in an absolute ache of a campaign

[riddles]

ok, so i posted about a sandbox game my DM was running a while back, with slow level progression.

it's an absolute killer. I have 2 other players with me - a gnome sorceror and a half-elf ranger. both are relatively new to the game, not big optimisers (the dm designed their characters i believe). i have been playing a bard, aiming to eventually take a barbarian level and be a skald type.

the level progression is slowed dramatically - 3x the usual required to level up(3000 xp for level 2 etc). we also have only 22 point buy. druids are banned.

The issue is that, as a group of 3, even a cr1 monster is a bit of a challenge and we are regularly running into multiple cr1s, a cr3 here and there and there seems to be nowhere to buy healing potions, meaning the combat is very stop start as the ranger and the bard get dropped regularly. meat shield npcs have been no use - not lasting beyond one fight, which i'm sure will come back to haunt us eventually.

i died in a combat last night. i have no issues with it. i got dropped, the choice of coup de gras was between me and a npc - in the end we both bit the bullet as the other didn't get to us in time.

so my issue is now, how do i help my sub optimal party mates (and myself) survive the slow level progression, poor starting stats and over cr'd monsters (there has literally been NOTHING in the sandbox that hasn't given us a real issue)?

my choices as i see them:
- summoner wizard - create many meatshields that will die instead of us. scribe scrolls that the sorceror and myself can use as a continuing resource. Problem is stepping on the toes of the blasty gnome. and surviving at all.
- cleric - healing! and a makeshift frontline fighter. Problem is that point buy is going to be a real issue to get wis, con and str.
- fighter/barbarian - just do craploads of damage enabling us to finish fights quick. Problem is outshadowing the ranger. though she would have a better range of skills out of combat, i don't want her to feel useless when i charge and do 15-20 points of damage compared to her 5-8

[kamikasei]

Are you actually enjoying the game? Are the other players? You might point out to the DM that you're finding things frustrating and unsatisfying, and ask to make changes.

[riddles]

honestly? yes i am, he's a damn good storyteller and there's plenty of good hooks on the go. the other players are enjoying it as well.

my issue is the extremely high potential of more character death on my part, due to the inexperience (and lack of skills) of the others and the fact that i've never played a game like this, so my own survival instincts are not as honed as they should be.

i thought a bard would be a good choice in a 3 person party, but the person benefiting most from inspire courage (which i was looking to optimise), was myself, so not as hepful as it could have been.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I can understand trying to make each level last a bit longer so the new players can get to know their characters' abilities better, but there's not much reason to make it needlessly slow. It's usually better to keep the standard xp values for each level, and just don't give out as much xp. Suggest rewarding only half xp until he feels the players have gotten the hang of what their characters can do at the current level, then increasing the rewards to full xp or higher to get them to the next level so they can experience more of the game. Intentionally making every level an arduous grind makes it feel more like a chore than a game, and players tend to either lose interest or try to farm monsters for xp just to make it go quicker.

As for your new character, I'd go one of several ways:
- Factotum, with Knowledge Devotion and eventually EWP: Gnome Quickrazor with max ranks in Iaijutsu Focus. If you can use flaws go Human and take Font of Inspiration three times. This is mostly if you're running into traps. You can get bags of marbles (A&EG) and equip it as a weapon-like object, draw it as a move action (free at 6th with quick-draw) and drop it in an opponent's square as a free action. They'll be considered balancing as per the balance skill, which renders them flat-footed if they have less than 5 ranks in balance, and you'll be able to use Iaijutsu Focus on every attack. Casting Grease under them works just as well.

- Archivist, again with Knowledge Devotion, and be sure to learn Bone Talisman. You can get some Unguent of Timelessness to apply to eight bone talisman spell foci, and each casting will last 365 times longer. The unguent never wears off so those same eight can be reused indefinitely. This is a bit of a combination between a Batman and a Cleric, which makes it useful for a smaller party. Spontaneous Summoner could also be good so you won't have to prepare Summon Nature's Ally spells.

- Cleric of Zarus, LN channeling positive energy, Strength and War domains, plan on going Cleric 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 10, taking the Law and Destiny domains via Contemplative. Try to visit the Frog God's Fane detailed in Complete Scoundrel to get Skill Focus for Divine Oracle without spending wasting a feat on it. Prepare a few Faith Healing spells for yourself, or convert to CLW if you need to heal someone else. This is the quintessential battle cleric, and it can be really useful for grinding through those levels.

In any case, definitely consider taking Item Familiar at 3rd level. The 10% xp bonus alone makes it worth having.

[riddles]

i knew i forgot something!

we're playing e6

[Emmerask]

I would go with a cleric, and then use summon monster for extra meatshields (instead of healing spells)

[The J Pizzel]

Sword and board cleric. Decent AC, decent attack/damage, great spellcasting, summons, even some social skills.

Don't know what domains though. Haven't played 3.5 in a year or so.

[Ormagoden]

A warblade with white raven tactics sounds fun no?
A cleric summoner with a reach weapon sounds fun too...

[JeminiZero]

I'm not sure how useful summoning would be since:
1) At level 1, your summons last only 1 round and
2) In E6, your summons are not going to last any longer than 6 rounds

Perhaps a Dragon Shaman. Since your party seems to be suffering from stamina issues, the fast healing aura would be very useful. Edit: Perhaps a Dragonborn Dragon shaman with a breath weapon. Get Entangling Exhalation for limited crowd control, and Recover Breath later on. When you eventually get your Dragon Shaman Breath Weapon, you can alternate between the two, applying metabreath feats to both.

Another possibility: Human Bard. This time pick up Precocious Apprentice: Cure Moderate Wounds, and Touch of Healing with your bonus feat. You now have a level 2 healing spell, and the ability to channel 6 hp per touch from it (up to half of full HP).

[Emmerask]

Well, he could use for example good domain and summon good creatures (making the summon a good spell) which enhances the duration by 1 at least.
I´m sure that there are other (better) possibilities to enhance duration

[nedz]

Your party seems to be missing a Meat Sheild and a Healer. In large mob fights a controller should help, and by the sounds of it your sorceror doesn't do that for you.
So thats three threats you'd like to pose, which is very difficult in E6, let alone at 1st level.
Since thats not going to be possible: I would suggest either a front line type or a controller.
So a Melle/Tripper or a Wizard/Conjurer
Doesn't solve your healing problem though.

Maybe you just need to be better at running away

[CockroachTeaParty]

Yeah, I'll echo the anti-summoning sentiment. At low levels, it's just not worth it.

[Another_Poet]

First, I would really talk to the GM and ask for some compromise. 22 Pt Buy is just terrible. Really, see if he will loosen up having seen how hard you have it.

For your character, I would play a wizard but not a summoning wizard. Conjuration specialist is fine but really just lay into everything with Cokour Spray. If it can't be colour sprayed or you have run out of Colour Spray, then just run.

As soon as the bard gets killed (shouldn't be long) ask if they will roll up a cleric. In the meanwhile maybe the GM would let them retrain a feat to Scribe Scroll so they can make scrolls of CLW?

With a knockout wizard and a cleric, the ranger might actually live.

Good luck...

edit: you said there was an NPC who got coup de graced too, did your GM give you a cohort to help balance out the party? Do you get a new one now that the first one is dead? What class?

[MarvisSahad]

I personally don't play with the XP point system at all. Level ups are needlessly delayed with increasingly growing number-crunching when they could just occur at the GM's consent. For our games all it takes is a meaningful talk after the adventure to discuss what happened and whether level ups are in order. Its a more democratic approach, and the players don't feel as if their enjoyment is outside of my consideration.

My advice is to recommend this same approach to your GM. Even if he's fanatical about thrusting your party into overwhelming odds, he'd appreciate the fact that the tougher your party is the greater variety of challenges he can offer.

[Ilmryn]

You migh want to take a look at some of these level 1 optimized builds. Some of them may be ridiculous, but it may be what you need to survive. I advise against using "fatty" however...

[Kylarra]

DFA with entangling exhalation might be useful.