First time playing. How many party members should I make myself?

I understand there are NPCs you can recruit that have some banter and a few have their own quests.

I am wondering if making just one character and recruiting the rest is viable or should I make all 6 then replace as I come across NPCs. Just want to know before I take an 40 minutes to flesh out my party like I would in the icewind dale games lol.

 

Only having one pc is hard, since if said character becomes unconscious you will lose, even if you have npc's left standing.
There are a couple of npc's who needs to be rescued or that can join you for a short period of time(until a certain quest is done), so you should leave a spot or two open for this.
That will give you 6-7 open spots. You can either fill these up with pc's or use some of them for permanent npc's.
Depending on what I plan to do in a playthrough I usually have between 3-6 pc's.

It's harder to replace pc's. If they die(-10 hp) you can get them out of your party, the only other option is to use one of the books on the counters in the inns.

I hope this helped you a bit

 

Sorry for my noobiness but I only see 5 slots at chargen for a new game. Since you said 6-7 open slots how many people can you actually have?

 

I used to play without any NPC at all, but then my party size was 4 up to 6.
Since it gives me way more freedom and I can roll the stats to my liking, even if it takes me ages ^^ (I think my current paladin(2)->cleric(x) took the longest, hence the attributes)

Though the last time I play was Co8 6.1 and a lot things have changed. And my last game was 6 female halflings ^^ (awesome party!) but it was quite boring after level 9ish~

So not sure sure about the current version, since I started playing recently as well...but with 5ppl and I don't plan to take in any other NPC.

Maybe, you should just role a d6? d1-3 take npc, 4-6 not ^^?
I personally assume (or hope) that a party of 5 PC can still make it..despite the changes done

 

Co8 launcher->options->max number....

 

You can have more than the five that is the vanilla default, but just five portraits will show in party creation.

Once you're in game the others WILL be there and ready to kick butt.

 

Default is 5 PCs, leaving slots for up to 3 NPCs to recruit.
This can be changed in the Front End.

 

I would take 6 or 7 if its your first time playing. You don't know what NPCs are available, so take the classes and races you want to try. And just starting out its a lot easier to fight with more characters, plus its more fun to try out different spells and weapons.

 

Thanks for the help. I just made the basic 5. Went with rogue, fighter, cleric, wiz, and ranger. Working out so far. Just killed the bandit leader.

Im wondering tho. Is there a lootbox like in baldurs gate? I can only seem to mouse over items to pick them up and they are so tiny Im afraid ill miss some.

 

If you click on the dead body it should open an inventory window with easy to see loot that you can just right click on the items and they will move to your inventory.

Also, don't forget to check the ghouls in the moat house, one is carrying a very special loot carrying kind of item.

 

They're ghouls now?

 

Oooops, me thinks you have quite a bit more of the moat house to explore.

Pssssst psssst ..... Look for a way down to the basement.

 

when i first time play... i made party with 5 wizard.. and only recruit wizard....doesnt work in the middle game... too fragile.

 

^ Nice roleplaying! Never think of that. Maybe some of them should multiclass to fighters. That might work I guess.

 

I think you may mean zombie instead of ghoul- unless I've missed something?...