Who is an Arty's best Friend (other than his dog) a question of duoing

[Failedlegend]

So I have never really gotten to far with a Melee I've just been too focused on my wizard (who is currently prepping for a TR) but I have a friend who really loves the new Arty (I don't blame her) shes going pure and human and uses xbows (as opposed to a single 1h weapon) she'll mostly be rear support so i'm looking to make a front line combatant to duo with her.

Currently I'm planning on a WF THF Barbarian to be a meat shield but I'm wondering if a specific class could handle being the front line combatant and synergize with the Arty...I've considered Fighter, Paladin and a Str/Con heavy Cha light warchanter bard I've even considered the DoS & SD sword & board types (Probably prefer DoS Pally w/ B-Sword if I go this route) but I think we might be lacking dps wise....all which are WF for obvious reasons.

Do you guys have any suggestions? I've never actually looked into the effectiveness of our builds before we just kinda of roll with it and if we don't like our character we both roll lvl 1 (or recently lvl 4) characters and play them until we catch back up to whatever level the person who enjoyed character is (ie. I ditched my WF FvS...just didn't play right for me)

I kinda like the Warchanter Bard but I think having to support characters will just end up getting us killed also I kind of want to avoid rolling another toon with 50 billion things to keep up my Monk and Wizard are there for when I want that...I'm not sure if Bard would be the same. Mind you i also don't want a toon that can hit auto-attack and go have a sandwich. Am I being too picky or is there a front line class that has a middle ground of things to click.



Things to Cover

Traps: Arty
Buffs: Arty (can hurt to have more though ie. Bard or Pally)
Healing: Arty (Any Class is good just be WF )
DPS:
Tank:

Anything missing?

[Geonis]

I would think a WF Warchanter THF would work pretty well, or you could go with a Tukaw type build. You will definitely want Haste and being able to heal yourself while still doing pretty good DPS is a big plus.

[Failedlegend]

I would think a WF Warchanter THF would work pretty well, or you could go with a Tukaw type build.

My 3 most likely builds are


- WF THF Pally18/Fighter2 (Not enough feats if pure) DoS that wields a B-Sword & Shield with the full thf line, shield mastery etc.

My worry being not enough DPS between me and the arty



- WF THF Barb 20...no explanation needed :P

My worry being I'll find it boring



- WF THF Warchanter Bard...probably pure and using masters touch until Tier 2 Warchanter.

My worry being he'll be too squishy and not enough DPS, also if I'll be able to hold aggro


Overall IF the DPS is enough for a S&B Pally and an X-Bow Arty to handle most non-raid content on Normal/Hard I'll probably go with that....anyone make a good Pally DoS build for post U11 yet?

You will definitely want Haste ( :P ) and being able to heal yourself while still doing pretty good DPS is a big plus.

Doesn't Arty have Haste?? or do Armor of speed and Haste stack?

[smeggy1384]

I'd look for some sort of TWF bard, the bard can sing songs and use the spell to give enemies a 20% miss chance. The skill song for disarming traps would be really nice on some of the tougher ones. Thw TWF part because of the arti weapon buffs, if its a two hander it adds 1-6 of whichever element, if its two weapons that 2-12 extra when both hit. That'd be my first choice for a leveling companion for my arti anyway.

[Failedlegend]

if its a two hander it adds 1-6 of whichever element, if its two weapons that 2-12 extra when both hit. That'd be my first choice for a leveling companion for my arti anyway.

Are you sure I've heard it only casts on the main hand weapon.

[smeggy1384]

Are you sure I've heard it only casts on the main hand weapon.

If thats the case equip off hand to main hand, buff, swap weapons.. buff.. charge

[Ravoc-DDO]

Only consider traps if you're splashing something with a working evasion.

[minic78]

Only consider traps if you're splashing something with a working evasion.

Are you talking to the OP or the arti? If the arti... well there's not much else to spend skills points on anyway.

[sebastianosmith]

I'd look for some sort of TWF bard, the bard can sing songs and use the spell to give enemies a 20% miss chance. The skill song for disarming traps would be really nice on some of the tougher ones. Thw TWF part because of the arti weapon buffs, if its a two hander it adds 1-6 of whichever element, if its two weapons that 2-12 extra when both hit. That'd be my first choice for a leveling companion for my arti anyway.

I'm currently running a warchanter THF bard created specifically to help a pair of atrys. The combination has thus far proved to be most effective and I've never in my life played a bard. The two classes appear to complement each other nicely. Healing become almost a non-issue as the artys apply layers of cybernetics.

[Asmodeus451]

the thing with the S&B Pally is this: yes your dps will be lower, but with the extra threat you will never lose aggro and with the defensive capabilities, your own self-healing and healing from the Arti, you will be almost unkillable

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Carry a two-hander on that THF pally. I'd recommend a Falchion. That'll solve most of your DPS worries XD
And just swap to shield when you absolutely need to.

[Failedlegend]

Here's what I came up with for the Pally and Bard ones

Human Paladin18/Fighter2

Str 16
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 8
Cha 14

1 Shield Mastery, Two Handed Fighting
2 B-Sword Prof
3 Toughness
4 Power Attack
6 Improved Shield Bash
9 IC: Slashing
12 ITHF
15 Combat Expertise
18 GTHF

Skills: Balance, Concentration , Intimidate, Use Magic Device, Jump

WF Bard 20

Str 16
Con 18
Int 10
Cha 14


1 Extend
3 WF: Slashing
6 Power Attack
9 THF
12 IC:Slashing
15 ITHF
18 GTHF

Skills: Balance, Concentration , Haggle,Perform, Use Magic Device, Diplomacy

[Luckness]

There's no reason to make your bard buddy squishy. Nor is there any real need to make it Warforged. I am leveling a first life human bard, and it has more HP than anyone but the well-geared fighters and barbarians when it joins groups.

It's being built Bard 16 / Fighter 4. The four levels of Fighter nets the build +1 damage, +1 strength, haste boost II, fighter toughness II, and two available feat slots. You lose +1 attack/damage for the rest of the party and some other odds and ends.

I've chosen the metamagic feat of Extend but have not really sold myself on taking the THF line or on more metamagic feats. I'm enjoying the survivability of stacking Toughness. The build gets 8 feats and 3 fighter feats. It is selecting Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Power Attack, Imp Critical Slash, Extend, and Toughness x6 as its feats. I plan to change out a Toughness feat or two for something else I feel I need, such as Quicken or Maximize, if I find that I do need something else.

One of the biggest benefits of going human on this kind of build is the human versatility / haste boost combo, which really complement each other (since you can stack them at the same time and thus mitigate the cost of activation time by sharing it). Getting an extra feat, skill points, and healing amp help too.

[Arraetrikos]

Tukaw build, could swap the 2 rogue lvls for something else, as u have arti for traps. Could go 16 sorc/2pally/2 FvS for scrolls with umd to heal the fleshy. and divine favoour spell. and nightshield.

[MeatSheild]

I'm currently lving a pure human arty (11 now with 12 banked). If I could go back and change some things with a partner in mind I think I would go helf w/ a rogue dil and take a partner with a multi-classed intim/hate tank (like the emerald or blitz build). Slap a blood docent (later a heal amp DT) on the dog and take any race for my partner (healing with pot spells), and call it a day. For those few quest where you actualy need evation for trapping (VoN 5 is the 1st thing that comes to mind) pug a rogue or grab a gold seal one (or if your completely against that two lvs of monk would do the trick and give a few feats).

Gameplay: Arty pulls and hurts/kills mobs while they are moving in. When they get close you intim them off and start to melee them down while the dog and arty get sneak att dmg and you are all in the same AoE affect for getting hit in the head by a heal pot (metas work on these). For quest where you have to split up healing hires should get you though.