Advice for Minstrel/Infiltrator combo

[EZ_Aelspear]

Hail -

Me hubby and I run a saracen minstrel/infiltrator combo and are doing well so far, into our ninth seasons. He (the minstrel) usually pulls with a shout while I stay stealthed and sneak around the mob for the backstab chain. We have tried pets too with varying levels of success. I only wish I could pull with a crossbow (much longer range) and stay stealthed but I guess that is a bit unrealistic. :-) Generally I end up pulling aggro off him with my backstab chain and the taunt style but by that time the mob is almost dead, and his recycled shouts and our melee finish it off.

My question is, anticipating that we will be fighting "just us" most of the time, anyone have some tips on what to concentrate on skill wise? I'm not looking for a template yet. Currently I have thrust at my level, and CS, Envenom, Dual Wield at about half my level. I dual wield two dirks. We are able to do yellow cons, and oranges with poison so I'm thinking I'm alright, just want to see what ideas others have.
I need to be able to do high damage quickly the entire fight so we share aggro. Thus our RvR plan will focus less on me doing a one-shot kill.

Thanks for any input.

- Elsebet

[EZ_Aach]

You can pull with the xbow but you need to pull at pretty much max range and run back about 1/4 that far as well - if the mob is not too fast then it will not get to you before your restealth timer has reset - takes some practice but if you pull past hubby then he can get agro easy and when the mob turns your immediatly behind it.

I use this as a solo technique: tag, run, turn, stealth, Perforate Artery (CS style from front).

That would allow your hubby to med up while you pull.

As for spec I can recomend 18 in Dual weild - the deagro style is not very effective to off set our masive damage but has a 'large bonus to defence', this helps you to evade which is good because it will be very dificult for your hubby to keep agro off you (or anyone bar a paladin with heal chant for that matter).

I'm not sure I recomend my path for infiltrator which was versatility, I spec in both slash and thrust (which was irritating untill the extra skill points patch but is now ok as I spec to 2/3 in each and 4/5 with items and have 39 in CS so thats all the styles I'll ever use, with items and realm rank I max stealth and envenom too).

[EZ_Brandyn Aquilius]

Elsebet,

I think you have a potentially powerful pair. You wanna pull with a crossbow? Go right on ahead. Like Aach says, you can run back a bit and restealth. When you run back past hubby, he can use his stun then his shout(s). This should give him the aggro since xbows do poop for damage.

Once he has aggro he should turn the MOB's back to you so you can get your backstab in without having to maneuver around too much.

Oh and about fighting "just us"....that's only if you want it to be. Infiltrators aren't too welcome in a lot of groups, but Minstrels are very welcome. His mezzing skills will be in high demand. He'll get a lot of tells asking for groups. You just go with him.

[EZ_Myscha the sled dog]

Have her pull with mez then both of you get up close and attack.

She can use her stun and 2 DDs and melee after you open with your infiltrator moves.



Myscha the sled dog
Mercede Dominci - 50 Bladerunner - Myrmidon Forward Artillery - Gm Forward Artillery
Milan Dominici (retired)- 46 Combat Scout

[EZ_Aelspear]

Brandyn,

Thank you very much for this tip. We went to the area in Albion where a bunch of carrion lizards spawn and practiced that xbow-run-stealth technique until we gained our 10th season. The lizards were so slow I only had to run a short distance, and with my hubby's stun I could restealth while he did his damage shouts and melee. It worked out great with little downtime and left me more encouraged with this pair.

Myscha,

Thanks for the tip, we had been pulling with stun/mez but the short range of his shouts with aggressive critters close to each other (such as in a camp), that is a little less safe. With neutral critters it works just great.

-Elsebet

[braincandy99]

Two people working in perfect harmony can be impressive.

I play two computers at the same time, playing a mostly PAC spec'd healer and my shadowblade. I can kill reds using the same amount of setup time (less time when recovery is factored) as I would be able to kill yellows as a solo SB, and it is safer because of the mez/healing ability in those cases where things just don't fall my way.

When you get to higher levels and have graduated from the back positional openers to PA, which is a front positional opener, you may want to have your hubby pull. I don't know how useful a minstrel is at range pulling in comparison to an infiltrator, man I wish I could use X-bows heh.

I do all my pulling with my healer (mostly b/c SBs have shite for range attacks). I setup my SB in the area where I want the fight to happen. I cast my pulling spell and run my healer directly onto my shadowblade. when the mob gets there I PA with assassin and then start to maneuver the healer for casting stuns or attacking with his damage added hammer (which bothers me a little when he hits for more than my assassin, but i digress)

after the first kill it gets much easier because I don't tend to loot much so I can see the loot bag from the distance and know where I need to go (if i'm in a new area or outdoor zone).

On oranges I typically don't even have to poison to have a safe victory. Reds I always poison. I have killed purples, using 3 poisons, but those are not really worth the time involved in the fight.

Torch

[EZ_Myscha the sled dog]

Aelspear

If you are both going for mobs in a camp that BAF (bring a Friend/assist each other etc.) She can still Mez- Let the mez wear off naturally then the mob will come (pull) usually alone!

You cna do this up to Pygmy Goblins-an extremely social mob with 2 people. I call it mez pulling.

Once the mob is a decent distance from the nasty camp have her re-mez then take your time and line of your attacks and tear the mob to ribbons!


Myscha the sled dog
Mercede Dominci - 50 Bladerunner - Myrmidon - Gm Forward Artillery
Milan Dominici (retired)- 46 Combat Scout
"Next time we meet ..it will be too late..." Dave Mustaine