Running a Campaign with low numbers

[MithrasRahl]

My friend bought "The Shackled City", which reccomends a party of 6 I believe. There are only 3 of us playing it, and he is hesitant to run it as is. He's considered letting us gestalt our characters, or to run 2 character each.

Does anyone have any good advice? (And I don't need to hear "Find more players!" )

 

[billd91]

I'm currently running it for 3 players. Each one has 2 characters: a main character who is their "face" character, and another one who tends to fade into the background with respect to most interaction but still contributes to combat and the general skill pool. Basically, main characters and sidekicks.

 

[FEADIN]

I'm running it with 7 players, at start, 3 dead yet, 1 going away, I will go on with 6 character (and 6 players), maybe 7.
The SC is hard and you better be at least 4, the best is to bring with you npc or have 2 character each, to halve the damage.
3 gestalt is only 3 targets for the baddies.

 

[Question]

My friend bought "The Shackled City", which reccomends a party of 6 I believe. There are only 3 of us playing it, and he is hesitant to run it as is. He's considered letting us gestalt our characters, or to run 2 character each.

Does anyone have any good advice? (And I don't need to hear "Find more players!" )

Yea, let me play .

What? Its not the same as "Find more players!"

Well the obvious thing is to run gestalt.....and then jsut tone down the encounters so you can still handle it.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I am in a group of 4 players running gestalt characters in Shackled City. Two characters just died. It's a tough campaign.

I would recommend an NPC fighter or two to augment your PC's.

 

[Archade]

Another option would to run an adventure or two before Shackled City, so you have 3 characters, who are about 2 levels higher than the recommended.

Keep in mind they will level more quickly, and aquire more loot per character as they go through it, so they should keep their lead.

Oh, and make sure one of them is playing a cleric, and warn them they need to play smart or they will end up dead! I've been running a varying group of 5-7 through the campaign, and they are up to 14th level - only 3-4 characters have died, and 1 was to stupidity, another was a heroic sacrifice to save the party, and two were low-level 'oops' situations where the dice didn't go in the characters' favor.

 

[taliesin15]

The 2 characters per player suggestion can work, but why not just have along a few NPCs the party has met up with in the Tavern?

 

[Thurbane]

Allowing players to have two characters each can be a good option, but it can also become problematic.

I've seen it in my own group several times - players (including myself on occasion) invariably grow more fond of one character over the other and then, often inadvertantly, use the less popular character as a meat shield for the favored one.

Then there is also the problem of the permanent psychic link - both characters instantly know what the other knows, even if they are miles (or planes) apart. A good player can do his best to run multiple characters as seperate entities, but it can be awkward even for experienced gamers.

I am also very weary of gestalts, especially if they are fighting non-gestalt foes. IMHO, gestalts are the province of the uber munchkin.

It totally depends on the style of play your group enjoys, but I would personally suggest either letting the PCs level up a little more than the recommended level before beginning, or throw in a couple of NPC hireling/henchman types...