Characters that can function alone.

[tadkins]

As with real life, there are just people who are lone wolves. They could be socially awkward, dislike working with others, or any number of things.

That said, would there be some options for those types of people to be able to function on some level as adventurers?

[(Un)Inspired]

As with real life, there are just people who are lone wolves. They could be socially awkward, dislike working with others, or any number of things.

That said, would there be some options for those types of people to be able to function on some level as adventurers?

On some level? Definitely, but "some level" is suuuuuper broad. One way to incorporate them is to have them be socially awkward and shy rather than rude or antagonistic to other characters.

Finding common cause with the rest of the party is one way to get them to play nice with others.

When players create characters for games I run I ask them to come up with a reason ( or reasons) they would be working with the rest of the team.

Having a "lone wolf" character isn't automatically a problem but it is a bit of a red flag that the character is gonna make things less pleasant for the other players.

[Studoku]

If you mean a character who can adventure alone, it's not difficult. Mostly higher tier classes- lower tier classes will run into problems when they face something they simply can't do.

[tadkins]

I should have mentioned they'd be mostly used as an NPC. xD

If the PCs exist in a world where other adventurers exist, the PCs might meet such a person. A fellow adventurer that's either shy, or antagonistic, or some combination of the two. Rumors abound of a dungeon that the PCs go after. The NPC lone wolf also decides to attack the dungeon, by themselves of course. It'd be a good way to create some kind of encounter involving a sort of "rivalry" situation.

[(Un)Inspired]

Anything at the tier 1 level can do anything an adventurer could conceivably need to do.

I'm a fan of the archivist for this sort of thing. They can fight directly in melee or at range, they can summon through SNA and SM, they can blast, they can crush any skill check, they can fly, they can teleport, they can scry, they can commune, they can charm allies, they can bind allies, they can create undead.

I think they're perfect for a rival for a party.

[Brendanicus]

As much as I dislike Dr'zzt, High-level Rangers seem to fit the bill, despite Tier 1's being the obvious examples.

Maybe a Duskblade with Rogue dip?

[Yael]

Agreed with high level tiers (2-1), also Factotum or any Chameleon. Damage, utillery, magic, expertise, scouting, etc.

[Troacctid]

Since they're an NPC, all you need to do is have them reach into their bag of holding and just happen to have exactly the item they need to help them overcome whatever obstacle they're facing. Any sufficiently prepared adventurer can do that, even if all they have are NPC class levels.

For their actual class, just make sure it's something with lots of skill points and access to Use Magic Device. Perception skills and trapfinding are important as well. Probably the best is Factotum, because it's expressly designed to be a one-man party if need be.

[Yael]

Since they're an NPC, all you need to do is have them reach into their bag of holding and just happen to have exactly the item they need to help them overcome whatever obstacle they're facing. Any sufficiently prepared adventurer can do that, even if all they have are NPC class levels.


There's an immortal background that does exactly that (couppled with the Wedded to History feat). The downside is that you are... Well... Immortal..? Idk fluff?

[Psyren]

In core (and even outside it), the easiest solo class in both editions is Druid. (All the T1 classes can do it of course, but druids tend to have the easiest time at all levels.)

[Silva Stormrage]

In core (and even outside it), the easiest solo class in both editions is Druid. (All the T1 classes can do it of course, but druids tend to have the easiest time at all levels.)

Eh STP Erudite's I think top them with enough optimization. Getting Recharging PP's at 3rd isn't that hard and you can also get cure light wounds for 1 PP even without it. They can be really efficient and can cover almost all basis. At level 1-2 Druids probably have the edge with the animal companion though.

[gorfnab]

Mystic Ranger - Wildshape ACF (UA), Trapfinding ACF (DS), Arcane Hunter ACF (CM) with the feats
Wild Cohort, Magical Training, Nemesis, Sword of the Arcane Order, and Natural Spell can function pretty well on its own at low levels. At level 10 it flattens out.

[Jack_Simth]

Eh STP Erudite's I think top them with enough optimization.To be fair, Psyren didn't define the metric for that specific "easiest". "Enough optimization" may be considered "difficult" - and with a Druid... well, "take Spot and Listen, have a melee-capable animal companion, cast some healing and buffing spells, grab Natural Spell at 6th and go to town with Wildshape" isn't exactly hard. "Be a gnome, take earth power, grab the XPH version of the torc of power preservation (not the MIC version), go with a specific variant Psion, burn a lot of XP and GP learning spells off of scrolls, and then pretend to be a full wizard" is a bit harder to actually use.

[Psyren]

Eh STP Erudite's I think top them with enough optimization. Getting Recharging PP's at 3rd isn't that hard and you can also get cure light wounds for 1 PP even without it. They can be really efficient and can cover almost all basis. At level 1-2 Druids probably have the edge with the animal companion though.

That's what I meant - even at levels 1-2, druids can have an easy time solo.

An Erudite suffers particularly hard at those levels, having very few UPD (even if you use the broken interpretation, it takes a while to kick in), low saving throws (making hazards like traps, disease or poison deadly), low hit die (all but mandating Vigor) and poor durations on their powers forcing them to burn through PP just to survive, let alone fight.


To be fair, Psyren didn't define the metric for that specific "easiest". "Enough optimization" may be considered "difficult" - and with a Druid... well, "take Spot and Listen, have a melee-capable animal companion, cast some healing and buffing spells, grab Natural Spell at 6th and go to town with Wildshape" isn't exactly hard. "Be a gnome, take earth power, grab the XPH version of the torc of power preservation (not the MIC version), go with a specific variant Psion, burn a lot of XP and GP learning spells off of scrolls, and then pretend to be a full wizard" is a bit harder to actually use.

Yep - and more to the point, many of these strategies are simply impossible to execute at low levels anyway.