What to play in a single-player campaign?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

What Z said, though I'd put Bard at #1.

Lots of hirelings as a meat shield -- your devoted fans!

 

[ForceUser]

While 32 pointbuy won't get you that great stats for it, I say go for a Monk.

The monk who plays in my OA campaign is a 28-point buy, and he kicks butt

 

[Ace]

For a one person party you need Balanced Saves, Lots of Feats and decent HP

I would suugest Human or Half Elf, ELf is cool but the loss of HPs will mess you up

Lets see 4th level

maybe a Psi Warrior (Biofeedback is always cools) spend you regualr feats on Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes and Leadership of course


Barbarian 1/Ranger 1/Fighter 1/Rogue the rest of the way

THis is kind of twinkish but you get great Fortitude saves, lots of HP, Tacking and 2wf stuff and a bonus combat feat

Take all of your remaining levels as a Rogue and you will be a fast (Move 40) tough combat machine

Good feats for you include Iron Will, Leadership, Cosmpolitan (Wilderness Lore) and Aleartness. With that combo you are a stealthy, tough, fast track-a-matic Rogue

For stats I would go
Str14
Int14
Wis 12
Dex 14
Con 14
Cha12

A nice balance. You can put your level up ability points into whatever you like

One other possibility is Barbarian 2 Brad the rest of the way

This guy will have decent saves and combat, uncanny dodge, fast movement and magic

For bardic spells take Cures, Invisiblity, Dispelling and Summons stuff

You will be short blasting magic but hey

Feats for this guy include Leadership, Cosmpolitan (Wilderness Lore) Aleartness and Tracking if you want to track. A few weapons feats (bows I think are the best choice) and Dash to run away from enemies

Stats hmmm

I would go

Str14
Int 14
Wis 10
Dex14
Con14
CHa 14

Put all you level ups into Cha (at keast 2)and your combat stat

 

[Kyramus]

at 4th level a druid's spells are pretty good to survive.
to make it more rounded, pick up the Jack of All Trades feat. This allows you to use any skill untrained.

That gives you a bigger edge. only problem is that the prerequisite is level 8. you might want to talk to your DM about it since you are going to be a one man party.

 

[smetzger]

Druid seems like a good choice, although a Cleric with the animal domain would probably be better. Cleric's can tank better than druids, but with the cheesy domain, you still get an animal companion to keep you from going it alone.

A Cleric with the Animal Domain does not get animal companions.

Edit - my bad. He can.

 

[smetzger]

Depends on the campaign. This is an excellent opportunity to run a Rogue/Cat burglar type. These guys don't work very well in a party.

 

[Victim]

at 4th level a druid's spells are pretty good to survive.
to make it more rounded, pick up the Jack of All Trades feat. This allows you to use any skill untrained.

That gives you a bigger edge. only problem is that the prerequisite is level 8. you might want to talk to your DM about it since you are going to be a one man party.

I'm not so enamored of Jack of all trades. Unless you have great modifiers like super high stats all around, a luckstone, and a pale green ioun stone, then all the feat does is let you fail checks by rolling dice instead of by default.

Monks are strong solo characters. First of all, monks are decent fighters. Plus they have a number of other abilities that work well solo. Alone, stealth is much more effective because the plate armored tank isn't waking up the whole dungeon - and monks get these skills. So they can avoid some dangerous encounters that way. Also, monks are great at running away. Finally, they have Diplomacy as a class skill. So a monk can avoid fights through negociation, win fights with his martial arts, avoid fights with stealth, or just run away. It will be a rare encounter in which NONE of those paths can work. Also, Monks have great saves. Alone, a single failed save can spell death because no one is around to cover for you. Great saves and evasion also help one avoid the worst of traps.

A cleric good work too. Spells, good fighting skills, healing, good saves and acceptable range of class skills - especially with domains. They aren't very subtle though. Without a bunch of thugs (I mean "heroes" played by other people) to back me up, I don't like to cause a ruckus without checking things out. So I'd go with a Monk or Fighter/Rogue.

 

[Nifft]

My advice would be to play a Wizard, with a cool Familar (via the Improved Familiar Feat) and eventually a Cohort (Druid, Bard or Cleric).

However, if you INSIST on being a consumate solo, play a Bard1/WizardX. Bards get to use many sweet healing wands and scrolls, including Wands of Cure Light Wounds. For another level of Bard, your Wizard can write scrolls of Cure Light Wounds -- and eventually wands of CLW, too.

If you take Bard at 1st level, with your high Wizard's Int, you'll have many more skills than a typical wizard.

-- Nifft

 

[Joshua Randall]

At risk of starting some kind of off-topic flame war, I'll say this. I've played on MUDs for a long time: years in fact. (For you young whipper-snappers, MUDs are like EverQuest without the graphics. Yes, I do use a cane; thanks for asking.) Now a MUD is similar enough in its tactical aspects to a D&D solo campaign that I feel qualified to state the following with conviction:

A solo adventurer can succeed as any class, but each must approach things differently, playing to his strengths.

Are you a fighter? Then do what you do best: fight. Take those combat feats and a big weapon and dish out damage faster than your enemies can soak it up. Use the best armor you can afford and your high HP to outlast people in the fight.

Are you a cleric? (You've said you don't want to be, but what the heck: free advice.) You can fight moderately well, and your spells give you a serious advantage. Even a single cure light wounds swings the tide in your favor. Plus, you can predict the future, buff yourself, make food and water, summon creatures to do your bidding, and enable fast travel. Nice. (And IMHO, clerics are the best solo adventurers of them all.)

Are you a wizard? Then like the cleric, your spells give you an important edge. But you must avoid combat at all costs. Use ranged and area spells to good effect. Summon monsters to fight for you or to cover your escape. Once you get invisibility, scout out the area and only interact with those you choose. Focus on survival, because at higher levels, you rock.

Are you a rogue? Then be a rogue: hide, move silently, sneak attack. Run away from tough foes. Ambush people. Disarm traps, or better yet, set them for your enemies. Pilfer things without getting into fights at all. Be the unseen shadow that strikes without warning.

Play to your strengths. Specialize. Do your class's thing with ruthless effeciency and utter singlemindedness. That is how to succeed as a solo adventurer.

 

[ichabod]

If I were in your situation, I'd go with bard. And what do you know, I am in your situation, and I'm going with bard. Me and a friend of mine are the only ones in our group really interested in epic levels, so he's going to run me solo come summer (when we'll actually have some time). I'm going to play an epic level bard.