Sample Character request: Warrior/Mage

[loisel]

How else would you define gish?

I would've liked for 1 wizard at-will and 1 fighter at-will, and then a 50%-50% split for all the other powers. And then I would've liked to use my sword as an implement, or somehow resolve the weapon/implement problem.

You know, a gish.

 

[Klaus]

So for those lucky souls who received the books and have cracked the code on charcter building and multiclassing ... how would you now go about building the iconic warrior/mage in 4E, given the currently available core rules (ie, no house rules or "wait until the FR book comes out)? (Substitute Fighter/wizard, eldritch knight, spell sword, battlemancer, swordmage, mageblade, or whatever other term you prefer besides that g-word.)

For example, how would a fighter (multiclass wizard) compare to a wizard (multiclass fighter), to a ranger (multiclass wizard), to say a warlord with ritual casting .. etc.

Edit: For clarity, here's the concept definition that I think of when I thikn "warrior-mage":

[sblock]
A character who combines the skills and abilities of both warrior and mage, able to fill the iconic roles of each, albeit neither as good a warrior as a pure fighter, nor as good a mage as a pure wizard. Flexibility and utility are inherent to the concept.

Key abilities to me would be:

- Proficient with a number of weapons, including traditional warrior weapons such as swords, bows, or polearms
- Proficient in at least light-to-medium armor, and able to use a shield. Ideally, able to cast spells in armor
- Sufficient toughness to be able to enter melee, if not tough enough to be the party's sole melee combatant
- Access to a mix of physical and knowledge/arcane skill information
- Able to cast spells in combat that can aid in defense, attack a single target, or have area offensive effects
- Able to cast utility spells outside of combat that can assist the party
- Be able to demonstrate the flavor of the above from very early -- ideally first level. None of this "I'm an arcane warrior, but I'm still working on the arcane part" to suddenly "Hey look, spells!". This can't be a "build" that only works at 20th level ... the concept needs to be coherent for the majority of the character's career.[/sblock]

Isn't that pretty much what the tiefling warlord pregen posted at WotC's site does? He starts as Warlord 1, and at Warlord 2 he picks the Arcane Apprentice feat to use a fire area spell as an encounter power. I'm pretty sure he could've taken that at level 1.

 

[neceros]

I would've liked for 1 wizard at-will and 1 fighter at-will, and then a 50%-50% split for all the other powers. And then I would've liked to use my sword as an implement, or somehow resolve the weapon/implement problem.

You know, a gish.

You can't. You need to fill a role. Half one role and half another is broken and will inevitably make you too strong or too weak.

 

[Nifft]

I would've liked for 1 wizard at-will and 1 fighter at-will, and then a 50%-50% split for all the other powers. And then I would've liked to use my sword as an implement, or somehow resolve the weapon/implement problem.

You know, a gish.

I posted a hammer-wielding Warlock whose basic attack (at 11th level) is the equivalent of an at-will Fighter power.

So you'd have two Warlock and one Fighter at-will. (But you could always pretend you only had one Warlock at-will.)

Cheers, -- N

 

[loisel]

I posted a hammer-wielding Warlock whose basic attack (at 11th level) is the equivalent of an at-will Fighter power.

So you'd have two Warlock and one Fighter at-will. (But you could always pretend you only had one Warlock at-will.)

Cheers, -- N

I don't see it here, and it seems to me like anything you did for your character's basic attack can only be improved by folding it into an at-will power.

In other words, I'm saying that I won't believe that it's the same as an at-will unless I see it.

 

[the Jester]

Also, anyone claiming 2e multiclassing was 'teh BROKEN111!!!111' has obviously not played the game and has no idea what he/she is talking about. A fighter/mage in 2e was great, yet at the same time never oversahdowed the party fighter or wizard. (at least not in their respective arena's. At higher levels any wizard could outshadow any martial class)

Uh, as someone who played dnd on average more than 1/week every week since 1981, I feel that 2e multiclassing was indeed "teh BROKEN111!!!111".

 

[Nifft]

I don't see it here, and it seems to me like anything you did for your character's basic attack can only be improved by folding it into an at-will power.

In other words, I'm saying that I won't believe that it's the same as an at-will unless I see it.

What an impolite way to request information.

It was in another, very similar thread: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4261014&postcount=18

It's easier to do with a Dwarf, but the dude asked for a Half-Elf.

-- N

 

[The Little Raven]

Uh, as someone who played dnd on average more than 1/week every week since 1981, I feel that 2e multiclassing was indeed "teh BROKEN111!!!111".

While I started in 1988, I totally agree. Multiclassing in every edition has been broken in one way or another, so far. Hopefully my fears about 4e's multiclassing will be laid to rest after playing around with it.

 

[Incenjucar]

What an impolite way to request information.

It was in another, very similar thread: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4261014&postcount=18

It's easier to do with a Dwarf, but the dude asked for a Half-Elf.

-- N

Niiiiiiice.

Dude needs a "Witch Hammer" now.

 

[Nifft]

Niiiiiiice.

Dude needs a "Witch Hammer" now.

The awesome thing is, he use a Pact Blade in his off-hand, and then take the TWF and Two Weapon Defense feats. He'll get +1 AC and +1 damage with his Warhammer, which is the same damage bonus he would have had by using it two-handed. (Dex 13 required, but that's not necessarily a waste. Reflex and Initiative are still useful.) If you start with 12 Dex, your Paragon stat boost will make TWF and TWD available. And 13 Dex is necessary for Astral Fire, which also wouldn't be a waste.

Anyway: Dwarves rule.

Cheers, -- N