Party without arcane or healing spells...

[Patman21967]

A few things.

First, Paladins can use Cure Wounds wands and the like. Remember that any class can use magic items, provided they are on their spell list.

2nd, have the Rogue pump up UMD.

3rd, be prepared for long breaks as the characters rest for Stat point recovery and healing. I would make potions very accessable.

Playing an item is DUMB, in my opinion. Either have him play a character he wants to, or forget it. We have made do with all fighter/Rogue parties, becuase we have planned for it. You know that healing is at a premium, so you invest in potions and wands.

 

[beaver1024]

The loss of arcane power is trivial. Since arcane spells got nerfed into the ground in 3.5 I see arcane casters as excess fat in a party that can easily be done away with.

Loss of divine spell power is critical. The whole game is designed around having at least 1 primary divine spellcaster in a party. Your experienced player really should be playing a cleric or druid.

He doesn't have to hog the glory if he doesn't want to although with clerics and druids being intentially made the most powerful classes in the game, he'll have to exert conscious effort not to overshadow the other party members all the time. Being an experienced player this shouldn't be a problem for him.

 

[Oryan77]

Wands, scrolls, and potions(any item thats a 1 time use or charged) cannot be intelligent. :/

I was making a joke. I think playing an "item" as a PC is silly...and the fact they lack an arcane caster and a healer but the guy is playing a 'weapon' adds to the silliness of this DM's concern.

Really, I don't see what the problem is. You have an available player, he wants to play something that I guarantee will get boring fast. He's only causing the party problems. And to top it off he's already causing the DM problems because he's posting for advice about it.

If the guy doesn't want to take any spotlight from the other players, have him roll up an average shy cleric that only follows orders. Playing an intelligent weapon might sound interesting but it'll get old & tiring quickly. If it doesn't having dancing properties then who will do what during combat? Will he steal the fun from the other player who wields him and roll his attacks, or will he be even more bored by letting the other player roll the attacks?

The easiest thing to do is to just get this guy to play a divine caster. If he wants the "fun" aspect of being an intelligent weapon, just roleplay him as a guy who thinks he's a magical battering ram.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Or a druid

That would be my recommendation as well. Of course, being the only character with healing potential and good fire power potential, he's probably going to be stealing some of the spotlight...

The last guy could aslo play a Healer (from the MiniHB). You'd be missing some fire power, but the campaign can be adjusted so that it's not critical.

AR

 

[Baron Opal]

Have him play a bard. With his bardic knowledge (DM hints) and his skill as an experienced player he can guide the party. Also, he could have a CLW as one of his spells and have a couple boosters besides.

 

[PopeStig]

Thanks

Lots of good advice in there.

The consensus seems very strongly aganst the intelligent weapon idea, so I'll take that advice.

Sounds as if the loss of an arcane caster isn't much of a problem, and there's lots of good suggestions on how to make up for the loss of a healer if one of the players really does not want to a cleric/druid.

'course, I think after reading all the replies, I'll rather see if I can encourage one of the players playing some sort of healer rather than do without one, sounds like the simplest solution.

Thanks again.

 

[Nifft]

As a Cloistered Cleric, he'd get Bardic Lore and some extra spells, in trade for not being a spotlight-stealing combat-monster Cleric.

-- N

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I had a party without any spellcasters and simply altered the way healing works: We used reserve points, that someone else mentioned - keeps them up and running during the day. Resting overnight restored all hit points and ability damage. We explained this away by having damage as the 'near miss' factor, meaning a low HP character is simply running out of luck and picking up a selection of minor wounds. Worked fine for us and kept everything heroic and fun...

Or I'd second the extra player going for a buffing/healing cleric. He certainly won't steal the glory, but he will make the other PCs a lot more effective. I think the magic sword sounds like an awkward idea.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

Reserve Points, a good Potion availability, the Paladin using Wands, and the Rogue maxing out his Use Magic Device skill should be fine in my opinoin (Magical Talent + Skill focus nets a +5 to that skill).

I agree that maybe your experienced player should play a Bard (who happens to get Use Magic Device as skill). Bards don't steal the spotlight too often in my experience, while the Druid & Cleric are regarded as the strongest classes.

 

[smilinggm]

In keeping with the all fighter feal of the party I would suggest that someone play a Psychic Warrior. The Psychic Warrior can be a great front line fighter that can buff himlself and even heal himself. Give him scribe tatoo as a way to give the party access to his self healing and buffing abiliteis.