Looking for advice: simple multi attacking fighter-type

[Jarrod]

We're starting a new campaign and looking at characters. My wife wants a melee-type character who fits the following:

1) "A guardsman", AKA fighter or similar background;
2) Relatively simple to play;
3) Can attack groups of bad guys.

The best thing would be an Essentials-esque melee character with blast 2 or close burst 1 at-wills. I haven't found anything like that. Instead, I have two options:

1) Tempest fighter. Encounter burst 1 and at-wills that target two monsters are good. Marking mechanic is a little fiddly; she really doesn't want to remember rules.
2) Monk. Absolutely perfect except for the whole "guardsman" thing.

Is there something that I'm missing? Is there a melee Essentials class that gives you at-will burst 1 capability?

Thanks!

 

[RangerWickett]

A scout can hit two people. A monk can use weapons. If you're using the character builder and want to have armor, you can house rule in scale armor proficiency, and probably Melee Training (Dexterity).

 

[bganon]

I'd say just stick with Knight. The aura affects any adjacent enemy, and she can use the Cleaving Assault stance a lot. She won't explicitly be "attacking" a whole group in a single turn, but she'll be keeping a whole bunch of enemies busy one way or another. If the DM is generous with triggering OAs or the aura punishment, she could be making several attacks per round, possibly whacking multiple foes with Cleaving Assault every time.

Also, she can take the Sohei theme to start with a minor action attack once per encounter, and with 13 Dex she can Monk multiclass to get Stone Fist Flurry of Blows once per encounter. That's a fair bit of multiattacking right from level 1.

 

[Rechan]

Nothing says you have to keep "Monastic ascetic" for the monk class. Just use the class and call it what you want. Also monks - with a ki-focus - can use any weapon, and the monk build in Psionic Power is specific to a weapon-using monk.

 

[Klaus]

We're starting a new campaign and looking at characters. My wife wants a melee-type character who fits the following:

1) "A guardsman", AKA fighter or similar background;
2) Relatively simple to play;
3) Can attack groups of bad guys.

The best thing would be an Essentials-esque melee character with blast 2 or close burst 1 at-wills. I haven't found anything like that. Instead, I have two options:

1) Tempest fighter. Encounter burst 1 and at-wills that target two monsters are good. Marking mechanic is a little fiddly; she really doesn't want to remember rules.
2) Monk. Absolutely perfect except for the whole "guardsman" thing.

Is there something that I'm missing? Is there a melee Essentials class that gives you at-will burst 1 capability?

Thanks!

I'll second the suggestion of a Knight, with Cleaving Assault as the go-to stance (hit one enemy, deal Con damage to another enemy).

If she doesn't mind playing a dragonborn, you can choose it for the breath weapon.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I also believe, a dragonborn knight would be a great Idea... I would even suggest putting the +2 to constitution (a knight does hit well enough with str. 16 and a hammer)

 

[Klaus]

I also believe, a dragonborn knight would be a great Idea... I would even suggest putting the +2 to constitution (a knight does hit well enough with str. 16 and a hammer)

Might as well go Melee Training (Constitution) and be an unstoppable juggernaut.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Swordmage has an at-will enemies-only close burst 1, and can fill a guard role fairly well, especially if flavoured as coming from a fey culture, like elf, drow, eladrin, etc. At paragon, you can increase it to close burst 2, which is pretty nutbar.

The only hangup there is that their marking mechanic is kind of wonky, but teleports are a lot of fun.

I agree that Knight or Monk may be the way to go though. Knight would be the simplest with the least amount of refluffing required and the most streamlined actions and powers.

 

[Quickleaf]

Might as well go Melee Training (Constitution) and be an unstoppable juggernaut.

Heh. That's my character in a nutshell, and it's awesome for multi-attacking. You get to cleave on EVERY attack you make. If you haven't seen a knight in action yet, often that's a couple attacks every combat round (including during ally's turns when they provoke opportunity attacks!). Recently we fought evil priests and I got 4 hits which meant I did 20 points of Cleave damage at 5th level. And for good measure I picked up the Heavy Blade Strike feat from MME which allows you to expend a use of power strike when dropping an enemy to gain an extra basic attack.

Oh and you can use Martial Cross-Training to swap out a power strike for "sweeping blow" or better yet "come and get it" at 7th level.

Anyhow it's a fun build and great multi-attacker (you just end up attacking on other people's turns a lot).

 

[Jarrod]

Thanks, folks - Knight it is. Amusingly, a halfling knight with a craghammer that's bigger than she is!

One odd thing... I'm not sure the CB is taking Melee Training into account. At 5th (starting level), she has a melee basic of 1d10 + 4, a +1 weapon, and a CON of 20... I suppose that's 1 (weapon) + 1 (class) + (5/2), but it seems pretty dreadful.

Cleave is tasty though. 5 damage, there you are.