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So me and my wife are going to be playing in a friends game soon and I had the thought of playing a husband and wife duo, fighter and wizard. We are still talking about it but I wanted to see what others thought about this idea.
I was thinking that the fighter would specialize in more defense combat and act like a shield for the wizard, while still being competent in combat of course. They would use a warhammer and large steel shield and would have a tower shield strapped to their back so that they can pull it out to provide cover for themselves and the wizard when needed.
The wizard would specialize in the transmutation (enhancement) school and have a combination of offensive and buff spells to both augment the fighter and be able to attack from a range.
So what do others think of this idea? Is it a good idea and would it be worth trying or should we go a different way with this?
So me and my wife are going to be playing in a friends game soon and I had the thought of playing a husband and wife duo, fighter and wizard. We are still talking about it but I wanted to see what others thought about this idea.
I was thinking that the fighter would specialize in more defense combat and act like a shield for the wizard, while still being competent in combat of course. They would use a warhammer and large steel shield and would have a tower shield strapped to their back so that they can pull it out to provide cover for themselves and the wizard when needed.
Look at the Phalanx fighter archetype from APG, one handed polearm use defensively is great for this idea.
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Also look at the Stand Still Feat. Works great for keeping people from running past you into your Wizard/Wife.
Down the road, you Might want to look at the Stalwart Defender prestige class from the Advanced Players guide as well.
I was waiting for this to happen. You assumed I was the fighter and my wife was the wizard, but we haven't decided who will be who. LOL. I knew someone was going to assume this at some point.
So far all the suggestions have been great. I don't think we will be getting past the first few levels with these characters because the friend in a new GM that I am helping to learn how to GM and he is just doing a single module for now to see if it is something he will want to do.
But again I do like the suggestions and I do love planning my character like this so they are all things that I will consider. But is there any suggestions for the wizard, or is the build already good enough, LOL.
The bodyguard and in harm's way feats from the APG would be good ideas. Working in tripping somehow could be good too. There are a few teamwork feats in the APG that wouldn't be a horrible idea either.
Might want to consider paladin instead of fighter, for healing and saves. The defensive archetype with the shielded caster teamwork feats could be interesting, methinks.
For the wizard I would suggest versatility first and foremost. Investing in item creation to give the more martially bent hubby/wife some potions and later on, have their armor and weapon up to par seems like a viable way of thinking. Since you only have to craft for two, you should be able to get more out of it.
But is there any suggestions for the wizard, or is the build already good enough, LOL.
I am also playing an arcane trickster and have lots of fun with it and the use of partial cover from a tower shield in front of you to stealth. A spell sneaker would be awesome in this pairing.
Perhaps instead of Wizard look at the Witch. You get more healing options that way. Witches get lots of nice buffs and crowd control spells as well.
Hopefully she doesn't take it personally if you offer her the Witch class.
I think having your wife be the fighter would shake things up really nicely.
For the meat shield, Fighter is good, but IMHO, Paladin has more defensive options, and with things like bonded weapons and holy magic, it could work out well, especially with things liek Lay on Hands and the like. As far as the Wizard goes, Transmutation is a good specialization, but I'd also look at Conjuration (flanking bonuses for the meat-shield), Abjuration (nothing spoils a fighter's day like an enemy spellcaster), and Evocation (Fighter's a happy fighter when s/he sees 6 enemies closing in and only 1 reaches him/her). But one thing I can say is that the classes are pretty well balanced. It won't matter really what you're playing, I'm sure you'll have fun with it.
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One thing I noticed though. Having a Wizard buff your Fighter is always awesome, but remember that if your job is protecting the Wizard, then all the wizard is doing is buffing you so that you protect her more so she can buff you more etc.
Having buffs is nice, don't get me wrong, but if you are going to truly go for a defensive approach, you may want to consider having the wizard have a different focus (Enchantment is great for smaller groups) and just make sure she prepares some Transmutation spells to keep you nice and buff.
I think having your wife be the fighter would shake things up really nicely.
Also, you could have your character be the wife and your wife's character be the husband.
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Yeah, I have thought about other classes like Paladin and Cavalier but the reason I went with Fighter is cause of the fact that I don't plan on this going much beyond 1st or 2nd level since it is just a test run for a new GM. I figured the bonus feats would help out a bit more than the 1 or 2 special abilities the other classes get at 1st level.
Thinking about it Transmutation (Enhancement) might not be the best school specialization. After reading the school abilities I was thinking Abjuration, Conjuration (Creation), or Evocation.
We are still deciding who will be the fighter and who will be the wizard, and also who will be the husband and who is wife.
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My top pick for the duo you want.
Paladin (Hospitaler, and Warrior of the Holy Light Archetypes.)
Witch (Pick up one to two level of rogue. One level rogue skills, Two levels evasion.)
This lets you cover healing (Paladin, and Witch), Melee (Paladin), Arcane Casting (Witch), Traps (Witch), and Socal Skills (Paladin).
So you are now a party of two that can cover almost any thing.
Primary Abilitys Paladin (Melee, Healing) Witch (Arcane Spells). Secondary Abilitys Paladin (Socal Skills) Witch (Healing, Traps).
I'd go with fighter, ranger(guide), barbarian or paladin and witch.
The hex will be very helpful at this level and give the witch something to do without using spells, could even pick up a second or third up by using feats. Also the witch can use hexes through her familiar, which might be useful to economize move actions.
The ranger(guide) has some nice skills, better saves and has an ability that swaps out favored enemy for a more generally useful ability to use in tough fights, at 2nd level you still get a bonus feat, ofcourse armor is a bit limited but might make for versatility if you got a decent dex and strength, with a ranged weapon as back up. If you get high enough you can get a Giant Space Hamster named BOO as an animal companion.
Fighter, obvious solid choice with proper feats and good AC if you can afford fullplate.
Paladin, can have pretty decent saves, smite evil and solid ac if you get fullplate, with a little healing, if the witch has the healing hex that might be all your party needs to get by between the two of you, or are at least self supporting.
Barbarian is probably the hardest hitter at this level, when raging, with fast movement and bonus on will saves when raging and decent skills, you might go berserk if they attack 'your witch', possibly mixed with ranger, for a versatile combatant and proper saves.
Fighter and Wizard is the best, because it is so iconic. Get the wizard to focus in evocation, so s/he can make up for the damage the fighter isn't doing (also blaster casters are always fun). Choose some touch attacks as well, if the fighter has to engage someone in melee, the wizard can move to the side of the fighter, touch attack, and 5 feet back to get out of harm again, and if the fighter has stand still the enemy can't pursue.