how do you guys deal with sub optimal companions

[wei270]

after taking a more detailed look at the game i find that the companions this time around is coming with some pretty sub optimal archetype, that no only is not every strong by them self, also blocks of becoming prestige class because they are too said off the beaten path.

how do you people deal with the said shaman spirit hunter, Stigmatized Witch, and Ranger– Espionage Expert at the higher difficulties where you need to be optimal.

[Mork]

Well... i give myself some money and hire mercenaries. For the most part, they are just not strong enough for hard or higher. Especially with the new enemies AI who like to target the weakest party member at higher difficulty.

I have a feeling that the respect mod will be extremely popular...

[wei270]

ahh right i forgot you can just hire non companion because for the most part companions in kingmaker are actually decent except for that blonde chick.

[Immortal Reaver]

I keep Camilia as Spirit Hunter and give her 1 lvl of Fighter at lvl 4(early Heavy Armor gives her more AC but later DEX is better, is also good for better shields), she is great melee.
Arue, I do not use Arue, since Favored enemy - Demon and Outsiders is broken currently. Depending what they do with Favored enemy I am thinking to give her 12 Fighter levels (I use archers to kill mages and archers, so SA is useless otherwise Slayer is good too).
Character I have trouble with is Sosiel, he does not hit with his glaive but has low DEX so ranged combat for him is bad.

[wei270]

what is spirit hunters Brb? same as shaman?

[Immortal Reaver]

Originally posted by wei270:

what is spirit hunters Brb? same as shaman?

15BAB, same as shaman
Changes
+ Weapon Enchantment keeps her attack in line with martials early and gets weapon properties (speed, keen, flaming etc.)
+ Bane at 6th level
- Loses wandering spirit and hex

[wei270]

so not higher difficult material lol, well maybe this time it is different, because in kingmaker higher difficulty means if you tank dies you get party wipe the next term.

[TunnelKing]

Arue is gimped with FE not working properly. Camellia, and Ember have been very strong for me. Camellia is full divine caster, and exceptional as a frontliner, and Ember's Sleep Hex is strong as well. Shame about the lack of Haste in the Witch spellbook.

[Immortal Reaver]

Originally posted by wei270:

so not higher difficult material lol, well maybe this time it is different, because in kingmaker higher difficulty means if you tank dies you get party wipe the next term.

I use Cam at Hard and she is great as tank and buff caster, highest AC out of companions. She will be even better as tank when Second Spirit Mythic works.
Note after act 3 everybody has True Seeing, so after that Mirror Image and Invisibility will not work.

[Shinno]

Originally posted by Immortal Reaver:

Originally posted by wei270:

so not higher difficult material lol, well maybe this time it is different, because in kingmaker higher difficulty means if you tank dies you get party wipe the next term.

I use Cam at Hard and she is great as tank and buff caster, highest AC out of companions. She will be even better as tank when Second Spirit Mythic works.
Note after act 3 everybody has True Seeing, so after that Mirror Image and Invisibility will not work.

Honestly, I don't know how to use her as a tank... She has terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE, fortitude. So every disease will be the death of her especially later on.

[Immortal Reaver]

Originally posted by Shinno:

Honestly, I don't know how to use her as a tank... She has terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE, fortitude. So every disease will be the death of her especially later on.

Disease is least of your problem, it acts slowly. And there is Treat affliction and Remove disease spell that Camelia also has.
Poison of Dekrani and Negative Levels from Succubus are worse. Seelah has Divine Grace so +2 or +3 to fortitude more than Cam, so if you think Cam's is TERRIBLE, Seelah's is low, and nobody has moderate or high fortitude.

At level 4 give her Fighter level equip best Heavy Armor and shield, I think that gives her cca 35 AC at lvl 4 +3 AC if Fighting Defensively.

[wei270]

ok yeah 35 to 40 ac can do for a secondary font line character if she has decent hp.

[Marcos_DS]

Main Character
Lann: Monk 1/Drovier Druid x + Leopard
Seelah: Paladin 1/Crusader Cleric x + Leopard
Camellia: Spirit Hunter 1 /Skald x (letal+, bite, scent)
Nenio: Scroll Servant Wizard4/Rog1/AT10/Wizard5
Open Slot: Companion for quest (if not needed: Sosiel cleric x + Leopard)

Main Character is mostly tanking: Monk1/Pal2/Sor1/Vivisectionist16: CHA+DEX to AC, CHA to saves, immune to fire(item), acid, ice, poison, sleep, paralyze, sneak attacks, critical hits, ground effects (wings).

[Odude]

There's a companion build guide out there that's able to make most of them quite good.

https://www.neoseeker.com/pathfinder-wrath-of-the-righteous/builds/Lann

Of course Ember needs very little tweaking because she's OP as is.

[karinundmaedels]

If you don't like the builds of the companions, just throw them out or use the full respec mod to create your completely own builds. Can't say for sure if the respec mod is already completely bugfree, but it definitely will be at release.

[Kurosu]

Originally posted by Odude:

There's a companion build guide out there that's able to make most of them quite good.

https://www.neoseeker.com/pathfinder-wrath-of-the-righteous/builds/Lann

Of course Ember needs very little tweaking because she's OP as is.

Take the neoseeker builds with a grain of salt. They are made by InEffect , a guy that provided a ton of builds on Kingmaker release that ended up being theorycrafts. Most of them were literally impossible since feats etc were not available at listed levels ( the builds were made without actually being tested in game) + they were designed for max level , ignoring the facts that you need to actually play THROUGH getting to level 20 + you couldnt easily max level in Kingmaker and even so it would be just a bit before finishing the game.

Eventually they were corrected by the community, I guess the same will happen to WoTR as well .