Im running an experiment to see how far i can get without recruting NPCs with a small party. So far i am doing well with a party of four Cleric Bard Druid Mu Has anyone else tried this and what charaters did you use?
Technical question My druid has an animal companion. I think that animal companions get stronger as the owner levels up. But do they do this by getting a share of the party experince or do they do it as the druid gains experience. So in a party of four plus one animal companion is experince split 4 ways or 5 ?
I think you basically get stronger animal companions every few levels, but the same companions don't get stronger. They aren't added to the party as NPCs (i wish they were but hey) and thus don't gain XP. I've beaten the game with as few as 1 characters. It's hellish at first, spiders in Deklo or Lareth take on a new meaning of hard. But then due to XP scaling you quickly outlevel everything and just wipe the floor with the game. Provided you have cap at 20, not at 10, of course. The characted was a clr10/fgt10, BS and shield. Was gonna get Scather but game bugged and crashed me on the reward encounter. Thus, I never killed Zuggy - but cleared just about everything else, including slavers (though I did use some cheese for them). 4 people is actually a more or less "balanced" party in terms of XP, because of the way it's divided (I don't remember the math, no, maybe someone else can help). One is a bit of a challenge, but two is for easy-time. Take a melee and a caster of any type and you win just about everything by the time you hit level 5 (usually at or right before Nulb if you have NC).
Pets dont take any XP from the group, they simply level up based on the summoners level. And from what I understand, keeping a pet doesnt allow it to level up with your druid in TOEE. You have to dismiss it then summon another to get your new level bonuses which is opposite of how it is in PnP. Ive been considering running through the game solo, but I am looking at using a hybrid Druid with a couple Barb levels thrown in for good measure. Early levels would of course be difficult but bears can help tank a bit and nothing is more versatile then a Druid, especially once you can craft wands.
A staight druid would have the fire power to survive solo all levles. Although most of it comes from summoning so if the oposition uses Holly word you end up felling very alone all of a sudden. A straight bard would also work nicely. Although the first few levels would be very hard. Also i have a nasty habbit of dying in random encounters when i dont have a survival skill.
Yeah, druids can heal, nuke, buff, and summon. And they get decent HP and BAB for a caster. Definitely my favorite class. Wild shape helps a lot with combat bonuses when needed, pets and summons easily do the job also. Crafting scrolls or wands helps free up spell slots and the druid becomes a true natural disaster.
Anyone try a solo or 2 PC 28 point buy, no NC, no reload game? lol I think I'll give it a shot, probably get my arse handed to me early on.
