[Wrath of the Righteous] Advice for character in party

[Roncorps]

I'm (like always) the one looking for a character in a new campaign. It's always this way because I'm sort of a ''patch hole player''. We are playinh Wrath of the Rigtheous AP.

Right now, we have (no race named) a barbarian, a fighter and a rogue-like characters.

So, I'm going the cleric road or arcanist. I just want to patch thing, but play a fun character too and not think that I'm a sort of robot.

So, I want advice as to if my idea will cripple too much the help and game I can do in this AP.

First,a Dwarven cleric forgemaster (and maybe + crusader). DM is OK with crafting and I'm sure the AP let player have some downtime. I would lose channel energy (so I could use INT and dump CHA), but the Artificer domain hurt.

Second, a Aasimar classic cleric, but DM want a -2 to a stat and I need to take Heavenborn that will replace the daylight spelllike ability AND celestial resistance, but I keep the skilled trait.

Thrid, a arcanist, because it look cool and all around. I could buff and crowd control and not outshine the party (I don't play the god caster). Elemental master seem a fine archetype (adding + spell per day using the elemental descriptor choosen).

What do you think ? Would I suck too much with the dwarven forgemaster, aasimar too OP or even arcanist for the party ?

There not so much review about Wrath of the Righteous, so that's why I have a hard time choosing.

Thanks a lot !

[Dezea]

I'm (like always) the one looking for a character in a new campaign. It's always this way because I'm sort of a ''patch hole player''. We are playinh Wrath of the Rigtheous AP.

Right now, we have (no race named) a barbarian, a fighter and a rogue-like characters.

So, I'm going the cleric road or arcanist. I just want to patch thing, but play a fun character too and not think that I'm a sort of robot.

So, I want advice as to if my idea will cripple too much the help and game I can do in this AP.

First,a Dwarven cleric forgemaster (and maybe + crusader). DM is OK with crafting and I'm sure the AP let player have some downtime. I would lose channel energy (so I could use INT and dump CHA), but the Artificer domain hurt.

Second, a Aasimar classic cleric, but DM want a -2 to a stat and I need to take Heavenborn that will replace the daylight spelllike ability AND celestial resistance, but I keep the skilled trait.

Thrid, a arcanist, because it look cool and all around. I could buff and crowd control and not outshine the party (I don't play the god caster). Elemental master seem a fine archetype (adding + spell per day using the elemental descriptor choosen).

What do you think ? Would I suck too much with the dwarven forgemaster, aasimar too OP or even arcanist for the party ?

There not so much review about Wrath of the Righteous, so that's why I have a hard time choosing.

Thanks a lot !

Fact is, all of your options are pretty solid, and you would really have to screw up hard to feel useless as a T1 caster in a party with only T5. And for the "Op" part, even is those options are clearly good, it's pretty easy to play a T1 caster in a way so you don't outshine the party, mostly playing the "God" wizards. Just stay away from dazing spells. And...Well, you probably don't want to pick all the goodies of the archmage mythic path, either.

That being said, this campaign can be pretty brutal, and you might want one of your buddy to go for something a lil' more solid. (Even if, of course, with solid plays and some optimization, you should be able to do it no matter what)

[Roncorps]

That being said, this campaign can be pretty brutal, and you might want one of your buddy to go for something a lil' more solid. (Even if, of course, with solid plays and some optimization, you should be able to do it no matter what)

The Forgemaster seemed kind of interesting because of his ability to rune weapon, armor or shield to add bonus/ability to member of the party. Yeah, I lose Channel Energy, but I find it equal. Craft Arms and Armor could prove usefull too with 3 melee character in the party (and myself). Adding that to the full divine caster spell list. Only the artificer domain suck.

[Dezea]

The Forgemaster seemed kind of interesting because of his ability to rune weapon, armor or shield to add bonus/ability to member of the party. Yeah, I lose Channel Energy, but I find it equal. Craft Arms and Armor could prove usefull too with 3 melee character in the party (and myself). Adding that to the full divine caster spell list. Only the artificer domain suck.

To be frank, you could probably pick the Pancake Domain, fight with a Spoon and still be stronger than your mate. Don't worry too much about the strenght of your character, you would have to go to great lenght to be the weakest one here.

Plus, forgemaster got great favor, and you are right about the synergies. Go for it If you feel like it ! (And be a friend to your rogue : Tell him he probably want another class)

[Roncorps]

Hehe thanks for the advice, I'm gonna go with the forge and enjoy my game. And tell the (stubborn) player to check for other option :wink:

[Kol Korran]

Hi there, I'm DMing the AP currently, and we're near the second module. Some thoughts and observations so far:
1) Unlike Roncorps, I found the adventure path to be quite easy on the players so far. We had to crank it up quite a lot in order for it to be a challenge. You group will have to find the right fit for you all though.

2) As to the forge master: You don't really have time to forge something (other than a scoll or potion or two), except between modules. You are always doing something. On the other hand, the party does get A LOT of loot, so you could easily make some cool things in the short lull between. So just be aware of this. The module are not a series of small adventures, recuperating, planning and restocking, and then adventuring again. Each one is one long 4 level journey, with maybe very short breaks in the interim.

Also, about channel energy. This is a life saver for my party (Literally). In tougher fights our cleric spams it like no tomorrow. However, I did up the stakes on many things, so maybe you won't need it. It's a very useful ability to have, especially when you later take "channel alignement (chaotic evil)" and can affect demons as well.

If you're playing the dwarf forgemaster, I suggest worshiping Torag. it's one of the five main gods of the crusade, and there are various mentions of him through the books. It highly depends on how your DM will play on that, but it's a nice option.

4) both the cleric and the arcanist are "god casters". If you're afraid of it feeling overpowered, just play it as a mostly support/ buffer/ debuffer.

5) As a general suggestion- everything vs. demons, or evil or chaotic creatures is golden (They comprise about 90% of your enemies), so seek feats, spells, traits and such, or suggest them to your buddies (Look for the word demon on the SRD)

Good luck to you! If you're DM is interested, direct him to the DM's campaign log in my sig, it has some ideas on how doing things differently. Just please don't read it yourself for awhile.

Go fight some demons! :smallsmile:

[Dezea]

Hi there, I'm DMing the AP currently, and we're near the second module. Some thoughts and observations so far:
1) Unlike Roncorps, I found the adventure path to be quite easy on the players so far. We had to crank it up quite a lot in order for it to be a challenge. You group will have to find the right fit for you all though.

2) As to the forge master: You don't really have time to forge something (other than a scoll or potion or two), except between modules. You are always doing something. On the other hand, the party does get A LOT of loot, so you could easily make some cool things in the short lull between. So just be aware of this. The module are not a series of small adventures, recuperating, planning and restocking, and then adventuring again. Each one is one long 4 level journey, with maybe very short breaks in the interim.

Also, about channel energy. This is a life saver for my party (Literally). In tougher fights our cleric spams it like no tomorrow. However, I did up the stakes on many things, so maybe you won't need it. It's a very useful ability to have, especially when you later take "channel alignement (chaotic evil)" and can affect demons as well.

If you're playing the dwarf forgemaster, I suggest worshiping Torag. it's one of the five main gods of the crusade, and there are various mentions of him through the books. It highly depends on how your DM will play on that, but it's a nice option.

4) both the cleric and the arcanist are "god casters". If you're afraid of it feeling overpowered, just play it as a mostly support/ buffer/ debuffer.

5) As a general suggestion- everything vs. demons, or evil or chaotic creatures is golden (They comprise about 90% of your enemies), so seek feats, spells, traits and such, or suggest them to your buddies (Look for the word demon on the SRD)

Good luck to you! If you're DM is interested, direct him to the DM's campaign log in my sig, it has some ideas on how doing things differently. Just please don't read it yourself for awhile.

Go fight some demons! :smallsmile:

It's not THAT hard. But actually some of the fight can be really punishing. This is one of the big problem of the AP btw : A lot of fight tends to be REALLY easy, and then comme that fight where you get absolutely stomped. A bit more regularity could have been a good thing.
And you start to face high-level caster as foe pretty early, and if you tailor them a bit, they can be fantastic opponents. (I really loved the last boss of book 3, even If I will obviously not spoil him to you !)

[Roncorps]

Thanks Kol. I think the DM will adjust the encounter vs the party, but he's not the type to make it not competitive.

For the crafting, we use the Uneathed Arcana craft points, so I could craft even without downtime. He told me that we'll have time for it.

I know Channel energy could be a lifesaver, I thought about it and even now I'm not sure if it's a good choice of mine for getting rid of it with the forgemaster, because when you check divine feats, a lot require the "access to channel energy ability". It's a no-no for me right now (like the feat that make you use WIS vs STR for att with your deeity favorite weapon).

My other cleric option would have been a aasimar classic cleric (but not having the elemental resistance, daylight spelllike ability and a -2 to a stat for balancing with the team).

[Kol Korran]

My other cleric option would have been a aasimar classic cleric (but not having the elemental resistance, daylight spelllike ability and a -2 to a stat for balancing with the team).
The elemental resistances may seem nice in the early levels, but they **** become redundent, or you can do better with various spells and abilities.

Same goes for daylight. Our aasimr never used it once in bout 8 levels now. (I think you my even get scrolls or such t some point)

The -2 to stat does suck, so I don't know. Good luck.

[Roncorps]

Yeah, so first game ... not so great. I'm a cleric, yes, but without channel energy it's a very high toll on the party that consist of 3 melee (barbarian, fighter (arch dragoon) and a slayer). I'll problably revert to a normal dwarf cleric.

[Dezea]

Yeah, so first game ... not so great. I'm a cleric, yes, but without channel energy it's a very high toll on the party that consist of 3 melee (barbarian, fighter (arch dragoon) and a slayer). I'll problably revert to a normal dwarf cleric.

The first level might be a bit tricky, but with the amount of wealth in this campaign, you should be pretty easily able to get a CLW wand by level two ! Don't sacrifice a character concept you enjoy to turn into a heal bot : There are wand for this.

[Roncorps]

The second problem in using forgemaster, my CHA is a dump stat, so I play a very low CHA dwarf and .... I have a huge problem RPing this kind of character, I found.

My very very first choice was a gnome alchemist. With the discussion here, I think I could play it. I would provide easy healing and as you say, wands will be accessible. I, maybe, been too much influenced by the group for a cleric and healing.

[Kol Korran]

The first level might be a bit tricky, but with the amount of wealth in this campaign, you should be pretty easily able to get a CLW wand by level two ! Don't sacrifice a character concept you enjoy to turn into a heal bot : There are wand for this.

Chennel energy makes healing in combat sort of affective, since it heals from a distance, and you heal multiple peopkle (yourself included). Our cleric didn't spend his whole time healing, but it did help on quite a few occcasions, and did a lot to keep people alive. He was attacking and slinging lots of spells as well. It's not "heal or play", but both.

That said, Dezea is quite right that you should not give up your character concept. D&D and PF are varied enough to find ways around nearly everything. The campaign for example gives TONS of CLW potions in the first module.

I don't have any idea how an alchemist would work in this campaign, as We never played with one (Though I would like to... :smalltongue:) It seems like an excellent support. Just make sure to grab the discoveries that enable you to give your extracts to others, and be weary of close quarters fighting- bombs are dangerous then!