Solo adventures with 4 characters

[haplot]

I'm going to be playing a campaign where I'll be taking 4 characters on a solo adventure.

I'm unsure at the moment as to what type of characters I want to take, so I'm asking for advice. I was thinking about a Tempest cleric, a rogue (probably going into arcane trickster), not sure whether to go sorcerer or wizard, and a sword and board character. Races to be decided obviously.

I haven't rolled stats yet, but I'd also like suggestions as to backstory and / or background ideas.

The characters will start at level 5.

Many thanks in advance.

[LordEntrails]

By solo you mean you are going to be the player and the DM?

Anyway, imo, what the party consists of is dependent upon the campaign arc and what interests you. Both of which you haven't told us anything about.

Is it set in a kingdom and you will be the local heroes? Is it a journey into the Underdark? Are you going against undead ruled by a lich? is it...? Are you looking for the ideal party? Because each of those are going to result in a different composition.

Are you looking for a party theme? Like 4 genasi (one of each sub-race) that have been drawn together through some prophecy? Or are these a bunch of locals from some village that was over run by orcs and now they are the only ones left alive? Is it a group or gang of disconnects and orphans from a big city? Or perhaps a bunch of 3rd or 4th offspring of lesser nobles trying to make their mark in the world?

[Citan]

I'm going to be playing a campaign where I'll be taking 4 characters on a solo adventure.

I'm unsure at the moment as to what type of characters I want to take, so I'm asking for advice. I was thinking about a Tempest cleric, a rogue (probably going into arcane trickster), not sure whether to go sorcerer or wizard, and a sword and board character. Races to be decided obviously.

I haven't rolled stats yet, but I'd also like suggestions as to backstory and / or background ideas.

The characters will start at level 5.

Many thanks in advance.
Hi.

I'm not sure I understand what kind of advice you are looking for...
- Mechanical suggestions for party composition?
- Reasons why they would all know each other?
- Ways to ease the multi-character management?

[clash]

My recommendation is to start with the character you want to play. Create a rich background for that character and create him as if you were only playing one character. Then create the other 3 characters specifically to shore up the roles that your first character is missing. When it comes to playing roleplay the character that you created for roleplaying and the other 3 are just combat/utility aids.

[lianightdemon]

I also suggest you write out their adventures like a story. As suggested write it from one character perceptive and then include the dialog of the other characters and npcs that are part of the campaign.
Or write it like a play script with descriptions and the lines of what the characters are saying.
The D&D rules will let you figure out how combat goes, plus helps you make the characters.

Writing it down lets you keep it for later amusement and reading but it also helps with the role playing aspects, so you don't have to sit there and talk to yourself while playing the various roles.

You could also role each of the characters randomly including their background, bonds, flaws and stuff, and even if the roles don't match see how they do with a random mash of characters.

As the DM you may want to get published adventurers and run them through that only reading far enough ahead to get a general sense of what the characters have to do. So if they enter the room of the dungeon you only read the basis of it until they explore a section of it then you can read more. It will help you from metagaming your characters actions too much by limiting your own knowledge of whats to come.

Solo D&D is fun especially if your not able to play regularly yourself.

[Mortis_Elrod]

I also suggest you write out their adventures like a story. As suggested write it from one character perceptive and then include the dialog of the other characters and npcs that are part of the campaign.
Or write it like a play script with descriptions and the lines of what the characters are saying.
The D&D rules will let you figure out how combat goes, plus helps you make the characters.

Writing it down lets you keep it for later amusement and reading but it also helps with the role playing aspects, so you don't have to sit there and talk to yourself while playing the various roles.

You could also role each of the characters randomly including their background, bonds, flaws and stuff, and even if the roles don't match see how they do with a random mash of characters.

As the DM you may want to get published adventurers and run them through that only reading far enough ahead to get a general sense of what the characters have to do. So if they enter the room of the dungeon you only read the basis of it until they explore a section of it then you can read more. It will help you from metagaming your characters actions too much by limiting your own knowledge of whats to come.

Solo D&D is fun especially if your not able to play regularly yourself.

what a fun way to write a book

[lebefrei]

I ran a campaign like this once for my wife to teach her the game. I had her make four characters but only one was the protagonist, which she ran in personality, and the rest were background support in roleplaying but she used them tactically in combat. It was a strange way to DM but it definitely did teach her the game. As for your specific questions, 5e is pretty solid on balance... honestly, pick almost anything you want as long as someone can take hits and someone can get people back up from 0 hp. And I never recommend blindly asking for backstory ideas. These are your characters, you should know them.

[haplot]

Thanks for the advice Giants!

I was supposed to put into original post that its taking place in the age of sail sort of era ... sort of like Pirates of the Caribbean sort of thing, but down in the Philopines (spelling?)

Many thanks

[Moosoculars]

If you playing a pirate I would recommend a warlock with eldrich blast and repelling blast. Knocking enemies off rigging and boats into the sea is just too much fun.

[haplot]

Oooh great idea

Thank you