Four checks for a four-character party
Plan around roles, concentration, shared equipment and opening actions rather than combining four individually strong builds.
Start with problems to solve, not four class names
Four strong builds can still compete for the same equipment or struggle against the same enemies. Assign jobs first. These four roles are an editorial planning framework, not mandatory game-defined class categories; a character may cover several.
- Remove a priority threat: focus damage on the enemy that matters most this turn.
- Disrupt enemy actions: use control, terrain or positioning to reduce incoming pressure.
- Sustain and recover: retain options for fallen allies, defensive support and resource management.
- Explore and interact: cover locks, traps, dialogue and information gathering separately from damage output.
Assign concentration ownership
A caster can maintain one concentration spell at a time. Casting another ends the existing concentration. A party calculation with several concentration effects simultaneously enabled on the same character can therefore overstate what the party can do.
If one wizard is responsible for both a concentration-based ally buff and a concentration-based control spell, decide which is used first. If both are needed together, assign one to another caster or choose a non-concentration alternative. Check the spell's concentration tag rather than guessing from its name.
Taking damage can force a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration. Keeping its caster protected may benefit the party more than maximising that character's personal damage. Also plan the next turn if concentration is lost.
Do not allocate one item twice
Individually complete builds do not make a feasible party if they require more copies of an item than you have. Check necklaces, rings and gloves that appear in multiple equipment lists.
| Check | What to record |
|---|---|
| Priority user | The character whose central plan depends on the item |
| Second user | A replacement when that character cannot receive it |
| Acquisition timing | Current-act availability and quest or choice requirements |
| Trade-off | The receiving character's gain versus the other character's loss |
Keep current-act equipment separate from the final setup. A strong Act 3 combination does not solve low accuracy or poor defence while progressing through Act 1.
Write the opening turn in plain language
Give every character a one-line first-turn plan. A sequence such as ‘apply a condition, make the main attack, finish a remaining enemy, preserve a recovery option’ exposes dependencies. It is a planning exercise, not a fixed optimal rotation.
- List the conditions, positioning and concentration effects required before the main attack.
- Assign a character and an action to each preparation step.
- Check that no action or bonus action is spent twice.
- Record a fallback if initiative order is different or the initial control attempt fails.
Even a Fighter, Cleric, Wizard and Rogue party does not determine its jobs by class name alone. Spell and equipment choices can put the Cleric at the centre of damage or make the Wizard a finisher rather than a controller. Use the actual builds to fill the worksheet.
Using the planner for a party
Create each character's build and inspect its equipment, spells and conditional effects. Then compare all four for concentration ownership, equipment conflicts and opening order. This is not a claim that the planner automatically detects every cross-character conflict. Record dependencies outside the calculator's coverage in the build description.
Finally, compare resources remaining for the next encounter, not just peak damage in one short fight. A build designed around a long rest between bursts serves a different goal from a party designed for several encounters. Choose the standard that matches how you play.