Is this party balanced, or is it missing something essential (note that the fighter has high dex, stealth proficiency, and thieves' tools proficiency in order to fill in for a rogue)
You've got your Face, Heals, Rogue stuff from the fighter, and damage, so it should be fine. DM can always adjust a bit for anything missing. Can be fun to see how you deal with any gaps.
Our group is a weird mix. We've lost two players and characters, but recently gained another. At level 12 now. Playing through Tiamat campaigns. No healing early on due to inexperience of players and preference to pew-pew. No arcane spellcaster. Group does great and can blow through encounters, but longer/more encounters between rests gets rough. Getting better as players get more experience, but getting into tougher fights now. DM has been ramping up enemy HP to deal with the Barb. No arcane characters makes it rough when dealing with that kind of stuff. Barb got a hold of some sort of Arcane skill book in a library (before it was fireballed) so he became the arcane expert. Forest Gnomes can cast spells... So...
Forest Gnome Barbarian (Me)--Totem--Acts as tank and deals out most damage consistently. Sword and board for high AC. Tries to stay up long enough for rest of party to retreat, recover, and return. Acts as rogue when needed. Has studied history and arcana. Thought it was funny to have gnome barbarian who is more intellectual, but still practical, outside of battle... (Decent D&D experience. Helps DM with running game)
Aasimar Bard--College of Glamour--Face of the party, but easily insulted. Always gets us in fights. Does good with support. Only recently started trying to heal. (New to D&D)
Firbolg Druid--Circle of Land--Prefers attack spells like Lightning Bolt. Rarely wildshapes or uses healing spells. (New to D&D)
Tabaxi Rogue--Assassin?--Character dead roughly lvl 6-8. Started fights and was scout. Did pretty well as damage dealer. (New to D&D. Hasn't played since character death)
Lizardman Monk--Kensai?--Character dead roughly lvl 6-8. Damage dealer. Not much to say. Oh! Did become the Bard's unofficial mount when player wasn't there! (Unable to come to games for awhile. Hasn't played since character's death)
Elf Ranger--Hunter--Almost died first encounter. Does good damage. (Very experienced player, but new to 5e)
So I have a party consisting of the following characters
Variant Human Battlemaster Fighter (Archery Fighting style) (Urchin Background)
Variant Human Abjuration Wizard (Sage Background)
Half Elf Oath of Vengeance Paladin (Courtier Background)
Hill Dwarf Grave Cleric (Folk Hero Background)
Half Orc Bear Totem Barbarian (Outlander Background)
Is this party balanced, or is it missing something essential (note that the fighter has high dex, stealth proficiency, and thieves' tools proficiency in order to fill in for a rogue)
That is probably a more well balance party than most.
One of the groups I am in has 2 Monks, 1 Paladin, and 1 Bard.
There is no obvious Face, but that just means social encounters will be more interesting.
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The Paladin is supposed to be the face, hence the courtier background
Durr. I forgot Paladins were Charisma spellcasters. Yeah, looks like a pretty good party.
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It's fine. You have all the typical archetypes.
Even if you didn't, it would be fine =)
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I'll do one better!
2 sorcerers
1 wizard
1 monk
1 Barbarian
1 Custom character that acts a lot like a Kenku.
I'd say the average hit dice in the group is like d8 with NO healers. Gonna be a ....BLAST
Read the first chapters. Feel free to critique. Will link the next chapters at the end of the first. Two stories running so far.
Simeon Tor:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/story-lore/34598-simeon-tor-chapter-1-the-heat-of-battle
The Heart of the Drow:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/story-lore/36014-heart-of-the-drow-chapter-1
You've got your Face, Heals, Rogue stuff from the fighter, and damage, so it should be fine. DM can always adjust a bit for anything missing. Can be fun to see how you deal with any gaps.
Our group is a weird mix. We've lost two players and characters, but recently gained another. At level 12 now. Playing through Tiamat campaigns. No healing early on due to inexperience of players and preference to pew-pew. No arcane spellcaster. Group does great and can blow through encounters, but longer/more encounters between rests gets rough. Getting better as players get more experience, but getting into tougher fights now. DM has been ramping up enemy HP to deal with the Barb. No arcane characters makes it rough when dealing with that kind of stuff. Barb got a hold of some sort of Arcane skill book in a library (before it was fireballed) so he became the arcane expert. Forest Gnomes can cast spells... So...
Forest Gnome Barbarian (Me)--Totem--Acts as tank and deals out most damage consistently. Sword and board for high AC. Tries to stay up long enough for rest of party to retreat, recover, and return. Acts as rogue when needed. Has studied history and arcana. Thought it was funny to have gnome barbarian who is more intellectual, but still practical, outside of battle... (Decent D&D experience. Helps DM with running game)
Aasimar Bard--College of Glamour--Face of the party, but easily insulted. Always gets us in fights. Does good with support. Only recently started trying to heal. (New to D&D)
Firbolg Druid--Circle of Land--Prefers attack spells like Lightning Bolt. Rarely wildshapes or uses healing spells. (New to D&D)
Tabaxi Rogue--Assassin?--Character dead roughly lvl 6-8. Started fights and was scout. Did pretty well as damage dealer. (New to D&D. Hasn't played since character death)
Lizardman Monk--Kensai?--Character dead roughly lvl 6-8. Damage dealer. Not much to say. Oh! Did become the Bard's unofficial mount when player wasn't there! (Unable to come to games for awhile. Hasn't played since character's death)
Elf Ranger--Hunter--Almost died first encounter. Does good damage. (Very experienced player, but new to 5e)