Player Problem

[capnfro]

Another option

Another option is allow the 3 characters to go a level or two above what the module calls for. This give them the extra power boost that they might need to get around things.

 

[Morbog of Ghetto D]

Multiple Characters?

It gets tuff to handle but I have had a campaign with 2 players and now 3 for many years.
I even ran a campaign with 1 player. Which was very tuff, and required some DM interaction.
My more experienced Plauyers runthe extra guys..

Players have run 2 characters, and I run 2 DMPCs which can get difficult, and players tend to favor 1 character over another....Role playing does suffer. But you do get to play.

Being that you're in the boonies...I'd think of having a player or the players roll up a Cleric that they can alternate control over. Id suggest making some character traits to gover "role play situations" so that each player will play the character according to his characterisitics.

For example (from old 1st edition) there are like 10 or 15 characteristics..
cowardly vs. Brave..1/19 Give the character a rating on D20 for his normal tendancy.
Bravery is 19, meaning 19 out of 20 times this character will hold his ground.
So when faced with an advancing pack of dire wolves...you'd roll a d20 and use the result to determin the PC/NPC reaction.
Stubborn Vs. Easy going = 12/8, so this character is somewhat prone to digging in his heels.
Greedy vs. Generous = 14/6 Character seems a little too materialistic

You might also provide magic items and potions to off set the lack of a cleric.

 

[ChaosEvoker]

I have been in a group with only 3 consistent players for a long time now, really just a bit of thiking and care will make 3 PCs good enough. Right now we only have 3 PCs and the game is great. It's nice to have 4 but not completely necessary.

Is there no place at all you could post an add looking for a 4th PC?

 

[HellHound]

I typically run 2-3 players these days.

The method my players enjoy most is Gestalt. The trick with a small party of gestalts is to NOT gestalt the rest of the world, just some major NPCs Then you can run them through a typical module, suited to their level, and they will do ok.

Going to Morbog's post - I love that system. I used to use the Pendragon system for traits, and you just make a d20 roll every time a trait would be called for to see how the person reacts. The traits in pendragon were...

Chaste / Lustful
Energetic / Lazy
Forgiving / Vengeful
Generous / Selfish
Honest / Deceitful
Just / Arbitrary
Merciful / Cruel
Modest / Proud
Pious / Worldly
Prudent / Reckless
Temperate / Indulgent
Trusting / Suspicious
Valorous / Cowardly

 

[Catavarie]

My suggestion is to let the players play what they want to, and you DM what you want to, and reember you have ultimate control, you scale up or scale down the adventure as needed to be difficult yet suitable for your players, if your main Villian can only be hit by magical Arrows, and you don't have an archer, maybe change his weakness to being hit only by a magical mace which the characters have to first obtain before they can face him.

P.S. Might be a good idea to have your players have a extra character on the sidelines for if they die. Allways helps to keep the story moving along quickly incase of PC death or even Wipeout.

 

[derbacher]

Things I've done to find players in a small town:

1. Flyer on the Post Office Wall. Got three players that way for my Wednesday homebrew.

2. I teach, so I've always been able to draw on my students to play. We used to just RP a little after classes in the Band Room. My oldest daughter is now 17, so we've gotten her friends interested as well (the Sunday Eberron group).

3. Wear my "GMs don't kill characters" shirt EVERYWHERE. You would be amazed how many people actually get it, and talk about D&D. I got two more players in the Wednesday group this way.

They are out there, you just have to do more than post on the web to find them. Without a FLGS, this is a challenge!

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Mission continues.