Only caster in the group

[SaddestPanda]

I'm playing the Carrion Crown campaign path and it looks like I'll be the only one playing a caster. We have a twf/shield bash paladin, a phalanx fighter who I believe is going trip build, a musket master gunslinger, and a monk who I have no idea what he is trying to do. I was hoping for suggestions on what I should make to try to cover what I can.

[TOZ]

Sounds like a good group to try a Mystic Theurge in. Be a support kind of guy, who can get anything the party needs if given time.

[Atarlost]

TOZ wrote:

Sounds like a good group to try a Mystic Theurge in. Be a support kind of guy, who can get anything the party needs if given time.

That or witch. I think there's a patron that gets you the nasty condition removers people want from clerics and they have most of the wizard utility spells.

[TOZ]

I say MT because there are no other casters to step on, and two sets of spells are better than one.

[Lord Fyre]

In Carrion Crown, you are Really, Really, going to want Channel Energy. So, Cleric or Life Oracle would be the safest bet.

(Though I am shocked that no one else wants to be a caster.)

[hogarth]

I'll second the suggestion of a witch.

TOZ wrote:

I say MT because there are no other casters to step on, and two sets of spells are better than one.

Saying a Mystic Theurge might step on another caster is like saying that Billy Barty might step on Yao Ming.

The late Billy Barty.

[TOZ]

He's still stepping on him.

[meabolex]

I vote bard. 4 characters that directly benefit from inspire courage = great. You already have some healing/channel energy through the paladin, so a little support healing will be nice. I'd probably do an enchantment-focused casting bard. . . that's a little out of the ordinary from what I'd normally do, but I think it's a fine choice here.

[Kolokotroni]

I'd say witch with the healing patron.

Though there are some 3rd party options i would consider also if it were a possibility.

[John Spalding]

No casters and tons of mellee says

1) group buffs (especially after mid level)
2) aoe effects/battlefield control
3) healing
4) you need to have someone who can do non-physical damage

CC says:
1) play a cleric

I would consider a heroism subdomain cleric. Swift action strong buff at lvl 8. +2 on DCs for channeling for damage, and a hefty skill buff.

I would choose a second domain with strong group buffs or a decent aoe. fire isn't awful. Healing brings a lot to the table.

Sarenrae has it all, plus her favored weapon is solid.

[hgsolo]

meabolex wrote:

I vote bard. 4 characters that directly benefit from inspire courage = great. You already have some healing/channel energy through the paladin, so a little support healing will be nice. I'd probably do an enchantment-focused casting bard. . . that's a little out of the ordinary from what I'd normally do, but I think it's a fine choice here.

+1. A good buffer for a group of fighter types would be ideal. And you pick up on any lacking knowledge skills.

[TheSideKick]

i would say witch,

a human witch can get extra hex, and the hex feat that allows for a retry on a successful save. hexes at first level should be misfortune and cackle. as a witch you gain the ability to ice tomb 2 npcs in one casting, once you get you major hex. you can take the healing hex for more healing ability, with a pally in the group you wont need the channel positive that a cleric brings. so all in all i think a witch is the best compliment to your party.
basically a witch is a cleric and a wizard wrapped up into one awesome support class.

and make sure at level 1 you take enlarge person as a spell choice, with the party you have it will help tremendously.

[nosig]

Cleric/Wizard... or some other version of the Mystic Theurge. You'll get a little healin from the Pally - so it might make up for your lower level as a dual class cleric. But talk to the other players (and the DM), see if they are going "Pure" or if they might be taking "a dip".

[Major_Tom]

I agree on the bard, although the lack of high level spells might be a problem.

Could go buffing sorcerer, picking up a few of the Remove Cursey type things with scrolls and wands. The idea of channeling for damage really doesn't apply, because you have four basic damage dealers, pick up a fireball or ice storm to take out the big bunches of mooks, the bbegs will be handled by the tanks. The rest can go for buffing, and there are some nice backgrounds for the sorcerer build. (infernal might work especially well in CC). As far as healing, buy the paladin a lot of CLW wands. Sorcerers with the high charisma also have an innate advantage on UMD.

I do admit that a cleric with lots of buffing would also fit well. Heroism/strenth domain.

[John Spalding]

Bard issues:
1) without looking into archetypes - you lack restoration and lesser restoration. Maybe pally can cover this.

2) You will need tons of healing items.
((assume cleric has 14 cha, and both burn all spells healing, and both always have 1 bonus spell b/c I am lazy)

First level bard- 11hp spells
First level cleric - 11hp spells, 17.5 channel

10th level bard: 302 spells
10th level cleric: 432 spells, 87 channeling (this is artificially low...no items at all)

At 10th level you need a wand of CLW a day to hit a cleric's output. This isn't to say you will always burn all spells healing,

3) Sometimes (rarely) blasting is the thing to do. With your physical damage focused group that will occur more frequently. Clerics have better blasts.

4) It is CC in USTALAV...offensive channeling seems worth it.

[BYC]

First, you should play what you want to play, not cater to the group. Because I guarantee they will overlook your abilities if you end up being a heal-bot.

Second, normally I would say bard because of Inspire Courage, but...

Third, this is Carrion Crown, if you are going to play a caster and the only healer, you'll need to go with a positive channeling cleric. There WILL be tons of undead later on, and not having Restoration, Raise Dead, Deathward, and etc will be extremely frustrating. A paladin will not cut it from a healing standpoint in this campaign.

I'd go with a cleric focused on buffing. And then you can heal after the combat. With all that firepower, your party should be able to defeat things quickly. Especially the paladin if he can get his DPS up.

[STR Ranger]

Either:
a Channel focused Cleric with the Glory (Heroism) Subdomains and shoot for Holy Vindicator at level 9.
Gives you +2 to offensively channel and the awesome swift action Aura of Heroism.
Imodae is a nice choice and take Good for your other domain (some of the best pally spells as domain spells and the 8th level domain aura)

Also use variant channeling- Bravory/Valour.
This lets you buff your buddies and still do full offensive channel damage to undead (and evil outsiders if you take alignment channel)

OR

Straight Evangelist Cleric with Freedom domain.

Gives buddies Inspire Courage and you can keep the melee guys mobile.

[Abraham spalding]

John Spalding wrote:

Bard issues:

1) without looking into archetypes - you lack restoration and lesser restoration. Maybe pally can cover this.

2) You will need tons of healing items.
((assume cleric has 14 cha, and both burn all spells healing, and both always have 1 bonus spell b/c I am lazy)

First level bard- 11hp spells
First level cleric - 11hp spells, 17.5 channel

10th level bard: 302 spells
10th level cleric: 432 spells, 87 channeling (this is artificially low...no items at all)

At 10th level you need a wand of CLW a day to hit a cleric's output. This isn't to say you will always burn all spells healing,

3) Sometimes (rarely) blasting is the thing to do. With your physical damage focused group that will occur more frequently. Clerics have better blasts.

4) It is CC in USTALAV...offensive channeling seems worth it.

Bards have some nice blasts now.

If you are going to blast with either bard or cleric I would recommend intensify spell though after level 10 (probably level 13 would be a good time).

My only thing against going with a spontaneous caster in this sort of party set up is you are likely to want to know a lot more spells than you will.

The pathfinder savant might be a great choice of prestige class depending on what you do.

[Mergy]

I'm going to argue for Evangelist. Same buffing abilities of a bard, but with the divine spell list you need.