Tempestfury
First Post
So, I’ve been fiddling around with HeroLab recently, making builds for characters of mine, trying to get a build that reflects their personality and abilities as best as I could. As I did so, however, the guides I was looking at directed my towards a Paragon Path that I hadn’t known about before, and it's rather... unique, 16 level Paragon Path ability. After seeing this, I simply had to make a build centred on it as best as I could, and here are the results.
Red = Offensive Choice. Blue = Defensive Choice for feats. For powers, Red = Sorcerer and Blue = Paladin.
====== Created Using Herolab ======
Storm-22, level 30
Revenant, Hybrid Paladin/Sorcerer, Lightning Fury, Unyielding Sentinel
Swordmage Aegis: Aegis of Shielding
Choose your Race in Life: Minotaur
Versatile Expertise: Heavy Blade
Versatile Expertise: Holy Symbol
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 18, Dex 23, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 28.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 13.
AC: 33 Fort: 33 Reflex: 35 Will: 39
HP: 176 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 44
TRAINED SKILLS
Diplomacy +29, Endurance +26, Intimidate +31.
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +21, Arcana +16, Bluff +24, Dungeoneering +18, Heal +18, History +16, Insight +18, Nature +18, Perception +18, Religion +16, Stealth +21, Streetwise +24, Thievery +21
FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent: Soul of the Sorcerer (Storm Soul)
Level 2: Versatile Expertise
Level 4: Improved Defences
Level 6: Past Soul
Level 8: Opportunity Gore
Level 10: Bloodied Ferocity
Level 11: Honored Foe
Level 12: Hero’s Poise
Level 14: Repel Charge (Retrained to Mark of Storm at Level 16)
Level 16: Forceful Challenge
Level 18: Commanding Vow
Level 20: Unarmoured Agility
Level 21: Weakening Challenge
Level 22: Strength Through Challenge
Level 24: Viscious Stomp
Level 26: Divine Mastery
Level 28: Ghostly Vitality
Level 30: Fierce Vitality
POWERS
At-will 1: Burning Spray
At-will 1:Virtuous Smite
Encounter 1: Valorous Smite
Daily 1: Majestic Halo
Utility 2: Call of Challenge
Encounter 3: Dancing Lightning
Daily 5: Glacial Armour
Utility 6: Swift Escape
Encounter 7: Astral Thunder
Daily 9: Howling Hurricane
Utility 10: Maiden’s Waking
Encounter 13: Castigating Strike (replaces Valorous Smite)
Daily 15: Lightning Daggers (replaces Howling Hurricane)
Utility 16: Dominant Winds
Encounter 17: Azure Talons (replaces Dancing Lightning)
Daily 19: Corona of Blinding Radiance (replaces Majestic Halo)
Utility 22: Shared Valor
Encounter 23: Demand Respect (replaces Astral Thunder)
Daily 25: Discipline the Unruly (replaces Glacial Armour)
Encounter 27: Wildfire Curse (replaces Azure Talons)
Daily 29: Entropic Whirlwind (replaces Corona of Blinding Radiance)
ITEMS
Lightning Longsword, Cloth Armor, Holy Symbol
====== Created Using Herolab ======
So, how exactly does this build function? Well, as I said early, it all revolves around the Level 16 ability of the Lightning Fury Paragon Path.
Assuming we are standing right next to our opponent, we have many means of punishing them: They make a melee attack against us? They take damage. Do they make a close or melee attack against an ally? Divine Sanction triggers, so they take damage. Weakening Challenge makes the attack deal half damage, and then Forceful Challenge slides them one space, making Lighting Field trigger so they take even more damage. They try to make a Ranged or Area attack, or try to move away? We hit them with a Goring Charge, knock them prone, then hit them with a Virtuous Smite... which thanks to Mark of Storm, lets us Slide them next to us, which triggers Lighting Field, and it was a Ranged or Area Attack? Well, Divine Sanction kicks in as above...
Even trying to move past us in order to get to the back-line can hurt, as Lighting Field doesn’t matter how you try to move past us, simply that you are moving through adjacent squares. So shift all you want, your still going to be taking quite a lot of hurt during your turn.
Now obviously, this build has a few weaknesses, apart from the obvious ‘Only turns on at Level 16’ thing. For one, we aren’t exactly the tankiest Defender around. With Sub 50 AC and Sub 200 HP, we’re probably going to need a strong Leader to keep up from falling in battle, although the Revenant’s Unnatural Vitality, as well as the feats that buff it, can really help us stay standing for longer. If you end up falling too much early, then consider taking Fierce Vitality in place of Commanding Vow, and swapping Ghostly Vitality with Vicious Stomp. Maybe even Unarmored Agility with Improved Defences, as we already have solid NAD’s, so getting more AC early would be helpful.
Secondly, Lighting Field only works when people move adjacent to us. While Divine Sanction + Forceful Challenge means that we can punish foes who are two squares away from us when they attack an ally. Highly mobile creatures, especially ones that can shift or teleport, can wiggle out of our trap with ease. Because we need a Lighting Weapon in order to make our attacks Lightning to trigger Lighting Field, we can’t pick up a Feyslaughter Weapon to stop them from escaping. The Orb of Translocation Interference and Orb of the Planes can help mitigate this. Forceful movement can also screw us over as well, though there are several items that can help reduce or negate such movement effects as well.
Third, but not the least, is that resistance or immunity to Lighting Damage can really, really hurt us... and I don’t know of the top of my head any good ways of getting around it with this build.
And that my friends, is the Storm-22 build. Please, let me know what you think. Are there ways to improve the build? Would a different race be better than the Revenant, and if so what do you suggest? Should I pick up Lighting Soul at all (As its Feat bonus applies to Lighting Damage Rolls, not just powers, so it would increase the Lightning Field’s damage significantly), and if so, what should I replace? Or should I try to further my AC and HP in order to better function as a Defender?
I really hope to hear from people soon.
Red = Offensive Choice. Blue = Defensive Choice for feats. For powers, Red = Sorcerer and Blue = Paladin.
====== Created Using Herolab ======
Storm-22, level 30
Revenant, Hybrid Paladin/Sorcerer, Lightning Fury, Unyielding Sentinel
Swordmage Aegis: Aegis of Shielding
Choose your Race in Life: Minotaur
Versatile Expertise: Heavy Blade
Versatile Expertise: Holy Symbol
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 18, Dex 23, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 28.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 13.
AC: 33 Fort: 33 Reflex: 35 Will: 39
HP: 176 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 44
TRAINED SKILLS
Diplomacy +29, Endurance +26, Intimidate +31.
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +21, Arcana +16, Bluff +24, Dungeoneering +18, Heal +18, History +16, Insight +18, Nature +18, Perception +18, Religion +16, Stealth +21, Streetwise +24, Thievery +21
FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent: Soul of the Sorcerer (Storm Soul)
Level 2: Versatile Expertise
Level 4: Improved Defences
Level 6: Past Soul
Level 8: Opportunity Gore
Level 10: Bloodied Ferocity
Level 11: Honored Foe
Level 12: Hero’s Poise
Level 14: Repel Charge (Retrained to Mark of Storm at Level 16)
Level 16: Forceful Challenge
Level 18: Commanding Vow
Level 20: Unarmoured Agility
Level 21: Weakening Challenge
Level 22: Strength Through Challenge
Level 24: Viscious Stomp
Level 26: Divine Mastery
Level 28: Ghostly Vitality
Level 30: Fierce Vitality
POWERS
At-will 1: Burning Spray
At-will 1:Virtuous Smite
Encounter 1: Valorous Smite
Daily 1: Majestic Halo
Utility 2: Call of Challenge
Encounter 3: Dancing Lightning
Daily 5: Glacial Armour
Utility 6: Swift Escape
Encounter 7: Astral Thunder
Daily 9: Howling Hurricane
Utility 10: Maiden’s Waking
Encounter 13: Castigating Strike (replaces Valorous Smite)
Daily 15: Lightning Daggers (replaces Howling Hurricane)
Utility 16: Dominant Winds
Encounter 17: Azure Talons (replaces Dancing Lightning)
Daily 19: Corona of Blinding Radiance (replaces Majestic Halo)
Utility 22: Shared Valor
Encounter 23: Demand Respect (replaces Astral Thunder)
Daily 25: Discipline the Unruly (replaces Glacial Armour)
Encounter 27: Wildfire Curse (replaces Azure Talons)
Daily 29: Entropic Whirlwind (replaces Corona of Blinding Radiance)
ITEMS
Lightning Longsword, Cloth Armor, Holy Symbol
====== Created Using Herolab ======
So, how exactly does this build function? Well, as I said early, it all revolves around the Level 16 ability of the Lightning Fury Paragon Path.
This build is entirely built around catching your opponent’s in a situation where they are screwed no matter what they do. Through a combination of Divine Challenge, Call of Challenge, Valorous Smite, Majestic Halo and Castigating Strike, we have various means of applying Divine Sanction down on a multitude of different enemies. Then, thanks to our Lighting Weapon, we have various ways of triggering Lightning Field, including even just making a MBA, thanks to Virtuous Smite.
Assuming we are standing right next to our opponent, we have many means of punishing them: They make a melee attack against us? They take damage. Do they make a close or melee attack against an ally? Divine Sanction triggers, so they take damage. Weakening Challenge makes the attack deal half damage, and then Forceful Challenge slides them one space, making Lighting Field trigger so they take even more damage. They try to make a Ranged or Area attack, or try to move away? We hit them with a Goring Charge, knock them prone, then hit them with a Virtuous Smite... which thanks to Mark of Storm, lets us Slide them next to us, which triggers Lighting Field, and it was a Ranged or Area Attack? Well, Divine Sanction kicks in as above...
Even trying to move past us in order to get to the back-line can hurt, as Lighting Field doesn’t matter how you try to move past us, simply that you are moving through adjacent squares. So shift all you want, your still going to be taking quite a lot of hurt during your turn.
Now obviously, this build has a few weaknesses, apart from the obvious ‘Only turns on at Level 16’ thing. For one, we aren’t exactly the tankiest Defender around. With Sub 50 AC and Sub 200 HP, we’re probably going to need a strong Leader to keep up from falling in battle, although the Revenant’s Unnatural Vitality, as well as the feats that buff it, can really help us stay standing for longer. If you end up falling too much early, then consider taking Fierce Vitality in place of Commanding Vow, and swapping Ghostly Vitality with Vicious Stomp. Maybe even Unarmored Agility with Improved Defences, as we already have solid NAD’s, so getting more AC early would be helpful.
Secondly, Lighting Field only works when people move adjacent to us. While Divine Sanction + Forceful Challenge means that we can punish foes who are two squares away from us when they attack an ally. Highly mobile creatures, especially ones that can shift or teleport, can wiggle out of our trap with ease. Because we need a Lighting Weapon in order to make our attacks Lightning to trigger Lighting Field, we can’t pick up a Feyslaughter Weapon to stop them from escaping. The Orb of Translocation Interference and Orb of the Planes can help mitigate this. Forceful movement can also screw us over as well, though there are several items that can help reduce or negate such movement effects as well.
Third, but not the least, is that resistance or immunity to Lighting Damage can really, really hurt us... and I don’t know of the top of my head any good ways of getting around it with this build.
And that my friends, is the Storm-22 build. Please, let me know what you think. Are there ways to improve the build? Would a different race be better than the Revenant, and if so what do you suggest? Should I pick up Lighting Soul at all (As its Feat bonus applies to Lighting Damage Rolls, not just powers, so it would increase the Lightning Field’s damage significantly), and if so, what should I replace? Or should I try to further my AC and HP in order to better function as a Defender?
I really hope to hear from people soon.
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