Best 3 Character Group

[Rustyshortsword]

Finally back on this site. It feels good. Anyway I needed some help from the best community on the internet.

I am running a Home Brew D&D 4th Ed. campaign. We recently lost a long time player who had to leave because......well lets just say its tough when a relationship ends. So I have to change things up a little bit.

We have:

9th Level Human Warlord
9th Level Teifling Warlock
.... this is my problem.

I don't know what the NPC could be.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks so much,

Rustyshortsword

 

[Klaus]

Finally back on this site. It feels good. Anyway I needed some help from the best community on the internet.

I am running a Home Brew D&D 4th Ed. campaign. We recently lost a long time player who had to leave because......well lets just say its tough when a relationship ends. So I have to change things up a little bit.

We have:

9th Level Human Warlord
9th Level Teifling Warlock
.... this is my problem.

I don't know what the NPC could be.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks so much,

Rustyshortsword

If you didn't have a warlock, I'd suggest a halfling Thief, because it synergizes well with the Warlord's granted attacks.

As it is, your group is lacking a defender and a controller. A Warden would be a good addition, and keep the "War---" theme going.

 

[Rustyshortsword]

Thanks man.

I actually made up a Dwarven Warden and was going to use him, so thanks for the back up.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I would go with the warden idea also.

 

[Klaus]

The Warden is a good third character here because many of the warden's powers involve creating difficult terrain and some other "controller" abilities.

 

[Mentat55]

I might also consider going fighter, since they are stickier than wardens and do more damage.

 

[Abstruse]

If it's an NPC, I'd suggest a leader. If you want the "war" trend to go, Warlord. Personally, two strikers and a leader is the best class for 3 PCs IMO. 1 melee, 1 ranged, and a leader to keep them on their feet.

Last night's session was two melee strikers and a blaster wizard and they did pretty well when I gave them a helper companion that healed like a crappy Cleric (2/enc 1/turn healing surge + 2 as a minor action burst 5). At 2nd level, they handled a difficult Level 4 encounter made when I thought there'd be 5-6 PCs pretty well.

 

[Mad Hamish]

looking at the party you're probably going to be short on damage so if you want a defender then a fighter might be the best option. You could either go a high damaging build (say a big 2 handed weapon or tempest fighter) or you could go for area control with a polearm.

A melee striker wouldn't be a bad pick either. If you're going to do that I'd recommend an Avenger because I think it's less likely to take attention away from the PCs.

 

[Mengu]

My question would be, why do you feel a need for an NPC? This is a full party of 2. You have a leader who can play part time defender in melee, and you have a striker who can play part time controller to take out some minions with an AoE. They don't need anything.

From a balanced group perspective you would want a defender, but front line defenders get a lot of glory, and you don't want that glory on an NPC. For a leaderless 2-man party, I could see making a leader companion NPC to help them out with healing, but once you have a leader PC, you don't need anything else.

Feel free to have an ally travel with them here and there if you want some bigger fights, occasionally an NPC priest might join them to maybe help rescue , or when they get ready to delve into an abandoned dwarven hold, a dwarf NPC with some dungeoneering and thievery skills could accompany them as a guide.

I don't think this party of 2 needs a permanent 3rd wheel, especially not a PC class.

 

[Mummolus]

I'd give battlemind some serious consideration. Solid defender who can serve as either a backup striker or controller depending how you build it.