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[Rolepgeek]

It was meant as a joke, mostly, Criptfiend. But it is what I tend to do when I DM. Newcomers don't yet know what they like to play as, so they play what the party's missing, and see how it feels.

As for the melee vs. caster...there is a difference in difficulty akin to the linear vs. quadratic. In terms of rules to remember and difficulty mid-play, I would say casters are easier. In terms of character creation, the reason I despise making casters is that they take several hours longer to make, just from humming and hahing over which spells to choose. This gets worse if you're unable to change your selection for a long time, like when you're a sorcerer or a warlock (though I still remember Osoero fondly, and he will be from now on my go-to mid-level arcane character. And high-level, but I don't know about low-level.). When you're a cleric or a Druid, it's much easier, and wizards....well they're wizards. I pretend they're balanced by looking at the situation from a 'you're supposed to start at level one' scenario. Wizards suffer roughhouse the low levels in exchange for ultimate power at the high levels; the fighters are there to protect them until then and deal with anything the wizard didn't think of.

In a similar note, I think of DnD class archetypes as a four way rock-paper-scissors(though this doesn't apply to high levels, and only sort of at low levels). Divine casters and their buffs, divination, armor, and basic melee skills beat skill monkeys; skill monkeys sneakitude and clever use of various shenanigans beat arcane casters(as a character in the Taltos series once said, no matter how clever the wizard, a knife in the back will still cramp his style. Or something to that effect); arcane casters and their magicks beat meat shields, and meat shields with their combat prowess beat down divine casters. Divine casters and arcane casters are mostly equal, and winner is situational(so is everything else, it's just a vague generalization, and those tend to be more common; an archery ranger with the drop on a wizard has a good chance of dropping him before he can cast(don't bring up contingency shenanigans, please), and a cleric with an undead horde will probably mob even a paladin), and the winner between meat shield and skill monkey is mostly a matter of 'does the first attack cripple the meatshield' for who wins.

[Heron TSG]

A pretty big problem with D&D 3.5 is that the divine casters get spells that make them better meatshields than dedicated ones, wizards can turn into 12-headed fiendish cryohydras, and both can summon thirty angels to do everything. (A la Angel Summoner and BMX Bandit.)

But it's possible to make any sort of party work just fine. I've had great fun in a party of 6 wizards and one beatstick. 

[Doomblade187]

And I love rangers partly because of rapid shot and longbows. But anyway, here's a preliminary char: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=618139

[Criptfeind]

I don't understand about. 7/8ths of that post RPGeek. Even picking out spells is easy if you actually know what you want to play as and have a good idea in mind. It's a little bit of added complexity. But for any player who is actually playing a character in role playing game it's by far and away not going to be the most difficult part of making a character. Its only as hard as you want it to be.

As for the rock paper scissors thing... What? That's just. Like. Not true.

[Rolepgeek]

So, one, being a first level sorcerer, with no other arcane casters? Yeah, good luck with that. I figured it out, but like I said, took hours. I like making characters, it's fun for me, but it takes a while.

Just stating it's not true doesn't really mean anything. Partially because I'm not referring to high levels. At high levels, it's more like wizard is an anvil, cleric is a rock, fighter is a sword, and rogue is a gun. Drop one on top the other and see which breaks.

[Heron TSG]

Err, no. A high-level wizard is only an anvil if anvils are omnipotent, omniscient beings that can shapeshift at a whim and destroy a thousand swords with a few words. A high-level cleric is the same with more hit points. A high level rogue is like a gun; a well-made high level rogue is like a gun under a lead sheet. Fighters are just really good swords.

(Also, none of those should break if dropped on one another, except maybe the gun because it's pretty complex.)

I've never understood the tendency to steer new players towards the barbarian and fighter. Honestly, making a sorcerer takes only slightly longer. If you're making one with just the core rulebooks (where most of the best spells come from anyway), it's as easy as picking a handful of spells from a couple rather short lists. And really, the rules for Detect Magic and Burning Hands are a lot more straightforward than the grappling rules anyhow. Just play what you want to and hopefully everything works out.

What am I even doing here? I'm not in _{this campaign.}

[Criptfeind]

Oh no Barbarossa we love you. Join us!

[GreatWyrmGold]

I think it's that tactics are simpler. You don't need to learn about flanking to sneak attack, nor do you need to learn how to pace yourself with spellcasting.

[Heron TSG]

Oh no Barbarossa we love you. Join us!

You know what, okay. I'm gonna play a bard with a sling, because I believe in the power of rockin' and rollin' marshal, the militant version of a bard. I'll have a sheet up in an hour or so.

[Criptfeind]

High five. Make him as small as possible and my char could be your mount.

[GreatWyrmGold]

High five. Make him as small as possible and my char could be your mount.

Wait, what?
...What's your character?

[Criptfeind]

Sorry. That was a joke. I mean. Realistically, I totally could carry even like, a human in heavy armor. But I don't think that it would actually be any like like a good idea, since well. It would be totally pointless.

[Harbingerjm]

Well, not totally. It would be a fairly good defense for the marshal, and save the loss of speed that normally comes with small size.

[Rolepgeek]

Hmmm. Well, I've got a basic concept (reach weapon+shield), I've got a class that fits with potential party members and is powerful enough to be relevant, as well as working with the concept(Crusader), and I have the ability scores. Now, I just need to ask our gracious DM if he would allow any of the following three weapons:

Pike: Martial Weapon, Two-Handed, 1d8 Damage, x3 Critical, Piercing Damage, Has 15-foot reach for medium creature, but cannot attack targets adjacent or ten feet away, 9 gp, 14 lbs.
(Not sure what to call it. Bec de Corbin, Bardiche, Voulge, Ahlspess/Awlspike, could all work. Or just a type of spear):Exotic Weapon, One-Handed, 1d10 Damage, x3 Critical, Reach, Piercing Damage, can be set against a charge, can be used as a martial weapon in two hands, 25 gp, 10 lbs.
Boar Spear: Martial Weapon, One-Handed, 1d8 Damage, x3 Critical, Piercing Damage, Reach, Can be set against a charge, 15 gp, 10 lbs.

I just really want a one-handed melee weapon, for the iconic polearm and shield(you know, the one that appears in shield walls everywhere?) and my other choice is a Small Glaive, which I take a penalty to hit for. I'd rather just spend a feat to get the Exotic weapon. Expensive too, to fit. As expensive as a bloody spiked chain, at least...

Edit: As a question for other players, if he does approve this, and I hope he does, should I get weapon focus with it too to use Short Haft, or simply get Improved Shield Bash and bash anyone who gets close?

And a rules question. If I'm wielding a spiked shield, and/or have Improved Shield Bash, am I considered to threaten the area adjacent to me?

[Heron TSG]

You might be looking for the Awl Pike from Dragon #331.

Awl Pike: 10 gp 1d8 x3 -  10 lb. Piercing Dragon #331
Two-handed Weapon. This weapon deals double damage when readied against a charge. See the description of this weapon for special rules.

Unfortunately, 15' reach is simply not something that one handed weapons get, except for whips that explicitly do not threaten any tiles. I believe there are a few 10' reach polearms that can be wielded one-handed, but for the most part they aren't very effective. (The lance is only one handed when mounted, for example.)

As for threatening tiles with a shield, you do indeed threaten tiles adjacent to you while bearing it. However, you will only be able to make attacks of opportunity with weapons that can reach that tile. You would then lose your shield bonus to AC until your next turn unless you have the Improved Shield Bash feat.

Marshal is taking a little longer than expected because I got distracted. I'm thinking to be a anthropomorphic bat lesser Aasimar or Celadrin.