Another new campaign - What to play

[werk]

My newest DM has decided to run us through Shackled City (DON'T TELL ME ABOUT IT), after a couple of sessions that he made himself. He's a great DM, and even though I don't usually like published adventures, I'll give him a shot. But here's my problem...

This is a new group and half of them are just trying 3.x for the first time. I think at least one player has found some optimization boards, and while he's so green he doesn't understand, is trying to twink out his characters...he's on his third already. It's like someone reading a bunch of Flex magazines then charging into a new gym...it kinda hurts to watch. So everyone except me has switched out characters since the first couple sessions.

I have a lovely high Int rogue that I hope to pick up a level or three of psion, I'm very happy playing him, but the party has no healer and no arcane caster at all. Right now it's Fighter, Ranger, Monk, Rogue.

I'm itching to play a mystic theurge and this would be a nice opportunity to play one all the way up from scratch. But if I switch, then we won't have a rogue! (and so far the rogue has come in VERY handy.)

I'm trying to figure out what to do, please help! ...And don't say play whichever character/class you like, I like both equally, and would like to base my decision on all other points of consideration.

 

[BlackMoria]

Well, based on party compostion, you need to play both characters. You need a healer and arcane caster (a necessity for Shackled City) and the theurge gives you both. And you need a rogue, another necessity.

And since Shackled City states that it was designed for a party of six, then play both the theurge and the rogue, assuming of course that your DM and yourself doesn't have a problem with running two characters.

 

[Thaumaturge]

No healer whatsoever?

Play a cleric, or if you must, a favored soul. Your party will need the healing desperately, and will thank you for it. We played the whole thing, and while other characters had flashier moments, we all agreed the cleric was the hero of the campaign. She kept us alive, or brought back from death numerous times. Prepare Delay Death (once you can) as often as you can, and then Revivify once you can get it (and make everyone chip in for the diamond dust). Get the feat Augment Healing and maybe Extra Turning and Divine Metamagic Empower.

Thaumaturge.

Edit: Convince the Monk to make a Wizard or Sorcer instead.

 

[bento]

I think it's a little TOO ambitious of the DM to start you off with an adventure path. I'm in the same spot, having to GM a group of players where most everyone is new.

Rather than going with the Savage Tides AP that I'm itching to start, I'm going to run a few generic pre-pub adventures and requiring the players to use the PHB only for character design. After they get a few adventures under their belts, understand the ins-and-outs of combat tactics, and figure out their style, THEN allowing them to draw up characters for the AP using other sources. Otherwise, the story elements that make the AP so cool will be greatly deminished because everyone is wonking around trying to figure out how their character works.

Running new players through an AP is like asking a 16 year old (who hasn't never driven before) to pick out any new car for a cross-country trip! You're going to get those players who'll pick a Hummer or Ferrari when a Neon or F-150 will do just as good.

As far as your wishes to change character and everyone else playing melee combat experts, it sounds like you all need to address party balance. As you've pointed out, no one has divine or arcane abilities. Suggest to the fighter that a cleric can be almost as good in combat, between using plate mail and bludgeoning weapons + buff spells like Bull's Strength, AND can heal the party when it's all over.

As for the ranger and monk, they're sorta bleeding over in your territory with skills and some sneak abilities. I'd say you should take an arcane or psion role and let those two be skill and sneak monkeys. Make sure they understand that their skills need to compliment (and not overlap) each other.

Good luck!

 

[GlassJaw]

The Shackled City AP can be very unforgiving to new players. Heck, it's brutal for experienced players.

 

[werk]

Well, based on party compostion, you need to play both characters. You need a healer and arcane caster (a necessity for Shackled City) and the theurge gives you both. And you need a rogue, another necessity.

And since Shackled City states that it was designed for a party of six, then play both the theurge and the rogue, assuming of course that your DM and yourself doesn't have a problem with running two characters.

Ooo...I like the way you think.

I mean, it's just best for everyone concerned.

 

[werk]

Edit: Convince the Monk to make a Wizard or Sorcer instead.

Oh Emm Gee!!!11 He scrapped a perfectly good wizzy to make the monk!!!!

Orz

 

[werk]

As far as your wishes to change character and everyone else playing melee combat experts, it sounds like you all need to address party balance. As you've pointed out, no one has divine or arcane abilities. Suggest to the fighter that a cleric can be almost as good in combat, between using plate mail and bludgeoning weapons + buff spells like Bull's Strength, AND can heal the party when it's all over.

As for the ranger and monk, they're sorta bleeding over in your territory with skills and some sneak abilities. I'd say you should take an arcane or psion role and let those two be skill and sneak monkeys. Make sure they understand that their skills need to compliment (and not overlap) each other.

Good luck!

This is sort of the meat of the issue. The cleric was scratched to play the ranger. It was a battle cleric, and should have been fine, but, no...ranger! The wizzy went monk. So my perfect little party turned into a sausage fest overnight.

I've brought it up with the DM, and he keeps to his guns, "I want everyone to play whatever they want...that's more important than filling a role or party balance." It's more that he doesn't want to pressure the people new to 3.x (old hat at prior editions) to conform to a standard party configuration.

Yeah, sure. Thanks for the luck!

 

[szilard]

Beguiler/Cleric/Mystic Theurge

This gives you healing, rogueness, and arcane casting.

-Stuart

 

[Voadam]

The ranger and monk can do OK on scouting which is half the rogue's role. Monks can deflect arrows and have good saves so they can be the trapfinder by triggering them and surviving what happens. If the monk has put points into diplomacy he can be the social character too.

So I'd say ditch the rogue and go for the theurge concept, healing being more important than arcane magic. Start off cleric at first level for the hp and then go from there, picking up a wand of cure lights as soon as you can.

Beguilers have good skills and trapfinding, but their arcane spells are mostly limited to mind affecting, mage armor, and defensive illusions, I.E. not much good against vermin, undead, constructs or plants. A good mechanical match for a theurge though if you use cleric spells to fill in the gaps for those types of combat encounters.