How about classes? I usually prefer Druids, Mages and Rogues in that order. It's the same with their sci-fi counterparts.
Let's turn it nerdy.
I act like a teenager when discussing rpg mechanics.
As character alignments mostly apply to the d20, D&D and D&D 3.75 (Pathfinder), my favourite from D&D 3.5 and mostly played class is a Swordsage from ToB.
Briefly it is a martial artist able to perform maneuvers and stances at the power level of a sorcerer, while having multiple meele attacks, high AC, high BAB and passive auras. Fits well into my style as one of the main motivations of a swordsage is to understand and perfect his style of combat.
It can be seen as a thief, fighter and a wizard.
My usual go to prestige class is a mystic theurge, that merges both the cleric and the mage professions.
Aside from that, the actual story and gameplay are most important, so I usually make custom classes and professions for each new campaign, depending on the setting.
Druids (power wise) are actually the strongest lvl 1 classes, with the animal companion.
While mages are the strongest core lvl 20 classes, without epic levels.
I'll probably run an Assimar frost sorc next. Basically I'm trying to learn the synergy of builds + character classes in groups, and this is how I do it.
You did the builds together? My group rarely discusses and cooperates on that aspect, I like it when they are so different that they actually are an obstacle for each other in certain situations, both character/motivation-wise and class-wise, but that too has to be with moderation.