New character? Hybrid Fighter/Warlord or MC Fighter/Warlord or Warlord/Fighter

[ourchair]

@Ourchair: 4th edition character building works best if you do one thing and stick to it.

If you decide on Fighter Sword + Board, grab a big weapon and a shield, and pour all ressources in smacking things, and smacking things especially hard if they try anything you don't want (move away from you, shift around, attack your allies). Second, you invest in laughing into their faces when they try to attack you (thick armor, shield, stuff to shake off conditions).

Don't be distracted by all the other things you could do. Yes, you could use a rapier, yes, you could multiclass into one of 35 other classes, you could do this, you could do that. Don't. If it doesn't help with the stuff in paragraph 2, you don't need it. Let someone else in the party do it.

(If you wonder why all these options exist, then, they are for people who have too much time on their hands to check the synergy of all kinds of classes and powers to turn their characters up to 11. However, in your group 10 is loud enough.)

Thanks for the friendly admonition!

I would ordinarily stick with that --- I'm a fan of just taking a class and sticking with it --- but I guess I'm just obsessive simply because this is my first time multi-classing and I want to also find ways to add a flavor to the character that has relevance to the campaign. A plain fighter works, but perhaps I'm just too jazzed up about trying to ensure he's integrated into blood magic zombie hoo ha.

I've tried explaining it to her, and in that moment it's been explained to her she gets it, but she doesn't do it at all. I imagine a few sessions will learn her. I'm thinking we should just ask, in character, for her to mark an enemy and then when she says, "OK!" we'll trigger the Aegis automatically.

Also, awesome sig.

 

[Herschel]

I'm actually tempted to play a swordmage too, but I don't want to steal her thunder by playing the same class she plays better, as it would probably be demoralizing and uncool for her.

Two Swordmages can be wicked fun. Twin shielding outside of true solos can be extremely efficient and in your case twin assault can really up the damage output if you mark and engage someone else and she marks something else and engages your target. Either way, against wicked true solos you can take turns playing meat shield or with one of each the shielding can mark and let the assault stand in the way.

 

[Dan'L]

A few thoughts to interject, in no particular order:

- If you're worried about stepping on the toes of another defender, consider that taking a two-weapon fighter build might be equally stepping on the toes of the two-weapon ranger player. It will come down to what makes her feel "special" in her character, and what's giving her the most enjoyment.

- If you're worried about "to hit," battlerager may not be your best build either, since it tends to favor weapons with a +2 proficiency bonus and does not offer the +1 bonus that One- or Two-Handed Weapon Talent fighters receive. I've personally had a lot of fun with a sword-n-board longsword build with ample shield support feats and powers in the PHB & Martial Power, pushing the bad guys around the battle mat, but there's also something iconic about a Dragonborn swinging a big honking two-hander and laying out big hurt that can appeal as well.

- As far as picking up an arcane multi-class goes, mechanically you easily qualify for either of two warlock or sorcerer multis, as well as one of the bard multis. I'd say on this line, it would depend on what you wanted to get out of it. More damage? Then Arcane Prodigy (sorcerer) or Student of Malediction (warlock) would work; More tankability? Soul of Sorcery (sorcerer, natch) is your go-to. Similarly, Pact Initiate (warlock) gives you an extra ranged attack option and Bardic Dilettante (bard) gives you extra party support with a daily heal.

- Really, though, a MC choice here will also come down to how you want to fluff it. It shouldn't be too hard to fit your PC's back story into the current plot even without a MC into arcane. Maybe your fighter has a sister who's gotten in over her head with the cult, and he's come along to bail her out; or perhaps he's been hired on as muscle and doesn't like what he sees and so is looking for an opportunity to cut out of the evilness when the party comes along.

Bottom line, of course, is to build a character that you can have fun with. Toward that end, I hope this has been of some help!

-Dan'L

 

[Herschel]

I might still go second Eladrin Shielding Swordmage. Fluff it as a twin, if you like. When she sees you mark and Fey Step she might follow suit. Discuss this with them before a combat. Maybe ask your GF to run a mock combat to "test" the "new" party out even. Imagine two baddies. Delay until you can kind of go together, and have the Ranger delay. Swordmage 1 marks and Fey Steps as far away from baddie 1 on to baddie two. Swordmage 2 does the reverse. The Ranger then comes up the middle. If they flank the ranger and ignore your mark, the Ranger gets hit a lot for squat damage.

She can learn tactics by thinking as a "twin", taking some pressure off but giving her some "glory" as you follow her moves other times.

 

[ourchair]

- If you're worried about "to hit," battlerager may not be your best build either, since it tends to favor weapons with a +2 proficiency bonus and does not offer the +1 bonus that One- or Two-Handed Weapon Talent fighters receive. I've personally had a lot of fun with a sword-n-board longsword build with ample shield support feats and powers in the PHB & Martial Power, pushing the bad guys around the battle mat, but there's also something iconic about a Dragonborn swinging a big honking two-hander and laying out big hurt that can appeal as well.

- As far as picking up an arcane multi-class goes, mechanically you easily qualify for either of two warlock or sorcerer multis, as well as one of the bard multis. I'd say on this line, it would depend on what you wanted to get out of it. More damage? Then Arcane Prodigy (sorcerer) or Student of Malediction (warlock) would work; More tankability? Soul of Sorcery (sorcerer, natch) is your go-to. Similarly, Pact Initiate (warlock) gives you an extra ranged attack option and Bardic Dilettante (bard) gives you extra party support with a daily heal.

- Really, though, a MC choice here will also come down to how you want to fluff it. It shouldn't be too hard to fit your PC's back story into the current plot even without a MC into arcane. Maybe your fighter has a sister who's gotten in over her head with the cult, and he's come along to bail her out; or perhaps he's been hired on as muscle and doesn't like what he sees and so is looking for an opportunity to cut out of the evilness when the party comes along.

That was a fantastic breakdown of the options, especially how you parsed the possibilities presented by each multi-class. I salute you for your assistance, sir.

I might still go second Eladrin Shielding Swordmage. Fluff it as a twin, if you like. When she sees you mark and Fey Step she might follow suit. Discuss this with them before a combat. Maybe ask your GF to run a mock combat to "test" the "new" party out even. Imagine two baddies. Delay until you can kind of go together, and have the Ranger delay. Swordmage 1 marks and Fey Steps as far away from baddie 1 on to baddie two. Swordmage 2 does the reverse. The Ranger then comes up the middle. If they flank the ranger and ignore your mark, the Ranger gets hit a lot for squat damage.

She can learn tactics by thinking as a "twin", taking some pressure off but giving her some "glory" as you follow her moves other times.

That's a really awesome idea. DANCE PARTNERS!

But I think my GF DM is really intent on the Dragonborn thing. We kind of worked out a story for where we are now that the Dragonborn is discovered with two other characters (a Vistani Sorceress and a Warforged Barbarian) bound to a blood magic ritual. The Vistani, Dragonborn and Warforged are basically exotic races belonging to cultures unknown to the currently reigning empire or predate its rise to power.

I'm going to basically sacrifice my Changeling Wizard. He'll discorporate in the process of trying to stop the ritual -- Fullmetal Alchemist-style -- and in the unlikely event that I decide to use him again, can deus ex machina-ed back into the story.