Well I wouldn't say no to a section like that, but I understand if you don't want to.

Do you have any plans for any of the Varnhold's Lot npc's?

I don't really like the default ones and they contribute exactly nothing story-wise. I guess I can compile a decent party for Varnhold for those interested

Varnhold party.
First order of business, agree to take 3 losers sadistic owlcats suggest you play the campaign with and strip them down. Then hire people who will actually be of any use to anyone. This is a very micro intensive party to use efficiently. You’ve been warned.

Varn.
Is made to be there and look pretty. Don’t get him into any fights. Just right-click dazzling and let him be. It’s as useful as he can ever be.
Lvl6:CT>Dazzling, Lvl 7:Deceitful, Lvl 8: Observant, Lvl 9: Skill Focus: Perception

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Cephal.
Is there to provide mage armor, stat buffs, extended haste and occasional clouds. Buy cat's grace and haste for him. Summons are pretty whatever, but you can toss a few of those in.
Lvl 7: Greater Spell Focus: Conjuration, Lvl 9: Toughness

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General.

Role: Tank/DD
Race: Human
Alignment: LG

Stats:
Str: 7
Dex: 19 > 20@4
Con: 12
Int: 17 > 18@8
Wis: 7
Cha: 14

Final Build: Monk(Scaled Fist) 1 / Magus(Sword Saint) 7 / Fighter 1

Main skills: Mobility 3, Persuasion
Suggested secondary skills: Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(World), Stealth, UMD

Detailed leveling breakdown:
Lvl 1: Magus: Favored weapon: Falcata // Weapon Finesse // Slashing Grace
Lvl 2: Monk - Dodge
Lvl 3: Magus - Crane Style
Lvl 4: Magus - Arcane Accuracy
Lvl 5: Magus - Outflank
Lvl 6: Magus - Dazzling
Lvl 7: Magus - Crane Wing // Enduring Blade
Lvl 8: Magus
Lvl 9: Fighter - Weapon Specialization // Shatter Defenses

Spells: Shield, Reduce person(for the first few levels), Shocking grasp(spare), Mirror Image, Cat’s Grace, Haste, Displacement
Gear: Headband of int, Natural armor ammy, Cloak of the Lion, dex belt, Ring of protection, Ring of blur, Boots of creeping Doom, Wand of mage armor, Falcata +1(Lion’s Claw late)

Earlygame is the only place where dex builds are kinda tolerable, so we do that thing. Gets +2 int, dex, con, cha books.
Turn off perfect strike. Since it's low-level campaign we can't afford to keep perfect crit running at all times, so turn it on for big stuff. Right-click touch of fatigue and forget about it.

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Merc 1

Role: Support/Pest control
Race: Human
Alignment: Any

Stats:
Str: 7
Dex: 17 > 18 @8
Con: 12
Int: 7
Wis: 10
Cha: 19 > 20 @4

Final Build: Bard(Thundercaller) 9

Main skills: Mobility 3, Persuasion (max), Trickery(Max)
Suggested secondary skills: Perception(Max), Mobility/Stealth(spare)

Detailed leveling breakdown:
Lvl 1: Bard - Point-Blank Shot // Precise Shot
Lvl 2: Bard - Combat Trick > Weapon Focus: Heavy Crossbow
Lvl 3: Bard - Spell Focus: Evocation
Lvl 4: Bard
Lvl 5: Bard - Rapid Shot
Lvl 6: Bard - Combat Trick > Dazzling Display
Lvl 7::Bard - Lingering Song
Lvl 8: Bard
Lvl 9: Bard - Greater Spell Focus: Evocation

Spells: Cure Light Wounds, Remove Fear, Hideous Laughter, Unbreakable Heart, Heroism, Mirror Image, Sense Vitals, Glitterdust, Haste, Good Hope, Cure Serious, Displacement
Gear: Dex belt, Cha Hat, Heavy Crossbow. Extend Rod. AC doesn’t matter

This one does several things: sings, picks up the dazzling duty after Varn is gone and deals with the swarms. The latter is a sole reason why we go thundercaller instead of melee dirge bard. Also picks up cephals job of hasting the party. Cycles between all songs once you get lingering. Buy +4Cha hat before the last dungeon.

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Merc 2

Role: Off-Tank/Support/2nd DD
Race: Human
Alignment: Lawful-Any

Stats:
Str: 19 > 20 @ 4
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 7 > 8 @8
Wis: 14
Cha: 7

Final Build: Ranger(Freebooter) 6/ Monk(Traditional) 1 / Fighter 2

Main skills: Mobility 3, Perception(Max), Athletics
Suggested secondary skills: Stealth, Mobility

Detailed leveling breakdown:
Lvl 1: Monk - Crane Style // Dodge // Combat Reflexes
Lvl 2: Ranger
Lvl 3: Ranger - Menacing > Power Attack // Cleave
Lvl 4: Ranger
Lvl 5: Fighter - Outflank // Crane Wing
Lvl 6: Ranger
Lvl 7: Ranger - Cleaving Finish
Lvl 8: Ranger - Menacing > Shatter Defenses
Lvl 9: Fighter - Crane Riposte // Great Cleave

Spells: Lead Blades
Gear: Plate(Battlemaster late), Bardiche +1(flaming later) , Amulet of natural armor, Bracers of Deflection, Belt of atronach

Keep enlarged. Use cleaves when spending move actions on booter stuff. Gets bracers to keep shield up. Gets +2Str book. Ok AC to not be hit all the time. Just some of the time.

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Merc 3

Role: Support/CC
Race: Human
Alignment: Any neutral

Stats:
Str: 7
Dex: 13
Con: 13
Int: 7
Wis: 20>22
Cha: 14

Final Build: Cleric(ecclesitheurge) 9
Deity: Gozreh
Domains: Water, Animal
Pet: Leopard*
*simply because it only needs cat’s grace to both AC and AB/Damage

Main skills: Perception(Max)
Suggested secondary skills: Religion, Nature

Detailed leveling breakdown:
Lvl 1: Cleric - Point-Blank Shot // Precise Shot
Lvl 2: Cleric
Lvl 3: Cleric - Spell Focus: Conjuration
Lvl 4: Cleric
Lvl 5: Cleric - Boon Companion
Lvl 6: Cleric
Lvl 7: Cleric - Extend Spell
Lvl 8: Cleric
Lvl 9: Cleric - Greater Spell Focus: Conjuration

Spells:
Lvl 1: Magic Fang, Divine Favor, Remove fear*, Shield of faith
Lvl 2: Barkskin, Eagle Splendor(fo MC), Restoration(Lesser), Bear’s Endurance
Lvl 3: Stinking Cloud, Magical Vestment, Delay Poison(Communal)
Lvl 4: Slowing Mud, Animate Dead extended, Resist energy(Communal) extended, Archon’s Aura extended
Lvl 5: Slowing Mud extended, Vinetrap, Breath of Life, Protection From Energy extended

Gear: Headband of Mental Perfection any crossbow, Str belt(once you have dying wisdom. Dex prior to that), Dying wisdom, any crossbow.

Does cleric things, Picks up CC from Cephal. There for the sole reason of nymphs being cancer to deal with otherwise. Gets +2Wis Book.

What allows such high strength in this build over others? You also mentioned being frat starved...what are the absolute essentials? Power attack and shatter defenses? Outflank? I imagine this build is great with a fauchard and improved crit.

Frightful aspect+legendary proportions for str. Feats... ALL OF THEM. You will need dodge, imp unaramed, crane style, crane wing, focus, dazzle, shatter, outflank. and that's just the bare minimum

I think you're using the wrong PB for the varnhold mercenaries. (25 as opposed to 20)

Also, would it not be better to make the support bard a thug instead of a vivisectionist? Frees up some int, which is not put to any real use beyond getting a single lv1 infusion, and makes better use of his superior Dazzling

stats' I fixed. Was not paying enough attention to that. Also found a few typos and leftovers.
Vivisectionist is strictly better. You don't need things running around, but you could use 4 stats. If you want it you can take it. Doesn't change anything except him being even worse at hitting stuff and dazzling being annoying to use, considering it's a primary dazzler from the moment he gets to it.

9/10 times I agree with that, but the DLC has a few forced encounters where they shove all your squisihies into range for centaurs, and a botched diplo gets you set up for a TPK. Is nice for those scenarios, since a dead Varn means game over. Too bad you can't toggle that ability...

Speaking of that loser lord, what do you suggest doing with him to make him not suck as bad? Invulnerable Rager ala your nok-Nok? Vivisectionist and full defensive focus with shield "potions"?

Hey man, amazing work, thank you for all of the information, everything you put down is gold.

Could you please expand on an enjoyable build or development for the Two-Handed Fighter regarding the stats, feats, and other class levels down the line, possibly some alternative branches, preferably focusing on pure damage?
I'm very much interested in going two hander with glaive.

Thank you very much for your input.

Staff monkster and Mad Doge make some use out of it. Although it's important to note I mostly rated classes inside the base archetype so while 2HF is one of the better fighter subs he's not the best way to do a melee character. Or even a two-handed character for that matter.

That reminds me I probably should go back and redo the class evaluation with the current meta when I get back home.

Reaching lvl 20.

Apart form obvious "do all quests" there are a few things that can be done.

1.Shared exp off and smaller party. Not to everyone's liking, but that's an option. Proper party of 4 is more potent than a party of 6 once over-leveling kicks in.

2. Skill check abuse. Now that's where the meat is at. if you encounter some check that MC can do - go to options, turn off shared skill-check exp and grab all that exp for yourself. Your companions will catch up to your level if they ever leave your party for a short time and all of them will be pumped to your level once you reach the house at the end.

Most juicy Skills are Trickery(by the sheer volume of traps/locks) and Persuasion. What you need to know about the latter is the higher is the check the more exp you will get. A lot more. First big payday is at Armag's tomb if you go straight for that big intimidate option. That nets about 350k exp. Won't spoil others - just keep an eye out.
That is also a reason you should hoard +persuasion items and chocolate meal being the only useful food item in the game.

2nd option allows to reach lvl20 before house in a party of 6.

Not very complicated, but I thought it'd be a useful reference(and I got tired repeatedly explaining it).

I'm following the Elven Arcane Warrior build and I can't pick "Accomplished Sneak Attacker" at lvl 3 because Eldritch Scoundrel gets Sneak attack with Rogue lvl 3 and therefore I'm missing the requirement. Am I doing something wrong?

my bad. Forgot I shoved pally in there. fixed it.

Thank you for that. Allow me one silly Question. Since you listed 2 feats on lvl 3 and 5 but we can only pick one can we choose whichever? If that's a yes, which one would you recommend(the first one listed)?

Edit: Dazzling Display can't be taken at lvl 3 either since we lack the requirement of Weapon Focus.