Looking for a little advice. I will be running STAP with a small group and since no one wanted to create an arcane spellcaster, I will be bringing along one as a DMPC. I don't want to mess with a spellbook and memorization so no Wizard. Since they are gimping themselves without any source of arcane magic I kind of want to make an oddball caster to have some fun. Any suggestions? A warmage would be fun, nicely limited, and would fit in as a member of a ships crew. A Dread Necromancer would definitely be a hoot (Undead Marines means more rations for everybody else :) Any other suggestions for using one of the oddball spontaneous casting classes (Warmage, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, some form of theme sorceror)?
The current line-up is:
Half-Orc Cleric of Ishtishia
Thri-Kreen Swashbuckler (using the savage progression for Complete Psionic)
Human Rogue
Monk (race undetermined, will probably be something lame)
A warmage would help deal damage since the party is a little light on sheer oomph.
A dread Necromancer would help to provide meatshields and could actually tank better at higher levels than the Swashbuckler :P
Any ideas/suggestions would be welcome....
I think you should go with a Dread Necromancer, a Warlock, or check out the Shadow Caster in the Tome of Magic, and the Incarnate in Magic of Incarnum.
Dread Necro has low level summon spells early on to make up for his lack of being able to create undead, plus Rebuke Undead which is handy for a number of reasons.
Warlock has mostly selfish spell like abilities, but with the right invocations can dish out cone effects and the like at higher levels. Best of all, it's all unlimited use.
Shadow Caster might be a bit more complex... They operate more like monsters with spell like abilities in the regard that their Mysteries can be used a certain number of times each per day, but they eventually gain the ability to use their lower level mysteries as spell like, then as supernatural abilities instead of casting them as spells. Quite handy, IMO.
Incarnates, choosing the right soulmelds, can prove a reasonably decent mage, as their abilities rely on how they allocate their essentia from round to round. So, he could focus more on defense or mobility one round, then shift to offensive power when it's called for.
Any of these should provide interesting choices that go beyond simple spellflinging.
leave them without the arcane caster and just be a DM. I hate DMPC's.
I'm running a Warlock as an NPC to add a little firepower to our group. The class was deliberately chosen because of its limited options in combat (I'll be avoiding some of the more potent invocations).
My big rule with NPCs: don't run anything that requires a lot of involvement on your part; wizards and sorcerors (among others) fall into this category.
The point is that you don't want to be a player while you're DMing. There's nothing more boring for players than watching you talk to yourself as your character faces off against your villains.
Trust me, I've done what you're asking about. The less input and decision-making you're NPC needs to make, the happier your players will be.
Your players should probably be finding a way to run an arcane spellcaster, either immediately or by correcting their error (which is what this would be) later. Cohorts are also a possibility, but not until 6th level.
Regards,
Jack
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leave them without the arcane caster and just be a DM. I hate DMPC's.
I agree. PHB2 offers some cool fighting mages and alternate sorcerer/mage options, as do many supplement books, and if the PC's don't see a need for one then let em sleep in that bed.
You have 4 PCs, Dungeon adventures are geared towards 4 characters.Nothing cheeses off a group faster then a DM killing a monster with a DMPC or a "heroic NPC". Monsters are there to be slain by the PCs, and are played by the DM.
just my opinion,
FH
I would suggest the following alternative...have a variety of arcane spellcasters of appropriate levels prepped ahead of time and when the party realizes they are short in this area let them hire one. Have it cost them in the pocket. He or she would be nice and expensive as well. I'd even have this 'hireling' demand all acrane scrolls, books, and magic items as part of the 'reward' for the risk. *chuckles* Yeah, I'd make him/her a major pain in the ass and annoyingly smug about it.
...Nothing cheeses off a group faster then a DM killing a monster with a DMPC or a "heroic NPC". Monsters are there to be slain by the PCs, and are played by the DM...
Nicely put :)
It's an odd game -- the PCs are there to win, the DM is there to lose.
Thanks for the suggestion Lord Silky...I believe I may go that route (The Hireling Spellcaster who is a pain in the ass to work with :P)
I appreciate the rest of the suggestions, but I guess I need to apologize for not being clear enough in my original post. I will be providing an Arcane DMPC/Hireling for this group. That part is already decided. I have been gaming with this group for years and they always request I bring along a DMPC/Hireling. This time they requested I create an Arcane spellcaster to come along with them so I doubt they will get "Cheesed off" if I continue the format they requested.
Any other suggestions for a low maintenance, flavorful Arcane spellcaster would be still be appreciated. Thanks for the responses guys and gals.
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i'd recommend a Warlock
give him the "set you on fire", Eldritch Spear, and Spider-Climb Whenever You Want invocations.
(later on, get sickening blast and vitriolic)
his M.O.?
climb as high as possible, and snipe.
there, instant "arcane support" with a pretty bad-arse 1-shot sniper-bot, noone's getting an area of expertise stepped on, you win.
as far as character design goes...
a loner who really wants to be liked...perhaps an outcast from "nice" society due to his propensity for colors macabre, blood-themed speech, or just being an all around creepy bastard. play him like a shy, dangerous, emo-brat who REALLY wants the party to like him, but can't bring himself to actually verbalize his desires. (cuz his pain is so great, noone would possibly know what it is like to be him...boo hoo hoo)
there you go.
non-spotlight taker, can kill things (or disable them, what with the whole "i'm on fire, putitoutputitoutputitoutputitout, run around while being on fire" of his enemies (from 250' away, mind you)
hell, when you can, get hideous blow (perhaps via an "extra invocation" feat) and Improved Unarmed Strike. i can see a WHOLE lotta brawls happening in this AP, and being able to pimp-slap someone for lvl/2 d6 fire damage, AND set em on fire seems to be a nice addition.
last suggestion...have him HEROICALLY sacrifice himself for the greater good of the party. gets swallowed by the kraken and gives him burning indigestion, becomes king-kong-food on the isle of dread, or the like. DMPC's are not cool in my book.
but, to each his own.
good luck
the hamster
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Support Sorcerer. Most sorcerers are moving nuclear strikes, make yours into an info hog and buff maniac. Of course give him the magic missiles and stuff but if you make him into a metamagic specialist (PHB2) you can get alot of miles out of empowered Magic missiles/acid arrows etc. without becoming a mobile gunnery station and extend spell can make those buffs go far. Or skip empower and go with Maximize spell and you don't even need to roll damage. Poof! 15 damage. Poof! bull strength uber. Metamagic specialist means you give up a familiar (one less thing to track) and allows you to be a caster with a twist.
Hope it helps.
FH
I think sorceror would be most adaptable and easiest to run. Limited number of spells, just check off how many you've cast of that level, so no need to spend a lot of time fooling around with spellbooks. You can choose what spells you want the character to have, thus can provide the support you think the players should have and deny them the things you don't want them to have too much of. (They can buy scrolls for the DMPC if they have to have him cast spell X, ensuring they don't overuse a particular spell).
Personally, I think warmages are way overpowered--they are banned from my game. More importantly for your game, the warmage will end up stealing the PCs' fire instead of complementing them and providing support. I'm not very fond of warlocks either--they have their own kind of min-maxed overpoweredness with lack of versatility.
I'd make a sorcerer who has a good mix of buffs, utility spells, and offensive power. One good offensive spell of each energy type is enough, and you can swap out fireball for burning hands, etc. as you advance. The rest of the spells should make it easier for the other party members to do their jobs, make up for gaping holes in their combined abilities. One summoning spell rounds things out, to help out against high SR creatures.
How about a bard? They party may lack upper level spell power, but he/she could Use Magic Device for scrolls, etc. His other abilities would be useful to buff the fighters in the group. Hopefully the party wouldn't abuse his bardic (=DM's) knowledge, but this could provide a way for you to further plot devices. Overall I am in line with the others who suggest spontaneous casters with a limited spell selection. That way you won't be tempted to memorize just the right spell, or purposely memorize wrong spells.
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As someone who's played a good number of DMPCs out of necessity (mostly clerics... ugh), I've been in your shoes quite a bit. The secret is to add what the group lacks in as minimal way as possible. In Shackled City, I played the group's wizard, which was fun, but I learned that if you put to much into the Knowledge skills, the group turns to you as a free sage there to tell them what to do. Not bad if your group are all newbies (which they were), but for an experienced group, it can be a crutch.
My vote is for a nice Warlock with just enough Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft ranks to do what he/she needs to do, but not much else in the way of information. Certainly try to avoid putting more ranks in a charismatic skill than any PC or else you'll be the PC's spokesman, and that's no fun for anyone. Maybe just enough to make the Aid Another check, but not much else.
Honestly, sometimse I see Cleric as the perfect DMPC--you aid the group with buffs and healing to keep them in the fight, and you can be the quiet backbone of support the group needs. Maybe play that, despite the group's "need" of an arcane spellcaster. You'd be surprised how well they'd do despite a lack of arcane muscle, methinks, especially due to the buffing and extra hit points. But I suppose if they've reccommended an arcane caster, they'll be out looking for one, so...
If he's going to be an NPC, try to make him a few levels below the group. Introduce him as the PCs hit third level and make him a 1st-level character, kinda like a freebie cohort. Maybe even convince a PC to pick up Leadership and scoop him up at 6th level as a real cohort. Do whatever you can to not have him become an attention hog or distract from things the group needs to do on their own. Focus on buffs, defensive magic, and spells that hinder the enemy, rather than kill him outright.
A socerer with lots of Abjuration, Transmutation, and maybe a few Illusion or Necromancy spells could prove useful. As a full-on arcane caster, he can use scrolls or wands of whatever spell the group needs at the time (gotta bust open a sealed gate or whatever to get into Demogorgon's undefended water closet and storm his bathroom? Get a scroll for it!), and keep the party from relying on such excessive power from essentially an NPC all the time (18,000 gold? To break into a [i]toilet?{/i] Not more than once!).
Sorcerers usually lack the Intelligence and skill points to become absolute masters of esoteric lore, and despite a high Charisma, only have Bluff as an NPC-focused class skill, so just get 5 ranks or so (enough for that awesome synergy bonus) to help out the PCs in a delicate negotiation or whatever. Sink those skill points in Concentration to keep you from losing a necessary spell in a melee, and put whatever else into what's needed to keep you alive and kicking to help the group (cross-class Balance ranks to keep your footing on a slippery ship, any one?).
Just my sleep-deprived, D&D addled thoughts.
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I think warlock too; it has the double advantage of
1)unlimited firepower with limited range of tactics, thus making him/her easy to deal with from an accounting point of view, and
2)the class has scoundrel written into its descriptor. This fits with the whole pirate motif. He or she can be a Long John Silver-type personality; no one really knows whose side the warlock is on, which can make for interesting roleplaying and alleviate the idea that the warlock is the group's talking magic wand eternally at their whimsical behest. A dmpc doesn't HAVE to be a yesman.
I like the dmpc after a fashion.
If the concept of a dmpc is available intermittently, it gives the dungeonmaster the option of slipping the odd shapeshifter/evildoer into the party's midst to wreak havoc without it seeming blatantly untoward.
And IF players ask the dmpc for help in cojitating the next move, one can always make sure the dmpc suggests the absolute stupidest plan of action available. Wisdom isn't necessarily a warlock's most important attribute, is it?