Magicless group?

[Moe Ronalds]

My current group is made of: A Samurai, A Rogue specializing in firearms, A Ranger, A Barbarian, and a Sorcerer. Unfortunately, the player of the sorcerer will soon be moving out of state, and thus my group won't have any spell casters. What I'm asking is if there is anyone else here who has had experience with magicless groups, and how I should altar adventures to fit accordingly.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Tone down the damage resistance of creatures with DR, unless you're giving out magic weapons like candy.

Large groups of weenie monsters will actually be a lot more powerful without magic artillery pieces. That makes them better for a challenge, but should also increase the CR of the encounter.

With no healing spells, they're more affected by being worn down by monsters and traps. You might need to give them more downtime when injured and be prepared for them to back off suddenly.

 

[SylverFlame]

Magic wands and such will be the parties new best friend.

Suggest to the rogue that it pump-up Use Magic Device and it can fill in some of the territory of the magic users. Of course, if all else fails, then a DM-PC could be in order.

 

[Kaji]

The ideas already present should take care of things nicely. A few addition, if I may...

First, are you DMing the group? It appears that way, so it might be wise to allow the rogue to have a device that will up his Use Magic Device skill if he/she was not planning on putting points into it. The NPC spellcaster works, but maybe there is an aversion to a DM run character or allowing a character to play 2 PC's. You could try creating an NPC and have each player take turns running him/her each session as a challange for the players and a way to get used to some new skills. You could also try skipping a spellcaster entirely and then letting the party get PASTED by some evil wizard. See if the players come up with their own solution, like going to town and hiring a spellcaster. In fact, the more I think about that last idea, the more I like it. But, I'm evil, so what can I say

 

[Dremen]

I think it could be fun. You just have to tailor the encounters a bit. I'd make it maybe a bit easier to get healing potions to keep the game rolling, and have a couple characters put points into the HEAL skill, even if it is a cc skill.

Don't force them to rely on a NPC caster, or hiring a wizard to do thier dirty work. Let them come up with their own solutions. They will do OK.

Don't assume you HAVE to have the iconic party. Just realise the differances that a low/no spell casting party has.

-D

 

[Plane Sailing]

Add an NPC caster to the group. He can be useful for additional exposition too.

If anyone is approaching 6th level, then they could choose a casting cohort.

 

[mkletch]

CHANGE NOTHING

Think about it 'in game'. Just because the Sorcerer decides on a career change, the world does not change the direction of its spin just for him. Losing a player can be traumatic to a gaming group. Why not let the characters also work though their loss in game, finding things to be tougher, having to play smarter.

We lost a gamer before starting a new campaign about 6 months ago. We just decided to press on, and wound up doing more roleplaying and 'playing smarter' than in any previous campaign with that group (and no, it was not like the departing player was the only H/S'er). When you have a group of 7-8 characters, no one character is terribly important. When you have three (which we did), even the loss of one character is devastating. It gives the players more of a sense of ownership.

The other option is that everybody plays two characters. Might be hard if you've never juggled before, but in a group where everybody is or has been a DM, it is not too tough. That way, each player can have two specialists (spellcaster, roleplayer, combat machine, other wierd ideas), and one is always in play. Out group with 3 players and 6 characters was the first time we ever used the Aid action for skills or even in combat. Just another way to make people think a bit.

Apologies if you found this post to be a rambling, directionless mess. That's just the kind of day I'm having.

-Fletch!

 

[Tonguez]

CHANGE NOTHING

Think about it 'in game'. Just because the Sorcerer decides on a career change, the world does not change the direction of its spin just for him.
-Fletch!

I agree CHANGE NOTHING the group doesn't have a Healer atm so obviously you have coped without one so far. Now the group just needs to start coping without the heavy artillery support of the Scorcerer too.

Your group (Samurai, Barbarian, Ranger and Musketeer) are already a strong militant group they will just have to start thinking smarter and using SKILLS and WITS a bit more to accomplish their goals

its going to be "oh damn we can't use invisibility - the rogue is going to have to use Move Silently and Hide instead!"

ps if you feel you have to maybe give the PCs bonus skill points to account for the loss of magic...

 

[LGodamus]

I really wouldn't event try to help them compensate.....They need to learn to play to their own strenghts and tone down their weaknesses just like a group would in RL. It can be a type of experiment. Until recently my long running group didnt have a cleric or a rogue....that was almost crippling as they couldnt see traps or heal damage they got after blundering through them...but they eventually managed to figure things out.

 

[Darkness]

Myself, I'd probably change nothing.

If they wanted to, I'd allow the PCs to hire mercenaries (or whatever) who have what they need, though. Heh. Such people aren't cheap, of course.