Smart RPG Party: Start with Companion Strengths

Yes, the smartest way to build an RPG party is to start with each companion’s strengths, not with a predetermined party role or a story-driven attachment. This approach ensures your party has the mechanical coverage to handle varied challenges, while also letting you build synergies that make each character more effective than they would be alone. This article explains why this works, how to evaluate strengths, and how to apply it to any RPG.

Formula

This calculator works out the average and total of six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) for a single companion. It is a simple arithmetic mean and sum:

Average = (S + D + C + I + W + Ch) / 6

Total = S + D + C + I + W + Ch

Where each variable is the companion’s score on a 1–10 scale. The average gives you a quick sense of overall power, while the total is useful for comparing companions with different numbers of stats (though most use six). This is a general tool—not tied to any specific game—so you can adapt it to any RPG that uses numeric ability scores.

Worked Example

Using the default values from the calculator (Strength 7, Dexterity 6, Constitution 5, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 4, Charisma 3):

1. Add the scores: 7 + 6 + 5 + 8 + 4 + 3 = 33
2. Divide by 6 to get the average: 33 ÷ 6 = 5.5
3. The total is 33 out of a possible 60.

So the companion has an average score of 5.5 and a total of 33. This tells you they are slightly above the midpoint (5.0) in overall ability, but with clear weaknesses in Wisdom and Charisma.

Why Starting with Strengths Works

Most RPGs reward specialization. A character who is great at one thing (like lockpicking or fire magic) will outperform a generalist in that specific area. When you build a party, you want each member to cover a different specialty so that you have an answer for every obstacle. Starting with strengths means you look at what each companion is genuinely good at—their high stats, unique skills, or special abilities—and then build a party that combines those strengths into a cohesive whole.

This is more effective than starting with roles (tank, healer, DPS) because roles are abstractions. A companion might have high Strength and high Intelligence, making them a “battle mageâ€� who can both smash and cast. Forcing them into a pure tank role wastes their intelligence. By starting with strengths, you let the companion’s actual abilities dictate their role, which often leads to more powerful and interesting combinations.

How to Evaluate Companion Strengths

To apply this method, you need to assess each companion’s strengths. Here is a practical process:

• Look at raw stats: Identify the highest ability scores. A score of 8 or above (on a 10-point scale) is a clear strength.
• Check skills and proficiencies: A companion with a high Stealth skill is a strength even if their Dexterity is only average.
• Note unique abilities: Some companions have special traits (e.g., a racial bonus, a unique spell, a passive healing aura). These are strengths even if they don’t show up in stats.
• Consider gear and equipment: A companion who starts with a powerful weapon or armor has a temporary strength that can be leveraged early.
• Think about synergies: Two strengths that combine well (e.g., one companion applies a debuff, another deals bonus damage to debuffed enemies) are more valuable than two unrelated strengths.

Once you have a list of strengths for each companion, you can start assembling a party that covers multiple areas: damage, defense, utility, healing, and social skills.

How to Choose Your Party

After you’ve listed strengths, the selection process becomes a matter of coverage and synergy. Here’s a step-by-step approach:

1. List the challenges you expect: If you know the game has lots of locked doors, bring a lockpicker. If it has undead, bring a cleric.
2. Match strengths to challenges: For each challenge, pick a companion whose strength directly addresses it.
3. Avoid redundancy: Don’t bring two characters who are both great at melee if you only need one. Instead, bring one melee and one ranged or magic.
4. Look for combo potential: For example, a companion who can cast Haste on a high-Strength melee fighter creates a devastating combo.
5. Consider the story: While strengths come first, you may still want a companion who has personal stakes in the current quest. That’s fine, as long as they also bring a useful strength.

Remember that you can often swap companions at camp or between missions. So you don’t have to make a perfect choice upfront—just start with the strengths that seem most broadly useful, and adjust as you learn the game’s specific challenges.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

One common mistake is to overvalue a single high stat. A companion with 10 Strength but 1 in everything else is fragile and may be useless outside combat. Look for companions who have multiple decent stats or who have strengths that cover both combat and utility.

Another misconception is that you must have a “balancedâ€� party with one of each role. In many RPGs, a party of two tanky fighters and two healers can steamroll content if they have the right synergies. Balance is not an end in itself; it’s a means to handle varied challenges. If your strengths naturally lead to an unbalanced party, that’s fine—just make sure you have a way to deal with your weaknesses (e.g., potions, scrolls, or a companion who can be respec’d).

Finally, don’t ignore the importance of social stats (Charisma, Intimidation, Persuasion). Many players focus on combat stats and then fail dialogue checks, missing out on quests, discounts, and alternative solutions. A companion with high Charisma is a strength that pays off in non-combat situations.

Comparing with Other Party-Building Methods

There are three main ways people build parties:

• Role-based: Pick one tank, one healer, one DPS, one utility. This is simple but often leads to suboptimal choices because it ignores individual strengths.
• Story-based: Pick companions you like or that are relevant to the plot. This is fun but can leave you with a party that lacks essential skills.
• Strength-based: Start with what each companion is good at. This is the most effective because it maximizes each character’s contribution, and it naturally leads to role coverage without forcing it.

Strength-based building is also more flexible. It allows you to adapt to the game’s difficulty curve. If you’re struggling with a boss, you can swap in a companion whose strength directly counters that boss’s mechanics. Role-based building might not have that flexibility.

Limitations and When to Ignore Strengths

Starting with strengths is a powerful heuristic, but it’s not a hard rule. There are times when you should override it:

• Story requirements: Some games force you to bring a specific companion for a quest. That’s fine—just make sure the rest of your party covers the gaps.
• Personal preference: If you really enjoy a companion’s personality, bring them even if they’re not optimal. The game is meant to be fun.
• Difficulty settings: On easy mode, you can get away with almost any party. On the hardest difficulty, strengths matter more.
• Respec options: If you can respec companions, you can change their strengths to fit your needs, which makes the starting strengths less important.

Also, be aware that some strengths are situational. A companion who is great at lockpicking is useless in a dungeon with no locks. But they might shine in a city-based quest. So consider the current chapter of the game, not just the whole game.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if two companions have the same strength?

It’s usually better to pick only one of them, unless the strength stacks in a useful way (e.g., two characters with high Strength can both hit hard, but you might be missing other skills). Instead, pick the one that brings more secondary strengths or better synergies with the rest of the party.

How do I handle a companion with no obvious strengths?

Every companion has at least one strength—it might just be a skill you haven’t noticed. Check their full stat block, including saving throws, resistances, and unique abilities. If they truly have nothing, they are a liability and you should leave them out unless the story forces you to bring them.

Does this method work for real-time RPGs like Dragon Age or turn-based like Divinity?

Yes, the principle is universal. The key is to identify what each companion does best and build around that. The difference is that real-time games may require more reactive positioning, while turn-based games allow more tactical synergy. But the core idea—start with strengths—applies to both.

What about games with no numeric stats?

If a game doesn’t have numbers, you can still evaluate strengths qualitatively. Look at a companion’s abilities, equipment, and dialogue options. For example, in a game like Mass Effect, a companion with “Techâ€� abilities is strong against shields, so you bring them when you face shielded enemies. The same logic applies.

Should I always bring a healer?

Not necessarily. If your party has high damage and can kill enemies before they hurt you, you might not need a dedicated healer. But if you’re struggling to survive, a healer is a strength you should include. It’s better to think in terms of “do we have enough sustain?â€� rather than “do we have a healer?â€�.

Can I use this method for multiplayer parties?

Yes, but with a twist. In multiplayer, you can’t control other players’ choices, so you need to communicate. Start by asking each player what their character’s strengths are, then plan the party together. If someone picks a weak character, you can adjust your own build to cover that gap.

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in t | Party size | members | 4 | 1 | 8
in s | Strength score (1-10) | - | 7 | 1 | 10
in d | Dexterity score (1-10) | - | 6 | 1 | 10
in c | Constitution score (1-10) | - | 5 | 1 | 10
in i | Intelligence score (1-10) | - | 8 | 1 | 10
in w | Wisdom score (1-10) | - | 4 | 1 | 10
in ch | Charisma score (1-10) | - | 3 | 1 | 10
out avg | Average ability score | /10 | (s+d+c+i+w+ch)/6 | 2
out total | Total ability points | /60 | s+d+c+i+w+ch | 0