Short-manning this AP

[Fafnoir]

Hey!

I'm prepping to run this AP and I've got three players who want to short-man it with just three characters, no aid from an NPC or a Leadership mook. This is my first time running for a smaller party. Is it enough to simply run on the Medium XP track and give them XP for their three-person party as the Gamemastering chart gives?

Totaling up all the XP given from encounters, a four-person party receives 8600 XP in Book 1, and a three-person party would get 11460. This is before story awards, of course. These both put the party (after story XP) into level four, so the difference is negligible. I'm sure this difference compounds into the later books, but is enough to keep the party capable later into the campaign?

Thanks!
-F

Sources:
XP by CR
Character Advancement XP Track

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

Usually the slightly early levelling will keep the players alive. But encourage them to play classes that come with a companion:

Cavalier, Druid, Hunter, Summoner, Spiritualist

It will help them with action economy, just make sure they choose something semi-aquatic if they have an animal companion.

[justaworm]

I second the previous post. As a GM earlier leveling will help (you can just forgo XP and level them appropriately). You may consider some slightly better loot as well to help out, but you need to be careful here. You could consider an extra feat (maybe a teamwork feat) at 1st level as a boon.

As players, good class choices would be key. Classes with companions will do well, and also something like a conjuration wizard controlling the battlefield will help similarly.

[CorvusMask]

Hero points can help with character survival a lot as long players realize to use them.

[Cinderfoot Bristlebeard]

They can short man it but the AP does have leaders offering advice and multiple npcs that could join in or not

[Xavier319]

Hi! One of the players here. What we ended up doing was going with an Inquisitor, Cleric and Fighter. And we're taking a Wizard Leadership mook. This is the only time we've ever had a leadership mook (we usually outlaw the feat for obvious reasonS). The cleric is a summoner type (sacred summons, augment, the like), and we have an improved famliar. We've got the bases covered and so far things are going pretty well. I think if we can get past the early levels and get this wizard cohort, we might just be okay. Thanks for the advice folks, It was a big help!