Mulligan wrote:
But i have been wondering to make a totally new party for the Soz...and really try something i havent before. So a heavy Ecl Party. Can it make the campaign?
But i see planning a head is a must and some help/input would be delightful. My initial thoughts are
1: Deep Gnome Rouge 1/Illusionist 5/Assassin 8+ /Arkane trickster 2+
2: Yan-Ti Spirit Shaman 6+ / Stormlord 10
3: Yan-Ti Warlock x / Hellfire 3
4: Yan-ti OR Drow Wizard 5+ OR Sorceror 6+ / Arkane Scholar OR Eldritch Knight 10
Maybe Also a lvl in Paladin Late for Sorceror Builds ?
The idea was to make a party that fulfill each others role so good that the ECL penalties wouldnt make a difference. Deep Gnome obviously High Ac build, The Sto
rmLord Max Pain / Meele Oriented.
ANy thought & insights would be welcome
Yeah, it's not a good build.
This campaign is all about the final battle. (..only a few other battles are really difficult (..the one getting into Chult in particular), and yet still not anywhere near as difficult as the final battle.)
With the final battle, melee is almost useless without a TON of buffs - both defensively and offensively.
#1 is an absolute disaster, not terribly good at anything and way late doing it.
#2 *might* fullfill a melee role if it were a Cleric.
#3 will be "OK" but really not very good by himself (make another one and use them in combination and it works well).
#4 should be a Wizard.. because selecting the correct spells as a Sorcerer is really something you can't do. Arcane Scholar is the way to go (..again, melee is nearly worthless.)
The sad fact is though that spell resistance isn't worth it - at least in a level 20 context. For the most part enemies are often a fair-bit higher in level than your party and your the ones with level disadvantage, made worse by the racial penalty. (..they get all sorts of bonuses as a result - like penetrating spell resistance).
If you want spell resistance, get it from a Cleric and/or a Druid.
When it comes to SOZ - always think in multiples, i.e. same sort of attack on one enemy all at the same time. The reason for this is that most enemies have very high hit-points AND tend to melee for high damage on your party.
You really only need one tank, though 2 or more is preferable. They aren't there as a means of damaging, but rather to provide a good distraction. (..which usually means an AC buff for that Tank.)
To do that properly means waiting until your tank(s) are actually attacking the enemy (physically engaged), then - and ONLY then making your concentrated attack.
I've played parties of 1, 2, 3, 4, and (companions 5 & 6) before.
My favorite is 3, but 4's not bad either. (..3 levels a little faster, yet still has enough utility to be effective)
I only use companions for crafting, they are otherwise cardboard cut-outs that usually aren't built well - so why use them when you can make your own?
The best method of attack in the game is with multiple Bow attackers (..or Crossbow with Rapid Reload) - BUFFED.
In particular both bows/crossbows and arrows/bolts can be enchanted - improving attacks and damage substantially.
Warlocks in multiples aren't bad either, but they have difficulty overcoming spell resistance on occasion - so any party with them needs to do some serious grinding for experience points OR just needs to avoid using essences with the eldritch blasts against high resistance opponents (..i.e. Yuan-ti). Hellfire Warlock*s* are a good idea to get damage up, but you should have a Cleric available to provide a Deathward for both (..assuming you don't have Kaedrins installed).
The first party member you create should be your "overland map" character. They should have one level of Rogue, Able Learner, and a fair number of experience points at each level - say 5 or more total. This is the character that will leverage their Hide or Move Silently skill points to act as the overland map "guide" - so that you can travel on the map without getting constantly attacked. They are also needed for disabling traps and unlocking locks.
