D&D 4E 4e companion characters to round out party in a single player game

[JeffB]

I'd just recommend keeping things pretty loose as well in so far as bending the rules go. Just use 4e as a solid mechanical base and then make a game that works for you on top of them, disregarding rules that get in the way or are too fiddly, simplifying them/making them cooler etc in your son's favour. I think this is especially true for magic items.

Absolutely. I myself am not a BTB, love me some rules type of DM. Total opposite. I only skim the surface of rules whatever version of the game we play. My 3.x games were more like C&C in complexity. I would be doing the same thing with 4E. One of the big things is that after experiencing several months of Theater of the Mind style combat in OD&D (the way I have preferred to play/DM since I started with the LBBs in 77), he has absolutely NO, ZERO, ZILCH NADA desire to go back to minis/counters and a grid like we used for PFBB. I tried a 4E game with him a couple months back, and he loved the power cards and different attack options (thus why he mentioned it again recently), but the session crashed and burned. As soon as I pulled out a map, he started rolling his eyes, lol. 30 minutes into the first fight: the "dragon grave dig site" encounter in KOTS (using updated math/monsters, as well as 1/2 hit points for the non-minions) and combat still ongoing, and he was done. Me too. Our long OD&D combats may go 15 minutes. Most are between 5-10.

If I decide to go this route, I would be using Essentials (HOTFL), as I can use the Slayer build therein and pick powers that are not terribly dependent on pushing/pulling/sliding/ and other things that necessitate the grid (or at least necessitate it for my aged brain!). I can reskin some powers to cause conditions that are not involved with nitty gritty movement, etc., but use descriptive terminology. Instead of getting crazy with bursts and blast radii, I can just say " affects 2 closest opponents", or "the Bugbear's mace blow to your breastplate knocks you down to the ground , you will have to get up next round, you won't be able to attack and move" etc. That kind of thing. I can do the same with Monster attacks. The essentials rogue (thief) is where I would have the most difficulty, as many of his powers are move heavy. But if by using the Companion character rules, I could whittle him down to a classic Thief with just some sneaky backstabs , shortbow attacks (current NPC halfling Thief is Blodgett, ) and be the trapmonkey, which is what he excels at in our OD&D game, I am good. Same with a Mage with a handful of fun spells ( in and out of combat) and a stern Cleric of Tyr with some healing, flashy "Tyr's Justice" types of powers and decent melee skills, and I would be very happy.


I am rambling, sorry folks.

Lots of good advice from everyone, thanks, I am taking it all in, and any other suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[JeffB]

So I picked up a 1mo sub to DDI to take use of the tools, and rebuilt all the 4th level OD&D characters as their 4e alter egos using essentials. I chose powers that were not reliant or minimally reliant on the grid/movement in every case that I could. The Rogue ws definitely the toughest, I had to modify several of his tricks to better fit TotM play. For these I went with the fluff first and modelled a simple mechanic on it.

I then whittled down the (np)characters to 2 of each AWED.

I then got into the monster builder and modified some monsters that are in one of the big encounters in the haunted mansion his party is on it's way to. Some level 5 minion Skeleton Soldiers, and a Wight that I gave a ranged recharge power (chill the soul..think force choke, but necrotic). I then ran several mock combats. I think I may nix the minions and go for fewer more powerful skeletons, or add some more minions. I also have to beef up another encounter with a giant spider in the stable, and a stirge nest in the overgrown courtyard.

At any rate the mock battles were pretty intense,lots of hits, and lots of getting hit for the party. Nice mix of different things for everyone to do. Things moved fairly quickly, avg. 20 min, and part of that reason was because I have forgotten alot having not run 4e in a couple or three years, and was unsure how the newer essentials powers worked. I suspect after a couple sessions it will groove better.

Hopefully this weekend we will be able to get in a session to see how things go.

 

[LightPhoenix]

So, any updates on how it went?

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Personally, with one player I would only use one companion and scale encounters. Make sure to avoid a lot of disabling status effects. Story-wise, I'd run it as a sort of Gilgamesh/Enkidu dynamic (especially since your son is a berserker), with a bit of Don Quixote/Sancho thrown in for humor.

I'm suddenly very inspired for a Solo campaign that's a Xena\ Gabrielle type companionship. with the Xena character being the companion, and the Gabrielle being the PC.

 

[JeffB]

So, any updates on how it went?

Sorry, no news to report right now. Unfortunately with all the holiday stuff going on, we did not have time to play.Next weekend we should (my son's Mom and I are divorced, so holiday time scheduling is nuts).

 

[JeffB]

Update: session went very well. The party managed to enter the manor house without running into the giant spider or stirge lair. They did get busted up on a crumbling staircase, avoided damage in a pair of haunted fireplaces, but then went smack dab into the ground floor main encounter, a customized wight and skeleton soldier minions. The battle was pretty furious, lots of damage dished out and taken, some good use of terrain (despite the lack of grid), and it was about 15 to 20 min or so I think?We were both so into it, I did not remember to time it, and my son never started to watch the clock either.

I kept the session short today, but the after session "survey" went well. He enjoyed his new 4e capabilities and did not feel it was much more complicated. He really liked the new cleric and magic user spells (powers) too. Another session or two and the kinks of learning how to do things slightly different should be worked out. For my part it was a bit tougher to run the 4e companions and monsters, but it was not offputting. I felt I was just as, if not more descriptive, and it did not turn into a wargame like 4e proper can if you let it. It was not all that different than how the session would go under od&d/s&w. The encounter was a bit more lengthy than OD&D but we also were more invested in what was going on because everyone was hitting and taking hits.

So far so good. I picked up most of the Essentials products over the holidays as I wanted to own them anyway, which worked out great, as for now we will be continuing along with 4e.