Pathfinder 1E 3 player options?

[Druchii]

I have 3 players and due to scheduling we can not add in another player. We do shift work and all work on the same shift so we may play out campaign during the day at times.
I do not want to play a NPC as the 4th member of the group for long, how can I rectify this?
1. Make them have killer stats?
2. Make them a level higher then Strange Aeons AP is set at?
3. Gestalt characters?
4. ????

 

[aco175]

You could allow one or more players to have 2 PCs. This mostly works, but generally one of the PCs is lacking. This can be solved by having them act mostly like henchmen in that they only do much when there is combat, otherwise they may be hanging out in the tavern or with the mounts if the PCs need to roleplay in town or with the Duke or such.

Another thing you can do is to add more magic sooner in the game. This makes them more gestalt-like in that the three PCs can act like 4 in most situations.

 

[Alzrius]

Take a look at some of the power fantasy options Owen K. C. Stephens wrote for Pathfinder 1E. One of those might help offset a party of smaller-than-average size.

 

[billd91]

You could allow one or more players to have 2 PCs. This mostly works, but generally one of the PCs is lacking. This can be solved by having them act mostly like henchmen in that they only do much when there is combat, otherwise they may be hanging out in the tavern or with the mounts if the PCs need to roleplay in town or with the Duke or such.

I had the players do this for the Shackled City AP I ran using the 3.5 rules. It worked pretty well. Each player had their primary and secondary PC with their primary being their main decision maker and mouthpiece with the other being a silent-partner sidekick type. It made it easier for the group as a whole to have the skills/roles covered and all I had to do was add a few more mooks to their encounters.

 

[TiwazTyrsfist]

You could give them a Hireling, essentially a group controlled PC that everyone can take turns controlling.

Alternately, you could simply nerf the encounters down. Any larger encounters, cut roughly 1/4 of the enemies. Any large boss encounters (1 big monster with no or few minions) cut their HP and consider removing or adding a refresh roll to some of their powers.

If you can get a hold of some of the PFS scenarios they all include rules for scaling up and down the encounters which could serve as a good set of examples of how to scale encounters that aren't written with that built in.

 

[GreyLord]

You could adapt the adventure to 3 players. I'm not sure why there HAS to be 4 players or such and such a number of players for an RPG. Just adapt the adventure to however many players there are...whether it is greater or smaller than the suggested number of PCs.

 

[glass]

You could adapt the adventure to 3 players. I'm not sure why there HAS to be 4 players or such and such a number of players for an RPG. Just adapt the adventure to however many players there are...whether it is greater or smaller than the suggested number of PCs.

You could. But saying "gestalt characters and 5 extra points on the point buy" (which is what I would do in this cirmumstance - and in fact will be doing in somewhat similar circumstances shortly) is about seven orders of magnitude easier than examining and potentially adjusting every single encounter. With the added bonus that it lets players try out concepts that would not work so well in normal PF1.

_
glass.

 

[Horwath]

I would recomend gestalt.
Maybe few(2 or 4) more points for point buy.

You should limit characters to have only those 2 classes from the start and no prestige classes and no extra multiclassing. Just to prevent some really broken combos.