Carrion Crown Party Makeup

[dmatos]

I'm planning on GM'ing a run through the Carrion Crown adventure path for a group of four PCs. So far, I have read Haunting of Harrowstone, but none of the other books. I told my players that the first adventure is undead-heavy, which the players guide also hints at. In response, they proposed the following party:

1. Paladin (race and archetype not decided yet)
2. Dhampir Kinslayer Inquisitor of Pharasma (Repose)
3. Oracle of Life
4. Seeker/Sage Sorcerer (nobody wants to be a straight rogue)

My opinion is that this group will do fantastically for the first book, but I'm looking for advice as to whether or not they'll be shooting themselves in the foot for the rest of the adventure path.

Thanks!

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Why would you think they are shooting themselves in the foot?

Cause no one wants to play a rogue?

Rogues suck. Unchained rogues are better but not by too much. Trapfinding isn't a necessity to make a balanced group in pathfinder.

Also in later books there is plenty of undead heavy use. One book centers on vampires and another on the whispering way cult of necromancers.

[Pan]

I have ran CC to completion. I think that group will do just fine. Knowledge skills are big, but traps are few. In fact, they seem better suited to handling the haunts throughout the AP which is a good thing. They also look ready to handle the not undead foes in the AP as well.

[dmatos]

Fruian Thistlefoot wrote:

Why would you think they are shooting themselves in the foot?

Just because they're building a party that is predominantly focused on fighting undead, so they may be sub-optimal for other challenges.

Things looked okay for knowledge/diplomacy/intimidate coverage, but they'll probably be missing bluff. The party will likely have no non-magical stealth abilities. The sorc can be a blaster or a support caster, but usually can't do both well due to limited spells known.

Merely a case of optimizing for one purpose, and potentially being terrible at everything else.

I actually suggested the seeker variant of the sorcerer, so that the group can get the trapfinding and DD skills without having to "waste" a character on a rogue.

[dmatos]

Pan wrote:

They also look ready to handle the not undead foes in the AP as well.

Excellent, thank you. This is the information that I'm looking for, rather than needing to read the other five books myself :)

[Errant_Epoch]

MY GM for this AP refused to let players play Paladins because he said they "trivialize" the campaign with their abilities. I have no idea if he is right (we all died book one) but if he is your party should cruise.

[StDrake]

I'd advise to ask the paladin player to take something not immune to fear. Best if he can find an archetype for that so he doesn't need to resign from paladin.Fear immunity is shooting yourself in the foot from another angle im my opinion as it kills the spooky mood you got a chance to incorporate here otherwise.

[Snowblind]

StDrake wrote:

I'd advise to ask the paladin player to take something not immune to fear. Best if he can find an archetype for that so he doesn't need to resign from paladin.Fear immunity is shooting yourself in the foot from another angle im my opinion as it kills the spooky mood you got a chance to incorporate here otherwise.

I find it funny that the moment a paladin's kinda weaksauce immunity might actually come into play some people start suggesting that they should be forced to trade it out.

Would you make a fighter take an archetype that trades out bravery, because it might "kill the spooky mood"?

Besides, having a rock solid cornerstone in the party isn't a bad thing. Having the entire party fall apart is heading towards TPK territory. A level headed character in the party that brings stability and a voice of reason will usually be the GM's friend. Not to mention the fact that being immune to fear effects doesn't necessarily mean that you don't feel fear, just that you don't let them affect you.

[Corlindale]

Paladin's are great in CC. Even when not facing undead, most opposition is still evil-aligned. I played an archer paladin in the last half of the campaign, and it was really powerful. Not broken, though, there were still plenty of challenges, but certainly viable.

I also GM'd the campaign later with PCs consisting of an Oracle of Life, an Inquisitor, a Sorceror and a Druid and they also did really well.

[Errant_Epoch]

Snowblind wrote:

I find it funny that the moment a paladin's kinda weaksauce immunity might actually come into play some people start suggesting that they should be forced to trade it out.

That was how I felt as well. The logic didn't make sense to me.

[fatbaldbloke]

I don't think the Paladin's immunity to fear is that big a deal really....but if it is causing problems then Carrion Crown is surely an ideal campaign to drop an Antipaladin or two in.

Or maybe just tweak a monster or two to have an Aura of Cowardice similar to the APs, keep the Paladin on his toes.

[fatbaldbloke]

dmatos wrote:

I'm planning on GM'ing a run through the Carrion Crown adventure path for a group of four PCs. So far, I have read Haunting of Harrowstone, but none of the other books. I told my players that the first adventure is undead-heavy, which the players guide also hints at. In response, they proposed the following party:

1. Paladin (race and archetype not decided yet)
2. Dhampir Kinslayer Inquisitor of Pharasma (Repose)
3. Oracle of Life
4. Seeker/Sage Sorcerer (nobody wants to be a straight rogue)

My opinion is that this group will do fantastically for the first book, but I'm looking for advice as to whether or not they'll be shooting themselves in the foot for the rest of the adventure path.

Thanks!

Also to answer the original question....I think your party should be fine.

I'm currently running a group through CC and they just finished Book 2 with the follwoing party:

1. Half Elven Druid/Fighter multiclass
2. Elf Trapper Ranger
3. Elf Sorceror (Fey Bloodline)
4. Elf Bard

So far they've done pretty well, apart from a near disaster at one point in Harrowstone that they scraped through by skin of their teeth. Your group will need decent Knowledge skills, Perception and Diplomacy going on into Book 2, but look to me like they should have that covered between them.

Also there's quite a few Neutral enemies in Book 2, so the Paladin's Smite ability isn't going to turn every fight into a cakewalk.