rogues I think would also do well. Stacking a bunch of action surges and BM maneuevers or disadvantages from Cavalier marks would be nice. Lots of Rogues mean lots of opportunities for sneak attacks. Inquisitive would be great in tandem with others. Scout is basically a better ranger. Skills for days in an all-rogue party.

I think Rangers would actually be okay too - they can reasonably heal, deal damage, and take damage all on their own. Probably not the most interesting party to play, but hardly non-viable.

Sorcerers would probably be fine after about level 5 but getting there could be a struggle. With a stone sorc tank, Divine Soul support, draconic blaster, you’d do pretty well after you got set up.

Wizards working together as a team would be deadly if they could make it past the first few goblin encounters alive. A party of barbarians would make for some miserable sack-o’-meat slogs in combat but are still barbarians. can I use Strength for Insight?

Roughly organising classes into tiers:

Top tier, no dramas, single class party functioning as needed: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Warlock

Middle tier, missing an archetype or some straight up power, but workable: Fighter, Ranger, Rogue

Bottom tier, still manageable - it’s 5e - but needing some solid teamwork during character creation, or slow to start, or limited options: Barbarian, Sorcerer, Wizard

Edit: forgot Druids!

A wizard is usually balanced around 2 or 3 spells per level at most now imagine a Group of 4 wizards thats 24 spells at lvl 1 in each wizards spell book.

[CTurbo]

A wizard is usually balanced around 2 or 3 spells per level at most now imagine a Group of 4 wizards thats 24 spells at lvl 1 in each wizards spell book.

That's a lot of magic missiles! Lol

[Aaron Underhand]

I think most classes would probably be fun and viable to do this with. Like most people have said Warlock, Cleric and Bard jump out straight away as classes that would do well because they can fill a variety of different roles in a party. I’d probably add Paladins in the top tier as well - between emergency healing, a heap of nova, and stacking different auras, they’d do just fine on their own.

Druids go here as well IMO. Between a Moon Druid or two for melee damage dealing/tanking, a Shepherd Druid for all the minionmancy you could ever want, and a Land Druid to debuff/CC, you’re in for a treat. Pass Without Trace and Wild Shape also makes for a super sneaky party.

Fighters and Rogues I think would also do well. Stacking a bunch of action surges and BM maneuevers or disadvantages from Cavalier marks would be nice. Lots of Rogues mean lots of opportunities for sneak attacks. Inquisitive would be great in tandem with others. Scout is basically a better ranger. Skills for days in an all-rogue party.

I think Rangers would actually be okay too - they can reasonably heal, deal damage, and take damage all on their own. Probably not the most interesting party to play, but hardly non-viable.

Sorcerers would probably be fine after about level 5 but getting there could be a struggle. With a stone sorc tank, Divine Soul support, draconic blaster, you’d do pretty well after you got set up.

Wizards working together as a team would be deadly if they could make it past the first few goblin encounters alive. A party of barbarians would make for some miserable sack-o’-meat slogs in combat but are still barbarians. can I use Strength for Insight?

Roughly organising classes into tiers:

Top tier, no dramas, single class party functioning as needed: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Warlock

Middle tier, missing an archetype or some straight up power, but workable: Fighter, Ranger, Rogue

Bottom tier, still manageable - it’s 5e - but needing some solid teamwork during character creation, or slow to start, or limited options: Barbarian, Sorcerer, Wizard

Edit: forgot Druids!

Interested in how the paladins really cope with kiting enemies or very sneaky ones. They are so MAD that ranged at will and perception can be issues

[CTurbo]

Interested in how the paladins really cope with kiting enemies or very sneaky ones. They are so MAD that ranged at will and perception can be issues


Find Greater Speed gives them all great mobility. That and Javelins. Lots and lots of Javelins. lol

[Angelalex242]

Paladins do still have all martial weapons.

And there IS such a thing as a Dexadin should you want one of them to be an archer. (He uses a rapier to smite people)

[effenhoog]

An all-mystic party would be very fun and has the potential for a lot of variety within the class. I hope it gets nailed down into official content soon

[sambojin]

Druids, definitely. Now we've got Xanathar's and apparently an official Spore druid in Guilds of Ravinica, there are plenty of options for all kinds of play.

They won't be powerhouses, but they'll all play differently and all be very versatile, depending on character levels.

As caster levels go up, and as long as you've got a Land druid or two in the group for spell versatility, I can't ever see it becoming boring. Plus, everyone gets a semi-permanent talking/fighting animal companion (or more than one) at 9th with awaken, for added hilarity.

So much lockdown and basic melee and multi-DoT spells running, as well as summons to bulk the party out, you kind of couldn't go wrong. Except maybe at level 1, but even then you could probably shillelagh and magic your way to glory.