An Example Character, Levels 1-30

[Spatula]

As a note on the OP's comment about why anyone would take anything other than a Dwarven defender (though I don't have a copy of the rules, just going by what I've seen so far from the pregens) I do have an answer: Speed.

Yes, the Dwarven defender rocks at his job. No question. But he has one weakness for the DM to exploit, he can be pulled out of position to expose his squishier teammates (most of which he is relying upon for damage output) to the opposition's striker types. Once the rest of the party are dead, disabled or neutralized, the entirety of the opposition forces can concentrate on bringing him down.

A speed-build defender (an Eladrin, for example) will be able to get where s/he is needed on the battlefield in order to control the flow of combat and save everyone else from horrible molestation while still remaining tough enough to do their core job.

Eladrin are hard to pin down, until they use their fey step. Elves are better overall I think, since they start with +1 move and can shift through difficult terrain. The dwarf is still better than the non-elf, non-eladrin options, as far as maneuverability goes. Everyone (except elves) is speed 5 in heavy armor, and the feat to remove the speed penalty for scale armor is paragon tier and requires a decent investment in Dex. And some fighters may go for plate armor, anyway. On top of that, the dwarf has resistance to forced movement effects.

Anyway, between feats and the fighter class itself, getting into melee with ground-based foes shouldn't be a problem. Ironboot has speed 7 when charging, 9 when running, can move 3 as a minor action 1/encounter (Enter the Fray), and can briefly fly 1/day (winged boots). Not to mention the powers that let you attack & shift, especially Weaponsoul Dance, which lets you shift up to 15 squares as long as you keep attacking different targets.

Now that I see that the racial weapon feats and Weapon Focus don't stack, it's not as bad as I initially imagined, but damn do dwarves make good fighters. And halflings look to be *exceptional* rogues. There's just a lot of synergy between racial abilities, racial feats, ability score bonuses, and the needs of the class. Right now, I have a hard time imagining using any "unusual" race for a particular class in 4e, which I suppose is sort of the down-side to making the decision of race having more impact on the game mechanics.

 

[Spatula]

Yea, I can tell you right now that spells being unable to crit on anything except a 20 is going to place Warlocks in last place as far as damage dealing potential among strikers. I am DMing the campaign we start in a few weeks though, and I've already houseruled in that you can take a feat to increase crit chance on spells of a certain damage type. I.E. Frozen Wrath; Improve crit range on spells with the Cold descriptor to 19-20.

Well.... you should note that all the "improved crit" feats are for melee weapons only (or at best, thrown weapons which are very short ranged). No ranged striker has the option, which I think is possibly on purpose, for balance reasons. Time and splatbooks will tell, though.

 

[hong]

Hm, with luck, this will kill dead the complaints about fighters being nothing more than meatshields whose only function is to absorb damage.

 

[ShockMeSane]

Well.... you should note that all the "improved crit" feats are for melee weapons only (or at best, thrown weapons which are very short ranged). No ranged striker has the option, which I think is possibly on purpose, for balance reasons. Time and splatbooks will tell, though.

This is a really good point. Seeing as the Warlock I rolled has slightly better defenses than the Fighter, and significantly better if he moves 3 squares during his turn for concealment, and not a terribly smaller hp pool, it might just be outright imba to give the crit talent to ranged guys. I guess time will tell.

 

[Spatula]

It would be so great if someone posted some multi-classed fighter/wizard,
say at level 10, with all the wizard powers possible.
That would be great to compare to the single class fighter.

Are "losing" 3 feats worth the power switches?

The multiclass feats are a pain, since you have to evaluate both your class' list when you get a power but the other class' powers as well - every time you get a new power (i.e. nearly every level).

Anyway, fighter / wizard doesn't have a lot of synergy, or at least not for the character I built. I did whip up a level 10 Eladrin Warlord with all the feats, but I'm really not sure which warlord powers are useful and which are not, so it's hard to judge the cost-benefit ratio at this time (for me). But here he is:

Poncy, Eladrin Warlord 10
"I love the smell of a plan coming together in the morning!"

STR 18 +4	HP 70		bloodied 35
CON 13 +1	surge 18	per day 8
DEX 14 +2	AC 24	Fort 23, Refl 21, Will 20
INT 18 +4	
WIS 10 +0	Init +9		Move 6
CHA 11 +0

Skills: Arcana +15, Athletics +14, Diplomacy +10, Heal +10, History +15, Nature +10

Feats: Arcane Initiate, Eladrin Soldier (+2 dmg with swords & spears), Tactical Assault (+Int dmg w/Commanding Presence), Novice Power, Acolyte Power, Adept Power

Race: Low-light vision, +5 saves vs charms, fey origin, trance

Class: Combat Leader (+2 init within 10), Commanding Presence (ally in LOS gets +2 hit & +4 dmg when using AP to make attack)

Basic Attacks: longsword: +14 hit, 1d8+8 dmg, versatile
javelin: +11 hit, 1d6+6 dmg, range 5/10

At-will Attacks: Wolf-Pack Tactics: +14 hit, 1d8+8; ally can shift 1 before attack
Commander's Strike: ally makes basic melee attack w/ +4 dmg (standard)

Encounter Powers: Scorching Burst: area burst 1 within 10; +10 vs Ref, 1d6+5 fire
Inspiring Word: close burst 5; one ally spends surge and gets +1d6 hp; can use 2/encounter but only 1/round (minor)
Warlord's Favor: +14 hit, 2d8+8 dmg + ally within 5 gets +4 hit against target until your next turn ends
Steel Monsoon: +14 hit, 2d8+8 dmg + 4 allies within 5 can shift 1
Winter's Wrath: area burst 2 within 10; +10 vs Fort, 2d8+5 cold dmg; blizzard lasts until your next turn ends, granting concealment and dealing 4 cold dmg to any creature starting turn inside; end minor

Daily Powers: Pin the Foe: +14 hit, 3d8+8 dmg; target cannot shift if adjacent to 2 allies, or you and 1 ally
Stand the Fallen: +14 hit, 3d8+8 dmg; all allies within 10 can spend surge
Wall of Fire: wall 8 within 10; 3d6+5 fire dmg inside wall, 1d6+5 fire dmg adjacent, blocks LOS, costs 4 move to enter; lasts until your next turn ends, sustain minor

Utility Powers:
Fey Step: teleport 5 squares (encounter, move)
Knight's Move: range 10; target ally takes move action as free action (encounter, move)
Invisibility: range 5; you or target is inivis until your next turn ends, or until attack (daily, standard, sustain standard)
Tactical Shift: range 10; ally can shift 5 after being hit (daily, interrupt)

Equipment: lightning longsword +2 (+2d6 lightning dmg on crit, daily free: 1d6 lightning to target and enemies within 2), javelins, eladrin chainmail +2, light shield of protection (daily standard: you and adjacent ally get resist 10 all until your next turn ends), gauntlets of ogre power (+1 athletics/str check, daily free: +5 dmg to melee attack), belt of vigor (+1 surge value), magic wand +1 (+1d6 crit), amulet of protection +3, bag of holding, 640 gp

 

[Destil]

Awesome thread, Spatula. You beat me too it, I was planning on hammering one of these out once I got home.

Well, better late to the party than never.

I couldn't confirm where you add Str to basic attacks with a bow anywhere, I know I'm just missing it someplace. Likewise I still haven't tracked down where damage dice double at 21 for non at-wills...

I originally went with Skill Training: Nature at 1st (the animal messenger ritual uses this, for example), and the guy in the paper hat handing at the counter of the cheep feat joint I frequent asked if wanted Hunter's Quarry with that...

Elic Moongrove, Elf Cleric of Melora (level 1)
"Desecrate one more inch of my forest, and you won't live to see sunlight again..."

Str 12 +1
Dex 15 +2
Con 11  0
Int 10  0
Wis 18 +4
Cha 14 +2

HP: 23                          Speed 7 squares
Healing surges/day: 7           Languages: Common, Elven
AC: 15                          Vision: low light
Fort: 11 Refl: 12 Will: 16      Armor Check -1                        
Skills: Religion +9, Heal +9, Diplomacy +7, Insight +9, 
  Nature +11, Perception +6(untrained)
Passive Perception: 16, Intuition: 16

Basic Attacks
Longbow. +4 vs. AC; 1d10+2 damage. Range 20/40.
Spear. +3 vs. AC; 1d8+1 damage or 1d8+2 two-handed (Versatile)

At Will
Lance of Faith (Standard): +4 vs. Reflex; 1d8+4 radiant damage and one ally within sight gets +2 to next attack against same foe
Sacred Flame (standard): +4 vs. Reflex; 1d6+4 radiant and one ally within sight gains 2 temp HP or can make a saving throw

Encounter
Elven Accuracy (free, elf racial): Reroll 1 attack
Hunter's Quarry (minor, ranger multiclass): choose nearest foe, +1d6 damage vs
Healing Word (minor, cleric feature): 2/encounter. Grant a healing surge +1d6+4 healing
Divine Glow (standard, cleric attack 1): close blast 3; +4 vs. reflex; allies within the area get +2 to attack rolls until the end of next turn
Channel Divinity [choose 1 / encounter (cleric feature)]
Divine Fortune(free): +1 to one attack or save.
Turn Undead(standard): +4 vs. will; Undead hit are dealt 1d10+4 damage, pushed 5 squares, immobilized until the end of next turn

Daily
Guardian of Faith (standard, cleric attack 1): Conjure a ghostly guardian within 5 squares, it occupies one square. For the remainder of the encounter any creature that ends it's turn in an adjecent square is attacked. Move action to move the guardian up to 3 squares. +4 vs fortitude, dealing 1d8+4 raidiant damage.

Race/Class Misc.
+2 Nature, Perception
Prof: Longbow, shortbow, simple melee, & simple ranged weapons; cloth, leather, hide & chain armor
Wild Step: Shift into difficult terrain
Healer's Lore: +4 healing with powers that have the healing keyword

Feats
Warrior of the Wild (Nature as a trained skill, can take ranger feats & paragon paths, hunter's quarry 1/encounter)

Equipment
Holy Symbol (Pearl white seashell broach with an embossed silver moon)
Ritual prayer book with Animal Messenger & Gentle Repose
Hide Armor (-1 check, +3 AC 30gp)
25gp

EDIT: I keep getting a fatal error when viewing the smiley index, what are the codes for these things again?

 

[ShockMeSane]

Ok, in my attempts to make a multi-classed character I've stumbled across a problem. I could have sworn that in a preview we saw a feat that allowed a weapon to double as an implement. I could be blind as a bat, but where did that go?

Edit: There is a Wizard Paragon Path that allows this, but it's pretty darn restrictive in so far as you won't be getting many Fighter abilities due to losing the Paragon multi-class. Can you use a Wand in your offhand with a 1h sword in the other?

 

[fba827]

nothing to add here other than "great thread, thanks for starting it" -- the rules i'll see when i get the books in less than two weeks, but seeing the creative work in action is what the hivemi...err.. enworld and boards are about (to me at least).

I hope we get to see more threads on character builds and concepts using the new mechanics. (or homebrew monsters or magic items or plain and simple putting the rules to work, such as what is being tweaked for house rules already or limited for unique flavored campaigns, etc).

 

[Spatula]

So, a non-multiclass version of the warlord above has 3 free feats, and loses Winter's Wrath, Wall of Fire, and Invisibility. Not much to do with those feats but improve the warlord's shield & armor skills (net +2 AC, +1 Reflex), and throw in Improved Initiative (for a total of +13 at level 10!) or a non-combat feat like Ritual Casting.

replacement encounter power:
Surprise Attack: +14 hit, 1d8+8 dmg + ally within 5 makes basic attack with CA at +4 hit as free action against target of choice

replacement daily power:
Knock Them Down: +14 hit, 3d8+8 dmg + target prone, allies within 10 can move 3 and make melee basic attack against targets of choice as free action (no dmg, target prone on hit); ½ dmg + target prone on miss

replacement utility power:
Quick Step: range 10; ally gains +2 move for encounter (daily, minor)

Not as interesting as the wizard spells, although Knock Them Down highly amuses me, as all the players run around on the warlord's turn pushing over the bad guys like a pack of sandbox hooligans. But really, more of the same on the warlord front - hit someone in melee and trigger an allied attack or movement. So I guess it depends on what you can do with those three feats.

Other intriguing wizard spells that I was looking at to take with the multiclass feats: color spray (encounter), lightning bolt (encounter), sleep (daily), web (daily), fireball (daily), dispel magic (utility), resistance (utility)

 

[AkaKageWarrior]

Poncy, Eladrin Warlord 10...

you are AWESOME!!!! THANKS! :bowsmilie:



even though that character might not feel great damage wise, but what a
battlefield controller!
some nice powers for your allies, some to wipe out lots of minions,
than wall of fire for more battlefield control.
that looks great!

BTW, how do these sustains minor/whatever work?