Best 3 person group for Rise of the drow

[Michael Vogels]

Only classes from advanced players guide and base books. Start at 2nd level , no summoners.

Thoughts? I was thinking rogue wizard 1/1 and then wizard, fighter / cleric 1/1 then cleric using archer fighter and then not sure..

[Matthew Downie]

Mixing levels like that usually makes you bad at magic and bad at fighting. Pure Cleric or Wizard with maxed out caster stat is generally more powerful (if that's what you mean by 'best').
Other things that might be useful:
Alchemist - skills, ranged energy damage, magical effects and melee damage all in one character.
Big strong Barbarian - someone who does so much damage it doesn't matter that he's the only martial.
Druid - animal companion can help compensate for lack of PCs. A druid can be a good melee attacker if that's what he focuses on.
Switch hitter ranger - ranged damage, melee damage, some magical ability, and an animal companion.

[DM Papa.DRB]

I have all three parts to this adventure, and think that it is a great level 1-20 AP. Running it as a PbP on this site, and also ran it at my home game until the home group disbanded (after 25 years). The home game got into the main portion and were level 7 when the group broke up.

I would suggest the following:

1) Switch Hitter Ranger who takes the Vagabond Child trait so he gets Disable Device as a class skill.
2) Blaster Wizard
3) Melee Cleric.

This gives you two semi-tanks, a healer and a mage. Also a scout and trap guy. Also, don't multi class.

-- david

[Melkiador]

It's a shame you aren't using summoners. A group size of 3 or less is best for that class.

I'd probably go with a lion shaman Druid in your situation. It can bring spells or melee as needed.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Witch- Hexes will go far. Since they have unlimited use.

Summon+ reach focused cleric. (If base books includes UC then an evangelist)

Paladin- main tank type.

There are not enough traps to warrant a rogue...cause core rogues... they suck at everything else.

[Just a Mort]

Urban ranger gives trapfinding.

Agree with Fruian's suggestion on Evangelist, but someone should be able to dish at ranged in casecof flying archers.

[CWheezy]

Can't GI wrong with three wizards

[Just a Mort]

Until you run into a shadow, sure...or a skeletal champion.

[Renegadeshepherd]

Evangelist cleric of some kind, a sorcerer turned dragon disciple, and a melee inquisitor or switch hitting ranger for skills. The cleric summons, heals, and supports. The DD controls and then blasts on the side; at early levels blasting will be his main thing. The ranger or inquisitor is meant to be the front guy until summons get working and late levels takes over with ranged attacks. If I had to pick one I give a slight edge to inquisitor but its close.

[CWheezy]

Just a Mort wrote:

Until you run into a shadow, sure...or a skeletal champion.

I duuno why wizards would be bad against a shadow, they have a chance to actually hit the thing with magic.

[Michael Sayre]

Rise of the Drow is a pretty rough AP (we came close to two TPKs just in the Intro), so I'd say Evangelist, Druid (with pet, not domain), Wizard. Divvy up necessary skills between all three, make sure the pet is properly built to help shoulder some of the load, and avoid multiclassing because you do not want to jack up your spell progression during the first half of the game.

Alternatively, Oracle (Life), Inquisitor, Witch could work pretty well. Witch can be replaced with Wizard or Druid, though I like the staying power of the Hexes for RotD.