Useful/Fun Two-Player Parties

[Speely]

So I have lots of games going on and lots of friends who play D&D (I live in Seattle, and you can't throw a rock here without hitting a tabletop rpg player of some sort.) However, all of us have work/life schedules that are all over the place. Sometimes a couple people are free but others aren't. I like the idea of having 2-player options (not including the DM, obv.)

So I started thinking about effective duos, and I found that it's kind of a fun mental exercise pairing up classes/subclasses with others to try to cover as much ground as possible. What are some of the best duos you can think of?

The pairing I immediately thought of was: Bladesinger and College of Swords Bard. Tons of spell options, very gishy, and a decent spread of skill proficiencies (possibly.) You could sub Hexblade for Sword Bard, but I kinda think the greater breadth of spell options for the Bard would work out better overall in more situations, as opposed to the increased damage potential of the Hexblade. Other duos come to mind, but I'll just limit this post to one.

What are some good duos you have either tried or think would be fun and effective? Small parties need love, too!

[CTurbo]

I played in a 2 man party with a Dex Paladin and a Dex Cleric and it was a lot of fun.

I think a Beastmaster Ranger and a Chain Pact Warlock would be a lot of fun too.

[Speely]

I played in a 2 man party with a Dex Paladin and a Dex Cleric and it was a lot of fun.

I think a Beastmaster Ranger and a Chain Pact Warlock would be a lot of fun too.

Ah, good look. Pets can help a lot in small parties.

Can I ask about your Dex Pally and Cleric? Curious about how that worked session-to-session.

[2D8HP]

Barbarian and a Rogue.

The Barbarian gets next to the foe..

The Rogue Sneak Attacks the Foe.

Repeat.

Profit!

[ccjmk]

Most wicked combo I can think is any two rogues. I'd say Swashbuckler + Arcane Trickster, so the Swashbuckler goes as frontliner and face (dex>con>cha probably, for the subclass features) and the arcane trickster going for utility and range. Probably not your usual two-weapon swashbuckler, but maybe grabbing a single level of fighter for shield proficiency (or v.human moderately armored) and using shield and rapier; the auto disengage more for a positioning trickery, while using your bonus action for other shenanigans.

Then, all thematic duos sound like fun. Nature's Cleric + Druid, Shadow Monk + Shadow Sorcery, Storm Sorcery + Path of the Storm Herald, Grave Domain + Spore Druid, Path of the Zealot + War Domain, Samurai + Oath of the Crown, etc.

[Joe the Rat]

According to the internet, Rogue and Bard is the way to go.

Hope and Crosby would probably agree.

[ZenBear]

Most wicked combo I can think is any two rogues. I'd say Swashbuckler + Arcane Trickster, so the Swashbuckler goes as frontliner and face (dex>con>cha probably, for the subclass features) and the arcane trickster going for utility and range. Probably not your usual two-weapon swashbuckler, but maybe grabbing a single level of fighter for shield proficiency (or v.human moderately armored) and using shield and rapier; the auto disengage more for a positioning trickery, while using your bonus action for other shenanigans.

Then, all thematic duos sound like fun. Nature's Cleric + Druid, Shadow Monk + Shadow Sorcery, Storm Sorcery + Path of the Storm Herald, Grave Domain + Spore Druid, Path of the Zealot + War Domain, Samurai + Oath of the Crown, etc.

That sounds awesome! I should try running a 2-player game sometime, this is really fertile ground!

A few ideas I have:

Buddy Cops: City Watch Thief Rogue with Moderately Armored and Expertise in Athletics and Sleight of Hand. A grappling god and capable of slapping perps in cuffs on a bonus action with Fast Hands. Partner them up with an Investigator Inquisitive Rogue and run them through an inner city gang war adventure.

Gotrek and Felix: Inspired by the great Warhammer Fantasy duo. A Battlerager Dwarf Barbarian on a quest to find a glorious death and their Valor Bard biographer. I prefer a Halflings as the sidekick for vertically challenged solidarity.

Force and Finesse: Less about story, more about mechanical synergy. Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster are rival apprentices to the same Bladesinger.

[pygmybatrider]

I’ve played in a couple of 2 player campaigns and one thing that has stood out to me is that in-combat healing, which is widely ignored in larger parties until someone drops to 0, suddenly becomes much more valuable. This is more noticeable at early levels where damage and HP are so swingy, but I currently have a level 9 Divine Soul sorcerer who is regularly using spell slots for in-combat healing.

Buff spells also feel really valuable - Haste, Shield of Faith, Polymorph etc can be game changing when your action economy is already so limited. Feels good to work as part of a team... 8-)

[Daithi]

With only two characters, I'd think you'd need a good mix of power, stealth, an ability to fight from a long distance, and an ability to bring in temporary fighters. With this in mind, here's my two--

Hexblade/Sorcerer -- Focuses on using Eldritch Blast, Agonizing Blast, and Hex from long range, but can hold its own in melee as well. If UA is allowed, Warforged in the class I'd go with, and I'd go with the Mask of Many Faces invocation for disguise. Multi-classing with sorcerer gives access to more spells and significantly ups the Eldritch Blast damage with Quicken/Twinning.

Druid -- Summoning a pack of wolves would be a massive help when you only have two characters fighting. Plus the Druid is pretty descent at surviving at the lower levels by transforming into a bear. At higher levels he has some pretty good spells as well. A druid is also one of the stealthiest characters.

[CTurbo]

Ah, good look. Pets can help a lot in small parties.

Can I ask about your Dex Pally and Cleric? Curious about how that worked session-to-session.

The Pally and Cleric worked really well with each other and were the perfect compliment to each other. The Pally was the face and the Cleric was the wise perceptive one. They could both heal which was huge. They each got a free feat and the Pally took Magic Initiate for Firebolt, Minor illusion, and Find Familiar and the Cleric took Ritual Caster for the utility and Find Familiar. The Paladin kept an owl but the Cleric used all sorts of different animals.

They were beasts in combat for sure

[Man_Over_Game]

Here's a few I've used as wandering NPC pairs or encounters.

Conquest Paladin + Life Cleric. Life Cleric uses Warding Bond, Conquest Paladin cripples enemies in place. They both did a crime to their order, and their penance was to be forced to aid each other.

Knockback EB Warlock with Polearm Vengeance Paladin. Ultimate guardians of a crypt, who forced my players to beat their "trial". Approaching the Paladin was nearly impossible with his Polearm Master and his ability to move after making an Attack of Opportunity. Even when you did get close enough, the Warlock would push you back and you'd lose any progress you made.

Monster Hunter Bow Ranger with Bladesinger Wizard. They'd study their target and know how to take it down before ever engaging with it. Made a good "monster hunter" crew.

Grave Cleric and the Zealot Barbarian(s). I used a group of Barbarians, but one could work instead. They were a Valkyrie with a pack of her pet Einherjar. They would fall in combat, and she'd bring them back without any delay.

A Horizon Walker with an Abjuration Wizard. A pair of extra-planar adventurers, the ranger being serious, practical and aware, and the wizard being a highly intelligent ditz. The ranger kept them fed, the Wizard kept them on the right path. They didn't think they knew what they were doing, but anyone who knew thought they were experts. In combat, Ranger's up front while the Wizard kept them protected.

Gloom Stalker Ranger + Shadow Sorcerer. Pretty obvious assassination combo. Throw in the dog to hunt down targets, and now the Ranger can track down anything that tries to run.

[Speely]

Here's a few I've used as wandering NPC pairs or encounters.

Conquest Paladin + Life Cleric. Life Cleric uses Warding Bond, Conquest Paladin cripples enemies in place. They both did a crime to their order, and their penance was to be forced to aid each other.

Knockback EB Warlock with Polearm Vengeance Paladin. Ultimate guardians of a crypt, who forced my players to beat their "trial".

Monster Hunter Bow Ranger with Bladesinger Wizard. They'd study their target and know how to take it down before ever engaging with it. Made a good "monster hunter" crew.

Grave Cleric and the Zealot Barbarian(s). I used a group of Barbarians, but one could work instead. They were a Valkyrie with a pack of her pet Einherjar. They would fall in combat, and she'd bring them back without any delay.

A Horizon Walker with an Abjuration Wizard. A pair of extra-planar adventurers, the ranger being serious, practical and aware, and the wizard being a highly intelligent ditz. The ranger kept them fed, the Wizard kept them on the right path. They didn't think they knew what they were doing, but anyone who knew thought they were experts. In combat, Ranger's up front while the Wizard kept them protected.

Gloom Stalker Ranger + Shadow Sorcerer. Pretty obvious assassination combo. Throw in the dog to hunt down targets, and now the Ranger can track down anything that tries to run.

Those are awesome duos! I might steal a couple ;) The Horizon Walker and Abjuration Wizard combo is super-cool, thematically.

[Xaryo]

we did session 0 of my first campagn last night.
based on the cartoon the mysterious cities of gold.

the players are a Rogue swashbucler cartographer and a life cleric reasercher.

[dmteeter]

When i think about this i always try to think of duo's in books i've read

Raistlin and caramon: wizard and champion fighter. Powerful spell casting ability and utility mixed with a close range tank who can lay down some serious damage.

Tanis and flint: Ranger and fighter. Good range combat ability from the ranger as well as a little bit of magic and a good close range fighter with heavy tanking ability.

Sturm and tasslehoff: Paladin and Rogue. You get a good tank with some spellcasting and battlefield control as wel as a good nova for damage and when you add in the rogues stealth, skill utility, and obscene damage potential from sneak attack you get a 2 person party that can handle most encounters pretty easily. Plus RP between a paladin and a rogue is always fun.

Drizzt and wulfgar: Ranger and barbarian: Good close quarters combat from both as well as good ranged combat from the ranger. some spell casting and utility as well a good amount of tanking from the barbarian. This party should be able to do a little bit of everything kind of like the rogue and paladin.

Tulio and Miguel: Rogue and Bard. I mean just watch road to el dorado and tell me this wouldn't be a fun party.

Ivan and pikel bouldershoulder: Tanky powerful dwarven fighter(battlemaster)? and his dimwitted druid brother i mean the potential for role play as well this teams combat potential and utility from the spellcasting and the Maneuvers this team has a lot of potential to control a battlefield and absolutely wreck encounters.

I mean the possibilities are almost endless. I spent a lot of time playing in duo campaigns because i live in a very small town.

[Man_Over_Game]

Another one that I liked to introduce to my players was the Diviner Wizard and the Oath of the Crown Paladin (Law Paladin). It's a frail-but-important NPC that's friendly but on death's bed, and her grumpy-but-efficient veteran bodyguard.

Mechanically, the Portent ability has a lot of possible uses with the Paladin's rolls, and the Paladin can use his reaction to shed damage off of the Diviner.

[Eradis]

Personally I am the type to go for a RP concept and adapt the play-style accordingly. Using weaknesses is a lot of fun, truly.

A duo of Fighters, either Eldritch Knight and Arcane Archer for a magical twist or go with a Battlemaster and whichever the Archetype is for the ranged damage dishing option (champion could work). They might rely more on stealth and deception to get around and fight relentlessly when cornered as a two-men army. Their reputations are why people think twice before messing with them, especially if they have contacts or a squad of NPCs with them.

A duo of Druids can also be a blast. One of them going for Moon Circle as the other rely more on utility spells in battle (with summoning maybe?). Civilization? Sure, it's easy to infiltrate a place while you mimic the barrack's cat mascot... how can he be near the window, in basement and sleeping under the table at the same time?

Bard and Rogue would be hard to stop too in just about anyway. Regardless of the archetype, skills will be numerous, martial potential won't be missing although not the best head on, and the magical shenanigans? I'd pump it up with an Arcane Trickster and a College of Lore Bard.

The list can go on and on. The relationship between the two characters would be my focus and the technicalities would come second.

[Man_Over_Game]

Bard and Rogue would be hard to stop too in just about anyway. Regardless of the archetype, skills will be numerous, martial potential won't be missing although not the best head on, and the magical shenanigans? I'd pump it up with an Arcane Trickster and a College of Lore Bard.

No joke, just started up an Arcane Trickster and my character's brother (another player at the table) rolled a Lore Bard. We travelled around, making magically masterful musical performances, and while my brother is keeping people occupied, I acquire our profits from their pockets. With his Bardic Inspiration, I got away with stealing a Bag of Holding from a Wizard in our last session. The poor idiot never thought to cast Magic Mouth on it, but I sure won't be making the same mistake (since I have Ritual Caster).

I'm the paranoid, scheming mastermind and he's the lovable, goofball artist. It works out pretty dang well.