D&D General Session Zero and Nobody Chose a Spellcaster

[kigmatzomat]

Depending on how things go, you should discuss future feats of Leadership and Healer.

They aren't as shiny at low levels (though healer's level+4+d6 is never bad) but they really become noticeable at around 8th level. Leadership's 8+Cha temp hit points is akin to a free pre-emptive healing potion for the entire party every short rest, and the Healer's ability to restore 15ish hit points is on par with a 2sp Greater Healing Potion per short rest.

Chef is a bit more conditional as one ability only triggers when recipients spend HD to heal and the "Cookies of Heroism" are very minor boost potions for characters that have used up Leadership's temp hit points and are only good for 8 hours.

Since Tasha's is in play, see when Sidekicks might be available. This could add a half-caster to provide some AoE boosts, but if you don't want to run a sidekick in combats, recruit a noncombatant healbot (the one in a friend's game is called Nana).

Nana's have healing & utility spells and pick up feats like Healer ("Poor baby, let me fix your booboo"), Leadership ("I have faith in you, my little band of warriors!") and Cook ("Who wants a Nana cookie made with love?") to extend their "healer" role and Ritual Caster ("Give Nana a minute, she needs to concentrate") to boost "utility" with Detect Magic, Identify , Augury, Floating Disk, and eventually Tiny Hut, Water Breathing and Telepathic Link.

Plan on some spell slots going to Invisibility, which at least lasts an hour per casting. ("Nana's going to be over here where it's quiet.")

Interesting thing is Healer doesn't disrupt Invisibility because it isn't a spell. It is quiet too, so Invisi-Nana can be getting people back on their feet with bandages and a Nana cookie. And potions.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

The DM should also consider awarding blessing and boons to cover gaps that may appear in play.

 

[ezo]

I was the party's sole non-spellcaster. A Dragonborn Fighter (Scout).

So, still not a group of all spellcasters.

 

[overgeeked]

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been in a no-caster adventuring party? We're told this campaign will take us well past 16th level, so we are in it for the long haul. Any advice for a group of martials?

In 5E, never. We usually have the opposite problem. No one wants to play a non-caster. In TSR-era D&D it happened all the time.

The advice is for the first dead PC to be replaced with a healer. There likely won’t be a second dead PC.

You’re melee heavy with only the rogue as a possible ranged PC. Might want to have some ranged options otherwise a halfway smart baddie is going to lock your group down and kill you from range.

 

[LordEntrails]

IMO, it's now the DMs job to make sure the party has a great time and is not totally hamstrung by their character choices.

 

[ezo]

it's now the DMs job

Now... or "not"? IMO... not.

 

[LordEntrails]

Now... or "not"? IMO... not.

Now.
It's the DM's job, imo, to make sure the game is run in such a way that the everyone can enjoy the game. Even in the '80's as a child I did not buy into the whole DM gets to run the game they want and the players can suck it if they don't like it.

 

[Voadam]

I am generally of the view that everybody should work to have a game that is fun for them and everyone else in the group, players and DMs alike are in it for a good group experience.

So don’t sabotage others and try to make choices you think will work for both you and the group.

 

[CleverNickName]

I think there are two schools of thought on whether or not the DM should change the AP to suit the party of adventurers. I can see both sides of the argument.

I'm in the "Please don't" camp. We chose these characters, and we accepted that it would make the game more challenging for us. We're looking forward to rising to that challenge. It seems disingenuous for the DM to undermine that choice from behind the scenes, rebalancing the game for us so that it isn't more challenging.

My two coppers, anyway.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I think getting together to play with friends takes a bit of social intelligence and playing with others maybe a bit more.

I think some statements that encourage good productive attitudes is great but ultimately people have to be able to get along with others.

I like to create challenges when it’s my turn to DM…but I am rooting for the players ultimately.

That said, in my gaming space sometimes players lose battles and maybe even characters. Not often…but it’s possible. But it never due to an adversarial Mindset. Risk is a thing for me in a game about danger regardless of which side of the screen I am on.

But no I love freedom and talking with my party, my players or whatever up front about what kid of campaign everyone wants just makes intuitive sense.