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Having actually run a session with only two 15th level characters, a wizard and cleric combo should work well. In my case, the wizard was a conjurer, allowing him to spam the board with critters. Nothing makes a better trap finder than summon monster I creatures, BTW. And look carefully at the spelllike abilities of the higher level summons - you have healers, diviners, trackers, and several other support rolls ready for short term use.
The cleric was a battle cleric of Gorum. He had the buffs to melee, and could heal as needed.
On a side note, if you haven't run a character of 15th level, you will need to do your homework. A character of this level, especially spellcasters, have a frightening large range of options. I really don't recommend playing one without leveling them via adventuring. It will be difficult to understand their capabilities without seeing them develop over time.
iike trapsmith ranger 1/wizard 5/ EK 10/ AA4 as a character. it fufills 3 roles. you can disarm traps, deal pysical damage with a bow, and cast spells for support and control.
for the second character i would suggest either a synthsist summoner, paladin (my first choice) or battle cleric/oracle for the front lines.
Master Summoner and a Paladin, Ranger, Cavalier/(Spellcasting class with Cure), Magus, or Druid(maybe it has been a while)
These would be what I would pick from. Master summoner for both a Buffer and a Skill monkey Eidolon. Alongside the ability to spam Simminent Monster SLAs.
Then a primarily combat focused character that can preferably heal.
And a fire spell as far as I know won't work for pyrotechnics in anyway.
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Race-
Human
-Classes-
Fighter (Lore Warden) 14/ Monk (Monk of the Four Winds / Monk of the Sacred Mountain) 4/ Shadow Dancer (Prestige Class) 2
-Stats-
STR 14 (+6 magic item) = 20
DEX 16 (+4 leveling)(+6 magic item) = 26
CON 15 (+2 racial)(+1 leveling) = 18
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 08
-Saves-
fort 22
ref 22
will 13
ac 47 (+5 combat expertise)(+3 fighting defensively) = 55
touch 24 (+5 combat expertise)(+3 fighting defensively) = 32
flat-footed 29
to hit with unarmed attacks with weapon finesse 26 (-4 combat expertise)(-1 fighting defensively) = 21
-Traits-
Threatening Defender
-Feat / Level Progression-
F01) Shield Focus, Combat Reflexes, Stand Still
F02) Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse
M03) Elemental Fist, Dodge, Crane Style
M04) Toughness, Deflect Arrows
F05) Missile Shield
F06) Crane Wing
F07) Saving Shield
F08) Bodyguard
F09) Crane Riposte
F10) Greater Shield Focus
F11) Disruptive
F12) Spellbreaker
F13) Pin Down
F14) Ray Shield
F15) Draconic Defender
F16) Mobility
M17) Monastic Legacy
S18) NONE
S19) Deepsight
M20) NONE
-Magic Gear-
Bracers of Armor(+8)
Heavy Shield (+5 Arrow Catching, Arrow Deflection)
Ring of Protection (+5)
Ring of Regeneration
Amulet of Natural Armor(+5)
Belt of Physical Might (+6 str / +6 dex)
Cloak of Resistance (+5)
-Tanking Method-
Fight with ur other character standing behind u since any thing that enters ur threaten area will not be able to exit ur threaten area via Stand Still and Pin Down as well all incoming missile attacks would veer towards u via Arrow Catching. When making an attack action fight defensively and use combat expertise to up personal ac and grant 1 adjacent party member a natural armor bonus equal to the dodge bonus from combat expertise and fighting defensively via Draconic Defender. Use AoO to grant aid another ac to an adjacent party member via Bodyguard and an immediate action grant shield bonus via Saving Shield. Negate 1 melee attack, 1 ranged spell attack, and 3 ranged missile attacks a round via Crane Wing, Ray Shield, Deflect Arrows, Missile Shield, and Arrow Deflection.
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Id advise a Magus (Kensai) 1/ Rogue 3/ Master Spy prestige class 1/ Fighter (Lore Warden) 15. Focus on using a whip which u will get free from Magus. Feats u get for free are Weapon Focus and combat expertise. Feats i suggest to pick up are Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Lunge, Improved Trip, Greater Trip, Whip Mastery, Improved Whip Mastery, Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Specialization, Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes, Intimidating Prowess, Dazzling Display, and finally Shatter Defenses. The class and feat combos will make u the most deadly melee combatant on the field. As a full round attack u will be able to intimidate all enemies in a 30ft radius using both str and cha that will grant the normal demoralize effects that all allies get to take advantage of but it also make them all flat footed to u as well. U will b then able to make a 20ft aoe whirlwind attack with ur whip that will apply sneak attack damage. On single or few number of target u will b able to do 7, 9 if both whips have the speed enchant, trip attacks that will provoke an AoO for u and any allies that are standing near them when they fall prone as well when they get back up. Also performing the trips on enemies means the less attacks they get off since it take a move action to stand up leaving them only a standard and swift action to take advantage of.
Psion spoilers are your friend when posting builds.
Though they seem solid.
Can't a wizard or summoner use spells to counter traps? (summoned creatures for pressure plates, knock for doors, maybe open/close.. Shouldn't be many chest openings since its a one time delve.)
Since there's a LOT of gold (that I can totally spend on limited wish or similiar, and wands of CMW, meta magic wands, etc in a efficient quiver)
I love the SLA's of summoned monsters. Think a level 15 druid could be a decent tank at level 15 and backup heal?
Would a quickened fire spell work as the flame required for pyrotechnics?
I'm set on the wizard, but unsure on the melee... Thinking a summoner would really help with control. ie, "Boss, theres a herd of dinosaurs on the left and a shiny colorful wall on the right. What do we do?"
a shaped druid might do more damage (stegosaurus shift for trip, vital strike, improved vital strike, cleave, greater cleave), and can summon almost as well... (natural spell, summon natures ally, summoning boost feats)
the one advantage of having trapfinding, is that you cannot see a magic trap, or disarm it, without having detect magic active at all times. so if you have a gm who likes to have runes and sigils as traps, trap finding will come in handy.
One TWF with keen rapiers, one THF with a scythe, and the feat butterfly sting
First of all what type of campaign is this going to be. If you are fighting a lot of undead and evil outsiders then a Paladin would rock, but if you are doing mostly in a city with lots of investigations and social encounters then maybe not.
Since you have only two characters both will need to cover multiple roles. You will probably want at least one skill monkey which to me means Bard, Inquisitor, or Ranger. All of them have their strong points. You will probably want some sort of healing even if you don't have a dedicated healer so to me that would be Alchemist, Cleric, Inquisitor, Paladin, or Witch. You will also want some sort of full caster which would mean Cleric, Druid, Oracle, Sorcerer, Witch, or Wizard. At least one of the characters should be competent in both melee and ranged combat.
Without knowing the details of the campaign I would probably say an Inquisitor with either a Sorcerer, Witch, or Wizard would probably cover all bases. Human works well for spontaneous casters like Inquisitor and Sorcerer.
Although if you are using the ARG the Spell Binder archetype for an elf wizard is very good. Take a Teleport specialist and for your bonded spells chose summon monster at every level. Make sure you get augmented summoning and you can swap out any spell for an equivalent summon monster.
I'd go with an Inquisitor and Archeologist Bard. With this you get arcane and divine spells up to 6th level covered. The Inquisitor is awesome in combat and the bard is a good in combat. The Bard covers the Traps and the Inquisitor can help in the department. Both are 6 skill point classes so your skills will be covered. That is just my opinion. Lots of other valid combos.
Mounted Wild Caller or standard Summoner with Eldritch Heritage feats (Orc Bloodline)
and
Master Summoner with her eidolon tricked out as a scout/pocket rogue
Although ideally for this, both would be half-elves... perhaps twins, manifesting similar though slightly different abilities?
You'll have healing, tanking, buffing all in spades and offensive firepower to take on ANY threat. If you want builds for either, hit me up.
I'd go with an Inquisitor and Archeologist Bard. With this you get arcane and divine spells up to 6th level covered. The Inquisitor is awesome in combat and the bard is a good in combat. The Bard covers the Traps and the Inquisitor can help in the department. Both are 6 skill point classes so your skills will be covered. That is just my opinion. Lots of other valid combos.
Both of those are good characters but there is a little too much overlap. And while the bard does get arcane spells he does not have much in the way of summoning or direct damage spells. The bard is also a little light on the combat ability, where the Inquisitor has a lot of ways to boost his combat. A witch would has summoning and some direct damage spells, as well as little bit of almost everything. Hexes also mean she will always have something to fall back on.
The biggest problem with a group this small is going to be encounters with multiple foes. In a normal party the PC's usually have multiple actions per round. With this one unless leadership and, or summoning is used they are going to be very easy to overwhelm. The Druid the OP mentioned may also work well with the inquisitor. Having arcane spells is not as important as having a deep selection of spells and abilities.
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If I was doing this I'd make a orc barbarian, and a aasimar synthesist.
the orc I'd go pure invulnerable rager, take the orc feat trap smasher and top out perception on him, get the regen of regen if you can as well.
lvl 15, you would have around 20 evolution pool, (and dr of 7/evil)
With the monk splash you add wisdom to ac, and you keep dragon style and snake style up at all times. with skill boost evolution your sense motive should be very high at that point. Pick up immunities, or just keep evoution surge available to cast it and give yourself an immunity to whatever you're fighting.
Drop some fast healing on it as well, and you're pretty set.
A Wizard(Conjurer) & an Inquisitor/Ranger switch hitter would be a nice combo.
Brilliant Radiance?
Efficient quiver of wands... I like it. Might want to add Returning to the Javelin. Conjuration School IIRC adds stuff for summon based wizards.
Druid... I can't speak on.
If you want a summoning Wizard an elf with the spellbinder archetype is probably the strongest. The main reason is you take summon monster for you bound spell at each level. This way you have the same flexibility at summoning as a druid. Go with the teleport sub school for the extra time for on your summons and the ability to teleport away from danger. Augmented summoning is a must have for this build, and superior summoning would also help.
The one problem you are going to have is permanent ability damage and negative levels. The druid can use wands of cure light wounds and heal will pretty much take care of everything else. Just make sure to have a couple of heal scrolls.
Leadership for both characters would be a good idea. An inquisitor and a bard would probably be best. The Inquisitor can fill in the healing of ability damage and negative levels as they have access to restoration. A inquisitor is also pretty good in a fight with judgments and bane. With all the summons you will have going on inspire courage is going to be very helpful. That will also cover any skills you need that your characters don't have.
I am thinking Returning for when you need the extra range and/or run out of uses of Hand of the Apprentice.
If we're talking summoning, why has the Master Summoner archetype for the Summoner not been mentioned? Why have some of the summons? You could have ALL OF THE SUMMONS!
If we're talking summoning, why has the Master Summoner archetype for the Summoner not been mentioned? Why have some of the summons? You could have ALL OF THE SUMMONS!
4th Post I mentioned the MS. The thing is it is a little to focused for his needs.
+1 to Mysterious Stranger for mentioning the Leadership feat. This would let you build a skill monkey and/or party buffer to support your Shifter Druid/God Wizard combo. WIth 42 points each, you can really make amazing characters. To answer your previous question, you gain +1 stat every 4 levels, so each of your characters would have three +1's to use.
Since to be really effective at 15th level you'll need heavy spell casting, consider spending 2 500g for each character you build on a Ring of Sustenance. These babies prevent tedious ration tracking, and change your rest time to 2 hours(from usual 8) for your casters.
Any other advice I can offer would be optimization stuff, and would depend on your character's builds and any details about the campaign world/adventure you can provide. Don't be stingy =D
Seconded!