Game in one hour - will this 3-PC party be OK?

[Zaruthustran]

It's a very solid group. I'd swap Commander's Strike for Viper's Strike, because anything that gives your big brute another attack is a good thing.

Also, your rogue should consider taking WF: dagger and TWF before taking Backstabber. Backstabber adds roughly +1 damage per sneak attack die--but only to sneak attacks. WF adds that +1 damage to *ALL* attacks--including sneak attacks. It's simply a better way to go if your goal is + damage. Same goes for TWF*, especially since it unlocks TWD (or as I call it, "the rogue's light shield").

-z

Note that TWF requires you to hold two melee weapons, but the bonus to damage isn't limited to melee attacks.

 

[IanB]

As long as the encounters are scaled appropriately that looks fine to me.

 

[Nifft]

It's a very solid group. I'd swap Commander's Strike for Viper's Strike, because anything that gives your big brute another attack is a good thing.

Wait, what does Commander's Strike do in your book?

Confused, -- N

 

[Zaruthustran]

Wait, what does Commander's Strike do in your book?

Confused, -- N

In my book, you spend your standard action to give a buddy a basic attack. That 1 attack at a cost of one standard action.

Compare to Viper's Strike, where you spend a standard to attack, and potentially allow a buddy to make a basic attack. That's potentially 2 attacks at a cost of one standard action.

 

[Nifft]

In my book, you spend your standard action to give a buddy a basic attack. That 1 attack at a cost of one standard action.

Compare to Viper's Strike, where you spend a standard to attack, and potentially allow a buddy to make a basic attack. That's potentially 2 attacks at a cost of one standard action.

My group tried using Viper thingy, and it paid off once in three (long) fights.

IMHO, if you want to maximize the number of hits the big guy gets, use Commander's Strike.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Zaruthustran]

My group tried using Viper thingy, and it paid off once in three (long) fights.

IMHO, if you want to maximize the number of hits the big guy gets, use Commander's Strike.

Cheers, -- N

Well, Commander's Strike is a melee weapon power, so you need to be in reach of the target. If I'm that close, I want to just go ahead and attack the guy myself.

Although... I see what you're saying. You could be an 8 Str gnome with a reach weapon, and commander's strike lets you nail the bad guy from 10 feet away, using the best to-hit and damage in the entire party.

I suppose that *is* pretty cool.

 

[Nifft]

Well, Commander's Strike is a melee weapon power, so you need to be in reach of the target. If I'm that close, I want to just go ahead and attack the guy myself.

Although... I see what you're saying. You could be an 8 Str gnome with a reach weapon, and commander's strike lets you nail the bad guy from 10 feet away, using the best to-hit and damage in the entire party.

I suppose that *is* pretty cool.

Exactly. (Except Gnomes are monsters which must be exterminated.)

And when you look at the Warlord PC, he's got an 18 Intelligence and not an 18 Strength. He's going to get his best bang-for-buck ratio out of "YOU! HIT HIM AGAIN!" rather than doing the hitting himself.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Zaruthustran]

Haha. My only experience with Warlord has been via Dragonborn, and therefore Inspiring Warlord builds. But man, Tactical sure sounds fun--so long as you've got a big bruiser in the party. It wouldn't work with a charisma paladin, or a charisma rogue. But it'd work great with a Str cleric, or fighter, or melee ranger. Anyone with a maxed out basic melee attack.

 

[Terwox]

I'd recommend having the minotaur drop his con to 17 and raise his wis to 13, and multiclassing cleric. He'd also have an extra couple points to put in other skills -- wis 14 would raise his will defense.

This just gives him healing word once an encounter as a minor action... which is pretty solid. Also probably better defense than plate! The warlord having scorching blast sounds like a great call, with some other powers he should really be able to fill in for the wizard w/ that 18 int.

 

[Victoly]

My first session was also with a Fighter, Warlord, and Rogue, and things worked out fine. Of course, the Fighter was Dragonborn and the Warlord chose Scorching Burst as his Half-Elf extra at-will, so we had a decent amount of AoE at our disposal as well.