Combat with unoptimized AND optimized characters

>>51686138
By not allowing bullshit powergaming.

>>51686138
>1
By getting better friends who aren't shit at games

Seriously, go down and explain "Hey, this is why you will die with a character like this."

5e is a good game where you have to really try and fuck up your builds, but - Assuming that you didn't roll for stats and half the party just got shafted - it sounds like they want something different than you do. Make sure you're both on the same page.

>>51686305
Ok, first off, cut the crap. These are hardly overly optimized builds for 5e. All that bullshit about multiclassing is from people who've never actually run the system or used multiclassing in 5e.

OP's problem here is that he obviously had everyone roll for stats. My honest suggestion is have everyone re-spec using point buy.

>>51686354
This. The rogue and the fighter really make it sound like you used point buy in which case don't do that in 5e. The math doesn't rely as much on having a certain +to hit at a certain level as 4e, but it still makes assumptions about character power.

>>51686391
>like you used point buy
Didn't use point buy I mean.

>>51686305
>>51686339
>>51686354
>>51686391
>>51686404

No roll. Just pure unadulterated fail.

Y'see, I did this:

>Gave them 78 stat points
>Let them assign them to any stat they liked, provided they don't go below 9 and they don't go above 18 prior to racial modifiers
>Watched as they made their characters unplayable
>Complained they were unplayable
>Players complain, the fighter "doesn't want to have any weaknesses," the Warlock argues that a bladelock is one of the most effective builds, the artificer just wants to go through the game being the PC equivalent of an HM slave

My problem is that I want everyone to feel useful in combat, and I can't calculate encounters based on CR because almost everyone has a character that's several levels weaker than they should be!

Provide things in the environment for them to manipulate to assist in combat.

Give them magical items that let them catch up in combat (i.e. gauntlets of ogre set strength to 18, so it's basically only useful for the fighter).

Give the optimized guys magical items that let them do utility stuff.

>>51686489
Run a dungeon shrouded in an anti magic field. Separate the party members. Have them fight different enemies.
Theres plenty of options.

>>51688336
>Run a dungeon shrouded in an anti magic field.
Never ever fucking do this.

It's no fun for anyone.

>>51686489
It sounds like those three don't get the point of the game or what they really want to do. Have their characters die like they should so everyone can move on and hopefully they learn their lesson.