How to support an odd party [Archive] - Wizards Community

How to support an odd party [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants
02-17-07, 10:05 PM I've started to notice a trend in the group I game with and was wondering if I can get some advice. There are 6 people in the group, one who tries to come as often as possible, but sometimes has other obligations. Recently we have lost 3 other players and one who was going to join. We are also running 3 campaigns and 2 half-campaigns. The two half-campaigns are run by myself and one other. Mine is a “never”-ending dungeon that they can't leave. I run it when somebody doesn't show up and we can't run one of the “real” campaigns. The other half-campaign is basically a series of one-shots similar to RPGA type modules, except we are all part of an adventuring guild that hirers out. I am then running a campaign based in FR, and two of the other people are running campaigns based in their own worlds. The two half-campaigns are fairly random with party make-up frequently changing, but the other three campaigns have remained fairly static, other than the players who have left.

My campaign consists of a warlock, warlock/fighter, swashbuckler, rogue/ranger, and a barbarian. There was a favored soul and a druid, but they both left.

One of the campaigns contains two fighters (one TWF, one shield/short-sword (roman legionnaire)), a rogue, and I am playing a mystic theurge. The DM's brother is playing in the other campaigns, but so far has not made a character because of the amount he has helped write the campaign. We did have a monk and a ranger, but they both left.

The final campaign is a monk, barbarian, dragon shaman, fighter, and I am a rogue. This started after the other players quit, so its been like this the whole time.

Now as you can see the campaigns are all very combat oriented, with very little spellcasting. The two campaigns I am playing in I have chosen the character based on an apparent need in the party. I chose my character last in both campaigns, so that we weren't lacking something necessary (though we sstill kind of are in the second). What can I do as my two characters to mitigate the lacking as much as possible? Or should I just play whatever I want in whatever fashion and deal with the campaign as it happens?
IdleAltruism
02-18-07, 02:31 AM I'm not sure I understand what you're asking in this post. From what I can tell it seems you want to fill in the gaps of your party. Well for one you have next to no spellcasting whatsoever. So basically no healing or utility. If you can survive without any spells what gaps do you really need to fill? It doesn't look like the rest of your party cares about any gaps and from the looks of it the campaign you're in is just a monster mash. Might as well play whatever you want.
Dunsel
02-20-07, 10:20 AM I would suggest, instead of you making changes to the party make up, the DM adjusts the campaign to fit the existing PCs; fewer wizards and clerics firing off spells and more tough fighter encounters.
Zoycitenega
02-20-07, 10:42 AM ^^What they said.

The game will be more fun if you play what you want. It's fairly easy to adjust combat to melee characters, and if someone takes ranks in Alchemy, you can make non-magical healing salve(I think it's in the Arms and Equipment).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants 02-17-07, 10:05 PM	I've started to notice a trend in the group I game with and was wondering if I can get some advice. There are 6 people in the group, one who tries to come as often as possible, but sometimes has other obligations. Recently we have lost 3 other players and one who was going to join. We are also running 3 campaigns and 2 half-campaigns. The two half-campaigns are run by myself and one other. Mine is a “never”-ending dungeon that they can't leave. I run it when somebody doesn't show up and we can't run one of the “real” campaigns. The other half-campaign is basically a series of one-shots similar to RPGA type modules, except we are all part of an adventuring guild that hirers out. I am then running a campaign based in FR, and two of the other people are running campaigns based in their own worlds. The two half-campaigns are fairly random with party make-up frequently changing, but the other three campaigns have remained fairly static, other than the players who have left. My campaign consists of a warlock, warlock/fighter, swashbuckler, rogue/ranger, and a barbarian. There was a favored soul and a druid, but they both left. One of the campaigns contains two fighters (one TWF, one shield/short-sword (roman legionnaire)), a rogue, and I am playing a mystic theurge. The DM's brother is playing in the other campaigns, but so far has not made a character because of the amount he has helped write the campaign. We did have a monk and a ranger, but they both left. The final campaign is a monk, barbarian, dragon shaman, fighter, and I am a rogue. This started after the other players quit, so its been like this the whole time. Now as you can see the campaigns are all very combat oriented, with very little spellcasting. The two campaigns I am playing in I have chosen the character based on an apparent need in the party. I chose my character last in both campaigns, so that we weren't lacking something necessary (though we sstill kind of are in the second). What can I do as my two characters to mitigate the lacking as much as possible? Or should I just play whatever I want in whatever fashion and deal with the campaign as it happens?
IdleAltruism 02-18-07, 02:31 AM	I'm not sure I understand what you're asking in this post. From what I can tell it seems you want to fill in the gaps of your party. Well for one you have next to no spellcasting whatsoever. So basically no healing or utility. If you can survive without any spells what gaps do you really need to fill? It doesn't look like the rest of your party cares about any gaps and from the looks of it the campaign you're in is just a monster mash. Might as well play whatever you want.
Dunsel 02-20-07, 10:20 AM	I would suggest, instead of you making changes to the party make up, the DM adjusts the campaign to fit the existing PCs; fewer wizards and clerics firing off spells and more tough fighter encounters.
Zoycitenega 02-20-07, 10:42 AM	^^What they said. The game will be more fun if you play what you want. It's fairly easy to adjust combat to melee characters, and if someone takes ranks in Alchemy, you can make non-magical healing salve(I think it's in the Arms and Equipment).