NPC for 3 player party

[Kimco]

Getting ready to start RotRl with three newish players, looks like the party will be a Wizard, Paladin, and a Rogue.

Since there is only three of them and they are new, I told them don't be a healer unless you want to play one, so i'm going to end up giving them a NPC healer to fill the 4th player spot.

Looking for recommendations.
Would like the NPC to not only support them, but fit into the overall spirit of the campaign.

[oTacOcaTo]

I had the same thing happen with my game group (Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer). I ended up creating a heavy healing based cleric of Sarenrae (Healing and Sun Domains), who happened to be in Sandpoint to witness the Swallowtail Festival. She wanted to learn more of other faiths and the cathedral to multiple gods proved an opportunity she didn't want to pass up.

She was at the cathedral when the fighting broke out and jumped in to aid the PC's against the goblins. The group realized that they needed someone to aid them with healing and had her tag along against the raid. Once it was concluded, she was hailed as one of the heroes of Sandpoint, and from there the group was founded...The Out of Towners.

[Latrecis]

Funny. My group had 4 pc's and one was a cleric of Saranrae. That would work as would Desna.

I might suggest an oracle with a focus on healing and condition removal - this would keep the NPC from taking too much attention from the pc's. And make it easier for the GM to manage - no need for spell memorization, etc.

I'm surprised there hasn't been any posts from the "you don't need a stinkin' healer" crowd. "Have the rogue put skill points in Use Magic Device, buy some Wands of Cure Light Wounds and you're good to go." Which rules mechanic-wise has merit pending how much you want such things to drive pc builds. Might caution against with new players...

Of course the rule mechanic observation applies to the Oracle recommendation as well. Even to the GMPC idea...

[blahpers]

Father Zantus could work, as could a nameless acolyte (he's not the only priest in town, after all). I statted Zantus as an ecclesitheurge for my game.

[Sunderstone]

There's a lot of overland travel with different terrain in the AP. I'd drop in a Druid. Great healing ability as well as support spells. IIRC in Sandpoint Niska Mvashti is visited by a druid every so often for wilderness walkabouts or something similar. It would be an easy into.

Raw heals, I'd go Oracle or Cleric instead.

[blahpers]

Oh yeah, Mvashti. Her daughter is also a healer IIRC.

[Fumarole]

Have Shalelu support the party as needed. She's already in the setting in book 1, and there is an additional hook for her in book 3. Try swapping her fighter levels for cleric and you're good to go. Since she starts out more powerful than the PCs, simply don't give her any XP until they reach level 6, the same as her.

[Droeg]

Sunderstone wrote:

There's a lot of overland travel with different terrain in the AP. I'd drop in a Druid. Great healing ability as well as support spells.

My group going through are all new players and ended up as Barbarian, Paladin, Sorcerer and Druid. Healing aside, they love the Druid for his companion, a camel.

Why? Ironically enough, the camel has the most kills of the party so far.

[Sunderstone]

Droeg wrote:

Sunderstone wrote:

There's a lot of overland travel with different terrain in the AP. I'd drop in a Druid. Great healing ability as well as support spells.

My group going through are all new players and ended up as Barbarian, Paladin, Sorcerer and Druid. Healing aside, they love the Druid for his companion, a camel.

Why? Ironically enough, the camel has the most kills of the party so far.

That's hysterical! I'd probably want to Awaken it eventually, it deserves it. ;)

[Zhali Dakhamel]

Sunderstone wrote:

Droeg wrote:

Sunderstone wrote:

There's a lot of overland travel with different terrain in the AP. I'd drop in a Druid. Great healing ability as well as support spells.

My group going through are all new players and ended up as Barbarian, Paladin, Sorcerer and Druid. Healing aside, they love the Druid for his companion, a camel.

Why? Ironically enough, the camel has the most kills of the party so far.

That's hysterical! I'd probably want to Awaken it eventually, it deserves it. ;)

Not necessary. We are already sufficiently intelligent.

(my humps, my humps)