Balancing Rise of the Runelord's for two players?

[InfiniteMiles]

I'm trying my hand at running a game for the first time.

I want to run the Rise of the Runelords adventure path, but only have two players, is there any way I can balance the modules so we can still play them effectively.

[Remco Sommeling]

you could allow them to each have the leadership feat for free basically and create an npc they can play along side their mains

[wraithstrike]

Running a DMPC may help. Allowing gestalt may also help. You will also have to modify some encounters so they are not overwhelmed by the number of enemies.

PS: Allowing them to run two characters is also an option.

[GeraintElberion]

I would go with gestalt characters with good stats.

Balance should be okay (although at higher levels the loss of actions may hurt) and with the treasure for four characters they'll be decked in magical gear at higher levels.

Plus, you don't have to make any changes to the adventure.

If you want to give them a useful NPC ally that doesn't steal the limelight I would recommend a pseudodragon.

[KaeYoss]

Our Saturday group is chronically short of players - We're 3 players plus me as GM, and one of the players can't make it half the time.

I usually run a GMPC, meaning an additional character that is run by the GM. I tend to use that to fill the roles the characters left vacant (so if the players play wizard, fighter and rogue, they'll need a cleric, and the GMPC will be a cleric). The GM can use such a character to give the players suggestions if they need a little nudge, but otherwise those characters shouldn't hog the spotlight. Let them play a more supportive role (which doesn't mean they shouldn't go and fight effectively)

Also, make player characters a little stronger: Better ability generation method, an extra feat (or some extra traits, or both), maybe let them play stronger races (or buff up the standard races with a free +2 to any one ability score that doesn't already get a bonus)

Gestalt rules can work, but they can be tricky, as some combinations work a lot better than others, and it's not the same as having two characters in the party, since there's overlap (no extra actions, no extra hit points...)

Letting players run 2 or more characters can be very problematic: If you have to run two full-fledged characters all the time, the actual running of the character (as in an actual person with character traits and opinions and all that) often suffers.