Pathfinder [Poll] How are you going to handle Companions in WotR?

[frajaq]

With WotR beta out and progress being made I'm curious how fellow gamers are gonna handle their party compositions in their first run. From what I've seen happen in Kingmaker people mostly fall into three game styles:

1) The more "immersion" and "roleplay-like" option of sticking with the given companions Stats/Classes even if they may be lacking in optimization/class choice synergy, and seeing what happens with them in the storyline.

2) People trying to "salvage" companions, there's a lot of guides out there on the Kingmaker companions, sometimes going complete opposite ways regarding their original class, trying to take advantage of their weird statlines (like Valerie in Kingmaker) but still wanting to have a Companion in the party with the content/reactions that the devs provided to them.

3) Full custom party for those that find the companions too shitty/cringy and dont care at all about them and want to have the fun aspect of making a full 6 party from scratch, plus take advantage of all those new classes/subclasses that WotR is gonna bring.

I'm really curious how others think about this, specially because I know there's quite a lot of Pathfinder system experts around here.

 

[Night Goat]

I like trying to "salvage" companions, they say restriction breeds creativity and I like figuring out how best to work with the tools I'm given.

 

[Serious_Business]

I always try to make the compeers cry one way or another. If they make me cry however it's game over, I quit immediately. I only hit without being hit in return ; this is the utmost in tactics and strategy

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

First time with any of them, I use them as envisioned, even if the details are built to suit my party. I save total class/archetype changes for later playthroughs--particularly when I start wading into mods.

 

[Mangoose]

First time with any of them, I use them as envisioned, even if the details are built to suit my party. I save total class/archetype changes for later playthroughs--particularly when I start wading into mods.

Or you can wait for a respecialization mod lol.

 

[fantadomat]

By romancing them!

 

[frajaq]

By romancing them!

This isn't an JRPG you can't build a harem my friend

 

[Heroic Liberator]

By turning them into skeletal minions.

 

[Salvo]

I will make some deviation on the standard build, but try to either justify it or stick to the lore / backstory outright. For example: Valerie in Kingmaker says she tried out the Aldori fighting style and never got used to it, so dueling swords for her / any Aldori class is out of the question. Doesn't mean I won't give her a few level in Thug though.

At the same time, I won't give her sorcerer levels either. A martial character stays martial.

 

[Desiderius]

Stats turned out to be fine as is. False choice.

Doesn't matter since WotR are now juiced because so many people stupidly cried about it.

 

[Pink Eye]

Wrath companions are horrifically strong. The real challenge would be to make a player character that can compete with them.

 

[Pink Eye]

Stats turned out to be fine as is. False choice.

Doesn't matter since WotR are now juiced because so many people stupidly cried about it.

Seelah is the only one who isn't obscenely juiced. I'm probably going to have the most fun playing around with her.

 

[just]

1 man party unfair legend romancing myself after each fight

 

[Monkeyfinger]

The subpar stats of the KM cast never really stopped me from using them. The problem is offering like 50 different classes (counting each archetype as something different). And then your companions cover maybe 20% of what's available. Only ways around that are to make mercs or to take a +1 ECL penalty on companions (no thanks)

 

[Desiderius]

The subpar stats of the KM cast never really stopped me from using them. The problem is offering like 50 different classes (counting each archetype as something different). And then your companions cover maybe 20% of what's available. Only ways around that are to make mercs or to take a +1 ECL penalty on companions (no thanks)

No, in fact the KM companions were well set up to cover everything but Pal with the initial level (or two in Amiri's case) serving as a reasonable, value added splash.

 

[Funposter]

play them the way they're intended until some nerd posts good builds

 

[Monkeyfinger]

The subpar stats of the KM cast never really stopped me from using them. The problem is offering like 50 different classes (counting each archetype as something different). And then your companions cover maybe 20% of what's available. Only ways around that are to make mercs or to take a +1 ECL penalty on companions (no thanks)

No, in fact the KM companions were well set up to cover everything but Pal with the initial level (or two in Amiri's case) serving as a reasonable, value added splash.

There is no such thing as a reasonable splash for a pure caster class.

 

[Nano]

Nothing is worth being behind on caster level. Respec mod is mandatory if you don't agree with a companion's initial class choice.

 

[Cyberarmy]

At first campaing I'll be sticking to originals (probably). But for sure I'm going to "butcher" them to make better.

 

[Sarathiour]

I will probably stick to the thematic for each companion on my first playthrough, and eventually try something a bit more funky on subsequent one.

 

[catfood]

If the game offers you the possibility and you don't create your own full custom party you are actively contributing to the decline of RPGs.

 

[Yosharian]

Wrath companions are horrifically strong. The real challenge would be to make a player character that can compete with them.

I heard one of them comes with Medium Armour Focus and 10 DEX?

 

[Yosharian]

I love using companions, for example I always use them in BG2 because they make the game more interesting. Morgan, Edwin, Viconia, Sarevok... Great stuff. Even the meme companions are still fun.

Problem with Kingmaker is that I can't stand the companions in that game, with a few exceptions.

The fact that they are mechanically flawed is only half the problem. I mean, not all of them. But nearly all of them have some kind of annoying sub-optimal feat, subclass, stat distribution, etc.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

with a few exceptions.

Which?

 

[Yosharian]

with a few exceptions.

Which?

Jubilost is a real bro. Initially he's a bit annoying but I warmed to him a lot. I would probably use him if his feats weren't sub-optimal