I'm going to be starting this campaign in the next couple of months and we are testing all the base classes to see how they stand up. With that in mind I'm looking at the pre-generated characters and wondering how they handle this AP without a primary cleric? Is the paladin a requirement without a cleric present?
I am building a group with this in mind:
Valeros - Human Fighter
Ezren - Human Wizard
Lem - Halfling Bard
Harsk - Dwarf Ranger
I have to switch out the paladin as we already tried that class in RoRL and would like to stick with the 4 man party for this AP. So how crippling will it be without a primary cleric and rogue? Can the bard keep up with the traps?
PS. Using Pathfinder core rules..
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I'm going to be starting this campaign in the next couple of months and we are testing all the base classes to see how they stand up. With that in mind I'm looking at the pre-generated characters and wondering how they handle this AP without a primary cleric? Is the paladin a requirement without a cleric present?
I am building a group with this in mind:
Valeros - Human Fighter
Ezren - Human Wizard
Lem - Halfling Bard
Harsk - Dwarf RangerI have to switch out the paladin as we already tried that class in RoRL and would like to stick with the 4 man party for this AP. So how crippling will it be without a primary cleric and rogue? Can the bard keep up with the traps?
PS. Using Pathfinder core rules..
At least one of the later modules becomes incredibly hard without a cleric and there are a lot of stealthy/trappy places for rogues to shine, so you'll be hurt. It's achievable, especially as the 3.5 APs are slightly easier with Pathfinder rules for the characters.
You'll miss the cleric a lot more than you will the rogue, especially in the later modules.
There's only one real section where a rogue would shine, and almost no other traps in the entire AP. I can think of one other trap off of the top of my head. It's a little annoying.
Meanwhile, a cleric is very, very integral to the AP. Divine magic is in my opinion the best magic, and since the AP gets kind of hard, you'll be wishing you had it. My group would have a lot more deaths than they do now if it weren't for the fact that I have a witch, an inquisitor and a cleric in my party.
Hm, I got an Inquisitor and a Paladin, so I hope I'll be okay. :p
Thanks for advice, I think I'm going to switch out the ranger for a cleric. I'm curious too see the bard in action.
Thanks for advice, I think I'm going to switch out the ranger for a cleric. I'm curious too see the bard in action.
The cleric in my party has almost died at least ten times. At least twice an AP since 7DttG. Every time he smiles and channels negative energy, heals himself for an absurd amount and blows the enemies around him to pieces.
It doesn't help that I made the aasimar bard lose her 1/day daylight spell and roll on the Council of Thieves tiefling special ability chart... and she rolled "Healed by negative energy."
(A normal cleric could easily step back and do the same thing, but without the added unfriendlies dropping to the ground dead, clutching their kidneys. Praise Norgorber!)
I'd like to think my party is really well rounded and capable for the AP, and even then sometimes they're dropping unconcious or spell-novaing to brute force encounters.
EDIT: Never underestimate the bard. The bard's player in my game always feels like she's the 5th wheel, but when the party had to do a few encounters without her they were begging for her to come back. The bard makes them awesome.
As others have said, trapfinding is not an enormous concern, so the bard can cover most of the rogue's roles. The lack of a cleric is more worrying. The bard should definitely stock up on wands of CLW to use liberally between combats, and the Pathfinder paladin's lay on hands/mercies can provide some healing and deal with most status effects. But you'll definitely miss having a cleric in the second and fifth adventures.
I concur with the others, without a cleric you'll be toast.