Advice on trapper/healer for static group (2024)

I am reincarnating to start a new static group with 4-5 friends after being away from the game a good while, none of us have much experience with the game. To make it a smooth experience for all involved I want to make a group friendly character that can tackle trapping and also be able to group heal passably. Being able to also put out decent DPS will be a bonus. I don't know what the rest will end up playing. I think I will have 34 build points on this second life, and I believe I have a +8 superior tome invested in this char before.

I like characters that have a lot going on, hence trapping, healing, dps, etc. I am not set on whether to dps with spells, range or melee, also fine with a hybrid style (not sure if that is a thing in DDO).

I have considered:

• 20 levels pure Artificer. This seems maybe the most logical, but I have only played WF Artificer with reconstruct etc, I am not sure how good the admixtures for Artificer are at group healing throughout all levels. Also I hate the repeaters, the sound drives me nuts, so I would have to dps in some other way, not sure what is most viable of caster or melee for pure Artificer.
• Splash 2 levels of Artificer, Rogue or Dark Hunter with 18 Alchemist. My previous life was a gnome alchemist and I thought both group healing and dps was wonderful on this char up to 32. I am concerned about losing the two alchemist levels though and how much that will impact. Also it would be nice to try something else than my previous life.
• Splash 2 levels of trapper class with 18 FvS or Cleric. This should give good healing and dps (I think), but I am unsure about the trapping keeping up. Also I have no idea about build synergies and whether to go caster or melee.
• Splash two levels of a trapper class with 18 bard. I only played a caster bard before, and not sure if my int and trapping will keep up when main stat focus is cha.
• 20 levels Dark Hunter and give up on group healing and instead just go bow or twf dps.

Looking for advice on what is the most viable options, alternatives I have not considered, maybe a proven and ready made build someone has.

I'd suggest a bard with rogue levels. You'll be able to buff, heal, dps and trap. Some advice can be found here: https://forums.ddo.com/index.php?threads/bard-rogue-help.1719/

I played this during last Hardcore and it was a blast: Human 1 artificer 18 druid 1 fighter/druid/whatever.

iirc build 32 points: 8/8/14/16/18/8
Level 1 Artificer: MAXIMIZE and QUICKEN (need Magical Training so not Dark Hunter or Rogue at level 1)
Levels 2-19 Blightcaster
Level 20 whatever

Note: I took two shield mastery feats during heroics for more health (the level 20 fighter option would allow you to take the 3rd).

Druids and Blightcasters get Spot as class skill which is crucial. You need DD, Search, Spot and Open Lock to be a trapper which is 7 points, and to begin with you get 1+4+3 (again iirc) which has you covered; the supreme tome will help a LOT as you progress to also take Heal and Spellpower.
Blightcaster because its damage is excellent during heroics. BC's damage isn't sustained as of yet in epics as much as other classes, but its still fine if you take SLAs and Epic Feat Master of Thorns and your group stays at EE or even ER1. Blightcaster isn't as good a healer as Druid, so a way around this could be to take Blightcaster at level 1, then Artificer at level 2 (yes, you lose a lot of initial skill points by doing it this way), and at level 20 use your free (or another) lesser Heart of Wood to reincarnate into Druid for better healing and better damage spells (Tsunami is one of the best spells in the game for example imho - BC get this too but there are others!). Don't use animal form. Good luck, have fun in your static group.

EDIT: Human also provides, if you choose (I generally do until access to Shadowdancer), an option to take Dragonmark feat to access Dimension Door which is a very useful ability if your group doesn't already have this. The first core also provides a +4 action boost to skills. The human racial tree also offers +1/2/3 to trapper skills. Buy Potions and of heroism and chug them at will.

I went tier 5/core 5 into Seasons and core 5 into Blightcaster during heroics.

For epics, and playing as a Druid, Water Elemental form would be the way to go.