Im playing this game again, here’s the blueprint-
i started most characters off as fighters to stack up some early hp.
Fighter - innocent, I'm going to change him into a Ninja with the medal for the post game. I made him werebeast to hopefully get some procs on pursuit with the hunter, but if i were to do it over id either make him dragonnewt for strength or make more werebeasts to proc pursuit more often.
Cleric/mage - gnome to piety max. i wanted a pure cleric so that heal spells and resurrections would be effective. His high AC and decent HP make him able to hang in the front row until i can replace him with a better damager. Important to have teleport spell on 2 characters in case one gets ashed.
Brawler - dragonnewt for strength.
Hunter/alchemist - hobbit. I rolled without a thief at first until i could grab all the alchemy spells. Important to have escape spell on 2 characters, but when i drop my pure alchemist this will be my only alchemist.
Mage/cleric - elf, i wanted a pure mage for the lower xp requirements, so he would have lots of levels to use with miracle spell that drains a level later on.
Alchemist/cleric - elf, strictly for forging and disassemble. Once i got mastery he goes on the bench, and i can make a new martial character to replace my cleric in the front row.
At this point the question is, samurai or valkyrie? I decided to go with samurai strictly for swallow return, so all 3 front liners could tank in post game: ninja and brawler with natural low ac and the samurai to swallow return attacks. I made him dragonnewt for strength.
For ex skills, pretty standard fare, brace on the brawler to help him survive his higher ac beginnings, stronghold, tackle and mysterious bag for convenience. I took level drain but i never use it (hopefully more useful in post game). Divination on the alchemist. Swallow killer for the samurai.
party has been pretty strong so far, 2 casters of each magic school. Fighter with double weapons does high single target damage, brawler is always good, i use high accuracy weapons on the cleric to max procs, and hunter with bows and pursuit for moderate damage. Samurai is behind in xp but i can farm greater demons at the time he shows up so its not a big deal.
i wasn’t aware that fighters cannot equip hermits knife, so i farmed the royal tomb for it and was disappointed i had to wait for the medal to get my ninja.