Legitimate question. Does party make-up really matter in this game? It seems with all the bells and whistles added in (barrels, shoves), the ability for every class to heal others (by throwing potions), and the general lack of class restrictions on spells…is there really any value in trying to create a balanced party?
If not (ie, depending on final fame mechanics), I will likely just stack my party with the group whose side quests sound the most interesting.