Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Herr Doktor 09-22-03, 10:51 PM	I need some help designing the best possible support NPC for a solo-campaign I am running. I am currently running two solo-campaigns (one has another player from time to time). My first campaign involves a PC Monk and an occasional PC Fighter. It was easy to find the best supporting NPCs for them, Wizards/Priests make good boosters, so does a Bard, and in addition he gets some Rogueish abilities. A Bard and Priest make a good combo of support for them. The other campaign... involves a solo PC Druid with an owl animal companion. He's on level 2 now, after the first session. He managed this session alone, but I barely, a 2nd character would allow for bigger better fights and increase the survival rate of his PC. But what best compliments a Druid? I don't want a Fighter-type, that'd just put the Druid in the back as a supporting character for an NPC! So what makes a good support character for a PC Druid?
Riznar 09-22-03, 10:56 PM	Um...dare I say, use a Bard?
Kalanth 09-22-03, 11:00 PM	Why not throw in a Paladin. . ? Ok, wait, never mind, you said no fighter types. That pretty much leaves you with another Druid, cause their is not much else that would really work. Then again, if you modify the core class focus, then maybe something could work. How about this: A fighter that is weak strength wise, but is high Dex wise, thereby providing the Druid with an Archer. A Wizard whom is focused in the school of Illusion, or more appropriatly, Conjuration. A rogue that uses his skills to remain hiden in the trees (or whatever) and only attacks from the shadows. These are only a few ideas, but they were the best I could think of. Course, these also don't take into effect the Psionic classes either.
Herr Doktor 09-22-03, 11:07 PM	I suppose a Bard could do well. Less HP just as bad at fighting... I was thinking that perhaps I could change the campaign in such a way as to make being good at combat far less important. I'm not too entirely sure how to go about doing that though... combat has been pretty important in all the campaigns I have ever DMed. If you can offer any insight, please do!
Donnavin Snowolf 09-22-03, 11:16 PM	Blast, that puts the ranger, a natural option, away again. *stuffs ranger NPC back in file* Lets see lets see. An expert? They're not so shabby. Perhaps an explorer old friend of the Druid who is making his second pass through these woods? Sometimes great duos are completely at odds with each other. He's all nature and aminals? Give him a gnome thats all sprockets and cogs. Let them bicker, and let the gnome provide some nice alchemical ingrediants. (Or look at Dave1001's Inventor Core Class (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=91678) Maybe an Inventor with a mechanical Owl would be a fun twist.) More getting along lines? A Cleric with plant and animal domains, trying to become a druid. Maybe a booksmart wizard out for some real life experience (cliche, I know, I know :blush:.) Still with no fighters a Lost Bard, who has decided to tag along with the Druid (perhaps to his chagrin) and make epic songs about him in appreciation for keeping him fed and alive on the short trip home. I know you said no fighter types (but what would a post be without breaking the given rules) What about an awakened Animal fighter? Like... a Swashbuckling Badger. (No, No! I'm not stealing from the Redwall series! Never. Look, over there! Something incredibley distracting.) Maybe he finds a little girl, with natural sorcerous talent, out in the woods looking for her lost doggy (its been eaten) (by the druids owl) (do not ask how, it is not relevant) (*waves hand* this is not the plot hole you are looking for). i think the little sorcerer girl is a good idea. But theres always alot of debate about the stats for young people. But I'd say she's got a bonus to Cha, cause kids is like that. What about a perescuted Good Dual Scimitar weilding Drow Ranger? Come on! Come on! No one's done it before!!!!!! Fine. What about a persecuted Good Dual scimitar weilding gnome ranger. Buggers. What about a rogue with effectively nil wisdom? "It tastes like, burning." "Sword-chucks!" If all else fails. Give him a Kobold Ninja. Everyone wants a Kobold Ninja. They make great pets, they guard well, and always play fun "hide and seek" games with your internal organs.
Kalanth 09-22-03, 11:16 PM	Provide more mental challenges into the campaign, less combat. Provide a more political problem area. One of the best ideas I heard was posted somewhere on this board once, about a druid that stepped forth and lead the druids in the land while they were being killed by a mysterious plague. Maybe something like that would work out for you.
Vaalingrade Ashland 09-22-03, 11:22 PM	Bard or rogue. I used a bard carrying 3 true Res scrolls in a high lvel game. He was forced to use them on: A familiar, the former BBEG, a horse. Talk about squandoring resources.
Sabrie 09-22-03, 11:57 PM	Well, why don't you do another druid? Depending on how you go, they could be slightly more experienced (mentor/teacher/guide), less experienced (although at level 2, it's unlikely your pc is going to be much of a teacher), or equal (which can be a friendly rival, an unfriendly rival turned unwilling ally, a true friend). With any of these, you can increase party size without overshadowing the PC. Even if you go the older route, a one or two level difference would still be evened out by lucky/unlucky rolls.
Nadokla 09-23-03, 12:12 AM	You said you didn't want a fighter type, but yet your reason for wanting an NPC was bigger better fights and help survival rate of the druid. Seems a fighter type fits that best. Maybe something along the lines of a Devoted Defender type character. Not necessarily that PrC, but that type of character. Maybe the druid saved his life, and he feels he needs to repay the debt, so travels with the druid until he has the chance to save the druid's life. Even if he saves the druid's life, he could then stick around because he likes the druid, or has nothing better to do. Otherwise, something like the Adept PrC from 3.0 DMG could be a nice backup with a wide variety of spells. In order to keep the NPC in the background, don't give them really high stats.