Help four my players

[Grimmjow]

I know its spelt wrong. Its for not four but read on.

My players are at five going on FOUR (now you see where im going). The group is going to lose their only tank, a paly. I want to be able give them advice to stay alive. The warpriest, bladesiginer, and avenger do good its the sorrcer im scared for. Should the warpriest and avenger multi-class pally and bladesigner or swordmage? the sorc can go bard for an extra healing power also.

Of course i dont want to force them into this i just want to help them be ready for when the pally leaves.

 

[Ryujin]

If the Paladin was providing any real amount of healing, then a couple of the others MCing into a leader class isn't a bad idea. You could always give the players the option of doing a rebuild, for durability.

The easiest thing, though, would be to give one of the players a companion character, to act as a defender. It wouldn't be as effective as a PC Paladin but (1) would certainly help and (2) would be easier to run than a full PC.

With that said, however, the group I DM for doesn't have a defender. The rely on the insane healing powers of a Pacifist Cleric to get them through.

 

[Grimmjow]

All the pally does is makr and get hit, its the warpriest who handles all the healing but still, there are one or two second winds every fight so im thinkng at least one more healing power might help with no tank.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Disclosure: I don't run 4Ed, only play it.

If you're really concerned and you don't want to add an NPC to the party, I'd consider the option of a one-time freebie Feat for each PC that boosts the party's healing. That could be a toughness feat, durability, or even a MC feat, whatever- it just has to make the party tougher overall.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

Another thing you may want to consider is a legendary boon. It would avoid having a companion and the characters having to change. You could make it to where they receive extra healing from the cleric or if that is not good, something that helps you out.

 

[S'mon]

IME the Defender is the most vital player role, the lynchpin of the whole group. If your Paladin has been soaking up tons of damage, the others are really going to suffer without him. Either the Warpriest will step on up to Defender role, which is very risky when the other PCs need him alive to provide healing, or the melee Strikers are going to get mangled.

My main advice to them would be: choose your battles carefully, and be ready to run!
Or if they're expected to fight everything, I'd say the GM needs to treat them more like a 3-PC group in terms of EL, at least for now.

 

[Herobizkit]

Losing a Defender means that the party must now think Skirmish versus Mob tactics.

Expect longer, drawn-out fights as the players take more advantage of their mobility and ranged attacks, cover/concealment, and enemy debuffs.

I would call this an opportunity for you to introduce "Guest" NPCs for each mission, changing up the party's dynamic with different personalities and adding some connectivity to the story at hand.

TL/DR - they're fine, and swap out NPCs in that fifth "slot" for variety and RP.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Unless you're a mean DM the PCs should be fine. If you're a mean DM, the Paly's mark is weak enough to be half ignorable. And it's not the sorceror who's in trouble. It's probably the warpriest.

 

[Grimmjow]

Unless you're a mean DM the PCs should be fine. If you're a mean DM, the Paly's mark is weak enough to be half ignorable. And it's not the sorceror who's in trouble. It's probably the warpriest.

no its the sorc, lol. I do my best to kill him because he asks for it. He puts himself ahead of the rest of the group in combat. When they foght a dragon that would fly after people that were by themselves, he ran from the rest of the group, he derserves to die

 

[Arctic Wolf]

no its the sorc, lol. I do my best to kill him because he asks for it. He puts himself ahead of the rest of the group in combat. When they foght a dragon that would fly after people that were by themselves, he ran from the rest of the group, he derserves to die

Well that would be a good reason to kill him lol. Although, he would make a good decoy too so watch out, he might actually be planning something