Party NPC replacement.

[SirShua]

My party is dropping from four to Three, and are currently on the planet in book 5. I haven't heard if they're going to pocket the extra character or not, but in case they are not, i was looking to give them a friendly NPC.

Given the location and where they're at, I'm leaning toward the Inevitable they met earlier in the book (I had him teleport away for repair after the party helped him). I'm also thinking of the Angel from Alien archives. It's not as outright powerful as the Inevitable, but can buff the party up.

Any other ideas or thoughts between them?

The party is a ysoki technomancer, ikeshti exocortex mechanic, and vesk blitz soldier. The dropped character was a skittermander envoy.

[Nintendogeek01]

Were it me I would try to adjust the encounters for three people rather than bring in an NPC at that late stage of the AP. The PC's are largely isolated and saving the Pact Worlds and beyond is all on them; different story if another PC was a realistic prospect, I'll try to come up with some excuse for a new addition to the table to bring in their character.

But that doesn't answer your question so...

you might consider custom-making an NPC using the class grafts; it would at least feel more like they're adventuring with a fellow adventurer rather than an out-of-this-plane-of-existence outsider. Heck, make an NPC clone of the Envoy if no one will find that objectionable.

[SirShua]

I am going to balance things down for 3 players, but I'm worried it's not enough with this group.

My thinking on this was two fold: because the party never disabled the distress beacon and is clearly trying to 1 fight/day this chunk of the adventure, they have noticed two new ships have entered the system and they've guessed the ships to be more devourer guys (they are) and only a few hours from landing (also true). The party is now very banged up from a single APL encounter with 2 players getting knocked out and losing a bunch of resolve. And I've put it out there that their delaying has allowed more enemies to gather.

At this point real life makes the envoy need to quit.

I settled on one of the outsiders because they can travel near instantly, and i could handwave their arrival and reason for being there easily. The Inevitable has already been there, and his return to Axis would expand his parameters to more directly did the party. The Angel would have caught wind of activity happening in the artificial system, as their aim is to hunt down dangerous technology. The party hasn't sent a call to help or really attempted to speak with anyone, so I'm not sure how hep

Additionally they'd help with a wave cultists descending on them.

The more I think about this the more I'm leaning toward the inevitable, as he can pop out and do things behind the scenes to push things in the party's favor rather than be an additional party member.

[ghostunderasheet]

Having something helping your party from the shadows with out them directly knowing with possible hints from the chatter the enemies have may give it away. Could improve parties morale if they are going in thinking they botched it and some how handle it by "themselves". It could just be your secret. But dont over use it as a crutch or a focal point in your gm style. It leads to the players feeling useless if they are constantly being saved by some higher power. Speaking from the players point of view or personal experience. My gm favorate tactic.

[SirShua]

Well I'll give it a whirl with just the three of them. I might drop enemy AC some so the technomancer can hit with something besides spells (they're quite weak in the dex).

[sebastokrator]

I'd probably try and lower the CR of the encounters by one rather than add a new NPC.

What's the status of Ralkawi from book two? My group helped her live and helped her move away from the cult. If needed to add a new party member to the group, I'd probably use her has an NPC or the hook to introduce a new PC.

[SirShua]

Ralkawi died. The party was being odd around her, she stole a pistol for herself and she was killed when the party found out.

The Inevitable isn't an all new npc. He's encountered in book 5, and he traveled with the party some. They took a while leaving the drift as they turned back to Absalom Station to cure a disease.