Casters Suck? Please explain.

[mneme]

Well, a tiefling using all the accuracy-boosting feats, a +1 implement, and fire spells could do it...

With only 2 feats? How's that work?

At 4th level, sure.

Mud: Sure, if the GM's running L+3+ encounters consistently, that's a big problem (though the easiest way to handle it is to just increase the size of the party, that way the GM doesn't need to do extra work). But a pacifist cleric just isn't an appropriate combat character for parties smaller than 4 characters; some leaders scale down extremely well (tactical warlord, for instance, as long as someone's around to hand out melee basics to); others, though, are focused around giving out bonuses to the whole party which get marginal when the whole party drops below a certain size. There are lots of "suboptimal" party setups that can work well enough to be fun and not result in TPKs, but pacifist clerics in tiny parties really, really aren't one of them.

 

[bganon]

As said upthread, your party would be much stronger as leader-defender-striker, rather than leader-striker-striker. Defender-striker-striker may not help much. I ran some fun online 4e games for a 2 PC defender-striker party, but I was mostly using 1st-3rd level monsters vs 5th level PCs!

I've played in a defender-striker-striker party through much of heroic, and it can work, but it takes 1-2 players multi/hybriding into leader and a DM who is generous with healing potions and other heal items. But once you have those for backup, the high damage output makes short work of many encounters (particularly since our defender is a fighter, and deals good damage as well).

 

[MrMyth]

My DM did say I could play two characters. SO, I will just make a defender and hopefully the party runs better.

My advice would be to ask for him to design a handy companion character to fill the defender role, if he has the rules from the DMG2. Rather than bothering with a full second character, having something that is easy and simple to play and gets the attentions of bad guys would probably be a good way to go about it.

It doesn't even need to be a person, it could be a pet dog or animal companion or whatever.

If he doesn't have the DMG2 rules, I'm sure folks on this forum could put together some good companions that could be used as well.

 

[Arlough]

One other thing to remember is that characters aren't actually full adventurers until about level 5. Then at level 5 you have enough options in combat to really start playing with real monsters.

As a DM, I follow the rule of thumb that the highest encounter level you throw at a party is:

Level + (Demi Tier - 1) = Max encounter level​

So if the group is level 4, that would be in the first Demi Tier (1 through 5) and so the highest level encounter I would throw at them would be a level four encounter.

4 + (1 - 1) = 4​

If they were level 8, I could throw a 9 at them, etc.
I admit, I haven't tried this a upper Paragon or Epic tiers since the new math came out, so I don't know how well it will continue to play out.


In the end, though, your real problem seems to be you are in a party that is short two adventurers, and you have no Defender. Sometimes you can get away with no controller, and I could even see pulling a no striker, but leaders and defenders are both must haves, IMHO.

So long as you have that awesome cleric, I would probably make a Str/Wis Tempest Fighter with Whip Training [Multiclass] (Dragon 368) for weapon proficiency as well as the extra -2 penalty applied to enemy attacks.
And, I would go with a Minotaur with a Str 19, Dex 13, Wis 17. You would control a big area with a good chance to hit marking at least 2 targets a round (tempest can make 2 attacks with Dual Strike, and the Whip is prof 3, 1d4, off-hand, reach weapon, and the Tempest Technique gives you another +1 to hit if you are wielding off-hand weapons) giving those creatures a -4 to hit your friends (-2 from marking and -2 from the whip). Then rely on your cleric's healing abilities to keep him alive.
Don't worry about damage, because that is what the strikers are for, and your flat damage will outpace your variable damage rather quickly anyway.

Finally, give him a cowboy hat. Especially if it isn't a western setting.

 

[mudlock]

But a pacifist cleric just isn't an appropriate combat character for parties smaller than 3 characters [...] There are lots of "suboptimal" party setups that can work well enough to be fun and not result in TPKs, but pacifist clerics in tiny parties really, really aren't one of them.

Hmm. Fair point. I hadn't considered how astral seal, etc., scales with number of allies, compared to, say, righteous brand.

Further reflecting on my leader-striker-striker-striker experience, it wasn't with an all-ranged party, which does come with its own peculiar difficulties, which a defender would go be even more effective at shoring up.

Also: seconding the idea of a companion character rather than multiple-PCs-for-one-character.

 

[eriktheguy]

You mentioned you are fighting mostly skirmishers. They are high in the Ref Dept.
You might mitigate some weakness if you switch one of your at-wills to attack another defense, especially will. Unless both at-wills are essential to your build.

I have to admit that in a 3 player party a pacifist healer seems a little weak.

 

[TarionzCousin]

With a +6 to hit at level 2, I can't hit the broad side of a barn.

Stop attacking barns. Oh sure, they don't fight back and are easy to kill, but doing so really upsets the gazebos.

If the gazebos are mad at you, you are doomed.

 

[Incenjucar]

With only 2 feats? How's that work?

Oh, right, that's a feat. Still, tieflings get a +1 against bloodied foes, and dragonborn get a +1 when bloodied, so they'll have +10 half the time.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

You mentioned you are fighting mostly skirmishers. They are high in the Ref Dept.

It is also important to note that if you've only played low level characters, you have good reason to think attacks versus reflex suck - a great portion of the iconic low level monsters (goblins, kobolds, etc.) have very good reflex scores, even when not skirmishers (and most of them are skirmishers).

 

[S'mon]

DMG2 Companion Character NPCs were mentioned upthread. Here's two Companion Defender NPCs of 3rd & 4th level I made up for my upcoming 4e Wilderlands campaign, who could be adapted:

Kytor the Bald: Level 3 Defender (Fighter) Companion NPC (DMG2), Unaligned.
App: Tall (6’2”) and lean, battle-scarred and tanned. A few wisps of stringy red hair still cling to the back of his bald pate.
Equipment: He wears +1 scale armour & heavy shield, and fights with a +1 bastard sword (Tharbrian Sabre). He has 2 potions of healing (10hp), and a pouch of 38gp in coin.
This veteran Tharbrian mercenary and caravan guard of dry humour and cynical temperament is currently hanging out at the Stone Axe Inn, looking for employment. He is willing to join with a small adventuring party if the rewards are good and the company pleasant.
Medium natural humanoid, (XP 150/na)
HP 43; Bloodied 21 (dies at -21) Healing Surges: 12
AC 20, Fortitude 17, Reflex 15, Will 15
Speed 5 Initiative +4 Perception +1
Traits
Heroic Effort (1/encounter, free): after missing with an attack or save, he may add +4 to the roll.
Power Strike (1/encounter, free): his attack does 2(W) damage.
Defender Aura (aura 1, minor action to create/end): Unmarked enemies within the aura take a -2 penalty to attack rolls that do not include Kytor or an ally with Defender Aura in the attack.
Combat Challenge: If an enemy in his Defender Aura shifts or makes an attack that does not include him, he can make a melee attack against them as an Immediate Interrupt.
Unstoppable (Daily, minor): He gains 2d6+3 temporary hit points.
Weapon
+1 bastard sword Attack + 10 vs AC Hit: 1d10+5 damage (crit 15+1d6)
Power Strike 2d10+5 damage (crit 25+1d6)
Skills: Athletics +10 Insight +6
STR 18 (+5) DEX 12 (+2) CON 16 (+4) INT 10 (+1) WIS 11 (+1) CHA 13 (+2)
Languages: Common, Tharbrian, Altanian

Lady Lucinda deLampton, Paladin of Pelor
Level 4 Defender (Paladin), Defender Companion NPC (DMG2), Al. Good.
App: 5’6”; blonde.
Equipment: partial armour, heavy shield, lv 1 +1 longsword, lv 1 +1 pearl amulet f/r/w, adventurer’s kit.
Medium natural humanoid (human), (XP 175/na)
HP 43; Bloodied: 21 (dies at -21) Healing Surges: 9. Healing Surge Value: 10
AC 21, Fortitude 15, Reflex 17, Will 19
Speed 6 Initiative +4 Perception +4
Traits
Heroic Effort (1/encounter, free): after missing with an attack or failing a save, she may add +4 to the roll.
Holy Smite (1/encounter, free): Effect: target of attack takes 6 radiant damage. If attack hits, target is also dazed until EoNT.
Defender Aura (aura 1, minor action to create/end): Unmarked enemies within the aura take a -2 penalty to attack rolls that do not include her or an ally with Defender Aura in the attack.
Righteous Radiance: Enemy in Defender Aura shifts or attacks an ally but not her or another ally with DA – they take 7 Radiant damage.
Restore Vitality (Daily, minor): melee 1 – touched target regains 10 hit points, and can make a saving throw.
Weapon
+1 longsword (CHA melee trained) Attack + 11 vs AC Hit: 1d8+7 damage (crit 15+1d6)
Skills: Religion+9 Insight +9 Diplomacy +11
STR 11 (+2) DEX 14 (+4) CON 10 (+2) INT 10 (+2) WIS 14 (+4) CHA 18 (+6)
Languages: Common, Altanian, Giant

Notes: A paladin from a highborn old Nerathi family whose run-down deLampton estate lies near Bisgen; Lady Lucinda is well-spoken, virtuous, and a little naive; her unfortunately impoverished mother isDame Jillian deLampton (noncom). She may offer to accompany apparently Good or Lawful Good PCs. Lucinda is a hopeless romantic and is likely to fall in love with a high-CHA male PC.