Best WF Duo with an Arcane Trickster

[Nodoze]

I took one of the forum builds for an Arcane trickster (WF Wizard with a rogue splash for traps) so that it would be a good solo character. Good CC, WF healz, buffs, wizard stuff, etc.

I now want to duo that with another character to do most content and figured another WF would be good for synergy.

My lack of creativity came up with "if one arcane trickster is good then why not two" but then I started thinking that having two of the same would be a waste.

I hoping to get a few suggested WF builds that would be good to duo together with the Arcane Trickster.

[Gol]

when building a 2 man team, a few things are important (IMO):
1) being able to res each other
2) limited functional gaps
3) independent self healing
4) independent survivability

That said, you can obviously do #1 if you invest any skill points in UMD via Raise Dead scrolls, and you have the arcane buffs/CC and traps covered.

So, you need to review the gaps/needs:
1) DPS
2) Agro management
3) self healing and survivability

I'd personally recommend 1 of 2 things:
1) TWF Pure Paladin
2) THF Barb 18 / Rog 2 with UMD

[Nodoze]

when building a 2 man team, a few things are important (IMO):
...I'd personally recommend 1 of 2 things:
1) TWF Pure Paladin
2) THF Barb 18 / Rog 2 with UMD

Gol, First of all THANKS. You always put some thought into your posts and it is appreciated. I remember you from 2006 when I played back when the level cap was 10 and glad you are still here and active and helping others.

I should have said up front that our DUO of a Drow TWF Pure Paladin & 32pt pure FvS human healer DUO are on hold due to waiting for the patch fix for +2 Int tomes...

Being that we already have a "fleshy duo", I really want this to be a "WF duo".

Being that I already have a pure TWF Paladin, for filling the DPS gap you aptly pointed out, I was thinking of doing one of the following to duo with my Arcane Trickster:

- The Monster (Fgt12/Rng 6/Mnk2);
- The Hurtlocker:13Rogue/6Paladin/1monk);

My arcane trickster is a 28point still fairly low level so I will likely reroll it as 32 with veteran status. I am kinda leaning toward increasing my stealth on my re-rolled "Arcane Trickster" & Going with "The Hurtlocker" so we have the option of DUO WF stealth runs.

I realize that "The Hurtlocker" is fairly end-game focused but I am fine with leveling over time & like the idea of him being viable end game. My hope is that even without the "uber gear" he can still fill the "self-sufficent DPS/aggro" gaps.

Do you think this is valid reasoning or am I in left field?

[Thanimal]

I think Gol nailed the criteria, and the build I'd recommend as the complement is my very own Hate Monster.

Been doing a lot of soloing with him and he has good DPS and fabulous survivability. He also has a variety of aggro control options, and is more suitable to being the lone meleer than Hurtlocker because he doesn't care about Sneak Attack status.

I've actually often though about how uber I would feel with a WF Wizard tagging with me!

In fact, I've convinced my wife to roll a Hate Monster, with me on a Wizard (I'm going Monk splash and we'll just run traps -- I do that on HM anyhow and that's without somebody to Repair me afterward). I really think this is gonna be a sick duo that can take on just about anything in the game.

[Gol]

I think the Hurtlocker is managable, but with just the 2 of you, you'll almost never get sneak attack damage until you get a radiance 2 weapon - that's a really long time to wait. Rogues also have the "d6" problem as I like to call it. Leads to frequent ingame "ding" noises.

The Monster build is also good, but you're going to be restricted to clicky-based raising (Ring of the Ancestors, Shroud items). And with no UMD or high-level LoH, you're not really self healing either. As a WF, you're actually restricted to potions. That's fine for a long time, but expensive (and for me, not fun, but ymmv).

For a 2-man team where the other guy is a squishy caster, somebody has to absorb the beating. At the risk of sounding repetitive, go for a d10 (or d12) HP class, and splash Rogue 2 for UMD, Intimidate, and Evasion.

[Nodoze]

Thanks for the good inputs... Head swimming after reading your posts and the full Hate Monster thread & related threads...

I was really liking the idea of being able to duo on stealth runs together to bypass stuff and focus on objectives. I can let stealth go if not possible but thought I should ask:

Any possible way to put stealth into the HM without giving up to much?

If not, anyone have a build with 2rogue splash that includes stealth to be workable as the main melee in a duo?