Warlock · Tiefling
Kaelith uses Charisma for everything — Eldritch Blast with Agonizing Blast for ranged damage, but can hold her own in melee with a pact weapon when needed. Darkness + Devil's Sight is the signature combo for advantage on attacks while enemies can't see you. Pact slots recover on short rest, so don't hoard them. Hellish Rebuke is great as a reaction when something hits you in melee — punish them and step back next turn. At level 4, take the feat that fits your party's needs. If you're the only damage dealer, Eldritch Adept for extra invocations. If the party needs utility, Ritual Caster.
Paladin · Dwarf
Thordak is built as an anchor paladin — heavy armor, shield, and Compelled Duel to lock down the biggest threat on the battlefield. Lay on Hands and Shield of Faith keep him standing while the party does damage. Key combo: Compelled Duel + Shield of Faith on round 1, then Divine Smite on crits. Save spell slots for smites and emergency healing. Great for players who want to protect the party without just standing in one spot.
Warlock · Tiefling
Kaelith uses Charisma for everything — Eldritch Blast with Agonizing Blast for ranged damage, but can hold her own in melee with a pact weapon when needed. Darkness + Devil's Sight is the signature combo for advantage on attacks while enemies can't see you. Pact slots recover on short rest, so don't hoard them. Hellish Rebuke is great as a reaction when something hits you in melee — punish them and step back next turn. At level 4, take the feat that fits your party's needs. If you're the only damage dealer, Eldritch Adept for extra invocations. If the party needs utility, Ritual Caster.
Paladin · Dwarf
Thordak is built as an anchor paladin — heavy armor, shield, and Compelled Duel to lock down the biggest threat on the battlefield. Lay on Hands and Shield of Faith keep him standing while the party does damage. Key combo: Compelled Duel + Shield of Faith on round 1, then Divine Smite on crits. Save spell slots for smites and emergency healing. Great for players who want to protect the party without just standing in one spot.
Cleric · Human
Brother Colm is a Life Cleric optimized for keeping the party alive under pressure. Disciple of Life adds +2+spell level to every healing spell, making Healing Word incredibly efficient as a bonus action. Round 1: Bless the front line. After that: Spiritual Weapon for sustained damage while using bonus actions for Healing Word on downed allies. Save Cure Wounds for out-of-combat healing. Don't sleep on Sacred Flame — 2d8 radiant at this level with no attack roll is solid when you need to save spell slots.
Fighter · Human
Garrett is a Battle Master Fighter built around controlling the battlefield with superiority dice. Trip Attack to knock enemies prone for the party's melee to get advantage. Riposte for reliable reaction damage. Precision Attack to turn near-misses into hits on big targets. Action Surge + four attacks in one turn is devastating at level 5. Save it for when you really need to drop something fast. Fighter is the most reliable class in the game — no resources to manage, just solid damage every single round.