Car tires and plastic soldiers
The main thing what I like in RPG's are the partymembers. It brings the atmosphere to completely new level for me if they are done well, like in PS:T and NWN2:MotB. So I want to pick those partymembers I personally like, not those who I "need". So if it happens that I need Wynne as a healer and Leliana as a rogue with me all times, that leaves only one partymember I can "freely" choose.
Then you use the main character to compensate, or suffer the consequences.