Party full of companions but one (SPOILERS)

[Dorok]

I was curious try a party with only companions but a character created. But I realized the game setup handicap to that approach.

The start with Angela is fine. Then I have the option to rush to Rails area, eventually after to have discover its location. The trick here to avoid any time troubles is not take the repeaters yet. But then I discovered I could only get Ralphy, and was far to be able get Scotchmo because of Charisma request. So I need do Highpool or AGC with 3 characters, but frankly at this point it's almost like with 2 characters because Ralphy would be rather weak during first levels.

Then getting Rose or VC should allow take Scotchmo. At this point I'll have 4 companions only.

So try play a party full of companions doesn't let much choices and is very limited during a long time. A rough plan is:
- Get Angela
- Get Rails location (optional) but not the repeaters.
- Go to Rails and get Ralphy.
- Get the repeaters, choose Highpool (to get VC for charisma and animal whispering for another charisma bonus).
- Get dog pet to VC (or Ralphy) for charisma +1
- At this point PC charisma 1 the party is charisma 12.
- So get back to Rails and get Scotchmo.
- Finish Highpool, AGC, Rails and get Chisel.
- Make Prison.
- Take Takayuki if possible but I have doubts, perhaps by collecting first many explosives.
- Make Canyon and take Takayuki if not done already.
- Then conclude Canyon to take Dan or Corran, Gary should be out of reach. But you need party charisma 18. That seems possible: Without counting PC, party is 14 charisma. If you get 1 trinkets with +1 charisma and both VC and Ralphy can pet a dog for a sum of +2 charisma then with PC only charisma 1 the party get charisma 18.
- Then either Dan or Corran will open the possibility of Pipezi.
- So at this point you should finally have a party of 7. PC, VC, Scotchmo, Chisel, Ralphy, Takayuki, Dan or Corran, and the option of Pipezi replacing another companion.

The only option I see is very limitative it's to have your single PC with higher charisma, Smartazz skill and get it to 5 and Radiant Personality perk as soon as possible to get Pipezi sooner.

Well another option is too weird for me, it's start with more PC and better party charisma and get Pipezi and even Takayuki (with a stronger party) sooner. And suicide some PC to open slots for recruits.

I admit I started try the plan I listed then get discouraged, not by difficulty, but by frustration of waiting too much to get a full party. I think the game should have open more such possibility, particularly because it would be cool for a replay with a difficulty a bit high because of less PC.

Did I miss any opportunities to increase party sooner with the base of only one PC?

[wendigo211]

Can't you just create a party of 4 rangers, let them die and replace them with companions? Assuming you make the three you want to replace with a 10 charisma, it should be easy to recruit whoever you want.

[Vardis]

You can recruit some of the rangers hanging around the citadel if you have less than 4 characters in your party.

[Sneaksie(RUS)]

I managed to clear Highpool with three characters if I remember right (main hero, Angela and another one from Ranger Citadel) with barely any skills (I wasn't sure what to upgrade). The last fight before the crane was tough, but a grenade can take out 3-4 of the enemies if you are lucky and they take cover near a center barricade, grouping neatly.

[Wlerin]

I feel like requiring a high charisma PC for this is logical. It's the only way to explain how a single person could manage to convince so many others to follow him (as opposed to a team convince a couple of additional characters to join).

[Dorok]

Originally posted by wendigo211:

Can't you just create a party of 4 rangers, let them die and replace them with companions? Assuming you make the three you want to replace with a 10 charisma, it should be easy to recruit whoever you want.

I wrote it in the long post, it's very weird, but yeah much more simple is start with 2 character with one with 10 Charisma and eventually Smartazz. And later let him die.

Originally posted by Vardis:

You can recruit some of the rangers hanging around the citadel if you have less than 4 characters in your party.

I was expecting it but nope they only replace a dead PC.

Originally posted by Sneaksie(RUS):

I managed to clear Highpool with three characters if I remember right...

Yeah it's most probably quite doable, I only find tedious to play a long time with a small party, not worthing it for me.

Originally posted by wlerin:

I feel like requiring a high charisma PC for this is logical. It's the only way to explain how a single person could manage to convince so many others to follow him (as opposed to a team convince a couple of additional characters to join).

It doesn't help me, and I don't care of that sort of realism, for me it would have been much better to have open more the approach I describe in OP.