Party without arcane or healing spells...

[AmaraTrapspringer]

Hi All,

I'm starting up DM'ing a new D&D campaign after not having DM'ed any D&D since 2nd edition and I'm looking for a bit of help as I'm getting to grips with the number of new changes in the rules.

The party so far is going to consist of two fighters, a paladin and a thief with one player (the only experienced one) having volunteered to play whatever else is needed for the group, as he's as keen as me to ensure the "newbies" get most of the spotlight.

He's suggested he playes an intelligent weapon that functions as an arcane spellcaster or a familiar of one of the other players and is willing to accept quite a bit of DM direction in his character choice, and take a role that puts him in a support role.

Two questions for the experienced DMs out there.

1. Any of you got any good advice on playing inanimate objects (As I was writing that I can see a couple of the obvious jokes already .... )

2. When running a party without a healer (or an arcane spellcaster) I'd like to let the party continue dungeon crawling and getting into heavy scraps without needing to wait for natural healing to work it's (lack of) magic and a low level paladin's relatively paltry healing options. One option is obviously to let an NPC priest tag along, another to provide the party with plenty of healing potions or items that replaces that priest and perhaps preaches a bit less when they walk down the path most frequently travelled The question is... any other alternatives I could use to keep the game moving forward at pace without giving the party too much power too soon? Any advice will be appreciated and may be significant in introducing new people to gaming.

Thanks

Might I suggest that if the final player does not wish to play a direct cleric or wizard, a good class that is always useful, and more times than not highly overlooked.

A Bard. good healer, decent caster, and great morale booster.

Hope that helps.

 

[billd91]

There are two things I would recommend against doing:

1) Don't pressure any of the players into playing either an arcane or divine spellcaster. If they decide they eventually want one, they can make that decision themselves and hire one. Just be prepared to make it relatively easy to hire one.

2) Don't let the experience player play an intelligent object. He may say he wants to focus on the newer players but he'll eventually get bored with being an object. Better to pick a useful character now and play it as a supporter rather than a star.

 

[Thanee]

Bard, Mystic Theurge, Healing Potions... there are really enough options.

Healing is very useful, as it's quite annoying, if you don't have any, but apart from this, spellcasters are not needed, unless you, the DM, make it that they are.

Bye
Thanee

 

[MonsterMash]

I'd have the experienced player take either a mental skills focused cleric or a bard. The intelligent weapon idea would get tiresome very soon I think. Though I'd have no problem with a party not having spellcasters it would affect the adventures they could handle, probably at low level not a big problem, but at higher levels it'd get tricky.