12 player party with one rep from each class

[CTurbo]

Which subclasses do you think would make up the best possible combo?

I'll go first

Barbarian - Totem(Wolf, Elk, Eagle)
Bard - Lore
Cleric - Life
Druid - Moon
Fighter - Battle Master
Monk - Long Death
Paladin - Ancients
Ranger - Gloom Stalker
Rogue - Thief
Sorcerer - Draconic
Warlock - Fiend/Chain
Wizard - Abjurer



Some of them were easy choices but some were hard. Almost went with Diviner, Wild Magic, Open Hand, Shadow, Assassin, Scout, Swashbuckler, Conquest, or Vengeance

[Deathtongue]

The best possible combo to what end? The 'optimal' party I'd come up with for a Logistics and Dragons-style game is different than the one I'd come up with for a social-focused game. Or a pure Wizardry-style dungeon crawler. Or a West Marches style exploration campaign.

[Nifft]

The optimal combo would be fewer damn PCs because that sounds absolutely hellish from a social organization standpoint, regardless of class or subclass.

[Unoriginal]

The optimal combo would be fewer damn PCs because that sounds absolutely hellish from a social organization standpoint, regardless of class or subclass.

I can confirm. Once had a DM who tried to handle a 13 people group because there wasn't enough DMs at the RPG club.

Felt like crawling through mud.

[Deathtongue]

Even if people could deal with the social organization problems, there's also the more basic problem of how adventures change when you have a party that large.

For example, dungeon crawls with large parties make playing as a melee frontliner harder. Spaces are more cramped and if you're doing the 'single file through 5' squares' thing, logistics can be brutal. Heavy-hitting spells like Animate Objects and Wall of Force and Conjure Animals can straight-up become unusable in large groups just because of space issues.

[Man_Over_Game]

With a team that big, basically any subclass that focuses on AoE will be better than any that focuses on single effects. Even if you are in a situation where there's a single boss, action economy will work in the players' favor and cause them to win anyway (unless you have some kind of ludicrously massive health and a crapton of legendary actions for the boss).

For example, Vengeance is very selfish in its utility (focuses on himself) and also targets single enemies. A better choice would be Devotion (for the auras) or Conquest (for the AoE Fear Aura).
Lore Bard is great, but it can only block a single attack each turn. Replace it with Glamour.
Now just do this with every subclass.

[KorvinStarmast]

You need two DMs. One to run the story and one to run the fiddly bits.
You need 12 players who are willing to always "be ready to take your turn, or lose it."
The "It's all about me" player must be removed from this group.
Players; you need to know your sh**. Know you abilities, pay attention, know your spells, know what you want to do.
When it's your turn, tell the DM what you are doing, know the dice it takes, and roll when directed.

Yes, it can work. But people have to adapt to a particular table style.

I've been in games with 8-10 players at the table. It can work, and play can move smoothly.
Lastly, for out of combat, Use A Caller like we did in OD&D.
Switch the person now and again, as needed, but Use a Caller.

OK, Here is my suggested Dirty Dozen.

Barbarian: Goliath, Bear or Ancestral Guardian (Background Outlander)
Bard: Lore, 1/2 Elf (Entertainer)
Cleric: Life, Human (Acolyte)
Druid: vHuman, Moon (Hermit)
Fighter: Dwarf, Champion (Soldier)
Monk: Sun Soul, Wood Elf (Urchin)
Paladin: Dragonborne, Ancients (Sailor)
Ranger: vHuman, Gloom Stalker (Outlander, bounty hunter)
Rogue: Halfling, Assassin (Criminal; spy)
Sorcerer: Tiefling, Wild Magic (Criminal)
Wizard: Gnome, Evoker (for sculpt spells) or Divination (Sage)
Warlock: Half Elf or Tiefling; hexblade, pact of the chain (Noble or Charlatan)

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Sounds like a fun thing, I might actually have my players do something like this as a small elite mercenary group. You'd want to have a group that could effectively be broken down into subgroups depending on what is going on. With that big of a variation having each person work like a puzzle piece would make for an amazingly effective group. You want each group to have a spellcaster and someone who can do some kind of emergency healing.



Two, six person groups.
Three, four person groups.
Four, three person groups.


Half Orc Zealot Barbarian
Tabaxi Lore Bard
Protector Aasimar Grave Cleric
Ghostwise Halfling Shepard Druid
Goliath Battlemaster Fighter
Aarakocra Open Hand Monk
Half Elf Ancients Paladin
Shadar-Kai Gloom Stalker Ranger
Wood Elf Assassin Rogue
Half Elf Divine Soul Sorcerer
Hexblade Protector Aasimar
Deep Gnome Abjuration Wizard

Depending on what's going on you can have a number of different group options.

Assassination: Rogue, Ranger, Cleric, Monk.
Bodyguard: Wizard, Bard, Barbarian, Paladin.
Exploration: Rogue, Ranger, Monk, Druid.
Infiltration: Rogue, Hexblade, Bard, Ranger.
Large Battle: Wizard, Paladin, Druid, Barbarian, Fighter, Cleric.
Taking down a prepared mage: Paladin, Bard, Monk, Sorcerer.