Cohort Adventuring Party (What Classes Would You Choose?)

[BlackOnyx]

A little prompt based of a situation in my current campaign. Thanks ahead of time.

***

You've been given the opportunity to create a small personal escort/adventuring party out of three loyal (albeit a bit brutish) human cohorts starting at level 1. Their stats are as follows:


STR: 17
DEX: 14
CON: 14
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 6 (there's a reason)


By the end of the campaign, the cohorts will likely top out between 10th and 12th level. What kinds of classes/feats (general ideas or specific examples) might you suggest for general combat/ooc utility? Anything 3.0/3.5e goes.

(Looking forward to your thoughts!)

[radthemad4]

Those stats are nice for melee bruisers. It's trickier if you want utility though...

Warlocks and Dragonfire adepts can offer some utility and can choose invocations that don't rely on saving throws. An Artificer might still be able to craft items if you spend lots of feats and items on boosting UMD.

If you buy a +4 wisdom item for one of them (or a +2 item and they boost wisdom on level 4, 8 or 12) you can make them take the Fell Conspiracy feat.

What does the party consist of?

[BlackOnyx]

Warlocks and Dragonfire adepts can offer some utility and can choose invocations that don't rely on saving throws.


I hadn't even considered invocation based casters. Great idea.



An Artificer might still be able to craft items if you spend lots of feats and items on boosting UMD.


Crafting would definitely be useful.



If you buy a +4 wisdom item for one of them (or a +2 item and they boost wisdom on level 4, 8 or 12) you can make them take the Fell Conspiracy feat.


Another solid idea. Their primary leader will be a cleric (myself), so I was considering having at least one of them increase WIS in order to multiclass as an apprentice of sorts. (Granted, by level 12 they'd only have access to third level spells, but still.)



What does the party consist of?


- Human Cloistered Cleric (LE) (more L than E, civil & aristocratic)
- Halfling Bard (NG) (we get along well)
- Merfolk Wizard (LN) (scholar)
- Merfolk Spellthief (CN?) (master of disguise)
- Water Mephit Fighterish Type (LN) (forgot class)
- Water Mephit Sorcerer (CN) (likes fire)

It's an....interesting dynamic.

[Inevitability]

Wildshape Ranger/MoMF with Assume Supernatural Ability could be interesting. Ability scores will be crap, but having a bear fighting along with you is always nice, and so is the plethora of special abilities you unlock this way.

[Elder_Basilisk]

For a complete (as possible) party with those stats, I'd go for a bruiser cleric, a bruiser fullBAB beatstick, and a bruiser fullBAB/Scout 4. Alternately bard 4/full BAB for beatstick 1 to get some peformance and UMD.

That takes advantage of the beefy statline and covers stealth, trapfinding, and minimal clerical spellcasting. Necessary arcane scrolls will depend upon UMD (probably from the scout).

Fortunately, bruiser clerics can get by with minimal wisdom. This guy has below minimal wisdom but he'll be able to use a wand of clw until he gets a hand-me-down wisdom booster or hits 4th level to get that magical 11 wisdom. This is one of the few cases where a cleric might actually benefit from martial multiclassing since he can't actually use the higher level spells he gets from full cleric levels.

For the other bruisers (and for the cleric too since he won't be casting high level spells) I would think about the pious Templar prestige class. It's a good save boost, grants mettle and weapon specialization (meh) which then opens up melee weapon mastery which is actually good.

[GrayDeath]

With the group, I'd go for one Crusader, 9ne Warlock and one stupid charge Barbarian.
Power and utility, without e er becoming a real danger for you.
Buff them with the cleric and Bard, and watch the fun unfold.

[BlackOnyx]

Wildshape Ranger/MoMF with Assume Supernatural Ability could be interesting.


How have I never stumbled across the Master of Many Forms before? That sounds like a lot of fun (for a cohort or a pc). I'll definitely keep that one in mind.



For a complete (as possible) party with those stats, I'd go for a bruiser cleric, a bruiser fullBAB beatstick, and a bruiser fullBAB/Scout 4. Alternately bard 4/full BAB for beatstick 1 to get some peformance and UMD.

That takes advantage of the beefy statline and covers stealth, trapfinding, and minimal clerical spellcasting. Necessary arcane scrolls will depend upon UMD (probably from the scout).


A nice balance. I like it. Access to UMD is a good call, too.



With the group, I'd go for one Crusader, 9ne Warlock and one stupid charge Barbarian.


Crusader is actually one of the classes I'd been considering. Haven't ever used ToB before, but it looks like it could be a lot of fun to tinker with. (Seems like it could pair well with a couple levels of cleric, particularly if I decided to look into Ruby Knight Vindicator later on.)