First game party question


Advice


So I have 4 players coming in for their very first game, the only thing I am concerned about is there party makeup

I didnt want to limit them to any party makeup so they chose classes themselves:

-Rogue
-Barbarian
-Fighter
-Paladin

I am worried without any dedicated spellcasters/support they might get shredded, how can I help them out?


These days the concept of in-combat healing is somewhat out dated, being that combats go by very quickly. The generally accepted method for maintaining one's HP is having a UMD b&@%# to use a wand of Cure Light Wounds on everyone. You have a few options here

1) Offer a hireling with healing capabilities, in game.
2) Give them an NPC party member with healing capabilities, out of game.
3) Throw a wand of CLW at them, with assorted forgotten potions lining their foe's pockets, and recommend traits that grant Use Magic Device as a class skill, if you're using traits.

The Paladin will be just fine, I'm concerned about the rogue.

As a very melee oriented party their biggest downfall will be enemy spellcasters and other artillery-based foes. Throw plenty of crunchy melee goodness at them, whilst reserving flying foes and spellcasters for things like boss fights and encounters that have to be nail-biting. I'd run with a sort of Sword and Sorcery, Conan feel.


What is the focus of the campaign going to be? If you've got a custom setting, I might consider favoring a lower-magic scenario, just so the mid-high level wizard BBEG doesn't wipe them without a fight. I wouldn't be worried about healing necessarily, but if you're planning to throw a lot of casters at them, they're going to start hurting for it.


Note that both the ranger and paladin have CLW on their spell list, so no UMD necessary for the wand. And when lay on hands and channel come up for the pally that will add more healing.


GypsyMischief wrote:

These days the concept of in-combat healing is somewhat out dated, being that combats go by very quickly. The generally accepted method for maintaining one's HP is having a UMD b&@%# to use a wand of Cure Light Wounds on everyone. You have a few options here

This is heavily dependent upon the table. At our table at at the Devs own games, combats last 6 rounds or so and in combat healing is a must have.

Other tables differ, and that's fine. But I'd guess that newbs wont have the super optimized rocket tag PC's that can bring down a std PF AP encounter in 2-3 rounds.

However, the paladin is a great source of healing, he can use a wand (as can the Ranger)or just take a archetype (Hospitaler) or feats for extra healing.

The rogue can also use a wand, if he has UMD. So that's three PC's who can use a wand of CLW, that's fine.

But yes, toss a wand of CLW at them, sure.

There's one advantage to all martials vs a spellcaster. If they rush him, it takes a pretty powerful wizard to stop four guys all bent of smashing his head in.

Make sure no one dumps WIS and Iron Will might be on everyones list (except the pally).

Heck, you might even just give them one of the +1 to will saves traits as a bonus trait. It's certainly well within the purview of a DM and it's hardly unbalancing.


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DrDeth is right, I was being a goober. This party definitely has the capability to be awesome. Give them some time to feel out the capabilities of their characters before challenging then too greatly. A few mundane adventures with giant spiders and traps would do them well, I'd think.


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You could always suggest Archaeologist archetype bards for the rogue, since that archetype is a skillmonkey, sneaky, has access to the trap related stuff rogues do (I think magical traps might be a problem though; I forget if there are options to deal with that), and provides at least some arcane support.

But as Dr Deth said, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I also like paladin as a healer, because they have restoration as a first level spell. Besides raw damage (which they can take care of in spades with lay on hands and a wand of CLW), that seems like something that is often essential for keeping thing running smoothly. Of course, their mercy ability also helps to take care of a wide variety of conditions as well.

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