Skill Utilities and Their Impact on Play

[Garthanos]

Level 12 is pretty badassed I think I figured that was around a decent level to make Gandalf the White.... and probably something along this lines might be a bare minimum for the lady Morrigu.

Cool Analysis

 

[Tony Vargas]

Crucial Advice was an early favorite in the first 4e campaign I was in...

 

[Manbearcat]

Level 12 is pretty badassed I think I figured that was around a decent level to make Gandalf the White.... and probably something along this lines might be a bare minimum for the lady Morrigu.

Cool Analysis

Thanks!

Side note; Amusingly, YOU SHALL NOT PASS is the 11th level Encounter Power for a PP that I can't recall off the top of my head!

Crucial Advice was an early favorite in the first 4e campaign I was in...

Ditto. The Ranger in my first game featured it.

I'll do that one next!

 

[Garthanos]

Thanks!

Side note; Amusingly, YOU SHALL NOT PASS is the 11th level Encounter Power for a PP that I can't recall off the top of my head!

It seems a direct ummm "invocation" of the isolating Avenger fighting style. I built him as a hybrid.

 

[darkbard]

Amusingly, YOU SHALL NOT PASS is the 11th level Encounter Power for a PP that I can't recall off the top of my head!

Gatekeeper, a pretty interesting PP, overall. Couple YSNP with Stay Back! (Dungeoneering Skill Power), and you've got something pretty thematic going for "Gandalf."

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I still think Gandalf aught to be something like 26th level though. He CERTAINLY has a 'stand up again after you die' feature! lol.

 

[Manbearcat]

It seems a direct ummm "invocation" of the isolating Avenger fighting style. I built him as a hybrid.

Gatekeeper, a pretty interesting PP, overall. Couple YSNP with Stay Back! (Dungeoneering Skill Power), and you've got something pretty thematic going for "Gandalf."

I still think Gandalf aught to be something like 26th level though. He CERTAINLY has a 'stand up again after you die' feature! lol.

I think if I was going with Gandalf as a 4e Paragon build, I'd probably go something like:

1) Lore-based, mystic, or fortune theme/background.
2) Invoker/Lazylord hybrid with force and radiant powers (and a summoning that would be redlined).
3) Arcana, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, History, Insight, Religion
3) Divination/Lore (skills and ally reroll enablement).
4) Wizard multiclass and Spiral Tower PP (sword as implement).
5) Dual Implement feat.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I think if I was going with Gandalf as a 4e Paragon build, I'd probably go something like:

1) Lore-based, mystic, or fortune theme/background.
2) Invoker/Lazylord hybrid with force and radiant powers (and a summoning that would be redlined).
3) Arcana, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, History, Insight, Religion
3) Divination/Lore (skills and ally reroll enablement).
4) Wizard multiclass and Spiral Tower PP (sword as implement).
5) Dual Implement feat.

I think you don't need the MC/PP anymore to get sword. Just MC into a class that uses one as an implement, or pick up the feat that gives implement proficiency. As of RC there's no more rule about only casting spells of class X with an implement from that class. If you have proficiency with an implement, you can use it with any power with the implement keyword (admittedly there's a lot of older feats and whatnot around that have language that contradicts this, but IMHO because they are pre-RC material they are all subsumed into the new rule, which was presumably intended to end all the insanity of fishing for different implements and MC/Hybrid PCs needing 3 different ones so they could do their stuff).

Anyway, it doesn't seem like a bad Gandalf. I think its safe to say he became Epic when he was sent back to Middle Earth though.

 

[Garthanos]

Well it was here actually...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?264709-Gandalf

 

[Manbearcat]

I think you don't need the MC/PP anymore to get sword. Just MC into a class that uses one as an implement, or pick up the feat that gives implement proficiency. As of RC there's no more rule about only casting spells of class X with an implement from that class. If you have proficiency with an implement, you can use it with any power with the implement keyword (admittedly there's a lot of older feats and whatnot around that have language that contradicts this, but IMHO because they are pre-RC material they are all subsumed into the new rule, which was presumably intended to end all the insanity of fishing for different implements and MC/Hybrid PCs needing 3 different ones so they could do their stuff).

Anyway, it doesn't seem like a bad Gandalf. I think its safe to say he became Epic when he was sent back to Middle Earth though.

Well it was here actually...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?264709-Gandalf

Avenger is an interesting pick for hybrid. I can see how you would have gone there.

Personally, I like Warlord for several LotR characters. Gandalf as Invoker/Lazylord, Aragorn as Ranger/Warlord (Paladin Multiclass), Frodo as Princess Warlord.

Alright, how about this for an Epic (level 26) tier go at Gandalf.

level 26
Race: Human
Background: Prophecy Sage (+2 to Arcana)
Theme: Scholar
Class: Invoker/Warlord (Multiclass Wizard * 3 including Augury)
Paragon Path: Speaker of the Word
Epic Destiny: Avatar of Hope

ABILITY SCORES
STR 13, CON 14, DEX 12, INT 20, WIS 27, CHA 18

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, History, Insight, Nature, Religion

POWERS
Warlord Attack 1: Direct the Strike
Invoker Attack 1: Astral Wind (YOU SHALL NOT PASS)
Warlord Utility 2: Encouraging Boost
Arcana Utility 2: Arcane Mutterings
Dungeoneering Utility 6: Dungeoneer's Guidance
Invoker Utility 10: Angelic Messenger (REFLUFFED AS GIANT EAGLE)
Speaker of the Word Attack 11: Syllable of Light
Speaker of the Word Utility 12: Guiding Syllable
Warlord Utility 16: Encouraging Remark
Speaker of the Word Attack 20: The Word Spoken
Warlord Utility 22: Heroic Surge
Avatar of Hope Utility 26: Elevate the Spirit

For the rest of it:

1) Fill out with relevant feats (12 left).
2) Fill out Attack Powers with Radiant/Force stuff/Angel companions refluffed as eagles and Lazylord stuff.
3) Divination Rituals to go with Augury.
3) Magic items for sword/staff and Divinations.

That should do it. Tons of inspiring buffs for allies, lore stuff, tons of knowledge and the ability to help allies because of it, divinations/prophecy, bring allies back from the brink/plot device stuff, giant eagles. All of the "Angel-themed" stuff in 4e comes with flight so you'd either have to (a) stay away from it (which I did) or (b) refluff it (wings are eagles or some kind of trick).

Beyond that, I'm out of town for a few days so I won't be updating this thread with a Crucial Advice until probably Sunday.