Return to Temple without Arcane Caster?

[azhrei_fje]

I agree with the others who said to play what you want to play.

If your DM is strict about details (as I am!) such as vision, weight, encumbrance, and so on, don't play a human. Much of the Crater Ridge Mines is done in the dark. I would think that a dwarf paladin would be good for that reason.

The party I DM currently has the following:

half-orc barbarian
dwarf paladin (St. Cuthbert)
gnome wizard
dwarf wizard
human cleric (St. Cuthbert)
halfling rogue/wizard

This has been a very good mix for them, although we have a new player joining the group and they existing players all told him they want him to play a *TANK*! I admit that I've had 5 PC deaths and the group has gone from level 4 to level 7 (they *just* reached 7 during the last session).

This group puts the dwarf paladin out front as a "scout", so to speak, and the dwarf wizard in the rear, to "watch their backs". The paladin has a griffon as his special mount, so at the end of their "day", they load all their loot onto the griffon and the paladin dismisses it. In some ways, better than a haversack.

A PC with a high Wisdom might do well to take a single level of monk (+2 on all saves, add Wis modifier to AC) if they can get bracers of armor or a wand of mage armor. A single level of cleric with the Magic domain would allow the use of all divine or arcane items (unless prevented by level requirement; things like wands become usable).

 

[beaver1024]

A cleric or druid would be a better choice than a sorcerer or a barbarian. Simply because the clerics/druids outclass sorcerers and barbarians for power. However the previous posters are right. Play whatever you feel comfortable with. D&D 3.5 has made it such that arcane casters are luxuries in a party anyway so you don't have to have arcane casters unlike divine casters.

 

[seans23]

My personal opinion, having played through the module: do NOT play a wizard. Your spell selection will be pretty limited, unless the GM is willing to adapt the module.

Any big city will have plenty of scrolls for a wizard to buy, if he's looking to add spells to his spellbook.

 

[Andre]

Any big city will have plenty of scrolls for a wizard to buy, if he's looking to add spells to his spellbook.

I don't want to give anything away - I'll just say this was not an option when we ran through the module. I don't doubt that other GM's have run it differently.

 

[Rabelais]

I appreciate the help. I think my decision is probably to go with the Warrior. When/If things go south, I might switch over to the Sorceror.

 

[seans23]

I appreciate the help. I think my decision is probably to go with the Warrior. When/If things go south, I might switch over to the Sorceror.

Why not go with war mage? (Complete Arcane) You'll be a sorceror who can wear light armor. Plus you can add your intelligence modifier to any damage from spells.

I really want to try out a war mage. I might have to add a warmage villain to RTTTOEE.

 

[Endur]

Then your GM ran a non-standard adventure. The module lists a big city for big ticket magic items as well as a scroll store in the starting town.

I don't want to give anything away - I'll just say this was not an option when we ran through the module. I don't doubt that other GM's have run it differently.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I agree that the bottom line is you should play what you want - so long as it doesn't conflict with what someone else wants to play.

The key is that the party needs to recognize when they have a weakness (e.g. no arcane spellcaster) and develop tactics accordingly. If you don't do that, you're in for a world of hurt...

 

[Tobold Hornblower]

If you go with the half-orc fighter, you could take 1 level in Wizard. Get a wand of Shield and a wand of True Strike. A True Stiked Power Attack is a great way to start a combat. You could also pick up a familiar--a bat would make a great scout for that module.

My group did fine without an arcane caster for a while. But they were mostly a sneack, persuade, bribe, and con bunch--not your typical dungeon crawlers.