2-player combos

[Specter]

There is exhaustive discussion here on how to improve one character, but what about strategies that can work with 2 characters? Here are some I thought of:

Flaming Machinegun
Caster (druid/sorc/wizard) uses Flame Arrows on his ally. The ally (ranger/swift quiver) makes all his attacks with +4d6 rider damage, plus hunter's mark for an extra 4d6 damage.

Assassin & Spotter
Mastermind uses help action at range of 30 feet to give advantage to melee rogue. Both rogues get their sneak attack, and the melee rogue (sentinel) keeps the ranged one protected.

Invisible Smasher
Caster uses Greater Invisibility on melee smasher (anyone with GWM). They get advantage to hit all attacks under -5, and enemies have disadvantage on all attacks against the melee guy.

Dump yours, I'll add more later.

[retaliation08]

I like the combo of one ally casting create bonfire in front of his war caster ally. The war caster uses lightning lure and has booming blade for his reaction OA.

Simple but effective.

[Specter]

I like the combo of one ally casting create bonfire in front of his war caster ally. The war caster uses lightning lure and has booming blade for his reaction OA.

Simple but effective.

Or Sentinel ally. That way they stay in the fire again and again.

[Eko]

2 Wolf barbarians, granting one another advantage.

[The Ship's dog]

Lightning fast duo

Monk/Fighter Battlemaster and a Storm Sorcerer/Warlock

Sorcerer casts Twinned Haste on themselves and the Monk and fly's into the air 10 feet without an AoO. Then they Quicken an EB and cast more EBs, one of them Quickened. Monk goes in and starts using flurry of blows with a Quarterstaff, proccing Extra Attack on all of their attacks and using Manoeuvres to change the battlefield, they do this with Action Surge and Haste, meaning that they get a potential 3 extra turns in which they can zip around the battlefield dealing massive damage whilst being supported by a flying Sorcerer who is casting things like Fear and Metamagicked EBs with Haste.

[joaber]

Pholymorph + desitegrate.
Monk stun, auto fail in dex and str saves, lore master wizard can change save.

Any AoE with a melee with sentinel or grappler

[Oramac]

Divination Wizard casts Hold Person on the big bad, forcing a failed save.

Tempest Sorcerer maximizes a Chromatic Orb against said bad guy while in melee range.

Advantage on the attack and an automatic critical for max damage = a very angry (if not dead) bad guy.

[solidork]

The old favorite is jumping through hoops to allow your Rogue to use their reaction to make an attack. So, force opportunity attacks, Commander's Strike.

[Specter]

Yet another one: The Fatality

- Have all party members ready their attacks (or spells with attack rolls) to go off after the caster casts a spell.
- Have a caster (AT, EK, Sorcerer) cast Hold Person.
- The other party members crit on all attacks, dropping (most) enemies in pieces.

The caster suggestion is because these guys can impose disadvantage on the save.


Lightning fast duo

Monk/Fighter Battlemaster and a Storm Sorcerer/Warlock

Sorcerer casts Twinned Haste on themselves and the Monk and fly's into the air 10 feet without an AoO. Then they Quicken an EB and cast more EBs, one of them Quickened. Monk goes in and starts using flurry of blows with a Quarterstaff, proccing Extra Attack on all of their attacks and using Manoeuvres to change the battlefield, they do this with Action Surge and Haste, meaning that they get a potential 3 extra turns in which they can zip around the battlefield dealing massive damage whilst being supported by a flying Sorcerer who is casting things like Fear and Metamagicked EBs with Haste.

I don't think the Sorcerer would stay aloft in this scenario.

[retaliation08]

Depending on how you rule booming blade on OA, two Elven rogues with booming blade, warcaster and sentinel flanking an opponent is pretty nasty.

The creature can not escape the flank without a spell or class feature unless both rogues miss their OAs with advantage.

Each time it tries to move, it takes sneak attack from both rogues and double booming blade damage, unless trying to move does not prompt BB damage.

The flanked creature also takes sneak attack damage every time it attacks, regardless of the target.

EDIT: actually this is plain nasty without booming blade and warcaster!

[Asmotherion]

My favorite combo is with a Sorlock and Wizlock (I also like the RP concept of two Warlock-mages working together; Both are Sages, though one is the extreamly old genious, the other is the gifted prodigy that is equally respected due to being a natural). The Wizlock sets up Flaming Sphere/Wall of Flames and latter Prismatic Wall. They have the wall and enemy between them. Then, they start Eldritch Blasting the enemy through the Percistant AoE With Repelling Blast, like voley/tenis. They call their sport Eldritch Ball. Whenever you pass the target through the Wall spell you mark a point. Delivering the final blow counts as 3 points.:P

[Deleted]

Druid Spike Growth + Sorcerer Witch Bolt + Barbarian/Rogue Grapple

Druid Casts Spike Growth

Barbarian grapples and pulls the creature over the spikes

The Sorcerer Quickens a Witch Bolt and casts whatever good cantrip they have.


Bosses don't like this.


The Barbarian or Rogue could be MC to get Spike Growth as a spell to make it just 2 characters.

[King539]

Light Cleric.

Wizard.

Other wizard.

Paladin/Dragon Sorcerer.

Everyone casts fireball on their first turn. 32d6 in one round. Few can survive.

[Deleted]

Light Cleric.

Wizard.

Other wizard.

Paladin/Dragon Sorcerer.

Everyone casts fireball on their first turn. 32d6 in one round. Few can survive.

Good thing fire is the best damage type!

:smallwink:

[MintyNinja]

Actually played this combo with a friend:

Moon Druid with Warcaster + Halfling Fighter with Sentinel and Mounted Combatant

Druid pulls up a Flaming Sphere or a Call Lightning and morphs into a ridable mount for the Halfling. They race around the battlefield, the halfling taking most of the flack from attackers that try to strike, but it works nicely.

[solidork]

Light Cleric.

Wizard.

Other wizard.

Paladin/Dragon Sorcerer.

Everyone casts fireball on their first turn. 32d6 in one round. Few can survive.

My group is playing Elemental Evil and we ended the last session with 4 Flameskulls animating and casting Fireball on the party. RIP

[Deleted]

My group is playing Elemental Evil and we ended the last session with 4 Flameskulls animating and casting Fireball on the party. RIP

This is either bad DMing or someone didn't give the DM a piece of pizza.

[joaber]

spike growth combos are my favorites, lol.

cast spike growth, booming blade the guy, dissonant whispper to trigger booming blade and spike growth.
spike growth + repealling blast
and the ultimate:
tabaxi moon druid4/rogue2 + lore bard 6 - lore bard gives haste to druid (with longstrider and mobile)
druid cast spike growth and change to dire wolf with 50ft move (or watever, air elemental can fly 90, but only at moon druid lvl 10)
moon druid grab with expertise and inspiration if need and drag, lore bard use cunning words to reduce enemy test if need.

move + dash + dash haste + dash cunning action at 70ftx4 (tabaxi and haste) = 1120ft, or 448d4 damage (1120 avg).

someone cast enlarge too, to avoid size limitation and and advantage to grapple.

add action surge + some levels as monk, mystic and bladesinger... get boots of speed for animal form, if need more.

[Naanomi]

It's pretty basic but... Necromancer + Oathbreaker; the army creator and their general

[Specter]

Druid Spike Growth + Sorcerer Witch Bolt + Barbarian/Rogue Grapple

Druid Casts Spike Growth

Barbarian grapples and pulls the creature over the spikes

The Sorcerer Quickens a Witch Bolt and casts whatever good cantrip they have.

Bosses don't like this.

The Barbarian or Rogue could be MC to get Spike Growth as a spell to make it just 2 characters.

Come on. Witch Bolt? Really?
Even upped to a third level, this will never compete with Spirit Guardians. Hell, even Scorching Ray.

Witch Bolt is right up there with True Strike on the 'never use' shelf.

[TripleD]

Come on. Witch Bolt? Really?
Even upped to a third level, this will never compete with Spirit Guardians. Hell, even Scorching Ray.

Witch Bolt is right up there with True Strike on the 'never use' shelf.

Agreed (unless you homebrew it a bit (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?515211-Witch-Bolt-Fix-Speed-Reduction)) although I'm wondering if the poster is implying that a single Quicken Spell allows them to use their bonus action to maintain it on subsequent turns as well. Not really RAW, but given how weak Witch Bolt is I don't see it breaking anything.

[Deleted]

Come on. Witch Bolt? Really?
Even upped to a third level, this will never compete with Spirit Guardians. Hell, even Scorching Ray.

Witch Bolt is right up there with True Strike on the 'never use' shelf.

Yup!

Though the sorcerer needs to go before the grappler! Oopse!

Here is why Witch Bolt is used, sometimes I'm thinking things and forget that others can't hear my thoughts.

You want to trip the target and drag them across the spikes. This lowers their movement rate by half.

This means that you have disadvantage on range attacks against the target and if you are behind your ally, the target has cover (+2 AC/Dex saves). People always forget about cover.***

If you hit with your main Witch Bolt, you don't have to attack again. You are free to just stay in range. As long as the target doesn't have total cover you get your damage.

You want the main area of spike growth between you and other enemies, and the sorcerer runs around to stay away from enemies (if they are smart and run around the spike growth).


edit===


*** this is about when you use other spells, you won't want to use AOE in tight spots and Witch Bolt doesn't require an attack roll at all after the first one.

Witch Bolt is safe and has decent damage.

If you have bonus actions you can use them.

[The Ship's dog]

*snip*

I don't think the Sorcerer would stay aloft in this scenario.

Woops, forgot how Tempestuous Magic worked. Still, the Sorcerer could stay in the back line whilst the Monk (and any other front liners) harassed the enemy. Even if the enemy did manage to get to the Sorcerer without dying from AoO and the massive damage that both the Monk and the Sorcerer are pumping out, the Sorcerer can just run away, without eating an AoO and pushing the enemy back with Storm's Fury if they did manage to hit the Sorcerer somehow.

[Cespenar]

-Wolf Pack
Building on an earlier post: A Wolf Barbarian with Sentinel and GWM and a Wolf Barbarian/Fighter with Protection style. You attack one and get smacked, or you attack the other one and get disadvantage.

-Spartans
Similarly, 2 Battlemasters with Protection style.

-Assassin and Handler
A Trickery Cleric and an Half-Orc Assassin.

-Anime Combo
Thief/Barbarian with Mobile, and Open Hand Monk. First one grapples an enemy and brings it up a tree. The Monk, who is already on the tree, Flurries the enemy 15 feet further into the air. Cue 6d6+ falling damage.

[Desamir]

-Wolf Pack
Building on an earlier post: 2 Wolf barbarians with Sentinel and GWM. You attack either one, you get power smacked in your face.

Unless I'm missing something, Sentinel doesn't trigger when an enemy attacks another ally with the same feat.

[Cespenar]

Unless I'm missing something, Sentinel doesn't trigger when an enemy attacks another ally with the same feat.

Good catch. Editing that.

[KnotaGuru]

Poisoned darkness team:
Fighter/lock (or Hexblade) & lore bard X/lock 2, both with devil's sight. Fighter/lock casts darkness and wades into melee causing blindness to all enemies and swings his sword with advantage. Bard/lock casts conjure animals (acquired via magical secrets) to summon giant poisonous snakes (they have 10' blindsight & 10' reach). The snakes join the fighter/lock in the darkness and bite with advantage (+6 to hit, 1d4+4 +3d6 poison [DC 11 for half]). Darkness is 15' radius, could easily accommodate 8 snakes, possibly 16, so that's a potential of 8d4+32 +24d6 poison with 8 snakes or 16d4+64 +48d6 poison with 16 snakes. The bard/lock meanwhile is standing way back hitting enemies with agonizing eldritch blast for more damage.

Darkness lasts 10 min and conjure animals lasts an hour, so they could maintain this combo for a long time.

[dach]

2x Half-orc Sword and board fighter/ paladin with protection fighting style.
Not the most damage output but as a solid front line. . .

[Specter]

Yup!

Though the sorcerer needs to go before the grappler! Oopse!

Here is why Witch Bolt is used, sometimes I'm thinking things and forget that others can't hear my thoughts.

You want to trip the target and drag them across the spikes. This lowers their movement rate by half.

This means that you have disadvantage on range attacks against the target and if you are behind your ally, the target has cover (+2 AC/Dex saves). People always forget about cover.***

If you hit with your main Witch Bolt, you don't have to attack again. You are free to just stay in range. As long as the target doesn't have total cover you get your damage.

You want the main area of spike growth between you and other enemies, and the sorcerer runs around to stay away from enemies (if they are smart and run around the spike growth).

edit===
*** this is about when you use other spells, you won't want to use AOE in tight spots and Witch Bolt doesn't require an attack roll at all after the first one.

Witch Bolt is safe and has decent damage.

If you have bonus actions you can use them.

Or you could use Magic Missile? Or Melf's? Or any save-for-half spell that would be better even if they fail the test?

Seriously, Spirit Guardians that combo, and it'll be much more insane.

[Deleted]

Or you could use Magic Missile? Or Melf's? Or any save-for-half spell that would be better even if they fail the test?

Seriously, Spirit Guardians that combo, and it'll be much more insane.

I never touch magic missile. Amd if you are talking about minute meteor, I never assume splat book support for a game.

There aren't really any save or die spells anymore, unless you get to higher levels.

Witch Bolt is perfect for this (especially as a Lightning Dragon Sorcerer) as it isnt hindered by cover, the target being prone, and it gives the player some movement room to run away from other enemies (circling the spike growth area).

Also, empower metamagic work when you roll damage, so you can use that each round to boost your damage by a bit. Costly over time, 1 SP per use, but it helps.

Plus it gives the player time to think. They can focus on other things and just say "1d12 (+ Cha) lightning damage"in their turn.

Oh, and it looks cool.

Spirit Guardians is nice, but going cleric has you miss out on other sorcerer fun stuff.

I always assume no overlap in parties (druid/cleric) as ive met way too many people who are touchy about that.

[Specter]

I never touch magic missile. Amd if you are talking about minute meteor, I never assume splat book support for a game.

There aren't really any save or die spells anymore, unless you get to higher levels.

Witch Bolt is perfect for this (especially as a Lightning Dragon Sorcerer) as it isnt hindered by cover, the target being prone, and it gives the player some movement room to run away from other enemies (circling the spike growth area).

Also, empower metamagic work when you roll damage, so you can use that each round to boost your damage by a bit. Costly over time, 1 SP per use, but it helps.

Plus it gives the player time to think. They can focus on other things and just say "1d12 (+ Cha) lightning damage"in their turn.

Oh, and it looks cool.

Spirit Guardians is nice, but going cleric has you miss out on other sorcerer fun stuff.

I always assume no overlap in parties (druid/cleric) as ive met way too many people who are touchy about that.

I meant Melf's Acid Arrow. But okay, whatever floats your boat.

Another one: Aerial Strike

Involves: Melee striker who can fly (Aarakocra, Tiefling, EK, Palasorc, etc.) and caster with Reverse Gravity

Caster uses Reverse Gravity to restrain enemy and fling it up the air. The flying fighter attacks the opponent with his readied action, and then the caster cancels concentration, making it fall yet again for 20d6 damage. All of this in one turn.

[Joe the Rat]

My old variant on wolfpack is a sentinel rogue and protection martial. If you attack the rogue, you'll probably miss (protection) or do half damage (uncanny dodge). If you attack the martial, you get sneak attacked. If you run away, you get hamstrung.
Goading attack or compelled duel can keep the martial defense reaction free.
Trip attack or shield master can sub for wolf totem rage.

2 on 1 is flat out nasty.

[Steampunkette]

I'm sad they killed Icy Doom.

Group of enemies stand on fast moving but frozen over river. Possibly lured onto it.

Shatter the Ice.

Make Whole.

[Deleted]

I meant Melf's Acid Arrow. But okay, whatever floats your boat.

Another one: Aerial Strike

Involves: Melee striker who can fly (Aarakocra, Tiefling, EK, Palasorc, etc.) and caster with Reverse Gravity

Caster uses Reverse Gravity to restrain enemy and fling it up the air. The flying fighter attacks the opponent with his readied action, and then the caster cancels concentration, making it fall yet again for 20d6 damage. All of this in one turn.

Melf's Acid Arrow is worse than witch bolt in this situation. Again, you need to make an attack roll which is affected by cover (your ally) and the target being prone.

You are missing the point of using Witch Bolt. After the initial shot, which then the target gets grappled, you don't have to worry about your ally providing cover for the enemy (+2 AC/Dex) and you don't have to worry about the enemy being prone (disadvantage on range attacks against the target).

[KnotaGuru]

Spell sniper solves any cover issues with attack spells.

[retaliation08]

Spell sniper solves any cover issues with attack spells.

ninja sniped

[DragonSorcererX]

Anything Wizard Diviner + High Elf/Wood Elf/Variant Half-Elf (for Elven Weapon Training) Rogue Assassin... with the Diviner you get to know where you are going and you are still a Wizard, this means Invisibility/Greater Invisibility, and them you just need to go around with the rogue sneak attacking everything with the Longbow from really far away...

[Ursus the Grim]

My favorite combo is with a Sorlock and Wizlock (I also like the RP concept of two Warlock-mages working together; Both are Sages, though one is the extreamly old genious, the other is the gifted prodigy that is equally respected due to being a natural). The Wizlock sets up Flaming Sphere/Wall of Flames and latter Prismatic Wall. They have the wall and enemy between them. Then, they start Eldritch Blasting the enemy through the Percistant AoE With Repelling Blast, like voley/tenis. They call their sport Eldritch Ball. Whenever you pass the target through the Wall spell you mark a point. Delivering the final blow counts as 3 points.:P

Of course, there's the classic combo of Darkness+Devil's Sight. They'll slaughter most challenges.

I would probably actually go a Paladin Warlock for the Always-Advantage-Smites and Aura of Protection while you guys huddle in the Darkness. You'll get +Cha to all saves, helping to hedge against the counter-strategy of 'they cast Fireball'.

The other could be a Sorclock. While PalLock is maintaining Concentration on the Darkness, Sorclock can Twin Haste OR provide artillery support with Hex+Scorching Ray (all with Advantage because PalLock is maintaining the Darkness.)

[Specter]

Melf's Acid Arrow is worse than witch bolt in this situation. Again, you need to make an attack roll which is affected by cover (your ally) and the target being prone.

You are missing the point of using Witch Bolt. After the initial shot, which then the target gets grappled, you don't have to worry about your ally providing cover for the enemy (+2 AC/Dex) and you don't have to worry about the enemy being prone (disadvantage on range attacks against the target).

Melf's gives damage even if you miss. So, there's that. In any case, if all the Sorcerer is contributing in this case is 1d12 damage and a cantrip (which wastes 2 sorcery points) per turn, then you get rid of the sorcerer and put someone else in there. Period. Your Spirit Guardians answer about Druids and Clerics was logic-bending gold, btw. The way you want to play the game is not the way everyone else does.

[Ursus the Grim]

Melf's gives damage even if you miss. So, there's that. In any case, if all the Sorcerer is contributing in this case is 1d12 damage and a cantrip (which wastes 2 sorcery points) per turn, then you get rid of the sorcerer and put someone else in there. Period. Your Spirit Guardians answer about Druids and Clerics was logic-bending gold, btw. The way you want to play the game is not the way everyone else does.

Like just about any character with a decent melee weapon?

Heck, just casting Shocking Grasp.

Assuming a Draconic Sorcerer, CHA 18.
Shocking Grasp deals 9 DPR, attack roll needed, made with advantage.
Witch Bolt deals 11 DPR.

Witch Bolt, for a 1st level slot, deals an extra 2 damage each turn over a cantrip in the same situation.

Actually, when you hit level 5, the DPR from Shocking Grasp improves to 2d8 (so 14 damage) in the above situation.

Witch Bolt is fun, and cool, but it scales terribly and isn't normally the optimal choice.

[MintyNinja]

It's pretty basic but... Necromancer + Oathbreaker; the army creator and their general

I'm running a Level 10 game with both of these characters in it... they've done the math and they're saying they can get an army of 30 skeletons on the field each day. I've since been incredibly careful about giving them humanoid obstacles.

And to deviate a little bit, anyone consider the Eagle Totem Barbarian + Observant Feat? Read lips from a mile away.

[Potato_Priest]

If Unearthed Arcana is acceptable, 1 bladelock(fiend) with the mace of dispater, another bladelock(goo) with the claw of acamar. Mace of dispater knocks baddies prone, claw of acamar reduces speed to zero so they can't stand up. All you need is 2 attack rolls to hit.

[joaber]

If Unearthed Arcana is acceptable, 1 bladelock(fiend) with the mace of dispater, another bladelock(goo) with the claw of acamar. Mace of dispater knocks baddies prone, claw of acamar reduces speed to zero so they can't stand up. All you need is 2 attack rolls to hit.

Its a flail i think, you only need 1 guy with feat to that.
Mukticlass with new paladin to get tunnel fighter and aura of desadvantage in frighten st. With fear...

[Specter]

If Unearthed Arcana is acceptable, 1 bladelock(fiend) with the mace of dispater, another bladelock(goo) with the claw of acamar. Mace of dispater knocks baddies prone, claw of acamar reduces speed to zero so they can't stand up. All you need is 2 attack rolls to hit.

Where are these items from?

[Potato_Priest]

Where are these items from?

They are eldritch invocations from the latest unearthed arcana article (http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/warlock-and-wizard).


Its a flail i think, you only need 1 guy with feat to that.
Mukticlass with new paladin to get tunnel fighter and aura of desadvantage in frighten st. With fear...

Is there a feat for knocking prone with flails?

[joaber]

They are eldritch invocations from the latest unearthed arcana article (http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/warlock-and-wizard).



Is there a feat for knocking prone with flails?

Yes, UA feats, +1 to hit too.
But prone is only with AoO... that's why yunnel fighter

[Potato_Priest]

Yes, UA feats, +1 to hit too.
But prone is only with AoO... that's why yunnel fighter

I just read that feat, and the proning feature only works for opportunity attacks, and gives the target a saving throw. It's much more reliable with the fiendlock there.

With the fiendlock, you can keep 2 fire giants down, with tunnel fighter you have at most a 50/50 chance of keeping one down.

[Zene]

Sorry for the thread necro, missed this the first time around. I've recently become fascinated with the following build (slightly different from the druid combos posted above; stay with me...)

Player 1: Wolf Totem Barbarian, half-orc, mounted combatant, gwm

Player 2: Druid, sentinel

Player 1 rides wildshaped Player 2. They grant each other advantage due to wolf totem and mounted combatant. When enemy attacks, if they go for the barbarian, druid gets a sentinel attack. If they go for the druid, barbarian forces them to attack him instead via mounted combatant, and druid still gets a sentinel attack.

You could iterate on this basic frame in a number of ways. A) as druid wildshape power levels out, take a level in barb for damage-reducing rage; and/or two levels in paladin to be able to drop massive damage on the inevitable crits. B) Have the druid be a kobold to give himself advantage, freeing up the barb to go bear for more tankiness. C) Have the druid take warcaster and focus on summoning, so there's a small army of things all being granted advantage by the wolf totem rider. Bonus points if you summon animals that can be ridden as mounts, so your whole party plus your summons can get into melee range with the baddies and get the wolf aura. D) have the barb take three levels in champion fighter for double the crits.

[Specter]

Player 1: Wolf Totem Barbarian, half-orc, mounted combatant, gwm

Player 2: Druid, sentinel

Player 1 rides wildshaped Player 2. They grant each other advantage due to wolf totem and mounted combatant. When enemy attacks, if they go for the barbarian, druid gets a sentinel attack. If they go for the druid, barbarian forces them to attack him instead via mounted combatant, and druid still gets a sentinel attack.

This is massive.

[Sariel Vailo]

I had a thought a level 8 fighter with sentinel and shield master and a paladin of vengeance same level same feats does my idea work.

[Potato_Priest]

I had a thought a level 8 fighter with sentinel and shield master and a paladin of vengeance same level same feats does my idea work.

No. The sentinel reaction attack doesn't work if they attack someone else with sentinel.

[sxmedicus]

Player 1: Wolf Totem Barbarian, half-orc, mounted combatant, gwm

Player 2: Druid, sentinel

Player 1 rides wildshaped Player 2. They grant each other advantage due to wolf totem and mounted combatant. When enemy attacks, if they go for the barbarian, druid gets a sentinel attack. If they go for the druid, barbarian forces them to attack him instead via mounted combatant, and druid still gets a sentinel attack.


Try this: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?486146-D-amp-D-5e-2-player-combo-The-Direwolf-Riding-Knight

Its not updated at all but the concept is still solid.

Pal2/Sorc3 with mounted combatant

Pal2/Druid2-all the way with sentinel

Smite for days, fast moving duo with great offense and defense

The paladorc defends the mount with MC and boost his AC with shield if needed

The paladruid goes bear and feasts on everything that targets anyone but him. Or goes wolf and drops everyone it bites

They both could go pal5 for extra attack or beyond for auras

Fun times killing hordes and big baddies equaly

[joaber]

Sorry for the thread necro, missed this the first time around. I've recently become fascinated with the following build (slightly different from the druid combos posted above; stay with me...)

Player 1: Wolf Totem Barbarian, half-orc, mounted combatant, gwm

Player 2: Druid, sentinel

Player 1 rides wildshaped Player 2. They grant each other advantage due to wolf totem and mounted combatant. When enemy attacks, if they go for the barbarian, druid gets a sentinel attack. If they go for the druid, barbarian forces them to attack him instead via mounted combatant, and druid still gets a sentinel attack.

You could iterate on this basic frame in a number of ways. A) as druid wildshape power levels out, take a level in barb for damage-reducing rage; and/or two levels in paladin to be able to drop massive damage on the inevitable crits. B) Have the druid be a kobold to give himself advantage, freeing up the barb to go bear for more tankiness. C) Have the druid take warcaster and focus on summoning, so there's a small army of things all being granted advantage by the wolf totem rider. Bonus points if you summon animals that can be ridden as mounts, so your whole party plus your summons can get into melee range with the baddies and get the wolf aura. D) have the barb take three levels in champion fighter for double the crits.

Really nice one. Add 3 lvls of fighter knight and he can do more AoO in a round (with bonus damage) and barbarian will be attacked with desadvantage.

I can see an amazing use of grapple+spike growth with that with a few levels of mystic

[Citan]

There is exhaustive discussion here on how to improve one character, but what about strategies that can work with 2 characters? Here are some I thought of:

Flaming Machinegun
Caster (druid/sorc/wizard) uses Flame Arrows on his ally. The ally (ranger/swift quiver) makes all his attacks with +4d6 rider damage, plus hunter's mark for an extra 4d6 damage.

Assassin & Spotter
Mastermind uses help action at range of 30 feet to give advantage to melee rogue. Both rogues get their sneak attack, and the melee rogue (sentinel) keeps the ranged one protected.

Invisible Smasher
Caster uses Greater Invisibility on melee smasher (anyone with GWM). They get advantage to hit all attacks under -5, and enemies have disadvantage on all attacks against the melee guy.

Dump yours, I'll add more later.
Hey, interesting thread! ;)

Honestly though, for Flaming Machinegun, there is something much better: just have a Lore Bard cast Elemental Weapon on your Ranger's or Fighter's bow. Much better because Ranger has Volley and Fighter has Action Surge + 4*Attack, so Flame Arrows would sadly be gone very quickly.

Flame Arrows could be a better choice in some corner cases (like having a quiver stuck vertically on ground so that several people standing besides it can draw from the same quiver for "long range flame artillery").

My usual: Druid casts Plant Growth, then Nature Cleric casts Spirit Guardians. Both go into the Plant Growth area: Druid can either move freely and Thorn Whips (Land) or Wild Shape and grapple (Moon) while Nature Cleric also casts Thorns Whip: they "herd" the enemies into the Cleric area: between Plant Growth (1 feet of movement for 4 feet of speed) + Spirit Guardians (difficult terrain), which should stack by RAW, there is little chance guys will ever move.
And if they try, to optimize, you can just cast Earth Tremor as Druid, or take Shield Master + Sentinel as Cleric.

There is also the obvious Bestow Curse applied by Bard before whatever big spell comes against the poor enemy.
(Or Monk's Stunning Strike followed by Entangle, so you have one enemy stuck for a while).

Or the Careful Stinking Cloud cast by the Sorcerer, while his Battlemaster / caster pals put enemies prone/ launch AOE at them...

For the most reckless people, a Bear Barbarian with Shield Master using Reckless Attack and ostensibly going further into enemy ranks (or an Arcane Trickster Rogue with Evasion and still possibly Shield, or anyone with Absorb Elements/Warding Bond and solid pool of hp), inciting enemies to gang up on him so they press all around, just in time for a goo'old Elemental Adept Fireball... XD
(Bonus point if you are actually a Paladin with Shield Master: upcast "Command" spell is great at these kind of things.
Valor Bard with Shield Master and Compulsion could do nice too).

These are the most obvious things that come to me for now...

[Potato_Priest]

For the most reckless people, a Bear Barbarian with Shield Master using Reckless Attack and ostensibly going further into enemy ranks (or an Arcane Trickster Rogue with Evasion and still possibly Shield, or anyone with Absorb Elements/Warding Bond and solid pool of hp), inciting enemies to gang up on him so they press all around, just in time for a goo'old Elemental Adept Fireball...

Why a bearbarian rather than some other sort? If he fails that save, he's taking normal damage because elemental adept overrides resistance.

[Citan]

Why a bearbarian rather than some other sort? If he fails that save, he's taking normal damage because elemental adept overrides resistance.
Oh, you're right, forgot about that bit. Nice catch

Not such a big problem though if caster pal has Elemental Adept, Barbarian will "just have to" take Shield Master feat. :)
Or have someone else help him with the save (Bless, Wild Sorcerer feature, Lucky, Portent, Bardic Inspiration).
I mean, that is certainly an investment, but I suppose that if this was planned as a usual tactic in the group they will have built for it.

[Maxilian]

Player 1: Necromancer with a nice looking army
Player 2: Druid, that summons a group of animals to work as mounts for the group of undead.

Dealing with the zombies lack of speed.

Note: If UA allowed, go with Circle of the Shepherd; it let you give all the undead advantage on STR check, letting them have an easier time grappling the enemy, and making the "Grapple + Spike Growth" combo way easier to make (that same aura also give your minions extra HP)

[Zene]

Combo: Crusader's mantle and a ton of hits.

Lowest-level way to do this is war cleric (gets crusader's mantle at 5, earlier than bard or paladin) and druid (conjure animals/conjure woodland beings/giant insect).

With a third person in the combo? wizard adds a wider variety of minions (animate objects, animate dead).

Preferred race for cleric and druid: firbolg, since they can cast and then go invisible while maintaining concentration. Let the minions do the fighting. Maybe best option for wizard too. Although since they can only do it once per rest, an alternate option is goblin --they can contribute during the fight, and just re-hide every turn with their bonus action.

If you want to round out the party further, add some monks and/or fighters since they can have up to 4/5 attacks per round and thus get more benefit from crusader's mantle than other classes.

[ThurlRavenscrof]

It's pretty basic but... Necromancer + Oathbreaker; the army creator and their general

I like the flavor here!
I've personally always wanted to try the mounted combatant riding a moon Druid combo

[Final Hyena]

Flaming Machinegun
Caster (druid/sorc/wizard) uses Flame Arrows on his ally. The ally (ranger/swift quiver) makes all his attacks with +4d6 rider damage, plus hunter's mark for an extra 4d6 damage.
Swift quiver and hunters mark are both concentration.

I like the simple bear barbarian with sentinel keeping creatures back and a life cleric giving what is effectively double healing with rage.

Alternatively the fighter maneuver commander's strike combined with a rogue for two sneak attacks a round or paladin if you have more smite than you can dish out.

[Ruebin Rybnik]

Tunnel fighter with Sentinel and PAM, team up with a Swashbuckling Rogue. The Rogue forces enemies to target him and then runs on the other side of the fighter. Fighter gets free attack from PAM then again with Sentinel from movement, and then Sentinel again from the attack. Repeat....

If you want to make it really stupid then have both of them dip into warlock for Darkness and Devil Sight. Now they can't see you. Rogue verbally taunts them from other side of Fighter to draw enemy that way for all the attacks(which all have advantage). oh the fun.

[Maxilian]

If Unearthed Arcana is acceptable, 1 bladelock(fiend) with the mace of dispater, another bladelock(goo) with the claw of acamar. Mace of dispater knocks baddies prone, claw of acamar reduces speed to zero so they can't stand up. All you need is 2 attack rolls to hit.

I think both requires you to use a spell slot though (to make the second effect)

[Maxilian]

Combo: Crusader's mantle and a ton of hits.

Lowest-level way to do this is war cleric (gets crusader's mantle at 5, earlier than bard or paladin) and druid (conjure animals/conjure woodland beings/giant insect).

With a third person in the combo? wizard adds a wider variety of minions (animate objects, animate dead).

Preferred race for cleric and druid: firbolg, since they can cast and then go invisible while maintaining concentration. Let the minions do the fighting. Maybe best option for wizard too. Although since they can only do it once per rest, an alternate option is goblin --they can contribute during the fight, and just re-hide every turn with their bonus action.

If you want to round out the party further, add some monks and/or fighters since they can have up to 4/5 attacks per round and thus get more benefit from crusader's mantle than other classes.

Wouldn't this basically, become part of the Oathbreaker + Necro combo? (Can be used with any other but having in mind that you would already increase the damage of the undeads around you +5 (CHA)).

Note: I guess a Wizard can do more with this, mainly because with a single cast of Animate Object, you will get more creatures than with anything else (if you go for the tiny option) (so more damage).

[Findulidas]

Swashbuckler rogue and knowledge cleric seems like a solid team to me. You have a myriad of skills, each can function on thier own and are good at completely diffrent things. If you are only playing two players then having loads of skillsets and options is probably what you want.