A somewhat unpopular combination?
Just want to share my experience on my 2nd favorite char in TQAE (Nature/Rogue). Whichever mastery you start with doesn't really matter but i suggest you focus on 2 wolves and traps early game. This is a petmaster/trapper/X build. Mine is a petmaster/trapper/archer/knifethrower build but the archer and knifethrower part may differ depending on your gamestyle preference.
The skills you would want are:
Rogue: Traps (max), flash powder and however you want to attack. I chose envenom tree (max nightshade and mandrake), calculated strike and lethal strike. You can also choose max knives and no calculated or lethal strike if that's your preference. Heck, i wouldn't fault you if you go PGB or none at all except traps and flash powder. A knifer is very good if you have resistance reduction not from weapon.. like Polaris or monkey kings trickery.. or in my case a mbutis advocate on secondary (the study prey procs with knives).
Nature: I suggest you put at least 1 skill point in every skill here.. All are good if you stack up + to all skills items (which you should).
My build (with +6 all skills):
https://www.kirmiziperfect.com/titancalc-anniversary-edition/TitanCalce491.html?mastery=Illusionist&master1=4&master2=6&sa=0&m1=32-4-14-10-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-4-10-1-1-1-1-1-0&m2=32-6-0-1-7-1-6-6-4-1-14-0-10-6-1-1-6-0-1-1-6-0Now you might think traps and strength of the pack don't synergize well because traps deal pierce damage and strength of the pack enhance physical. The solution is simple: a wraithlord's ring (the type that gives bonus physical to pets). 2 wraithlord's rings would be yummy. I wear a wraithlord's ring of immortality with demon's blood. I don't think you should sacrifice your amulet for another wraithlord's but well if you have a wraithlord's amulet of convocation then oof (i don't have that).
This is somewhat safe to play if you let the traps do the aggros first. You still get hit so flash powder, briar ward, regrowth (a 2nd source of healing while your pots are on recharge) and of course HoO is important here. I'm still in act 3 legendary and having no real problems (zero deaths in legendary so far). Frankly, i don't see myself dying if i play careful enough. I have finished the game several times so i have a pretty good feel for the game. I did die once in epic though when i wasn't totally focused on playing (bad Elton John).
Now you might notice i didn't include stat and gear optimization here. Basically because i leave it up to you. Go int and stack up CDR and bonus to pets (spamming briar ward and plague). str and dex and go melee. Use a bow just like me. It really depends on your preferred game style. I do suggest you stack up all skills though (at least + 4) and the mentioned wraithlord's (at least 1). A good place to farm mbutis advocate is from the frogmen just outside rhodes before the first rebirth fountain.. and also soronis (that lampido's potion quest). The free study prey is very valuable especially if you have the physical wraithlord's.
additional info:
looking at tq-db:
beastcaller's ring - lvl 3 (req lvl)
spiritcaller's - lvl 14
summoner's - lvl 28
invoker's - lvl 35
ritualist's - lvl 42
wraithlord's - lvl 53
all can be bought from merchants
update for ragnarok:
i found wolves to be extra squishy in ragnarok with this build. Still, with the new XP scaling and with all those bonus skill points in act 5, you should have enough skill points to add to survival instinct. Also, there is a new prefix (Allfather’s) that gives an even higher boost to pets than wraithlord’s but has lvl 68 requirement.
here is how my illusionist looks like optimized for ragnarok:
start : surtr
6:00 : muspelheim
17:00 : loki
20:24 : Olympus portal to Typhon
throwing knife is good for spreading CC and reducing resistances
a fair amount of cast speed is needed for traps and knives