Mission Impossible?!

[FoxDropz]

How can you make a melee character, like a Barbarian or a Fighter, become as useful as Wizard or a Bard, in and out of combat? Solving situations both RPing and cracking skulls...
They dont have as many tools as Casters, but how can they improve and have the same value to the party on all 3 pillars (combat, social and exploration)?
Or the secret is just accept that they wont be as useful and just play with what you got?

Edit: Just to clarify, Im not trying to diminish the melee classes. Matter of fact, most times I played as melee. I'm just trying to raise some questions and see what you guys have to say about it based on your gameplay experience.

[Christew]

Roles.

Characters are much more than just their class/race/stat combo. Ideally they have a story/personality/goal. A melee char is vital to the party as an agro/damage sponge in combat by design. That does not preclude them from being involved/useful in other pillars.

[Neoh]

How can you make a melee character, like a Barbarian or a Fighter, become as useful as Wizard or a Bard, in and out of combat? Solving situations both RPing and cracking skulls...
They dont have as many tools as Casters, but how can they improve and have the same value to the party on all 3 pillars (combat, social and exploration)?
Or the secret is just accept that they wont be as useful and just play with what you got?

Well, combat wise, everyone is as useful as anyone, sure the casters can do many things, but they can only concentrate on a single spell and the non-concentration ones are mostly all mediocre damage-dealing spells, unless your DM is generous enough to put 6 enemies standing close to each other just for you to land a nice AoE.
Have fun dealing with the big bad guy without the 200Hp meatshield standing right in front of you.
That's one point.

I don't understand the social aspect, I mean, how is a Wizard better at it than a Fighter/Barbarian? Especially Fighters that have so many Asi they could end up with a 20 in 3 stats.
Also, don't forget that RP isn't just numbers and dices, your two and a half meter Barbarian friend wearing a bear pelt as a too-small cape might intimidate people more than a 20 Charisma Bard and prevent bandits from attacking without having to roll any dice.

As for exploration, well, what do the spellcasters do? Travel faster via teleportation or other means?
I know my Outlander Totem Barbarian won't get lost and will find the best ways to travel the land, finding traces of dangerous monsters lurking there before anyone else.

I enjoy both physical characters and spellcasters, and I don't think any class is bad, unless you're the kind of guy that chose his stats and proficiencies just because they are the best instead of creating your own character.
Also, don't forget that you're not playing alone. You don't have to be able to do everything by yourself, and honestly, the less you can do, the better. It's always hilarious seeing an 8 Intelligence Barbarian trying to comprehend some Arcane stuff, or an 8 Charisma Fighter trying to lie to a guard.
Failing is just plain fun.

[FoxDropz]

Just wondering.. on Campaigns that a DM doesn't create a lot of encounters per day, casters might come out ahead.