The Balance Challenge

[Entiago]

my pick is the almost typical.

Ranger
Merc
Mind Mage
Thief

the races is a different prblem.

Right now in my group every decided to pick a race they usually don't play.....problem is all are humans (one is a changling covering as an elf) its great but here they are

Elf (changling) Longbowman
Human Palladin
Human Knight
Human Mind Mage (Human Bounty Hunter died)
Human Fire Warlock, Wizard

[Entiago]

my pick is the almost typical.

Ranger
Merc
Mind Mage
Thief

the races is a different prblem.

Right now in my group every decided to pick a race they usually don't play.....problem is all are humans (one is a changling covering as an elf) its great but here they are

Elf (changling) Longbowman
Human Palladin
Human Knight
Human Mind Mage (Human Bounty Hunter died)
Human Fire Warlock, Wizard

Does the mind mage take care of your social/scholar stuff?

actually the Wizard/Fire Warlock, and the Palladin does. The Mind Mage just joined the group (the player had the Bounty Hunter before). The Mind Mage just joined to get an item he needs to grab from where the gruop is going.

[Guest]

my pick is the almost typical.

Ranger
Merc
Mind Mage
Thief

I have to wonder about your selection of the Thief as a class for the "balanced party of adventurers." Unlike other games (i.e. D&D), the thief doesn't really get special abilities that are unavailable to other classes. Sadly, I feel the Thief has to be the most useless PFRPG class there is, primarily because all you need is another class with decent access to rogue/espionage/military skills to duplicate the supposed utility of the Thief O.C.C.

As for your other selections, I have to ask why magic-geezers are not listed in your selection.

Given the requirements listed in the first post, I'd have to go with something like;

Warrior-type...probably Warrior Monk, Mercenary, or Assassin. These three classes have the greatest potential to be combat generalists instead of specialists.
Clergy-type...i.e. Priest of Light or other "spell-casting" clergy. This isn't set in stone, since another warrior or magic type could easily be used in their place, but they can play a useful role in a party if handled correctly.
Magic-Geezer....I would suggest a wizard myself. The summoner, diabolist, and warlock magic foci are a bit too limited to cover all the areas required to balance the team (though warlock would be a good choice for some things).
Psychic-type...while the Mind Mage has the greatest potential power, I'd probably recommend that "mystic" psychic (I can't remember the exact OCC name wording for some reason).

[Tinker Dragoon]

Psychic-type...while the Mind Mage has the greatest potential power, I'd probably recommend that "mystic" psychic (I can't remember the exact OCC name wording for some reason).

Psi-Mystic P.C.C.?

[pblackcrow]

For a sea campaign:
Elven Wizard
Elven Water Warlock
Elven Air Warlock
And Human Mind Mage

For land:
Elven Squire/Scholar
Human Mind Mage
Elven Wizard
And Human Thief/Scout.

For air:
Elven Knight (Specifically trained for exotic animals)
Mini Dragon (The ones I came up with that don't get over 4 foot tall and have very little in the way of a breath weapon [1d4], but gets Magic and Psyonics at first level. And very little in the way of SDC and HP.)
Elven Wizard (with the fly or fly like the eagle spell.)
And either Centaur (w/ horse shoes of flight), human Gryphon Rider (In my games are the same as soldier w/ the exception of two added OCC skill...Land nav (+20) and horsemanship exotic (+30).), Faerie, or Dragon Wolf.

[Colonel Wolfe]

I just played FF1 form beginning to end on my GBA.

the Perfect 4 person ballanced party is.
Fighter
Red Mage
White Mage
Black Mage

[Entiago]

my pick is the almost typical.

Ranger
Merc
Mind Mage
Thief

I have to wonder about your selection of the Thief as a class for the "balanced party of adventurers." Unlike other games (i.e. D&D), the thief doesn't really get special abilities that are unavailable to other classes. Sadly, I feel the Thief has to be the most useless PFRPG class there is, primarily because all you need is another class with decent access to rogue/espionage/military skills to duplicate the supposed utility of the Thief O.C.C.

As for your other selections, I have to ask why magic-geezers are not listed in your selection.

Given the requirements listed in the first post, I'd have to go with something like;

Warrior-type...probably Warrior Monk, Mercenary, or Assassin. These three classes have the greatest potential to be combat generalists instead of specialists.
Clergy-type...i.e. Priest of Light or other "spell-casting" clergy. This isn't set in stone, since another warrior or magic type could easily be used in their place, but they can play a useful role in a party if handled correctly.
Magic-Geezer....I would suggest a wizard myself. The summoner, diabolist, and warlock magic foci are a bit too limited to cover all the areas required to balance the team (though warlock would be a good choice for some things).
Psychic-type...while the Mind Mage has the greatest potential power, I'd probably recommend that "mystic" psychic (I can't remember the exact OCC name wording for some reason).

Well for starters, I agree with almost uselessness of the Theif (I hate em), but they are a good class. Who else can get into the seedy underground as eaisily? Pick Locks, Pick Poctets, and all of the rouge skills?

As for the "Magic-Geezers", I choose Mind Mage due to the quick learning of powers, most of their powers are more useful than a mages at first level. I also like mages so lets not start a thing with that.

Anyway its like The Necromancer King said.

How your players play is almost always more important to balance than what they play.

The current group is well balanced now and I like it, even when it was only the Fire Warlock/Wizard, and the Palladin. Almost fit into everything.[/i]

[J_cobbers]

Changling Mind Mage (in disguise)
Wolfen Paladin, with wilderness skill emphasis
Troll Long Bowman, yay for giant sized long bows!
Wolfen Priest.

[Guest]

Well for starters, I agree with almost uselessness of the Theif (I hate em), but they are a good class. Who else can get into the seedy underground as eaisily? Pick Locks, Pick Poctets, and all of the rouge skills?

The Assassin and Mercenary Warrior just off the top of my head.

As for the "Magic-Geezers", I choose Mind Mage due to the quick learning of powers, most of their powers are more useful than a mages at first level. I also like mages so lets not start a thing with that.

Mind Mages are pschy(ot)ics, NOT "Magic-Geezers" unfortunately.

Anyway its like The Necromancer King said.

How your players play is almost always more important to balance than what they play.

While I agree in general, the purpose of this post is to set up a spefically balanced party based on the criteria listed in the first post.

The current group is well balanced now and I like it, even when it was only the Fire Warlock/Wizard, and the Palladin. Almost fit into everything.[/i]

This isn't about your specific party, it's about creating a balanced party based on the criteria.

[Entiago]

Well for starters, I agree with almost uselessness of the Theif (I hate em), but they are a good class. Who else can get into the seedy underground as eaisily? Pick Locks, Pick Poctets, and all of the rouge skills?

The Assassin and Mercenary Warrior just off the top of my head.

O.K., O.K. you got me there. Actually I never noticed that similarity before (between Merc's an Theives).

As for the "Magic-Geezers", I choose Mind Mage due to the quick learning of powers, most of their powers are more useful than a mages at first level. I also like mages so lets not start a thing with that.

Mind Mages are pschy(ot)ics, NOT "Magic-Geezers" unfortunately.[/quote]

right, but I chose to use the Mind Mage (psionics) rather than the "Magic-Geezers" because of the powers. I just worded it weird, sorry.

Anyway its like The Necromancer King said.

How your players play is almost always more important to balance than what they play.

While I agree in general, the purpose of this post is to set up a spefically balanced party based on the criteria listed in the first post.[/quote]

right. and it is the second post (I admit I got carried away when I listed my party)

The current group is well balanced now and I like it, even when it was only the Fire Warlock/Wizard, and the Palladin. Almost fit into everything.[/i]

This isn't about your specific party, it's about creating a balanced party based on the criteria.[/quote]

I know, I was just stating what my current group is. and Zacary the First asked who handled my social/scholar stuff

[Colonel Wolfe]

Four Changeling Rangers with psionic powers.

"They would of course be the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"
-Malefic

hmmmm.... thats bad... You dont need any of them... Just 4 Red Mages.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Four Changeling Rangers with psionic powers.

"They would of course be the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"
-Malefic

hmmmm.... thats bad... You dont need any of them... Just 4 Red Mages.

Throw Cecil, Tellah, Kain, and Sid in there. Finito.

only Problem with ol' Tellah, he has a Tiny Mana pool... but he's Awesome one he gets his Flare/Metoe back.

[OldSchoolGamer]

You need two melee "meat shields", Paladin and an Assassin. Assassin get all the skills of the theif plus better fighting skills.

You need your standard wizard of course.

Fourth could be a ranger for the longbow and outdoors skills but I think better would be priest. They can heal, cast and they are decent HTH.

[J. Lionheart]

I would go with an Undead Hunter, a Wizard, a Ranger, and a first edition Cleric. Clerics got shafted in second edition. Have the ranger be a psionic to boot. That gives 3 magic wielders, a psionicist, 2 ranged weapon fighters, three people trained in heavy armor and melee combat, 2 healers (one magic, one natural), 3 scholars, 2 wilderness trained folks, 1 stealthy type... a fairly solid mix.

[Swift-13]

Let the group choose whatever they want from the Palladium FRPG sourcebooks and watch the GM Roll with Impact.