3 Strikers and a Controller - Tactical Advice?

[Denaes]

This seems odd to me, as so far in our game it seems like we should just have a party of 4 strikers and 1 leader... everything takes absurdly long to kill. Strikers would allow us to trounce people from round to round, the leader keeps the strikers standing.

YMMV

I admit, the rogue & ranger can assassinate very easily if they're set up properly.

The Warlock lacks that oomph at 2nd level that a ranger has with twin strikes or a rogue has with sneak attack from what I'm seeing. I'll look over the class and see if the player is missing anything.

 

[MarkB]

I admit, the rogue & ranger can assassinate very easily if they're set up properly.

The Warlock lacks that oomph at 2nd level that a ranger has with twin strikes or a rogue has with sneak attack from what I'm seeing. I'll look over the class and see if the player is missing anything.

For what it's worth, that's been my experience of warlocks also - they seem to lack the 'punch' of their fellow Strikers. That may improve at higher level, possibly.

 

[Nifft]

For what it's worth, that's been my experience of warlocks also - they seem to lack the 'punch' of their fellow Strikers. That may improve at higher level, possibly.

Not having played all of them, but only by studying their power lists, it seems to me that Warlocks do lack in flat-out damage. However, their "special effects" are very sexy. Teleportation, attack bonuses, and temporary hit points are all useful, and their utility powers are IMHO ahead of what the other two Strikers get.

Finally, Armor of Agathys.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Saeviomagy]

I'd avoid setting up the encounters as they're written. They all assume that the party just suddenly arrive at a location and are immediately subject to (effectively) an ambush, which is sort of fair enough if you've got a party member who tromps around in heavy armor.

If you give some scope for the PCs starting the fight on their own terms, then with the party makeup you've got, they'll fare a lot better (I'd prod them to all pick up stealth too).

 

[Brokenkingdom]

Elf Ranger: Archer 12 12 18 10 18 8

Skills: Endurance, Heal, perception, Stealth, Nature

Powers: Nimble strike, Twin Strike, Two-fanged strike, Hunters bear trap, crucial advice, disruptive strike

Feats: Lethal hunter, Elven precision

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Half-elf warlock: star pact; 8 18 10 13 11 18

skills: arcana, bluff, history, insight

powers: half-elf = sacred flame, eldritch blast, dire radiance, witchfire, curse of the dark dream, ethereal stride, frigid darkness

feats: group insight, human preserverance

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teifling rogue: brutal; 15 11 16 12 8 16

Skills: acrobatics, athletics, bluff, perception, stealth, thievery

powers: deft srtike, riposte strike, positioning strike, trick strike, tumble, tricksters blade.

feats: Backstabber, Quickdraw

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Eldarin wizard: control; 10 13 16 18 14 8

skills: arcana, history, insight, nature, religion

Powers: Magic missile, scorching burst, chill strike, freezing cloud, shield, color spray

Extras: Acid arrow, Expedious retreat

feats: expanded spellbook, improved initiative

If you are thinking about having them re-spec, at least let them keep the race/class they want to play. This line up should have no problem on the battle field even lacking a healer/tank and it should be WELL more then enough to handle the adventure you are working on. Have the ranger hang back dealing crazy ranger damage with a smattering of control mixed in (bear trap & deceptive strike).

Have the wizard hang with the lock a little closer and the both of them pummel away with dam + control. Have the rogue (brutal teifling rogue? bwuh?) kite and stab and move enemies about the field preferably into attacks set up by the lock and wiz (dire radiance and freezing cloud comes to mind). Plus with the lock de-buffing everything all the time and the insane amount of daze that should be going on CA and limited enemy movement/actions will be abundant. Oh and did I mention the copious amounts of crazy ranger damage that should be going on? (psst longbow)

Well you asked how to make the tactics work with a group with those races and classes. This is the best way I can see to make that group work Any group can work as long as their abilities help each other out, that's what makes it great and unique. Though I highly doubt your players are spec'd anywhere near this... Can't really give any solid tactics without knowing the powers/skills/feats available.

Remember anything is possible so implore your players to be as creative as possible. Just this weekend in my group our halfling rogue jumped onto a young dragon and proceeded to glue himself to it's back via smashing a glue pot on his crotch. He rolled high enough to do it as well.

 

[dasheiff]

One way is to give them the powers that they need for free. First of all everyone likes extra powers and since you are the one giving it to them you can make sure it is exactly the stuff the need. You can even put them in items so they can switch them around as needed. Basicly, they need defender and leader abilities:

Item 1-
Daily: Mental Stat v Will, Target is Immobilized until end of combat.
Encounter: Mental Stat v Will, Target is Immobilized, Save Ends

Item 2-
Daily: You and all allies gain 5 HP.
Encounter: You and all allies gain 5 Temporary HP.
Encounter: You or ally can use a healing surge.

 

[Denaes]

Stuck late at work importing work from one system to another... at least I have 5-10 minutes during data transfers while I'm waiting and I have the PHB here

The Warlock did take the multiclass cleric feat. She read the Healing Word power wrong. It's a minor action, not a standard... which would have helped quite a bit when debating what to do.

I notice it's Encounter (Special) - effectively 2x per encounter, not in the same round.

the Warlock has Healing Word as Daily. I think I'm going to give it to her the same: "You can use this power twice per day, but only once per round. At 16th level you can use this power three times per day.

I'm not sure if it's meant that way when taken via the multiclass cleric feat, but I'll let that slide.

 

[Ottergame]

... which is a pretty well balanced party, actually, so no problem there.

Oh yes. I'd love to be the 5th member of this party. I'd so play a wizard.

 

[Dausuul]

I'm gonna have to go with "don't run KotS for this group."

This party is viable if they have lots of rough terrain to put between them and their foes. In other words, they're made for wilderness adventuring, not dungeon crawling. My recommendation would be to wrap up KotS as soon as you can, and take them on a series of homebrew adventures in the big bad wilderness.