I want to write a relatively short post to give a rundown on which NPC’s are potentially the most valuable to you in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. I am going to minimize spoilers as much as I can. There are over a dozen NPC’s recruitable in the game, so you can put together a party that will complement almost any PC build you have. This post is for those who want an unfair-viable party, or for those who want some general guidance. Several party members can be customized a great deal, especially the ones you encounter at the beginning of the game, but I will assume a player will build them as they are generally intended to be built.
There is a paladin that–unless you are playing an evil-aligned PC or a paladin yourself–you should frankly want in your party. Seelah is pretty awesome (here is her build). Do yourself a favor and give her a horse, mounted combat is very powerful in WotR. Smite Evil, Mark of Justice, and the spells Aura of Greater Courage and Bestow Grace are just a few reasons you want her. I will also say that ‘tank’ NPCs are very few and far between. Finally (and in this kind of epic game it shouldn’t come as a surprise) there is a Holy Avenger available. Nuff said.
The second party member is encountered right at the beginning. She uses a brand new archetype for the game: the Spirit Hunter Shaman. Depending on how you build her Camellia can be a tank, she can dual wield if you want, and is a full caster (here is her build). She also has access to hexes, which is terrific. Evil Eye, Fortune, Protective Luck, these are invaluable buffs and debuffs any party can utilize, and they all come in one character. She can use Fortune or Protective Luck between combats and extend them up to last several minutes by spamming Chant. If you don’t like Camellia, simply take Ember (here is her build) who is great with hexes.
The third party member is a cleric, Sosiel (here is his build). Clerics have a terrific spell list, but his real power comes from added domains. The mythic ability Impossible Domain gives him multiple domains. In addition to the two from his god he can gain access to others such as Animal (for a pet), Community (for the OP guarded hearth ability), Nobility (for Inspiring Command), and Madness (for the unstoppable Visions of Madness). If you don’t like him, Daeran is another good divine support option.
The first three NPC’s are wonderfully synergistic and powerful party members that can work miracles for you and the rest of your party. They can be a cornerstones for any party. The following members I think are great, but it’s more up to you.
I recommend at least one ranged martial character. Wenduag, Lann and Arueshalae are all ranged party members, and any of them can be great. All three are made to work very well, and all can take the wonderful Distracting Shots mythic ability which supports your melee party members. Wenduag (I recommend letting her throw axes) and Lann (I recommend making him a mounted archer as a Demonslayer Ranger) are available right from the beginning so they are the most customizable; one is more aligned for ‘evil’ parties and another for ‘good.’ My personal favorite is Arueshalae, whom you can influence either way, and she also has strong rogue skills. The downside is you don’t encounter her until later in the game, and you can’t customize her as much. You can’t go wrong with any choice here.
There are lots of good candidates for the final party member. One that may be a little surprising is the oracle Daeran. He offers additional divine support, which is great especially if your party has a lot of pets to buff as well as party members. It’s much easier to buff everyone with two divine casters, and he’s also a good pick if you aren’t interested in Sosiel. Be aware however, Daeran is evil. Just give him a crossbow and take the second mystery Nature to pick up a rideable pet.
Another great option for the final party member is Nenio. Playing an arcane caster PC is a great option but if you aren’t interested, Nenio is someone who can work well and always make a contribution. She’s built to be a crowd-control caster and can insta-kill with illusions. I recommend 10 levels as her archetype then 10 levels as the Loremaster Prestige Class. She can use the awesome Quarterstaff of the War Mage and there is even a martial weapon for her, the Death’s Consonant bardiche. If you aren’t interested in her Ember makes a good substitute, just stick with her witch class.
There is a rogue available to you in the game, but while he can be okay (especially if you build him as a Vivisectionist) in my opinion you are better off simply selecting another character and maxing out their Trickery skill. Feel free to use him to make infusions for the whole party.
Alright, while there are multiple NPCs and I’ve covered several of them, know there are several more out there and all are viable. Some simply take less work and offer more to the average party than others. If you generally follow my suggestions for party members, you’ll see there are PC’s that can cover most any role in the party. For those interested in detailed build guides for any NPC, please leave a comment below.
Some general build recommendations for NPC’s that deviate from their class:
Nenio: Take 10 levels of her archetype, then 10 levels of Loremaster for the awesome secrets
Woljif: Build him as a vivisectionist. It’s a straight upgrade
Regill: Make him a Fighter/Armiger
Greybor: Give him kukris and dual wield is my recommendation
There is one role, however, that is entirely unavailable from the story NPC’s, and that will be the subject of my next power build.