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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nytmare" data-source="post: 5082885" data-attributes="member: 55178">My vote would also be to just run with it.  I actually prefer parties that don't fall into the standard "we need a tank, and a face, and a mage, and a cleric..." build.  Mostly, I think that it makes for more interesting problem solving when your resources are limited.With 2 players, having 1 character drop means that they're losing 50% of their actions and resources.  On top of that, the remaining character's choices are pretty limited.  They can try to save the first player (which they probably won't be much good at) or they can fight on and try to end the encounter (which leaves the first player sitting around doing nothing but rolling to see if they've died).I'd be afraid that catering things too heavily towards making an all-strikers game really good makes it more likely that any new or replacement character will also be a striker.  I'd measure every change that you make against what kind of choices it makes for future characters.    With only 2 or 3 characters, I think that the big thing is that you're going to miss out on one of the most interesting parts of 4E combat.  You really need to have at least 4 characters (be they players or monsters) before the interesting combinations and synergies really start to show up.  With only 2 or 3 players fighting 1 to (what 6 tops?) monsters, you're never going to see much of the "and look how neat they are when they work together" moments.I'm torn as to whether or not I'd suggest NPCs.  I'd probably wait till they have a much better handle on the rules (like 3 or 4 levels worth of a better handle), and then maybe give each of them a statblocked sidekick to run during combat. Be careful when you're making encounters.  I'd avoid pitting them up against monsters that are more than like level+1, and I'd bet that you're better off having most of the things they're fighting be level-1 or even -2.  Combat is going to need to be more about maneuvering and line of sight.  Maybe even have a goodly chunk of the things they're fighting be right at that balance point where they can go down in one hit if they roll well enough.  Try not to feed them too many big, open, well lit areas with bad guys lined up waiting to die.  Rooms full of things you have to run around and climb over, and hide behind.  Make sure that encounters have big open avenues of fire that they have to fight for and hold.  I don't know how you or your players feel about resource management, but I'd make ammo counting an important part of the early game.  Give em potions like crazy.  If their wish lists end up being a little too focussed on enhancing damage, maybe fill in the blanks for them with items that give them maneuverability, defense, and control.Can you post their characters so we can see where possible problems might be hiding?</blockquote>

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