When the GM uses a pregen to get a table, does the 3 players choose the class or can the GM?

[harmor]

Obviously knowing the scenario/module as GM I would know the best class to add to the party make-up...so do I use that knowledge or allow the 3 players to choose the class I play?

[Mystic Lemur]

Whichever you prefer. As far as I know, there is no rule.

[Dennis Baker]

Its a collaborative thing at my table. I usually suggest Kyra or Lem, both good support NPCs. If my players wanted a different NPC I'd let them pick, though I avoid most of the APG classes which can be a bit trickier to play.

[Dragnmoon]

Dennis Baker wrote:

Its a collaborative thing at my table. I usually suggest Kyra or Lem, both good support NPCs. If my players wanted a different NPC I'd let them pick, though I avoid most of the APG classes which can be a bit trickier to play.

Lem? APG characters?

Lem is not stated as a PFS Pregen and there are no APG pregens.

The PFS pregens are

Kyra - Cleric
Valeros - Fighter
Merisiel - Rogue
Ezren - Wizard
Lirianne - Gunslinger
Reiko - Ninja
Hayato - Samurai

That's it.

Edit: I think more will be added from the core classes once the NPC Codex comes out.

[Dennis Baker]

Hah!

No Lem?!?! That's terrible.

(The few times it's come up I suggested Kyra and we ran with that)

[Dragnmoon]

Kyra is always a good choice

[Kristen Gipson]

I typically let the party choose. If they ask what I think, it is usually Kyra. Here in southern illinois nobody likes to play the party buffer and healer. They typically choose Kyra.

[Belafon]

Dragnmoon wrote:

Lem? APG characters?

Lem is not stated as a PFS Pregen and there are no APG pregens.

Edit: I think more will be added from the core classes once the NPC Codex comes out.

Have I got stuff that is no longer legal floating around then? I have pregens (with a big old Pathfinder Society logo at the top) for Damiel, Alain, and Alahazra. Were these playtest only?

Edit: must have been playtest, some of the abilities are wrong. Wonder why they never got updated.

[godsDMit]

Belafon wrote:

Dragnmoon wrote:

Lem? APG characters?

Lem is not stated as a PFS Pregen and there are no APG pregens.

Edit: I think more will be added from the core classes once the NPC Codex comes out.

Have I got stuff that is no longer legal floating around then? I have pregens (with a big old Pathfinder Society logo at the top) for Damiel, Alain, and Alahazra. Were these playtest only?

No, they were legal for a time. Until UM came out, I think. I've still got the PDFs for them as well.

I let the players choose.

[Clyde]

I read the preamble and then let the group decide.

[Imper1um]

When forcing a 4th player as NPC, I first ask the levels (including the class, and if they are weird...like Fighters that are ranged), and choose the class that they are lacking. No healing? Kyra the Cleric saves the day! No front-liner Tank? Valeros the fighter joins the fight. Missing some arcane? Ezren steps in. If they have all three (healer, front-liner, arcane), I let the players decide.

The thing about the 4th player as NPC is just to round out the party and make sure that a module built for 4 players does not kill the party. I try not to ask the party unless I'm unsure, or it really doesn't matter. It speeds things up (I've seen groups argue over which NPC I should be playing).

[Mergy]

I heavily hint Kyra at all times. Valeros and Ezren are awful. Meresial can actually be okay in a party that already has offence covered. My personal favourite insertion for weak parties is the samurai because it's like bringing in two extra meatshields.

[Chris Clay]

This came up last month for me. I'll usually look at the party and see if they're light on something and suggest a pregen to fill that spot, but I'll ultimately leave it up to the group. As many have stated, Kyra is usually a good idea.

[Thorkull]

Kyra's a good default due to the dearth of dedicated healers in PFS play. I'm not that uptight about it. If the players have a strong preference, I let them decide.

Really, it's not like any of the pregens is particularly well optimized to make it a clear choice over the others. The only one that's really useful is Kyra thanks to being a healer, as stated. Letting the players choose won't give them an "I win" button, and if something goes south as a result of their choice, they only have themselves to blame.

I also make one of them run the NPC -- I have enough to worry about running the scenario without running an extra NPC.

[kinevon]

Chris Clay wrote:

This came up last month for me. I'll usually look at the party and see if they're light on something and suggest a pregen to fill that spot, but I'll ultimately leave it up to the group. As many have stated, Kyra is usually a good idea.

And my table had two pregens, from three players, one without a PC, and neither was Kyra, for a rarity.

Valerios and Merisiel, IIRC.

Kyra seems ot be one of the more widely used of the pregens, and probably, by far, the one with the most deaths.

[Take Boat]

The most recent version of Ezren is actually deecent if you change his memorized spells. (For ones in his spellbook, of course.)

Level 1 Ezren has Color Spray and Sleep
Level 4 Ezren also has Glitterdust and a Potion of Fly
Level 7 Ezren gains Dimension Door, Haste and Dispel Magic

A GMPC ending encounters with sleep is probably not fun play, but nobody ever had too much Haste.

[Jason S]

Choosing Level 7 Ezren for a high level game has been a big mistake in the past. Part of the problem is that he's not played well, people don't know the spells or magic items, and therefore don't know how to use anything but Fireball.

I agree, Kyra's a good default (easy to play, useful), but Valeros isn't OK at level 1/4. He takes hits and is expendible. /shrug

The ninja is probably the most popular pick I've seen, and also the one that dies the most. Out of 3 pregen ninjas, all 3 died. I guess they never got taught by Sho Kosugi.