Working on building a small, family game & decided to use RotRL. The layout of the party is mostly settled, but is open to some changeif it'll help in the campaign. With what we have now (see below), does my group have enough to survive the adventure path ok? My biggest concerns are not having a full BAB character, as well as perhaps a 2nd support character (we can pick up another pc, if needed).
Dwarf Rogue (my 10yr old son); focusing more on the stealth, disable device, sleight of hand - type, not the party face. using a dwarf waraxe as primary weapon
Halfling Bard (my 17yr old son); party face & buffer/ ranged backup character. primarily using slingstaff & light melee weapon, along w/ bardic performance & spells as able
Elf Magus (17yr old's girlfriend - only one new to rpg's); backup melee, going w/ DEX build and Dervish Dance. fall back on longbow when needed
Human Inquisitor (my wife); group leader, follower of Desna. using a trait to pick up better melee weapon (house-rule), along w/ a hvy crossbow
My wife is willing to change to a fighter or a paladin if the group isn't strong enough in combat. I have a friend who can join if needed - he's interested in a human cleric of Erastil, & would work mostly as another party buffer/ battlefield control. He won't be offended if we decide we're ok without another pc, though
Even if the group is ok for combat, should I bring in the cleric to help out? And if my wife should change to a full BAB class, should she go paladin or fighter, given the makeup of the group? She's uncertain, & I'm not sure what to suggest. Thanks for the input!
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Instead of worrying about whether or not your family-players can handle RotRL as written, try scaling the adventure to their play level. Make it challenging, but not overpowering. Really, you're just trying to have fun as a family, not cater to a group of experienced gamers expecting a brutal adventure.
-Skeld
With the exception of the girlfriend, my family is actually a pretty experienced group. Even the 10yr old has a decent amount of gaming under his belt.
Normally, scaling the adventure is what I would do. But, due to time constraints, I'm trying to keep the amount of tinkering w/ the adventure path to a minimum - this is also why I decided to use an adventure path in the 1st place. My biggest concern is an accidental TPK because nobody in the group can hit the enemy/take a hit worth a darn - this seems like a bigger risk with everyone being 1/2 - 3/4 BAB characters. Hence, the reason for my post...
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With the exception of the girlfriend, my family is actually a pretty experienced group. Even the 10yr old has a decent amount of gaming under his belt.
Normally, scaling the adventure is what I would do. But, due to time constraints, I'm trying to keep the amount of tinkering w/ the adventure path to a minimum - this is also why I decided to use an adventure path in the 1st place. My biggest concern is an accidental TPK because nobody in the group can hit the enemy/take a hit worth a darn - this seems like a bigger risk with everyone being 1/2 - 3/4 BAB characters. Hence, the reason for my post...
If you feel pretty comfortable with their experience level, and considering what they're playing, brining on the Cleric is probably a good idea. Also, read thought the RotRL forums. This adventure can be brutal and has a few spots that are well known for full or near TPKs.
-Skeld
So do you think the inquisitor will be sufficient as the main party melee'er? That's really the big question for us right now.
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A positive channeling cleric or paladin would be very helpful, especially for the Sinsaw Murders adventure (Lots of ghouls). So, bringing in that Cleric of Erastil would be no bad thing.
I bigger concern -given the age of some of your players- would be some of the very dark elements - especially in the Hook Mountain Massacre (and Sins of the Saviors).
If (and only if) your wife wants to go to a full BAB class, then Paladin or Fighter really depends on if the Cleric of Erastil plays or not.
Thanks for the heads' up, I'll definitely watch for those when we get to them & make sure to tone it down. I had heard there was some atmosphere elements in the Skinsaw Murders section to be careful of as well.
So do you think the inquisitor will be sufficient as the main party melee'er?
Any thoughts to this yet?
Thanks for the heads' up, I'll definitely watch for those when we get to them & make sure to tone it down. I had heard there was some atmosphere elements in the Skinsaw Murders section to be careful of as well.
So do you think the inquisitor will be sufficient as the main party melee'er?Any thoughts to this yet?
Tough question, since everyone is a d8 HD class, they are going to want to share primary melee duties. Given that the character would also be the primary healer (backed up by the bard) it could be difficult.
Also, adventures 3 & 4 (Hook Mountain Massacre and Fortress of the Stone Giants) have large amounts of High Strength & High Hit Dice creatures (namely "Humanoid (giant)" type foes) they might have problems. But all (or most) of them are experienced so it is nothing they should not be able to work around.
I'm thinking I'll bring the cleric in, so my wife will be looking at either the inquisitor or the fighter. The group doesn't have anyone else with the Survival skill, & I keep seeing how that's going to come up when they head to Thistletop....
She also isn't as keen on playing a LG character, either (she'd prefer NG) - the friend looking at the cleric doesn't have any issues there.
She wanted to talk me into a letting her have a ranger, but she's played that before, & I asked everyone to try something different from their normal routines this time around. All of the other players have done that, so it didn't seem fair for her not to (everyone had agreed to it beforehand, anyway).
I'm thinking I'll bring the cleric in, so my wife will be looking at either the inquisitor or the fighter. The group doesn't have anyone else with the Survival skill, & I keep seeing how that's going to come up when they head to Thistletop....
She also isn't as keen on playing a LG character, either (she'd prefer NG) - the friend looking at the cleric doesn't have any issues there.
She wanted to talk me into a letting her have a ranger, but she's played that before, & I asked everyone to try something different from their normal routines this time around. All of the other players have done that, so it didn't seem fair for her not to (everyone had agreed to it beforehand, anyway).
Shoanti Barbarian?
I mentioned playing a barbarian once, & she wasn't at all interested. That would have been too easy, lol.
At this point, I'm leaning towards a recommending a fighter and having my friend join us with the cleric of Erastil, unless something else really strikes me....
I mentioned playing a barbarian once, & she wasn't at all interested. That would have been too easy, lol.
At this point, I'm leaning towards a recommending a fighter and having my friend join us with the cleric of Erastil, unless something else really strikes me....
Well, if she (and you) are up to the math, Summoners make wonderful primary melee characters. :)
Shoanti Barbarian?
I hear that they are all the rage nowadays.
Can't decide if I'm going to fall over laughing or say "Really?" with a groan...
ok, the laughing won. Well played, sir.
The 10yr old is playing a Summoner in our other campaign, so I don't want to seem like we're stepping on his toes, so to speak.
But more than that, she has a habit of taking characters who stay more in the background - after discussing it, I'd like her to try something that will put her up into the action more - I'm afraid the Summoner won't do that, as the Eidolon will be the one fighting. Maybe that's a technicality, but so be it....
But more than that, she has a habit of taking characters who stay more in the background - after discussing it, I'd like her to try something that will put her up into the action more - I'm afraid the Summoner won't do that, as the Eidolon will be the one fighting. Maybe that's a technicality, but so be it....
A mounted combat summoner would be mixing it up in melee just as much as most others. Also, it can be fun to roleplay the Eidolon as the main character with the summoner acting in all respects as his cohort.
Neither of these address your concern with stepping on the other player's toes, though.
Normally, scaling the adventure is what I would do. But, due to time constraints, I'm trying to keep the amount of tinkering w/ the adventure path to a minimum - this is also why I decided to use an adventure path in the 1st place. My biggest concern is an accidental TPK because nobody in the group can hit the enemy/take a hit worth a darn - this seems like a bigger risk with everyone being 1/2 - 3/4 BAB characters. Hence, the reason for my post...
Another option for scaling that takes little to no effort is to add in some character and combat optimal loot above WBL and beyond what is presented normally in the AP.
The 10yr old is playing a Summoner in our other campaign, so I don't want to seem like we're stepping on his toes, so to speak.
But more than that, she has a habit of taking characters who stay more in the background - after discussing it, I'd like her to try something that will put her up into the action more - I'm afraid the Summoner won't do that, as the Eidolon will be the one fighting. Maybe that's a technicality, but so be it....
That's fine. The most important thing is that she be happy with the character. :)
Thanks for the input. As always, you guys have been a lot of help!