Increasing Low Level Survivability

[Jalil]

Although it bends the rules in some respects, Since My only Face to Face player has to play it solo, I decided to give him the equivelent of a band aid NPC: An intellegent Wand of CLW. It has the lowest settings for an intellegent Item, and it's only ability is to cast CLW 3 times a day, as well as expend it's own charges. As far as we've played, it's very helpful, and saved him several times. It's far easier to deal with than a random cleric casting heals all the time, and doesn't soak EXP or loot. What do you think.

[Roderick_BR]

Hmm... solo game? You could either let him play one of these Gestalt charactes, or make an npc that walks around with him. Or let him play two characters. Your idea is not bad, though.

[daggaz]

Ok... I know that a pointy stick-shaped object, and a towel are totally different in appearances, but why does this character concept conjur up images of Towlie from SouthPark in my head?

Towlie: Are you guys gonna go swimming?
Eric & Co.: ..erm... yeah.
Towlie: Don't forget to bring a towel! You should always bring a towel when you go swimming, or you might get swimmers ear!
Eric & Co.: Umm.. yeah, ok. Whatever, you are wierd. Let's go, guys.
Towlie: ............ Wanna get high?

Wandie: So, are you going adventuring?
PC: (what the **** is that thing??!) ...erm... yeah..
Wandie: Don't forget to bring a CLW wand! You should always bring a CLW wand when you go adventuring, or your character might suffer a premature death even from just a little fight with a kobold!
PC: Umm.. yeah, ok. So, is this gonna cost me?
Wandie: .......... Wanna get high?
PC: Sweet! 'My character totally gets high with the wierd-ass wand. Do I get any stat bonuses now?'

[Noneoyabizzness]

Although it bends the rules in some respects, Since My only Face to Face player has to play it solo, I decided to give him the equivelent of a band aid NPC: An intellegent Wand of CLW. It has the lowest settings for an intellegent Item, and it's only ability is to cast CLW 3 times a day, as well as expend it's own charges. As far as we've played, it's very helpful, and saved him several times. It's far easier to deal with than a random cleric casting heals all the time, and doesn't soak EXP or loot. What do you think.

it's called a cowardly cleric npc. it can also help carry treasure

[Ethdred]

Interesting way of doing things. Also, could be fun to have it scale in power as he goes up levels, but also scale in personality and opinions. "Yeah, I can cast Cure Moderate now, but did I mention how much my god hates Hill giants?"

[Jalil]

You see, with a cowardly cleric NPC, I(or any DM) needs to control him all the time, which slows down combat, takes a little loot, a little XP, and a lot of glory for the PC. The wand does eerything that an NPC cleric would do in this situation, and the PC still feels like Indiana Jones, making it on his own, scoring loot and fraggin baddies, all without backup. The wand can't be shot, or targeted even, as it lives in his pocket, and always has an action readied to heal him.

In the past, I've tried to allow 'Gish' or playing two PC's, but I always seem to run into prollems. Gestalt always winds up too powerful for my games, and two PC's always some telepathic bond, which is kinda wierd. It also makes it seem like more of a wargame:
"I move my fighter forward 3 squares, while my cleric casts Divine power."

See what I mean?

Still, How does the Idea sound in general?

[Ikkitosen]

Have the character take levels in Human Paragon and get UMD for themselves, forever as a class skill. Optimisation is less important for a solo character, since you've shot the CR system to crap already.