Player's Handbook

Survival Guide

Roleplaying considerations

Basic combat knowledge may have come to any and all characters by listening to the tales of bards or old veteran adventurers, or from reading about or seeing military forces in action. Consider your individual character's background and play your character accordingly.

Leadership and Teamwork

Teamwork makes the difference between an average party and a great party. It will also raise your survival potential. Roleplaying involved in party formation will always be the deciding factor on who takes what role in a party. The player who leads in combat may not be the overall party leader, if the party has one; for example, a leader who is a non-fighter type may be complemented by a "war chief" to lead the party into combat. Other party functions include acting as a spokesperson for the party, scouting, or any other role that is deemed necessary. All are important. Teamwork also improves with experience, so don't expect a newly-formed party to do everything right.

Parties do best when they have a consistent approach to encounters -- who attacks first, where everyone should be located, etc. It should be agreed upon by all party members and can be as simple or complex as the party deems necessary. Also, a party will need different approaches to different situations. A standard dungeon room encounter is very different from a standard wilderness encounter, for example. A party should choose the approach that works best for it -- there is no "one true tactic" that always works.

Everyone in the party should know the role of everyone else in the party. To put this in the purest form, the fighters fight, the clerics heal and also fight when necessary, the casters do magic and the rogues deal with locks and traps. Therefore, any party member should be ready to call over somebody with more ability when needed.

Information

Whenever possible, gather as much information about your opponents as you can. There is relatively little you can do directly about a random encounter in the forest; but you can try and find out what types of creatures inhabit the forest before entering it. If you are going against a fixed target like a castle, dungeon, or wilderness camp, you can gather more information and will be much more effective if you know who and what you are facing.

You may get information about potential opponents from others in the game world -- PCs or NPCs. The first rule here is: ALWAYS CONSIDER THE SOURCE of the information. Talk to PCs and NPCs to get information, but assess how much you can trust or believe them. When possible, study an area on your own, as your own eyes/ears are often the best and most trusted source.

IV. Logistics

Otherwise known as "stuff." Simply put, this means get the things you need, make sure they work properly and have them with you. Taking a bow with no arrows can be a big mistake. Part of this may involve simple inventory arrangements, like figuring out who the strongest members of the party are and having them carry the heaviest items. Another point to consider is the benefits of having similar weapons. For example, if everyone uses bows, then the party can pool its arrow supply and share as necessary.

The most important things about logistics at the small party level is conservation of resources: You can only carry so much. Be careful with what you carry and use. This is NOT limited to arrows and potions, but also includes spells and other "consumable" items, like Barbarian Rage and other limited-use feats. Consider what you have, what you think you will need, and when you'll need it. Be judicious with what you have, but don't forget the rules of good role playing. For example, if a Barbarian's best friend is seriously hurt by an enemy, they would probably enter a rage, regardless of any other circumstances.

Another consideration is when to rest the group. Parties need to consider how well rested and ready each party member is. This should also be checked every once in a while during the course of the adventure, to ensure that everybody is still performing at a high level and is ready for any action needed in the next encounter (like fight or run).

Basic Principles

Here are some key basic principles that a party should keep in mind, regardless of setting (wilderness/dungeon/city):

1. Security is the first priority! Move and scout carefully, so you aren't surprised and overwhelmed. Have a good marching order that protects your weakest members, from both front and back. Scout far enough ahead to avoid having the main party ambushed.
2. Always initiate (hostile) contact with your most damaging weapon or spell, if the encounter is challenging. Similarly, be fully healed and prepared for any major battle. Trying to save resources by skimping on magic or healing in a challenging encounter may cost you your life.
3. Take out the leaders and strongest opponents first, if possible. Especially magic-using opponents, who are usually weaker physically but can easily damage or kill your entire party quickly; fight the summoner instead of their summoned creatures. Enemy clerics can keep their allies fighting for much longer than their normal endurance, as well.
4. Always have a way out, or a plan for retreat/regroup. Designate a fallback spot before progressing further into an area, so if you have to retreat it is orderly and as a group.
5. Know when to disengage and heal yourself. When you reach around 1/3 of your total HP is a good guide. For lower-HP classes such as wizards, especially at lower levels, disengage immediately if you are hit.
6. For major encounters, try to have a backup plan, or multiple options in your original plan, to take into account how the battle might go. Rarely do things go exactly how you want them to

Fighting Tips

1. If you are fighting multiple enimies back up in to a door or small path to only allow 1 at a time through. This will decrease the diffuculty of the battle and also gives you a clear escape path.
2. Prepare your characters quick slots before battle
3. Use a ranged weapon, especially at low levels
4. Don't be afraid to RUN

Don't neglect your AC

It's probably the most important item property. It stands for Armor Class, and the higher it is the less you will get hit. If your AC is higher than the enemy's attack roll, then they will miss. If they critical, they will hit, but it will be treated as a normal hit instead of a critical if your AC was higher than their roll.

Really Low Levels

• Get to level 2 with a training dummy.
• Buy a ranged weapon, run around like crazy alot and hope for the best.
• Try to form parties.

Low Levels

From around level 4 to 12 your AC can vary widely, and any class can achieve around 16 to 26 quite easily. Nearer 26-30 from levels 9-12.

Mid Levels.

From around 11 to 18, depending on your classes, 30-40 AC is easily achievable. Mages may be closer to 25-35, but this is what all that magic is for- it more than makes up for a mage's physical frailty. And near the higher end- rogues, bards, and monks can be closer to 45 if all skills are taken advantage of.

High Levels- 18-20+, and into epic levels

Around 18-20+ Mages can max around 36-40+ AC if all spells are taken advantage of. And of course it can be even higher if one takes certain secondary classes.

Bards, rogues, and monks can achieve anywhere from 45+ or on up past 50 or near 60 at these levels, depending on what skills and abilities were focused on.

The rest, fighters and druids etc, can max at around 40+. Or around 37- 45, depending on if you use a shield or not