Not positive what ap we are going to run, but most likely skulls and shackles.
Is bard any good at soloing this campaign or any other campaign?
If not, which class and which campaign would you reccomend?
I doubt any single class could solo skull and Shackles well. A bard may have a lot of tricks up its sleeve (in fact enough to last a lot longer than other classes) but that's a full party AP. I've run it. You...wouldn't do well alone
Which ap would you reccomend?
Also is bard good in general for soloing?
If your GM lets you recruit NPC and make your own party, then bard is probably the best class for soloing a campaign.
If not, then maybe an unchained rogue. Maximize Stealth, Perception, Disable Device, Diplomacy and UMD and try to bypass all the encounters you can without fighting.
And pray to the dice gods.
Yeah I agree bard may have the best chance. You'd need a lot of skills and charisma. Just.. I've wiped out at least 6 characters running it and they were a large group.
I did a little searching. Here's a book of one on one adventures that's on this site.
http://paizo.com/products/btpy89ux?One-on-One-Adventures-Compendium
For this ap or for most ap's?
Archaeologist Bard would probably be good.
Skull & Shackles is pretty brutal. Party members are expected to die during it.
Archaeologist Bard would probably be good.
Was thinking about that...
Also would oracle or cleric be better for soloing than the bard?
A summoner with Leadership that picks up a Druid cohort would be a potent force multiplier.
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Do you know if your GM is planning to give you NPC lackies?
Do you know if he is modifying the AP?
If he is not modifying or rebalancing the AP, will he let you use non-standard character creation parameters of some kind?
I'm having a hard time seeing how even a hyper-optimized character could solo an AP if it isn't modified in some way.
I agree with people above who say Bard would be good if you have NPC helpers. If you don't have NPC helpers and you really have to do it all alone, I think a Cleric or Druid would be a good idea. 9 levels of spells and you can still fight somewhat and take a punch. A summoner would be good too, because action economy is really important in pathfinder.
Personally, I would ask the GM to allow Gestalt classes, 25 point buy, hirelings and action points, otherwise it could be a lot of frustration
A summoner with Leadership that picks up a Druid cohort would be a potent force multiplier.
Agree.
Do you know if your GM is planning to give you NPC lackies?
Do you know if he is modifying the AP?
If he is not modifying or rebalancing the AP, will he let you use non-standard character creation parameters of some kind?I'm having a hard time seeing how even a hyper-optimized character could solo an AP if it isn't modified in some way.
I agree with people above who say Bard would be good if you have NPC helpers. If you don't have NPC helpers and you really have to do it all alone, I think a Cleric or Druid would be a good idea. 9 levels of spells and you can still fight somewhat and take a punch. A summoner would be good too, because action economy is really important in pathfinder.
Personally, I would ask the GM to allow Gestalt classes, 25 point buy, hirelings and action points, otherwise it could be a lot of frustration
Ok thank you, not sure if I will be allowed to use npc's.
So if not, cleric?
Not positive what ap we are going to run, but most likely skulls and shackles.
Is bard any good at soloing this campaign or any other campaign?
If not, which class and which campaign would you reccomend?
AP's are designed for a party of at least four. No one class can solo ANY of them unaltered.
Monster Tactician Inquisitor with the Feather Subdomain!
Monster Tactician Inquisitor with the Feather Subdomain!
> Expendable summoned allies! (FIVE BIRDS IN THE FACE AT LEVEL 1!)
> Self-buffing monstrosity! (Why do you think Inquisitors tend to win DPR contests with buffs?)
> Animal Companion! (Who needs a whimsy eidolon anyway?)
> EVERYONE SHARES TEAMWORK FEATS! (nothing says "gank" like "Outflank")
> Perception through the roof!
> 6+ int skills, including every single important skill that you'd want!
> Spells that makes every other divine-casting character jealous!
> It stacks with other archetypes! (Including the Royal Accuser and Tactical Leader, both wonderful options)
> It has serious staying power!
And it might still die to a crit or just be unlucky. That would be my choice, though.
Have you guys experimented with solo play before? Is your GM experienced?
What Drahliana Moonrunner said above is no joke. Something will have to be seriously altered to make this possible (or at least to make it enjoyable). Either the adventure or the character rules will have to be altered (probably both).
If he's willing to do the work it can be done, but if he just runs the AP as is, there is no class you can use with standard creation rules and have a successful game.
You are sure to see killer build advice show up in this thread because it's a fun challenge to think about, but the reality is your GM is going to have to make some changes to turn a team game into a solo game. IMO
Have you guys experimented with solo play before? Is your GM experienced?
What Drahliana Moonrunner said above is no joke. Something will have to be seriously altered to make this possible (or at least to make it enjoyable). Either the adventure or the character rules will have to be altered (probably both).
If he's willing to do the work it can be done, but if he just runs the AP as is, there is no class you can use with standard creation rules and have a successful game.
You are sure to see killer build advice show up in this thread because it's a fun challenge to think about, but the reality is your GM is going to have to make some changes to turn a team game into a solo game. IMO
Not out first time soloing, but first with one of paizos campaigns.
And pray to the dice gods.
One failed save can = RIP
And pray to the dice gods.One failed save can = RIP
Yah
You also want high saves, that is what I am most worried about with bard...
While archaeologist is obvious (since it helps you survive saves), I might as well toss out the dawnflower dervish.
Once you abandon the 1 weapon/1 handed style it comes packaged with, it is a frightfully powerful archetype.
It gives you double bonuses on inspire courage. That is the same as rage early on, and later on you are directly comparable to a barbarian (ie- you get enough bonus that you are on par with a full BAB class that has a boost feature). So you can take care of your own DPS with it.
While archaeologist is obvious (since it helps you survive saves), I might as well toss out the dawnflower dervish.
Once you abandon the 1 weapon/1 handed style it comes packaged with, it is a frightfully powerful archetype.
It gives you double bonuses on inspire courage. That is the same as rage early on, and later on you are directly comparable to a barbarian (ie- you get enough bonus that you are on par with a full BAB class that has a boost feature). So you can take care of your own DPS with it.
Would you reccomend archeaologist, cleric, druid, or inquistor?
Bard would be the best choice to solo Hell's Rebels: lots of potential allies to use, very social/political campaign, fewer obscenely hard fights.
I've DM'd a solo campaign for a bard. They're surprisingly good at it, as they're pretty good at a lot of things. It's a class that lets DMs have a great deal of variety in their campaign for you.
Would you reccomend archeaologist, cleric, druid, or inquistor?While archaeologist is obvious (since it helps you survive saves), I might as well toss out the dawnflower dervish.
Once you abandon the 1 weapon/1 handed style it comes packaged with, it is a frightfully powerful archetype.
It gives you double bonuses on inspire courage. That is the same as rage early on, and later on you are directly comparable to a barbarian (ie- you get enough bonus that you are on par with a full BAB class that has a boost feature). So you can take care of your own DPS with it.
Tough call. A cleric has both healing spells (which is important, since you can't shove that on someone else), and there are well known builds that combine reach weapons and summoning to help ease up the action economy problem.
But it only has 2 skill points per level, and clerics often don't get as many spells as arcane classes that might work around certain skill problems.
Druids lack the healing, but they have 4 skill points (still not enough, but better) and wildshape has versatility (both in straight melee, and in problem solving, such as turning into a tiny bird to sneak into places). Their summoning is worse, but they also have animal companions.
Archaeologists and inquisitors have skill points and nice self buffs, but they have problems in sheer punch- scarce summoning, and less spell levels.
Would you reccomend archeaologist, cleric, druid, or inquistor?While archaeologist is obvious (since it helps you survive saves), I might as well toss out the dawnflower dervish.
Once you abandon the 1 weapon/1 handed style it comes packaged with, it is a frightfully powerful archetype.
It gives you double bonuses on inspire courage. That is the same as rage early on, and later on you are directly comparable to a barbarian (ie- you get enough bonus that you are on par with a full BAB class that has a boost feature). So you can take care of your own DPS with it.
Tough call. A cleric has both healing spells (which is important, since you can't shove that on someone else), and there are well known builds that combine reach weapons and summoning to help ease up the action economy problem.
But it only has 2 skill points per level, and clerics often don't get as many spells as arcane classes that might work around certain skill problems.
Druids lack the healing, but they have 4 skill points (still not enough, but better) and wildshape has versatility (both in straight melee, and in problem solving, such as turning into a tiny bird to sneak into places). Their summoning is worse, but they also have animal companions.
Archaeologists and inquisitors have skill points and nice self buffs, but they have problems in sheer punch- scarce summoning, and less spell levels.
So you would reccomend which? I would think clerics downside wouldn't be that bad would it?
Anyone else have input on bards or other classes soloability on different ap's?
what about a Half Orc Paladin Fey Foundling/DieHard/Deathless intiate/Deathless Master build? Pump Cha for good saves, swift action self healing, fight into negative HP, some good immunities and save bonuses, fix negative conditions with mercies, good burst damage, and if you want an animal companion.
Anyone else have input on bards or other classes soloability on different ap's?What your failing to understand is action economy. If you get,say, 4 orcs attacking a party, a group could handle that.
If a cleric gets hit by 4 orcs he's going to die. Even if he heals himself for some of the damage...that's his turn. And he's still got 4 orcs on him.
So even something simple will wipe you out.
The link I gave near the start is for adventures where you are challenged by something not meant to challenge groups of 4 to 6. I'd suggest starting there. And then, by all means, make a bard.
Yah, I see your point.
AP's are designed for a party of at least four. No one class can solo ANY of them unaltered.Not positive what ap we are going to run, but most likely skulls and shackles.
Is bard any good at soloing this campaign or any other campaign?
If not, which class and which campaign would you reccomend?
AP's are also generally tuned on the lower side so a particularly determined and well-optimized soloist could probably do it. I'd probably pick a class that gets an extra party member as a class feature though, preferably a Summoner.
Existing thread for you. Which reminds me that I am remiss in posting reviews of solo possibilities for some of the classes in that thread. That thread has currently gone dead, but please engage in Necromancy there.
The worse part of soloing an adventure is that you have to make all the roleplaying on your own. GM can provide allied NPCs (what I strongly suggest to do to give some backup to the main character) but you'll have to make all the decissions, do the negotiations, everything.
So when I go on solo adventures I always make sure that my character is at least socially able, so I can enjoy the roleplaying.
A bard is probably a great option and I think Skull and Shackles is a good adventure for soloing, as there are many parts that can be easily done by one player. Most of the first book is perfect for a solo campaign.