Suggestions for 3 players?

[Jesstrel]

I'm prepping to run this and it looks pretty likely that my group will only be 3 players, at least for a while.

Just how deadly would this AP be for 3 players (2 newbies and a veteran)? Could I run it as is?

Would a DMPC be a good idea?

Maybe mythic tiers?

(Sorry if this is covered elsewhere. My search-fu is weak. If so, please point me in the right direction.)

Thanks!

[Fake Healer]

Going on an in-general basis about the Adventure Paths as I am unfamiliar with Reign of Winter.....
APs tend to be fairly challenging unless you have a group of really experienced players that work well as a team and build well-designed characters. Most have a RIP thread on the boards with people posting about how their PCs died.
My suggestions:
DMPC is a good idea if you are a DM that can handle it well. Ask your players how they feel about a DMPC also to ensure that they would be ok with one because there is a general distrust of most DMs' ability to run one without favoritism and bias coming into play.

Another idea is to give each PC a trusted contact who occasionally is willing to go adventuring. If you have a stable of 3 NPCs who are ready to join the party if needed, and they have a variety of roles to fill to help out the party in different types of adventure, then you could easily decide that the strapping Barbarian is a good choice to join the party in taking out a tribe of hobgoblins or that the Cleric of Goody-2-shoes is the go to person for the heavily undead section of the path....

One more option would be to give each of the PCs a retainer or follower that joins them. Figuring out a reason they would have such followers is not too difficult and you could either make them of lower level than the PCs or (the idea I like better) have them make them from NPC classes like Adept, Warrior, Expert, ect, of the same level as the PCs. They would never over-shadow the PCs and all three together would probably add up to 1.5 PCs or close to that, which would give the party a bit more staying power.

I would lean toward the last option myself, letting the PCs run their followers along with their PCs, and if something should happen to their main PC during the game at least they would have a sort-of backup to play while trying to get the main PC resurrected or whatever.

[Samy]

3 vets, I would say just roll with it. Two thirds of the group being newbie...

First rule of course, present these ideas to your group and ask them which idea they would like best.

But I would personally shy away from adding additional characters, whether DMPC, cohort or what have you. I would let newbies ease into things one character at a time, without crowding them with too many variables, unless you think they're the type to handle it.

I would be more inclined to buff the three existing characters. High point buy plus fast xp track does wonders for survivability.

[Myrryr]

Well, some suggestions that instead of buffing the party, alter the monsters. Reign of Winter's initial book 1 isn't too bad... except for the fey that lurv their g&#**~n color spray SLA. So remove that. Second, give them something that helps against the cold so they aren't boned by it if they don't have a caster willing to use Endure Elements and basically being useless the rest of the day.

The bandits are fine, the weasel encounter can be difficult with the attach. Depending on their party composition, letting them find a wand of infernal healing or endure elements can be a huge boon. They'll gain exp a bit faster dividing it only 3 ways instead of 4, so that's good. If you're set on putting in a cohort or DMPC, then perhaps try Mierul. She's got a pretty neat backstory, history and awesome art, and she's a bard, which is teh win for helping a party, healing, and not taking the spotlight. Just make sure she doesn't become a face and generally hangs back during RP with other NPCs, but could easily become a key NPC to the PC's or even a love interest. Just, ya know, alter her alignment if you're all good.

[Bellona]

If the players are willing, then I would suggest the DMPC (run by the veteran player as a temporary second character).

RoW does not lend itself to the "it's a wilderness slog today, so I'll get my friend the Ranger to come along for the day; it's an undead-filled dungeon tomorrow, so tomorrow you'll invite your Cleric friend to come along instead" style of play. There's too much travelling involved for that to work.

If there is a likelihood of a fourth player turning up later in the campaign, then I do not recommend boosting the players' characters. The APs are designed for 4 characters built with 15 points. If you go beyond those parameters, then you're making more work for yourself (and/or possibly making the AP too easy). Things break down - like the action economy.

[Jesstrel]

Hmmm....

After discussing it with my players, I think I'm going to go with a 20 pt build and a pared down Mythic tier (bestowed by the mantle of the Black Rider). They don't know that part yet but I think it will work better for all involved than a DMPC or followers.

The tier will consist of +2 to one ability score, Hard to Kill, Mythic Power 5/day, Surge and a Mythic Feat, as a bonus fest, from a short hand-picked list. No other Mythic tiers will be awarded and I won't be using or allowing anything else from Mythic Adventures.

I think I'll leave it at Medium XP, and reassess if we add another player down the road.

Thanks for the suggestions! Gave me lots to think about!