Pathfinder: Kingmaker

[Vllad]

 I have been using auto-leveling so don't have some of the spells I wish I had access to by default.  

There is your problem right there. 

You can't have the AI choosing your spells, distributing your allocation points and adding your feats. You are begging to be destroyed. Your tanks probably all have feats that don't conjoin and your healers don't have enough healing power. 

Here are some recommendations:

*Pay close attention to your melee's conjoining feats. They get big bonuses to things if they are flanking each other or their targets. However they all have to share the same feats for it to apply with a few exceptions. I highly recommend Precision, direct damage and/or defense. 

*Make sure the weapons that characters have equipped that they actually have that weapon specialized. If you want to reduce missing, characters should only be swinging weapons they specialize in. Specializing in Martial weapons is not enough. You have to specialize in a very specific weapon. i.e., Great Sword, Bastard Sword, Hammer, etc. This takes multiple feats but worth it. 

*Make sure your healers get Conjuring Spell Focus. Yes, healing spells are Conjuring NOT Devine. 

*Tanks should carry a shield and wear heavy armor, they also need feats that support that. Shield makes a huge difference. Optimal tanks are clerics and paladins

*You need multiple healers, one doesn't cut it

*Make sure you are learning your spells before you rest, this is D&D and people forget that you have to pre-plan your spell use. If you want 3 heals, you have to memorize 3 heals. 

*Range fire guys need Point Blank Shot and they need to specialize in a specific bow before they start hitting regularly

*Combat casting feat and the feat that reduces armor impact to casting makes your caster A LOT more survivable


It could very well be your group mix, you should have enough characters that you find the right mix for your party. If it doesn't work go switch someone else out. I can assure you that the AI already FUBARed your characters, I don't even need to see them. If you use the vanilla party they are already not built optimally. I ended up using mercenaries for my party members in other games but they are ungoddfully expensive. 

So after my last loss when I restarted, I just ran through the starting portion and saved up 2k without leveling my character past level 1. Basically that is the opening shit plus a little big of Oleg's Outpost and the surrounding area. Then I took my cash and custom made 4 characters. When you buy a merc they start at the level you are currently on. On level 1 you can buy a merc for $500 gold. They start 2k exp behind you but in the long run that doesn't matter. This is how you build an adventuring party optimally. 

Finally, don't let the AI level your shit.