One PC and an NPC Advice

[The NPC]

So I am now running Jade Regent for a friend. The party consists of a Martial Artist dwarf (PC) and a Black Blooded Planar Oracle Human (NPC).

That is half of a party right there. So I was wondering if any of you had any advice for running it?

[3.5 Loyalist]

Tell a great story, get the players really caught up in the cross-country spanning campaign. Take your time to describe the land, the people, the cultural transitions. Make the combat vicious and scary, travel dangerous. Forge the pcs into adamantine warriors for their new princess, but don't make it just about the princess.

If that doesn't work, consider changing it and changing up the story of the books. Does your friend play good characters or evil?

[The equalizer]

It can run. Introduce one more npc. Make it a party of three if you can't find another player. It can still run. Introduce intersting plot twists and liven up the npcs. Give them back stories, give them solid character traits, flaws etc. The game can still be run and will still be enjoyable. With parties of two pcs, you actually get alot done alot quicker.

[3.5 Loyalist]

Hey Frank, do we want to do that?
Yes, that sounds good.

Decision made.

Two players and a dm is great.

[Gorbacz]

First thing I'd do is have both characters advance as Gestalt (multiclass, both classes advance on the same XP count). That will help to cover the versatility part...

...but it won't cover the action economy part. 2 PCs is two standard actions per round, which is quite bad. I'd consider adding a third PC - perhaps your friend would be up to run 2 characters at once? Or you running an extra DMPC?

Of course, you'll have to softball encounters on the fly, particularly ones with numerous monsters.

[3.5 Loyalist]

The good news about a two-man party, is if they work together and are quite well made, they can triumph over a lot. A buddy-heroes journey against the odds.

Got to play it smart though.

[Twigs]

My advice? This adventure comes with four great NPCs already. USE THEM. Make this dwarf a part of the party (and if you're not too set on this oracle, drop him.) Lower their level a little and have them accompany the PC every step of the way. It'll take some rewriting, but if you can give each a unique and vibrant personality you'll have a great campaign.

[thomrenault]

Twigs advice is what I have done, until I gained a fully party. I told the players that they could fill out their party with two NPC's that were in the caravan. They have been recruiting everyone they run into.

[The NPC]

I'll definitely have one of the four main tag along when possible or needed. Kind of already did that with Walthus. Hmm...

[thomrenault]

The NPC wrote:

I'll definitely have one of the four main tag along when possible or needed. Kind of already did that with Walthus. Hmm...

His name is way too close to 'Wolfus'. I think that Gluttony's group made the same mistake and assumed he was a werewolf. I changed his name to Walt to lessen the confusion.

[Old Drake]

I'd go a slightly different route. Two characters is too little to withstand any AP. If one character is taken down or paralyzed, that's half the party. That makes it far more deadly than it would be for a normal 4 PC party.

So the PC should have higher point buy or an extra +2 to any attribute if you roll and I would also make him gestalt.
The oracle is generated normally (i.e. without better attributes or gestalt).
In addition Ameiko and Shalelu should come along as well. And I'd go so far as to say that the player should control both during combat. You'll have enough to do with monsters and your oracle.

[Void Munchkin]

Old Drake wrote:

In addition Ameiko and Shalelu should come along as well. And I'd go so far as to say that the player should control both during combat. You'll have enough to do with monsters and your oracle.

It isn't a good idea to rely on Ameiko too much.

[Old Drake]

Ameiko is going to be the queen, so it makes more sense that she actually does stuff. It certainly is better than her waiting at camp for the players to solve every problem. And it's certainly better than introducing yet more NPCs.
Sure, two more players would be better, but if that was an option the OP wouldn't be here.

[roguerouge]

I've run a player through a campaign from 1st to 16th. You emphatically do not need to use gestalt rules for it to work.

THE major issue for us was making sure that the player had an NPC or two to bounce ideas off of. That was much more valuable than having an extra long sword in the fight. I'd usually provide answers very in character (nerdy magic-obsessed character, LG and a bit dim, frat boy) so that the player was always very sure that it was the NPC, not a DMPC providing the advice.

In short, err on the side of BFF rather than BSF in your NPC creation.