Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is a role-playing game all about exploration, teamwork, and survival in an increasingly dangerous world. Whatever your group’s definition of success, whether it’s levelling up, earning gold, befriending all of the NPCs, it’s good to consider creating a balanced party of adventurers. Depending on the kind of session you’re running, a balanced party might even be essential to ensure a good, fun game for everyone.
Note: there are a million different ways to play roleplaying games, but today we’ll be providing tips for good party composition, and things to consider, when playing a classic game of D&D. ie. A game where surviving combat is important to progress the story.
A popular opinion is that a group should include somewhere from four to six different players, plus the DM/GM, with their own unique skills and abilities. It's important to pick characters with complementary skillsets so the group can work together in an effective way. Additionally, keeping the characters all around the same level of experience will help ensure the party and encounters can stay balanced, with each player contributing equally during battle.
It’s also always a good idea to include at least one person who can heal. A healer can restore the party's health points, remove status effects, and give them the strength to fight against dangerous enemies. Healers can also provide support to other party members, allowing them to focus on the enemy instead of worrying about their own health. A healer, especially one who can use ranged healing, like the Bard, Cleric and Druid spell Healing Word. Having a healer will ensure that if any character is injured, they can be treated quickly and efficiently. Having the option of ranged healing, even at low levels, can literally make the difference between life and total character death.
A tank character is an essential part of a successful party, as they are physically strong and able to absorb a lot of damage inflicted by enemies. Tanks generally have high hit points and armor, as well as the ability to use heavy weapons and armor. Having a tank character in the group can be very beneficial in a variety of situations. For example, they can be used as a living shield, protecting the other characters from enemy attacks. Tanks can also be used to keep enemies away from the party and obstruct their path. They can help the party to survive dangerous encounters and make it easier to complete objectives when they are used to draw away enemy fire, allowing the other characters to fight or cast spells safely.
With a balanced and complementary team, players can navigate the world of D&D successfully and, ultimately, may even better enjoy the game.
