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We just started the AoW campaign (just killed the wolves and then we had to stop) but we could only get three regular players together for the campaign. I started them off at level 1 (Rogue/Monk, Barbarian/Wizard, Cleric) but after reading through the first couple of chapters (especially the second one) I am worried that they will just be way too weak to handle the adventure.
With that being said does anyone have some advice as to how to run the AoW campaign with just three players? I gave them the option to each run 2 characters (to bring the party total up to six), but one of the guys doesn't want to do that and can't be persuaded. I don't want to run a 4th NPC character in the group, and I don't really want to change the modules if I can help it.
Anyone have any pointers/hints on what I can do to make this situation a bit better for everyone involved?
If I were you, I'd just run a few extra encounters to let them gain an extra level here at the beginning (or even just give them the level), and keep them about a level ahead of what the adventure recommends all the way through after that.
Another option would be to give (some or all of) the PCs some sort of Animal Companions; basically, non-talking NPCs that can just help with the fights. But if you do this, you may actually need to increase the treasure awarded, and make sure some of it goes to the critters (for AC and save boosting items, and for items to let them fly or otherwise traverse difficult terrain), or the critters may end up being more a liability than an asset.
I started out the campaign with three players up until a fourth joined in Hall of Harsh Reflections. I ran each adventure as written and everything went fine. The best thing you can do is, I would say, encourage sticking to a single class for the first few levels, just to ensure the most power punch per PC. There are plenty of Cure Light Wounds wands in Three Faces of Evil, so that can definitely aid survivability. Maybe go with suggestions on this board to run through a small encounter at the Mine Office itself to make sure they are equipped with alchemist's fire and acid for use against swarms in the Cairn. The Cairn itself can be challenging, but keep in mind that they can retreat whenever they feel it is necessary, unlike Three Faces of Evil where the complex will be on alert if they leave. Once my players reached Encounter at Blackwall Keep they were a little ahead on experience because they lacked the fourth party member. Leadership was helpful for my group; the cleric took a fighter cohort and he's very helpful. To reduce the bookkeeping I made the cleric maintain his cohort's character sheet and declare what he is doing each combat round. After the first and second adventure, your characters will be ahead of the level curve, which can offset what they lack in numbers.
I've always found that NPCing a mute or Intelligence 8 character is useful. Even though we started with the traditional four, I threw in a really fricking idiotic cleric for Whispering Cairn to give the party some healing love. I intentionally killed him by the end of it.
If you're going with three, do the same, but keep him alive. Just make sure she fights for an equal share of treasure and such.
Very good answers all.
Especially the letting the PCs run their henchmen.
When they say the henchman does someting dumb,
take over for that action.
Seth the now neutral Kabold wouldn't catch half the party
in an acidball.
Also, for friendly NPCs, try raiding your figures collection.
That's where I got the Kabold sorcerer.
When he goes up levels I have the spellthief PC do the paperwork.
NPCs can be recruited.
I took the halfling from the flavor text and turned him into
an NPC paladin.
Remember, NPCs don't get experience points normally.
Of course any character played by the DM is an NPC,
experience points or not.
NPCs do get all the magical treasure the PCs can't use.
They also get magical containers that all the food and extra
rope get put in.
Using JUST 3 characters:
Let them multi class and take adventures from dungeon.
Side treks can give them extra levels and interesting items.
Thus the recomended levels are for EACH class.
Reduce the number of non-name bad guys and have them
meet the enemy in smaller groups.
Any NPC that does not have to be an enemy, should not be.
Age Of Worms is great for conspiracies.
If a PC is a seeker, then the seekers are not enemies.
That's actually a good way to deal with PC Necromancers
or Shadow Dancers.
Evil is not an entry requirement.
What if a mine owner is a friendly Uncle?
If Smenck calls in the characters as a godfather asking
a nephew for help,
the evidence becomes leverage.
Just some more thoughts on if I hadn't gone with the standard
seven member party
Any help? Anyone? Please help! :)
Also, if you have Unearthed Arcana, you may want to consider Gestalt characters - Other groups seemed to have used them with good effect.
I have had three players the whole time and we are currently just about to finish the HoHR. The things I did was start them at 3rd level (we had done the Sunless Citadel beforehand). I also added the NPC cleric. After the Whispering Cairn I let them run the NPC because I kept forgetting about it in combat. The most experienced player of the three ran it, although he is playing the wizard so he had two spell casters to worry about. Now by the beginning of HoHR the groups level had for the most part balanced out with the adventures (they are about a half level ahead now). The one player got tired of running two spell casters (I don't blame him). So we recently got rid of the NPC and switch the characters to gestalt. So far that seems to be working. One of the player is going to pick up a cohort as well with leadership, but a fighter type like a ranger. This should work out ok.
When you have to worry about traps, foes, and spells from your own NPCs, it can be challenging as a DM to run a party member too.
Before third edition, if I only had three players, the decision was easy. No one ever wanted to be a priest, so I could always run a poor martial skilled NPC, chocked full of prepared healing spells, who never assisted in combat. It was never a hassle.
The previous sugesstions to keep the PCs ahead a level is good, and instead of giving them the treasure as written, you could customize it to meet their exact needs. They don't have to sell anything, and they get an ideal mix of treasure that is immediately useful to their character classes.
I have had three players the whole time and we are currently just about to finish the HoHR. The things I did was start them at 3rd level (we had done the Sunless Citadel beforehand). I also added the NPC cleric. After the Whispering Cairn I let them run the NPC because I kept forgetting about it in combat. The most experienced player of the three ran it, although he is playing the wizard so he had two spell casters to worry about. Now by the beginning of HoHR the groups level had for the most part balanced out with the adventures (they are about a half level ahead now). The one player got tired of running two spell casters (I don't blame him). So we recently got rid of the NPC and switch the characters to gestalt. So far that seems to be working. One of the player is going to pick up a cohort as well with leadership, but a fighter type like a ranger. This should work out ok.
Wow, our situations are almost identical. I have three players that I started at 3rd level, and later added a cleric NPC played by the players (they take turns). Also, one of the players just took the Leadership feat, so I will introduce a cohort between modules. We are finishing up 3FoE, and they are about a level higher than they would normally be.