I do the same things. I tend to play with only a single PC, and it's amazing how hard it it to balance things out for them, especially when you don't "optimize" them for combat. I've killed more PC's solo gaming than I ever have traditional gaming.
I guess it's because I don't want to feel like I'm "cheating," on either side. As a player if I was so outmatched, I'd tried to escape. But since I'm soloing in, I always second guess--am I doing this action because it's what I as a player would, or because I know it's the "right" thing based on the math.
Same here, I always play only one PC. What I do a lot is that I "minionize" opponents. The problem with D&D or Pathfinder is that it is balanced around a party of 4 heroes. This is what the challenge rating indicates: How hard it is for a party of 4. If you play with one PC the combats are pretty dull and unrealistic if done by the book. Who always wants to fight one goblin or one orc? And why would a kobold travel alone? So I borrowed from 4th edition the concept of minions: I take the regular stats but reduce the hitpoints to 1 and use fixed damage calculated as if the enemy would always roll a 1 on the damage die or dice.This way you can fight a few opponents at once while still maintaining the danger of defeat. Another option would be to give you PC four times the hp to compensate. It will still be hard because of the action economy (still only one turn) and less variety in special abilities. You could also borrow some concepts from Scarlet Hero, like introducing a fray die or reading the damage dice from monsters differently.
Carsten Rossner "Another option would be to give you PC four times the hp to compensate." Think this works out for me, since my characters always get swamped and having higher HP might even the odds. I'll probably try that next time.
I do the same things. I tend to play with only a single PC, and it's amazing how hard it it to balance things out for them, especially when you don't "optimize" them for combat. I've killed more PC's solo gaming than I ever have traditional gaming.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's because I don't want to feel like I'm "cheating," on either side. As a player if I was so outmatched, I'd tried to escape. But since I'm soloing in, I always second guess--am I doing this action because it's what I as a player would, or because I know it's the "right" thing based on the math.
I think I just need to get over it.
Same here, I always play only one PC. What I do a lot is that I "minionize" opponents. The problem with D&D or Pathfinder is that it is balanced around a party of 4 heroes. This is what the challenge rating indicates: How hard it is for a party of 4. If you play with one PC the combats are pretty dull and unrealistic if done by the book. Who always wants to fight one goblin or one orc? And why would a kobold travel alone? So I borrowed from 4th edition the concept of minions: I take the regular stats but reduce the hitpoints to 1 and use fixed damage calculated as if the enemy would always roll a 1 on the damage die or dice.This way you can fight a few opponents at once while still maintaining the danger of defeat. Another option would be to give you PC four times the hp to compensate. It will still be hard because of the action economy (still only one turn) and less variety in special abilities. You could also borrow some concepts from Scarlet Hero, like introducing a fray die or reading the damage dice from monsters differently.
ReplyDeleteCarsten Rossner "Another option would be to give you PC four times the hp to compensate." Think this works out for me, since my characters always get swamped and having higher HP might even the odds. I'll probably try that next time.
ReplyDelete