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Tainted Faith: The Blackguard's Guide
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<blockquote data-quote="MonkLover" data-source="post: 6742624" data-attributes="member: 82105"><p><strong>Originally posted by Litigation:</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><u>Aides for the Tainted: Utility Powers</u></strong></p><p></span></p><p></p><p>Remember that your Lv. 2 and Lv. 22 utilities are fixed. </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u>Lv. 2 Utility (at Lv. 6)</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Although you don't have a free selection from this list at Lv. 2, you do at Lv. 6. Bless Weapon and Virtue are just as great at Lv. 6 (and even beyond) as they are at Lv. 2. <strong>Call of Challenge</strong> is also very good if you're looking to shoulder more of the Defender burden.</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Astral Speech</span> (PHB)</strong>: You're a killer, not a talker.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Bless Weapon</span> (DP)</strong>: If you're building around forcing Radiant vulnerability, this daily encounter-long buff is downright amazing with its expanded crit range and extra hitting and damage.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Call of Challenge</span> (DP)</strong>: This minor-action mass-Sanction is great if you're looking to steal the show as a Defender for one round every encounter.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Divine Counter</span> (DP)</strong>: A rather odd self-defense and Defender utility. Half the damage and impose DS as a per-encounter immediate interrupt for an enemy attacking one of your NADs. Doesn't exactly get a Striker excited.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Kord's Strength</span> (D 383): Per-encounter boost to an Athletics or Endurance check in combat, followed by +2 power bonus to melee damage and Sanctioning enemies on your attacks for a round. Not wholly terrible, but you're not going to roll one of those skills every combat. Situational.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Martyr's Blessing</span> (PHB)</strong>: There's simply much better options out there if you're looking to play Defender.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Restore Vitality</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: A minor-action surgeless heal, using your healing surge value at all times, at melee range, with a saving throw attached. Decent healing spell, but you're about the killing, not the healing.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Sacred Circle</span> (PHB)</strong>: A butt of jokes since Day One. Think of just about everything wrong that a daily utility power can possibly do. That's this abortion in a nutshell.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Touch of Grace </span>(DP)</strong>: Definitely not for you.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Virtue</span> (DP)</strong>: You can expect to burn through at least one healing surge every encounter. Might as well use this encounter utility to trade your healing surge in for your surge value's worth of THPs. Domination Blackguards buy a large reservoir of THPs they can trade in for their damage, and Fury Blackguards can pop this when bloodied and buy a safe round or two of their extra damage. Easily a top choice for you.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u>Lv. 6 Utility</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Before you commit to picking your first free utility from the Lv. 2 list, you'll want to note some of the goods here, as the actual Lv. 6 list is no slouch in its own right. Such goods include an amazing damage buff to you and your allies in <strong>Wrath of the Gods</strong>, and a very strong defense utility in <strong>Shield of Discipline</strong>. One skill power involving Religion, <strong>Deliverance of Faith</strong>, is also very much worth mentioning, especially if you're a Domination Blackguard.</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Aspect of Domination (HoS)</strong>: This daily Shadow utility lets you push your CHA-mod with all your at-will attacks for the whole fight. Some might be able to take advantage of that.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Aspect of Ferocity</span> (HoS)</strong>: An extra 1[W] on all your attacks when you're next to anyone who is bloodied (ally or enemy) is pretty good. Note that this daily is pure Shadow.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Bond of Protection</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: Single-ally protection spell. Definitely not on your radar.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Divine Bodyguard</span> (PHB)</strong>: Even actual Defender Paladins think this one sucks.</p><p></p><p><strong>Fear Not (DP)</strong>: Per-encounter, grant an adjacent ally a saving throw which gets a bonus if it's a fear effect. You can use this on yourself, too, so this one isn't bad.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">Flare of Divine Vengeance</span> (PHBH): No way in the hells is this one-round attack buff and surge use worth a daily. Not at all.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">Fury of the Battle God</span> (D 383): The only way this power is ever going to be worthwhile is if you miss most of your targets with an AoE encounter or daily power. Translation: Picking this is planning for failure and being a failure. Seriously, go back to the Lv. 2 arsenal and take Call of Challenge if you want mass Sanctioning. If you already had that one, well, pick something else.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">One Heart, One Mind</span> (PHB)</strong>: Flavorful, but doesn't help you kill.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Pure Devotion</span> (DP)</strong>: A +4 power bonus to Fortitude and Will per encounter as an immediate interrupt if an enemy attacks you. I have nothing against the occasional self-defense power. They help you live longer and stay more fit to kill. So a pretty good choice.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Shield of Discipline</span> (DP)</strong>: An excellent encounter power for survivability. Pop this at the start of a turn when you've been under an enemy's focused efforts and cut their DPR against you down for that round.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Shield the Virtuous</span> (DP)</strong>: Another single-ally protection spell, and another option that can only be considered a waste for one of your role.</p><p></p><p><strong>Valiant Rush (DP)</strong>: Double your speed on a move action one round per encounter. You might actually value this one more than your Defender counterparts.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Winter's Fated Stance</span> (D 381): This stance is certainly good against enemies that deal Cold and Necrotic damage. But unless you're fighting those enemies every day, this isn't the wisest choice.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Wrath of the Gods</span> (PHB/E:HFK)</strong>: Hoo-wee, encounter-long CHA power bonus to your damage AND your allies' damage with this daily? So not only do you kill better, but your allies do, too. Great fun. It's only weakness is that it's a close burst 1, but if you plan it right this shouldn't be much of an issue. It used to be even sexier, but even now, it's great.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Skill Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><u>Religion</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Deliverance of Faith</span> (D 385): Hello, Virtue, good to see you again. Having that power twice is a great thing in your case.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u>Lv. 10 Utility</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Pretty lackluster list for the most part as relates to the Striker mentality, but there are some pearls in the slop. You can steal from the Cavalier and take <strong>Spirit of the Virtuous Charger</strong>. If you're a Human, <strong>Winter's Arrival</strong> is also worth considering for the extra mobility and targeting capacity. Failing that, there are still some beauties at Lv. 2 and Lv. 6 you may have had to leave behind before.</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Beacon of Nobility</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: I'm sure you, as a Striker, have better uses for your minor actions that handing out THPs to an ally.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Beacon of Penance</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: You need your hit points too much to bother transferring them to others. You need to live to kill.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Benediction</span> (DP)</strong>: Actually a solid dual-purpose per-encounter utility that rewards an ally who hits with either a use of a healing surge or potentially some extra damage. But, again, not really suitable for your role.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Cleansing Spirit</span> (PHB)</strong>: Invoke a saving throw with a +2 bonus, either for an ally or for yourself. This one is actually a solid take.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Deathguide's Stance</span> (D 381): This stance is similar to getting the Bard's Virtue of Valor once per day (except doling out actual healing, rather than temp HPs). Which makes it decent in 5-standard fights, but not so good against Elites and Solos. It's also useless against minions. And it doesn't really help you kill, either.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Deathly Aura</span> (HoS)</strong>: This pure Shadow daily can pile some nice damage on enemies in the aura 1 pretty nicely (assuming they don't resist necrotic, of course), but you have to be bloodied for this to happen. I'm not sure how long you want to stay bloodied for this.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Font of Healing </span>(DP)</strong>: Basically an enhanced, Lay on Hands-style power healing both you and an ally. You're not a healer though.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Guiding Verse</span> (DP)</strong>: You probably won't have the Wisdom to make this any better, numbers-wise, than Cleansing Spirit. And this one only works on yourself.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Noble Shield</span> (PHB)</strong>: This daily is extremely situational. It's only useful at all for AoE attacks from an enemy.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Righteous Indignation</span> (DP)</strong>: This one fails. If it affected more than one attack, or were an encounter power, it might have been worth it.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Spirit of the Virtuous Charger</span> (Lv. 8) (E:HFK)</strong>: If you like to charge a lot, this minor-action daily is a very nice pick. At later levels this power gets <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>even better</strong></span>, gaining a lot more general usefulness aside from merely charging. At Lv. 18 you get flight. And at Lv. 28, this power also grants its benefits to all allies within 2 squares of you.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Turn of the Dark Tide</span> (HoS)</strong>: This pure Shadow daily is similar to the existing Turn the Tide, but even worse, since it forces your party members to take damage in the process. Still uses up your standard action, too. Avoid it.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Turn the Tide</span> (PHB)</strong>: Your standard actions are always better spent attacking. Period.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Vengeful Vigilance</span> (D 375)</strong>: You don't have Divine Challenge, so you'll get no use out of this one.</p><p></p><p>Winter's Arrival (D 381): A <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Human with Ardent Strike</strong></span> will greatly appreciate a per-encounter teleport that will help close distance on a Sanctioned enemy who gets away. The difficult terrain you create can rob the enemy of a few movement options.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Skill Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Endurance</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Reactive Surge</span> (PHB3)</strong>: Immediate-reaction spending of a healing surge when you get bloodied. Pretty good to have around.</p><p></p><p><u>History</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Lessons of History</span> (D 385): Well, well, a reason to actually consider training History. Letting all your allies recover an encounter utility in one fight per day is quite handy.</p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u>Lv. 16 Utility</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>A few decent-to-great defensive powers here. <strong>Divine Aegis</strong> is probably the best of the bunch overall.</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Angelic Intercession</span> (PHB)</strong>: This daily is a fancier Martyr's Blessing. And it still sucks.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Call from the Brink</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: This daily's a pretty decent recovery spell on an ally who gets KO-ed, but again, you're a Striker. Choose something that helps you kill, or at least lets you live to kill.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Death Ward</span> (PHB)</strong>: Less useful than Call from the Brink, overall, assuming you even had an inclination to heal in the first place. You shouldn't.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Devotion</span> (DP)</strong>: Boost the whole party's Fortitude and Will by +4 power bonus, but only until the end of your next turn. As a daily power, that's barely acceptable for Defenders and Leaders, and irrelevant to you.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Divine Aegis</span> (DP)</strong>: Daily stance giving a +2 untyped bonus to all defenses for you and anyone up to 2 squares away. Straightforward, but very effective, since it stacks with every other defense bonus out there. This one actually helps you live longer, so taking it definitely has it points.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Higher Cause</span> (DP)</strong>: This daily stance gives untyped save bonuses and regeneration when bloodied. Another solid power that helps you live longer to kill.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Liberation</span> (DP)</strong>: Again, you're a Striker. You should be using your move action for killing purposes.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Pragmatic Sacrifice</span> (HoS)</strong>: Certainly interesting and flavorful, and Blackguard-appropriate with its selfishness, but in practice this self-death rescue daily just isn't really worth the slot.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Prayer for the Valiant </span>(DP)</strong>: A daily mass-saves power. Not really your thing, but a nice emergency button, I suppose.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Shadow Healing</span> (HoS)</strong>: This pure Shadow daily is definitely best used immediately after combat is over. Your bloodied value's worth of surgeless self-healing is very nice, no doubt, but the prohibition on spending your healing surges until after your next short rest makes this unwise to use in the heat of a battle.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Stave off Winter</span> (D 386): Sort of an immediate-interrupt, ranged Lay on Hands-type power, followed by some situational benefits at the cost of additional healing surges. Not really worth it.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Originally posted by Litigation:</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong><u>Training for the Tainted Ones: Feats</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Note on the general, class, racial, and divine power source feats: Not all of those will be listed. Only the consequential ones (many of those will be rated <strong><span style="color: Blue">blue</span></strong> or <strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">sky blue</span></strong>). <span style="color: Red"><strong>Traps</strong></span> among those will be noted. This saves space, plus since feats have become a more precious resource thanks to simply the increasing number of them in 4e, narrowing them down to the meaningful choices is justified.</p><p></p><p>As for what you should prioritize when selecting feats:</p><p></p><p><strong>1. Attack accuracy.</strong> There's a reason your chance to hit is factored into your DPR figures. If you don't hit, you don't do damage, plain and simple. So look for as many things that give you bonuses to your attack rating (preferably either constant ones or huge per-encounter spikes) as you possibly can.</p><p></p><p><strong>2. Damage.</strong> A very close second in priority. When you hit, you want to make sure it hurts as much as possible. It's your duty as a Striker.</p><p></p><p><strong>3. Combat advantage generation.</strong> Since your class damage features rely on getting combat advantage, taking feats that make it easier for you to obtain is certainly a good idea.</p><p></p><p><strong>4. Mobility. </strong>You're not a particularly mobile Striker, by default, so anything you can get to improve your mobility on the battlefield will ensure that you can nail whomever you want, whenever you want.</p><p></p><p><strong>5. Defense/survivability.</strong> You don't deal damage when you're dead. You're already doing fine in this category by default, considering you're still a Paladin, but any extra support you take here certainly won't go to waste.</p><p></p><p><strong>6. Power recovery.</strong> If you come upon feats that let you recover your encounter powers, take them. They can impact the battle in a big way.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Class/Power Source feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Commanding Vow</span> (D 388)</strong>: A Human with Ardent Strike will seriously want to look at this one and combine it with Deadly Draw for the constant combat advantage.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Protector's Commitment</span> (DP)</strong>: Rather selfless flavor, but what the hell, it's a fairly commonly triggered +1 untyped bonus to attacks and stacks with the Expertise feat you're bound to take. You or an enemy next to a bloodied ally happens quite a bit (particularly the latter case, since that happens with a simple flank).</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Symbol of the Sonnlinor</span> (D 385): If you can justify worshipping Lawful Good Moradin to your DM somehow, this is great for axe and hammer users. Not only does it reduce multiple-item dependency in letting you use your axe or hammer as an implement, but it opens up a lot of interesting combinations for implement use. Like the classic Lasting Frost synergy. Or how about following up a close-burst implement crit with a Rending attack? Bloodiron's sure looking fine. The possibilities are endless.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Virtuous Recovery</span> (DP)</strong>: While your WIS won't be so high as to make you nigh-invincible with this feat, even a modifier as small as +2 can go a long way toward increasing your survivability. Works on any way you spend a surge, including second wind and utility powers like Virtue.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Hero's Poise</span> (D 388)</strong>: OK, so this feat is more geared toward a Defender Paladin's inclinations, or elsewise high-CHA Leaders who multiclass or hybrid Paladin. Still, it is what it is: A way to make your whole party laugh off save-ends status effects as long as you can make saves yourself. If a more suitable Defender or Leader doesn't have this feat, this one is highly recommended. After all, you need your allies to be in prime condition to assist you in laying down the pain.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Honored Foe</span> (DP)</strong>: If you have at least a +2 WIS modifier and either you're a Human with Ardent Strike or you have a couple of mass-DS powers on hand, this one can help your survivability quite a bit.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Pervasive Light</span> (DP)</strong>: This one is aimed at those of you who primarily like to attack with other damage types besides Radiant, but still want to take advantage of Radiant vulnerability. If you're hanging out <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>with a full-fledged Radiant Mafia</strong></span>, this can be an outright amazing choice, allowing you to stack the Radiant vulnerability your allies create with the extra damage or nasty tricks from your own preferred attack type (such as from Cold, Psychic or Thunder).</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Divine Mastery</span> (DP)</strong>: How does regaining a use of Dread Smite when you use an action point sound? Or even a Divine encounter utility if you prefer. Whatever you need at the time. You need to to get this as early in Epic Tier as possible. (Unless you took a Fighter PP with a multi-attacking encounter power, in which case you need to take Martial Mastery, instead. If you're a Sohei, you'll still want Divine Mastery in addition.)</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Paladin's Truth</span> (DP)</strong>: Humans with Ardent Strike should strongly consider this. Ignoring immunities and resistances on targets you mark is incredible. Life is so much more beautiful for Blackguards when necrotic resistance ceases to be an issue.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Promise of Judgment</span> (D 388)</strong>: Humans with Ardent Strike can turn it into a guaranteed DS with this feat. A good choice.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Punishing Radiance</span> (DP)</strong>: Radiant vulnerability 10 (or the increasing of it by 10) until the end of your next turn on a radiant divine power's crit. Fantastic if you're going Lucifer and picked up a good Divine at-will attack (typically because you're Human). Also note the synergy with Font of Radiance.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>General feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Aggressive Advantage</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Combat advantage for your first turn of combat straight up, during what is often the most important round of combat, is certainly worthwhile. <strong>NOTE</strong>: If your DEX is 15 or higher, take Superior Reflexes instead if you planned to take this.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Axe Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Gives you the necessary tier-scaling feat bonus to attack rolls with axes, and also lets you reroll those pesky 1s on a damage die. Decent extra perk, assuming you're going one-handed plus shield.</p><p></p><p><strong>Blindfighting Warrior (E:HFK)</strong>: Ignoring concealment of all sorts can come in handy for melee types.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Bludgeon Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Tier-scaling feat bonus to attacks with hammers and maces, and its perk of an extra square of forced movement on an attack can be very nice with Eldrich Strike for Half-Elves or for Mark of Storm. <strong>NOTE</strong>: This does not work with Ardent Strike and Commanding Vow, though, since it's the Sanction, not the attack, that slides.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Cunning Stalker</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: This feat takes care of a ton of the situations in which you couldn't gain combat advantage otherwise. Basically, this is the feat <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>you take if</strong></span> you can't fully exploit the truly constant CA feats (like Deadly Draw, Wintertouched or Vicious Advantage).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Deadly Draw</span> (PHB3)</strong>: If you have means of sliding your enemy in any way at-will (e.g. Ardent Strike + Commanding Vow, or Mark of Storm, or Half-Elf with Eldritch Strike) this can net you constant combat advantage. Great fun.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Disciple of Freedom</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Slowing, immobilizing and restraining are pretty nasty conditions for you as a Striker. The ability to save at the start of your turn against those is a huge bonus. Plus, there's the fact that in Paragon Tier, this feat is going to have some beautiful synergy with Hero's Poise, should you take that feat. Requires CHA 13.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Disciple of Stone</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Tier-scaling THPs for you when you use a healing surge. Good one, assuming you're not already taking encounter powers that grant THPs on surge use (e.g. Virtue). Requires CON 13.</p><p></p><p><strong>Disciple of Strength (E:HFL)</strong>: If your second wind is minor-action or better (Dwarf, Questing Knight) this one's good for the extra sting on your next hit. Requires STR 13.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Durable</span> (PHB)</strong>: Two extra surges are nice to have.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Echoes of Thunder</span> (PHB2): Extra tier-scaling untyped bonus to damage when you hit with Thunder powers. If you're a Human using the Storm domain on your Valiant Strike, this should be next on the radar after Weapon Focus, as it really lends potency to your preferred keyword.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Focused Mind</span> (PHB3)</strong>: +4 feat bonus against two of the more crippling conditions, dazing and stunning. Good now, even better later, especially if you take Hero's Poise in Paragon Tier.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Heavy Armor Agility</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: If you have the STR or CON 15 to qualify, it's a very good idea for a plate-clad Striker like yourself to take this for the extra mobility and targeting capacity.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Heavy Blade Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: The tier-scaling feat bonus to attacks with heavy blades you're looking for, and the +2 bonus to defenses against OAs you get in addition can make you a little more confident about barging through other enemies to get in an ideal position, assuming you've decided to go one-handed plus shield.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Holy Symbol Expertise</span> (HoS)</strong>: Only CHA-based Blackguards, or anyone who takes a PP with implement powers, are likely to care, but this is the implement-based Expertise feat you take if you like your weapon-based Expertise feat's perk too much. Canceling CA against you in many situations is pretty nice, indeed.</p><p></p><p><strong>Implement Focus (E:HFL)</strong>: Finally, a general tier-scaling feat bonus to implement damage. It's probably not that high a priority for you, though.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Improved Defenses</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: It's likely not a matter of if you're taking this tier-scaling feat bonus to NADs, but when. NADs tend to fall behind as your levels increase, and this feat helps corrects that. <strong>Note:</strong> This feat obsoletes Paragon Defenses (PHB2) and Robust Defenses (PHB2).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Improved Initiative</span> (PHB)</strong>: Less urgent for you to take than it is for your Defender counterparts, but it's still nice to have if you can fit it in.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Light Blade Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Tier-scaling feat bonus to attack with light blades and an extra untyped tier-scaling bonus to damage with CA. An incredible member of the Expertise family.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Master at Arms</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Tier-scaling attack bonus for all weapons, and the additional action economy for drawing and stowing weapons is pretty nice, too.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Nimble Blade</span> (PHB)</strong>: If you actually happen to use light blades, this is a must-take thanks to the extra +1 to attack rolls with CA that stacks with all other bonuses.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Powerful Charge</span> (PHB)</strong>: +2 bonus to charge damage is nice for charge optimizing, which is one of the key avenues of boosting your DPR.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Rapid Assault</span> (PHB3)</strong>: Now this'll do your alpha strikes a lot of favors. A very healthy, tier-scaling melee damage boost on your first round of combat.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Resilient Focus</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Flat +2 feat bonus to all saves. Certainly nice, but some of you will have better options in this department. Might actually be better than Focused Mind depending on which PP and ED you take.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Skill Power</span> (PHB3): Gives you an extra skill power for the cost of this feat. If you use it to pick up the right power, this one can actually be a <span style="color: #00ccff">very good choice</span>.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Spear Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: The extra untyped tier-scaling bonus to damage when you charge stacks with Two-Handed Weapon Expertise's damage bonus in the same situation, so it's conceivable that gouge wielders might take this one in addition to Two-Handed Weapon Expertise. If you're wielding a <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>one-handed spear</strong></span> as a main weapon for whatever reason, then obviously you'll take this one to get the necessary Expertise family feat bonus to attacks.</p><p></p><p><strong>Superior Fortitude (E:HFL)</strong>: STR or CON 15 required, this feat bonus gives you an extra point to your Fortitude over Improved Defenses, and you gain a tier-scaling resistance to ongoing damage. Solid enough, but you're only really going to care if you took both Superior Reflexes and Superior Will (in which case you might as well take this one instead of Improved Defenses).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Superior Reflexes</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: DEX or INT 15 required, this feat bonus gives you an extra point to your Reflexes over Improved Defenses, and on top of this you get the full benefits of Aggressive Advantage attached -- free CA your first turn of combat straight up. So this defense feat also boosts your offense when it tends to matter most, making it a great choice should you qualify.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Superior Will</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: If you don't have the CHA 15 to get this at Lv. 1, you will soon after. Your Will defense increases an extra point over what Improved Defenses gets you, but by far the most important part of this is saving against daze or stun at the start of your turn, even if a save normally wouldn't end those conditions. (If it is a save-ends condition you still get a save at the end of your turn as well.) Needless to say, this feat is one you shouldn't pass up at all, and it's only a matter of when you'll take it, not if. Being dazed and stunned rob you of the ability to do the damage you should deal by rights.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Swift Recovery</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: Tier-scaling feat bonus to your healing surge value, available to you if you trained Endurance. As far as the HP-related feats go, this one should be top priority. It has the greatest effect on your daily hit point totals, factoring in surge use, even more so than Toughness has.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Toughness</span> (PHB)</strong>: Tier-scaling increase of your maximum hit points value. This is actually not as good as Swift Recovery for your survivability over the course of a day (especially in Heroic and Paragon Tiers), but it's still worthy of your attention in case you can fit both feats in your build. In Epic Tier, the comparison between this and Swift Recovery becomes more of a wash.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Two-Handed Weapon Expertise</span> (HotF)</strong>: For Blackguards going with a two-hander, this practically cries out for something higher than gold. If you're using a two-hander, you're taking this, no ifs, ands or buts. The necessary tier-scaling feat bonus to attacks, which applies to all two-handed melee weapons, plus a tier-scaling untyped bonus to damage on a charge, a.k.a. your main avenue of DPR.</p><p></p><p><strong>Two-Weapon Fighting (PHB)</strong>: Not a great feat by itself, but the reward is the feat line it opens up. Dual-wielding Blackguards are rare, but here it is in case you're one of those.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Versatile Expertise</span> (PHB3)</strong>: There's still something to be said about the Expertise family member that grants you the necessary tier-scaling attack bonus to one weapon and one implement of your choice. Mostly, just CHA-based Blackguards will care, but if your weapon-specific Expertise feat's perk doesn't really help your build, and you plan to use implement powers, this one's waiting for you. </p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Vicious Advantage</span> (PHB3)</strong>: Combat advantage against any slowed or immobilized opponent. <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>Some builds</strong></span> might find a way to put this one to permanent use.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Weapon Focus</span> (PHB)</strong>: Your feat bonus to damage, and high priority among the many damage boosts you should take. However, note that some races have their own, possibly superior, racial options for feat bonus to weapon damage.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Weapon Proficiency (one superior weapon)</span> (PHB)</strong>: Typically, a superior weapon will give you an average of 1 extra damage over its military counterparts (and sometimes a little more) for 1[W] powers (like your at-wills and MBA in Heroic and Paragon), and, of course it makes those big [W] powers absolutely sing. Should be the first of many damage-boosting feats you take, barring a few <strong>exceptions</strong> like light-blade users (Rapier is military) and those races who have superior options that often give them proficiency here on top of an extra damage perk (looking at you, Dwarves).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Wintertouched</span> (PHB)</strong>: You don't need to take this at all until Paragon Tier, but once you take Lasting Frost this can grant you constant CA. Considering your class is predisposed toward the Permafrost combo, this should rank very high on your list.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Agile Opportunist (PHB2): This one depends on party composition. If your Leader is someone who has a lot of features or powers that can slide you, such as a Cunning Bard, you <span style="color: #ff9900">DEFINITELY</span> want this; they'll thank you for it. And rolling extra attacks is always fun.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Armor Specialization</span> (PHB)</strong>: Your feat bonus to AC. Most likely, you'll be picking this one for plate (CON 15 needed).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Danger Sense</span> (PHB)</strong>: Roll twice for initiative and take the better result. Good for guarding against bad initiative rolls.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Deadly Axe</span> (PHB)</strong>: Gives your axe the high crit property if it didn't have it already. Good for the Gouge and any one-handed axe.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Fleet-Footed</span> (PHB)</strong>: Extra speed is never a bad thing, especially for the Striker role.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Hammer Rhythm</span> (PHB)</strong>: You probably won't have the CON to put this to the best of use, but it'll still help your hammer DPR.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Heavy Blade Opportunity</span> (PHB)</strong>: DEX 15 needed. This one can be pretty effective with the right at-will. (Humans are the most likely to care.) Valiant Strike for a more accurate OA, Ardent Strike for a DS to discourage any attacks after the enemy moves away.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Lasting Frost</span> (PHB)</strong>: I'm going to stop just short of calling the lynchpin feat of the Permafrost combo "mandatory," but I will say that it's very, very, very, VERY tempting. Considering that the highly spammable Dread Smite deals cold damage, and a lot of it, and all instances of damage from that thing benefit from the vulnerability that Permafrost creates, you are practically ordained to go the Permafrost route, moreso than even other Strikers.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Light Blade Precision</span> (PHB)</strong>: If you happen to use light blades, this is a nice untyped bonus to damage against Large and larger foes, which become almost ubiquitous in upper Paragon on into Epic.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Repel Charge</span> (PHB3)</strong>: A nice way to discourage enemy charges. An opportunity to get an attack out of the deal is always good.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Reserve Maneuver</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Don't like your paragon path's encounter power? Trade it out for an O-Paladin encounter power after you rest.</p><p></p><p><strong>Recommended encounter powers with Reserve Maneuver</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Valorous Smite</span> (Lv. 1, CHA weapon attack, DP)</strong>: If your CHA is attack-caliber, you've got yourself a mass-DS power if you want to assume more Defender responsibility.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Fortune Spurned Smite </span>(Lv. 3, STR or CHA weapon attack, D 381)</strong>: With extra melee support around the enemy you hit with this, you can enable a nice beatdown of OAs.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Strength from Valor</span> (Lv. 3, STR weapon attack, DP)</strong>: Close-burst that can net you a solid amount of THPs. Good for the Domination Vice, in particular.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Winter's Edge</span> (Lv. 3, STR weapon attack, D 381)</strong>: A close-burst with the Cold keyword that slows enemies at the very worst. If you happen to have a mass-DS power on hand, you can immobilize a crowd with this, instead.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Solid Sound</span> (PHB)</strong>: +2 untyped bonus to a NAD for a round when you hit with the Thunder or Force keyword. This one is good for those with the Storm domain or those using a Force Weapon.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Two-Weapon Opening</span> (PHB2)</strong>: For the rare dual-wielding Blackguards in the audience, qualifying for this is why you take Two-Weapon Fighting. Getting extra attacks on crits is a beautiful thing.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Uncanny Dodge</span> (PHB)</strong>: Canceling enemy bonuses to combat advantage is nice.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Vexing Flanker</span> (PHB2)</strong>: All your allies get combat advantage against an enemy you're flanking. Pretty useful.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Epic Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Axe/Bludgeon/Heavy Blade/Light Blade/Spear Mastery</span> (PHB)</strong>: Takes a conscious effort with your ability scores to qualify for the expanded crit range from this family of feats, but it's worth it, no doubt.</p><p></p><p><strong>Blind-Fight (PHB)</strong>: Thwart invisibility and concealment (but not total concealment) on adjacent creatures. Not bad.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Epic Fortitude/Reflexes/Will</span> (PHB2)</strong>: +4 to the NAD in question. Stacks with Improved Defenses. You would do well to go for at least one of these. Can make your highest defense extremely hard to hit, a medium defense from a secondary stat in the high teens-low 20s solid, and even your lowest defense at least passable.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Epic Resurgence</span> (PHB)</strong>: Not as high priority as Divine Mastery, but still worth a look after, especially if you expanded your crit range.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Font of Radiance</span> (PHB)</strong>: On a radiant crit, inflict a save-ends condition that involves bright light and a healthy amount of free radiant damage per round on the enemy and its adjacent lackeys. Very nice if you're going Lucifer with your attacks. Note the synergy with Punishing Radiance, too.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Long Step</span> (PHB3): Charging is one of the main ways to boost your DPR, and an extra square when you shift will ensure you can do it whenever you please.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Rapid Regeneration</span> (PHB3): If you have any substantial sources of regeneration and an even appreciable CON modifier, you should look at it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Superior Initiative</span> (PHB3): If you took Improved Initiative, retrain for this higher feat bonus.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Triumphant Attack</span> (PHB)</strong>: Attack roll and defense debuff for a full encounter whenever you crit in melee. Very good.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Unfettered Stride</span> (PHB)</strong>: Ignore difficult terrain. Good if you've somehow trained yourself in Acrobatics.</p><p>[/sblock][/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Mount feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Mounted Combat</span> (PHB)</strong>: This feat is pretty much a necessity to get the most out of your time mounted, should that apply to you somehow. (Jade Horse comes to mind.) You can get some really awesome benefits from your mount.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Holy Steed</span> (D 388)</strong>: Requires the Mounted Combat feat, but you should have that anyway if you plan on using a mount often. +2 to all your mount's defenses is obviously awesome, and extra CHA-mod bonus to all your mount's damage rolls actually makes your mount a somewhat credible damage threat.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Racial feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Dragonborn</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Bolstering Breath (PHR<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />): Your breath becomes party-friendly and gives your allies in the blast a +1 bonus to attack. Something to consider for Heroic Tier, while it can still hit something.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Draconic Challenge</span> (DP)</strong>: Turns your breath into a mass-DS power you covet. Excellent if you're looking to assume some Defender responsibility.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Drow</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Clutch of Darkness (FRPG)</strong>: If you opted for <strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Darkfire</span></strong>, extending the range on that is nice. However, if you opted for <strong>Cloud of Darkness</strong>, the burst expansion can actually be a liability almost as often as it is an asset.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Far Shadow</span> (D 385)</strong>: If you took Cloud of Darkness, you should take this feat over Clutch of Darkness. Turning your Cloud of Darkness into an area burst within 10 squares can always work out well.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Knife in the Dark</span> (D 382)</strong>: Nice and brutal, just your style. Essentially get yourself a net +3 per tier on your damage over Weapon Focus when you attack targets in your Cloud of Darkness.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Cloud of Poison (D 382)</strong>: 5 poison damage to enemies stuck in your Cloud of Darkness. Decent.</p><p></p><p><strong>Eyedark Strike (D 373)</strong>: Blinding once per encounter at the cost of your Cloud of Darkness can be a nifty deal.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Master of Fire and Darkness</span> (FRPG)</strong>: This feat doesn't work right thanks to it not accounting for the revision to Drow in Essentials. I'm rating it based on the likelihood that it will get errata-ed so that you get to use both Lolthtouched powers. Most DMs out there seem to have adapted that change, so this one's very good in that case.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Merciless Killer</span> (FRPG)</strong>: Finishing bloodied enemies off becomes a snap with the +5 untyped bonus to damage.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Lolth Blessed</span> (D 382)</strong>: Recharging Lolthtouched powers with an action point? Sure, I'll take that, and so should you.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Dwarf</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Dwarven Weapon Training</span> (PHB)</strong>: You get proficiency in all axes and hammers, including the superior versions, and on top of that, the equivalent of Paragon Tier Weapon Focus with those weapons. Automatic pick, for sure.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Dwarven Durability</span> (PHB)</strong>: Two extra healing surges and you get to steal the Dragonborn's healing surge value benefit. No Dwarf should ever go without this.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Genasi</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Extra Manifestation</span> (FRPG)</strong>: Some extra versatility never hurt.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Shocking Flame</span> (FRPG)</strong>: Extra fire or lightning damage on all melee attacks with the right manifestation. Solid.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Stormrider</span> (FRPG)</strong>: Strictly better than Fleet-Footed with the right manifestations.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Double Manifestation</span> (FRPG)</strong>: Manifest two elements at once. Yes, this is awesome.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Goliath</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Markings of the Victor</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Reroll your first attack of every encounter and take the better result. Perfect for an alpha strike.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Unyielding Stone</span> (PHB2)</strong>: A high amount of THPs when you use Stone's Endurance, in addition to the damage resistance. Now you're even tougher to bring down. Not to mention that Domination Blackguards get some serious ammo.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Ancient Stone</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Extends your Stone's Endurance another round with a slight drop-off in power, essentially. That's still really good.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Half-Elf</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Versatile Master</span> (PHB2)</strong>: You took Dilletante for a reason. Make that thing a true at-will.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Halfling</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Lost in the Crowd</span> (PHB)</strong>: Plenty of things are bigger than you. A +2 untyped bonus to AC in this case is great.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Underfoot (PHB)</strong>: If you're trained in Acrobatics somehow, this one is worth a look for the beneficial movement option. You'll fight plenty of Large things.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Half-Orc</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Anger Unleashed</span> (PHB2)</strong>: +2 to attack rolls until the end of your next turn after being bloodied. Pretty good.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Divine Assault</span> (DP)</strong>: A serious damage buff for all an ally's attacks until your next turn when you use your racial power. Very, very nice, especially if you've got, say, a Ranger in the party. Or a leader who likes enabling extra attacks.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Thirst for Battle</span> (PHB2)</strong>: +3 feat bonus to initiative (only 1 less than Improved Initiative) and an extra healing surge to boot make this a great feat for you in Heroic and Paragon Tier.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Strength from Pain</span> (PHB2)</strong>: +5 extra damage until the end of your next turn after you're bloodied is nothing to sneeze at. Especially if you have a close burst attack or, somehow, a focus-fire multi-attack ready.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Ferocious Critical</span> (PHB2)</strong>: A huge bonus to attack and damage until the end of your next turn when you score a crit. Awesome.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Human</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Action Surge</span> (PHB)</strong>: +3 untyped bonus to all attacks from an action point is increadible for the Striker role.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Kalashtar</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Clarity of Spirit</span> (DP)</strong>: Bastion of Mental Clarity triggers a healing surge in you or an ally. Nice.</p><p></p><p><strong>Dual Mind Strength (D 385)</strong>: Strictly better than Weapon Focus if you're using a <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>Githyanki Silver Sword</strong></span>.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Quori Desperation</span> (EPG)</strong>: Buy yourself a round to heal and/or act when you would've been knocked out. Nice.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Minotaur</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Bloodied Ferocity</span> (PHB3): A free melee basic the first time you're bloodied every fight, a trigger that's pretty much always going to happen if you let it. Never pass up the opportunity for free attacks. And who cares if you give up combat advantage?</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Beast Within</span> (PHB3): Steal from the Dragonborn's arsenal and then some with this feat. +1 to hit and damage when you're bloodied. Great.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Revenant</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Chill of the Grave (D 376)</strong>: Mask the commonly resisted Necrotic damage of Dark Reaping by adding an element whose resistance isn't so common.</p><p></p><p><strong>Dark Feasting (D 376)</strong>: THPs from Dark Reaping. Decent.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Death's Blessing</span> (D 376)</strong>: Become undead. You no longer need to eat, sleep or breathe, or make Endurance checks related to those things. Great one.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Death's Quickening</span> (D 376)</strong>: Take a minor action past the KO point as well as a standard action. Good.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">(Race) Soul</span> (D 376)</strong>: You get a trait, or in some cases, the racial power of your past life race. That can be really huge.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Thin the Herd</span> (D 376)</strong>: Now Dark Reaping can trigger when someone, including you, gets bloodied. Good, again, if you actually plan to use Dark Reaping.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Ghostly Vitality</span> (D 376)</strong>: Whoa. Get your full complement of actions in the negative hit points range, and also gain insubstantial for more damage reduction. Consider it mandatory. Retrain Death's Quickening for this one.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Shifter</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Beasthide Shifting</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Resist all 2 when you use your Shifting power. Nice.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Tiefling</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Bloodhunter's Flank</span> (PHR:T)</strong>: A tier-scaling untyped damage bonus when flanking a bloodied enemy for both you and any allies involved in the flanking. Great for finishing off your target.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Icy Clutch of Stygia</span> (PHR:T)</strong>: Considering your highly spammable save-ends ongoing damage E-encounter power, there's no way you're passing up this tier-scaling + CHA mod amount of free damage when the enemy saves against ongoing damage. And, happy coincidences, this zap of damage happens to be cold, which is exactly what your Dread Smite deals, which means yet another instance in which Permafrost's cheap bonus gets applied to Dread Smite. Get the picture? And finally, remember that this one is triggered on ALL successful saves against ongoing damage, so if you can mix different types of ongoing damage on a hit it can get really, really nasty.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Imperious Majesty</span> (D 381): Charisma determines initiative instead of DEX. Not an urgent pick like it is for your goody-good Defender counterparts, but still awesome if you can fit it in.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Wrath of the Crimson Legion</span> (D 381): The cornerstone of the <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>CHA-based Tiefling Blackguard</strong></span>, making their MBAs fully CHA-based, attack, damage and all. Even if you're not going that route, this is still awesome if you're looking to shoulder the Defender burden some, as this feat also replaces Infernal Wrath with Paladin's Wrath, which is a close burst 5 mass-DS power.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Dispater's Iron Discipline</span> (PHR:T)</strong>: CHA-modifier bonus to your personal saves against the three heavy hitters (daze, stun, dominate). Without question, an auto-pick. And the synergy with the Hero's Poise/Superior Will combo is absolutely delicious.</p><p></p><p><strong>Mammon's Theft of Health (PHR:T)</strong>: How appropriate for your class' selfish flavor. Not a feat for everyone, but worth mentioning because Tieflings can go fully CHA-based, and incidentally one of their premier choices for a PP is Questing Knight, which grants them a <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>free-action second wind</strong></span> when bloodied. Steal another surge from an ally and you can be back up close to full health just like that.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Secrets of Belial</span> (PHR:T)</strong>: Swiping a utility power from any class you don't belong to, up to the level of the power you traded, can be amazing. Note that there's nothing stopping you from trading in your fixed utilities at Lv. 2 and Lv. 22 with this feat, so if you see something at those levels you want, go for it.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Warforged</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Warforged Tactics</span> (EPG)</strong>: Consider immediately after the Expertise feats. An extra +1 to attack an enemy next to an ally in melee, which happens as often as flanks happen and more (read: a whole hell of a lot). </p><p>[/sblock][/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Eberron Dragonmark feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Mark of Storm</span> (EPG)</strong>: Slide an enemy a square every time you hit with a Thunder or Lightning power. A Lightning Weapon or Power of the Storm is going to make this one sing, plus your class itself has some encounter and daily powers with those keywords.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Originally posted by Litigation:</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-size: 22px"><u>Rise of the Tainted Ones: Paragon Paths</u></span></strong></p><p></p><p>To be blunt, PPs are really pretty slim pickings for you. The vast majority of the O-Paladin PPs, even some of the ones that are considered amazing on your parent class, either require features you don't have or are otherwise very suboptimal in your employ. That said, you're not completely in the dark. Depending on your Vice, the default PP <strong>Grim Blackguard</strong> can be a solid choice, and <strong>Gray Guard</strong> can also work out fairly nicely. CHA-Blackguards tend to favor <strong>Questing Knight</strong> if nothing else works out, or <strong>Champion of Corellon</strong> if they worship that deity. If you're in the right setting, can do some convincing to the DM and/or set your character up right, <strong>Heartwarder</strong> and <strong>Morninglord</strong> are also fine choices. If all else fails, racial PPs can be a good option (particularly for Dragonborn and Humans), and there's always taking PPs from a multiclass (MC Fighter, in particular, has some great ones for you).</p><p></p><p><strong>Paladin/Blackguard PPs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Astral Weapon</span> (PHB)</strong>: Strength-based O-Paladins don't even like this one most of the time.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Champion of Corellon</span> (DP)</strong>: A solid option for CHA-Blackguards. (STR-Blackguards will probably spread themselves too thin.) Full movement in plate saves a feat on Heavy Armor Agility, and CHA-Blackguards are more likely to be able to get enough of a DEX investment for Superior Defense to boost their AC. The CHA-based powers are decent, too.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Champion of Order</span> (PHB)</strong>: Without a consistent at-will sustainable mark like the O-Paladin's Divine Challenge, the heart and soul of this PP, Certain Justice, is of no use to you. And In Defense of Order, the other key feature, also only works with DC. A non-option for you.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Demonslayer</span> (DP)</strong>: Just feeble all around.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Dragonslayer</span> (DP)</strong>: Dragonslayer's Challenge, the hallmark of this PP, is only really worth it with the O-Paladin's Divine Challenge. The powers are actually pretty good, but not enough to salvage it for CHA-based Blackguards.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Faithful Shield</span> (DP)</strong>: One of its features requires a power you don't have (Lay on Hands), and none of the rest is relevant to your Striker role.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Fortune Blessed</span> (D 384): Requires you to worship Avandra. An interesting, and pretty solid path, with its luck tokens mechanic that can boost bad rolls or even let you reroll d20s and keep your better result. The encounter power is an immediate reaction counter when an enemy attacks you and gives you a luck token for free if you don't have any. The per-encounter utlity is HUGE damage reduction, even before you add any luck token effects, and the daily is also a solid debilitator.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Gray Guard</span> (DP)</strong>: Gray Guard Vigilance is very handy for Humans with Ardent Strike, or for those of you packing a couple mass-DS powers, if you're going to fight a lot at night or in dark places. You also get training in the all-important Perception skill. Debilitating Smite is a solid daze and slow encounter power. An encounter you didn't use the utility Relentless Justice is an encounter where Debilitating Smite hit its mark. You can't really do much with the daily power since you don't have Lay on Hands or its variants, but this is still a very solid option for you.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Grim Blackguard</span> (HoS)</strong>: The tailor-made Blackguard PP, with the powers and the action point feature dependent on which Vice you selected. The common features are pretty good: A flat +2 untyped bonus to saves at Lv. 11 (more against fear) and the Lv. 16 feature Dark Blessing gives you a random perk from a list of four benefits (all of them nice) when an enemy next to you drops dead.</p><p></p><p><strong>Vice specifics</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Domination</strong>: The encounter power is an AoE that can load up that THP buffer and weakens enemies on hit, making it more a control power, albeit a fair one. The daily utility makes the party finish bloodied foes faster with the attack bonus against them. And the daily inflicts some rather hefty ongoing psychic damage that a party in the right position can keep going with no saves allowed. A decent, but not eye-popping suite, overall.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>Fury</strong></span>: This vice gets an excellent encounter power perfect for a nova round, straight out of the box. Activated with a minor action, you can punish any enemy who hits you until the end of your next turn with a dazing opportunity action attack. If you have an attack that punishes the enemy for attacking an ally instead, or for shifting away (Battle Awareness, for example), you can catch one of those enemies in a sick Catch-22 for a very good chance at an extra attack. The daily utility gives a boost to the whole party's damage in a fight involving multiple enemies. And the daily is an interesting power that can basically serve as a low-grade domination/stun effect two-thirds of the time as long as the enemy doesn't save.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Hammer of Moradin (DP)</strong>: Hammer-wielding Blackguards who (somehow) can justify worship Moradin might look at this one. Hammer Bond is a permanent +1 to attack with hammers, which is great. The powers are flavorful and decent, but not eyecatching.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Holy Conqueror </span>(DP)</strong>: Requires Ardent Vow, which you don't have.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Hospitaler</span> (PHB)</strong>: You can't use it.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Justiciar</span> (PHB)</strong>: A CHA-based Defender PP through and through, and not even quite as good as Questing Knight at that. Pass.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Knight of Celestia</span> (MOTP)</strong>: O-Paladins want nothing to do with this one. And you can't even use it to its fullest. That's all you need to know.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Knight of the Chalice</span> (DP)</strong>: Not impressive for O-Paladins, and since it works off Channel Divinity and marks, it's even less so for you.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Questing Knight</span> (DP)</strong>: A Defender PP pretty hardcore for the most part, but there is still a lot to like from this one, and it's pretty much the fallback option for all CHA-Blackguards who can't exploit anything else. The most relevant part to you comes at Lv. 16 when you get free-action second wind when bloodied, which is awesome for your survivability and action economy. The Lv. 11 bonus to Will against three of the more common anti-Will attack keywords is also pretty welcome. The encounter power, Strength of Ten, is actually an incredible mass-DS power and AoE attack that greatly expands your secondary Defender role if you want to keep it around; if not, there's always Reserve Maneuver.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Sainted General</span> (D 390)</strong>: Must multiclass (or hybrid) Warlord, but you can't put this one to any use at all, so that's moot.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Scion of Sacrifice</span> (DP)</strong>: Requires Ardent Vow, which you don't have.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Slayer of the Dead</span> (DP)</strong>: Overly-specialized paths are not for you.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Forgotten Realms PPs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Doomguide (FRPG)</strong>: Must worship Kelemvor, and it's best if your Charisma is attack-caliber as well. It's features and powers are very effective against undead, but even when undead aren't involved, they're at least decent, and the daily power in particular, Kelemvor's Sword, is quite good. You wish more of the "specialized" paths were like this one. Not a bad choice in any case.</p><p></p><p><strong>Eartheart Defender (FRPG)</strong>: For Dwarves, and while it's probably more suited for Defenders, it's not completely wasted on you. Heart of Earth is an attack bonus after using that minor-action second wind. Gain Heart is a good power to pull out when bloodied, healing you significantly. And the daily, Earthsurge, is an excellent sticky power, a good-sized zone that moves with you and slows enemies in it.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Heartwarder</span> (FRPG)</strong>: A good pick if you somehow worship Sune and have attack-caliber Charisma and an implement. The most relevant part of this PP to your purposes is Siren Voice, which is per-encounter domination right from the start of Paragon Tier. In case you're wondering what to do with it afterwards, the most ideal thing is to have the enemy charge one of its buddies through a gauntlet of your allies' OAs. True, the enemy will snap out of it afterwards, but only after he committed to his charge. The rest of the features and powers are mostly healing and Defender-oriented, but are quite fine at that.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Morninglord</span> (FRPG)</strong>: If you can convince your DM of a valid reason to worship Lawful Good Amaunator, this PP is as awesome for you as it is for every other Divine class. Burning Radiance forcing radiant vulnerability after every single radiant attack (including those from a Radiant Weapon, or Virtuous Strike for CHA-based Humans) is really incredible. The other features and the powers sure aren't bad, either, although they are implement-based and require your highest mental stat. Still, if all else fails and you can't use the awesome AoE encounter power Pure Glow to its fullest, there's always Reserve Maneuver.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Purple Dragon Knight</span> (FRPG)</strong>: More of a Defender/Leader path, and only really an average one at that.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Silverstar</span> (FRPG)</strong>: Pretty underwhelming through and through.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Steelsky Liberator</span> (FRPG)</strong>: For Dragonborn, Genasi, Half-Orcs and Humans, and it's geared toward fighting dragons. It's not very good otherwise, though.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Eberron PPs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Lyrandar Wind-Rider (EPG)</strong>: For those with Mark of Storm. If you have the Storm domain or a Lightning Weapon and a high Charisma, you can take advantage of what this path has to offer, which is quite a bit, actually. Storm Adept is a +1 to attack rolls with Thunder and Lightning powers, which is great. Feather's Touch can come in handy, and the CHA-based (or CON, but that's not likely for you) powers are decent control effects. Not too bad.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Racial PPs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><u><strong>Dragonborn</strong></u></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Mithral Arm</span> (D 385)</strong>: Basically the Dragonborn version of the Human's Adroit Explorer, which has simply impressive potential. The per-encounter utility is also a nice survivability boost, and the daily is also great, letting you use an encounter power twice in a fight. See the feat entry for Reserve Maneuver above for recommendations on which encounter power to swipe.</p><p></p><p><strong>Scion of Arkhosia (PHB2)</strong>: If you like the idea of growing wings and flying everywhere this one's for you. The attack powers, variations of your breath, aren't anything special, though.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Dwarf</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Firstborn of Moradin (PHB2)</strong>: Decent, not great, features. The encounter power Receive the Charge is quite good, but the other powers are only average.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Goliath</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Stoneblessed</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Unusual Reach is awesome, and the utility Summit Advantage even lets you take proper advantage of it for a round every encounter. The rest is pretty solid, too.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Half-Orc</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Bloodfury Savage (PHB2)</strong>: Savage Resilience is nice, and the powers are geared toward doing more and more damage. Not too bad, but not all that special.</p><p></p><p><strong>Lightning Blitzer (D 386)</strong>: Armored Swiftness is nice to eliminate the speed penalty for heavy armor. The daily is a nice blinder, too, but the rest of it is pretty avarage.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Human</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Adroit Explorer</span> (PHB2)</strong>: A Lv. 7 or lower O-Paladin encounter power of your choice (see the Reserve Maneuver feat entry above for recommendations), a great action point ability, start the day with two action points, and an easily triggered immediate reaction daily using your encounter power of choice. Awesome.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Warforged</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Warforged Juggernaut</span> (EPG)</strong>: You might like this if you're particularly charge-oriented. The daily stance is very good, sort of a Fighter's Unyielding Avalanche with resistance to forced movement.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><u>Absolute Power of the Tainted Ones: </u></strong></p></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong><u></u></strong></p></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong><u>Epic Destinies</u></strong></p><p></span></p><p></p><p>NOTE: The Blackguard can't take any of the Avatar EDs from Divine Power (not without multiclassing, anyway), since those require Divinity feats (and, by extension, Channel Divinity). So those won't be listed in this section.</p><p></p><p><strong>General/Blackguard EDs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Dead God Avatar</span> (D 390)</strong>: Interesting option if worshipping a dead deity, and pretty solid all around. Immunity to charm and bonus to Wisdom and Charisma are decent, and the capstone Sacrifice to recover a daily power or encounter power is also appealing.</p><p></p><p><strong>Deadly Trickster (PHB)</strong>: If you got Bluff training somehow, you might go for this. Solid features, albeit somewhat limited in use. Epic Trick is an awesome utility, though.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Demigod/Chosen</span> (PHB/FRPG/DP)</strong>: Divine Miracle, that infamous capstone, finally got toned down so that now it only recovers one encounter power in a fight. That's still pretty good, though, especially combined with all the other ways to recover encounter powers. And the +2 to two stats of your choice, a solid near-death recovery mechanic and access to some great utilities still make this one great. Just no longer overpowering. The default Demigod's Divine Regeneration is an insane regeneration spell. The Chosen variants, tied to specific deities, differ from the Demigod via the utility power.</p><p></p><p><strong>Core Chosen Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Freedom is Life (Avandra)</span> (DP)</strong>: +10 to saves for the party for a turn. Rather situational.</p><p></p><p><strong>Sheltering Wings (Bahamut) (DP)</strong>: Basically a Cure Serious Wounds for you and an ally. Not bad.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">High Arcana (Corellon)</span> (DP)</strong>: Everyone in the party, including you, can choose +2 power bonus with implement attacks or +4 bonus to NADs at the start of every turn for the whole encounter. Very solid. <strong>Note for Forgotten Realms</strong>: This is Corellon's second attempt at his Chosen power, and this version is hands-down the better one.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Anthem of Progress (Erathis)</span> (DP)</strong>: 16-20 crits on at-will attacks for the whole party. Nice. <strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Even better</span></strong> if you have some crit fishermen aboard.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Unerring Foreknowledge (Ioun)</span> (DP)</strong>: Grant allies extra standard actions, using your minor action, every round until you've cycled through all your allies. Very, very nice.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Test of Strength (Kord)</span> (DP)</strong>: Work on your DPR and you can do some special things with this one.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Wild Surge (Melora)</span> (DP)</strong>: 18-20 crits on daily attacks. Very underwhelming, especially compared to what Erathis offers.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Forge of Creation (Moradin)</span> (FRPG/DP)</strong>: You and any allies who hit in the next round restore second winds, a healing surge and a daily item power. Solid. <strong>Note for Forgotten Realms</strong>: The FRPG and DP versions of this power are identical.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Celestial Balance (Pelor)</span> (DP)</strong>: Pretty underwhelming.</p><p></p><p><strong>Death is Nigh (Raven Queen) (DP)</strong>: +2 untyped bonus to attacks if someone has failed a death save in the encounter. Not a bad one to keep around.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Horns of the Moon (Sehanine)</span> (DP)</strong>: Buff any ally's attack and strip any enemy's defenses every turn for the whole encounter. This one is awesome.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Forgotten Realms Chosen Utility Powers (FRPG)</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: blue">Renewing Dawn (Amaunator)</span></strong>: Fairly hefty free radiant damage against a nearby foe when you or an ally use a healing surge in any way. Turns things you wouldn't even dream of (Virtue, etc.) into damage dealers. Sustain this effect with minor actions. If you worship Amaunator, odds are you're a Morninglord, and this utility can really help take advantage of the vulnerability that paragon path creates.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Horn of Life (Chauntea)</span></strong>: Healing surge trigger, followed by 20 regeneration on the ally who needs it most any given round. The regeneration switches targets based on need at the start of your turns. A fantastic party heal.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">True Death (Kelemvor)</span></strong>: Anti-undead power, so it's situational. Good for that type of fight, at least.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Supreme Knowledge (Oghma)</span></strong>: You're likely not good enough at knowledge skills to use this effectively.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Waxing Fortune (Selune)</span></strong>: The chance of the situation that would make the bonus to attacks actually worth a damn happening is slim to none.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Divine Regeneration (Silvanus)</span></strong>: Well, this looks familiar. No complaints, though, obviously.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Sune's Censure (Sune)</span></strong>: Spread vulnerabilities from one enemy to another. This one can even make normally temporary vulnerabilities last the whole encounter. Or, if all else fails, force vulnerability 5 all. This one's nice.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Tempus's Glare (Tempus)</span></strong>: This one can really mess with a Challenged or Sanctioned enemy.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Battle Judgment (Torm)</span></strong>: Unless you killed a foe with a high-damage single-hit daily, this one's not going to heal much more, if not less, than a healing surge. Just awful.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Destined Scion</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: +2 to two stats of your choice, an extra +1 to attack rolls on top of that (perfect for a Striker) and a +2 untyped bonus to saves. A excellent, no-nonsense ED. The utilities won't dazzle you, but they're handy.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Eternal Seeker </span>(PHB)</strong>: This one has come a long way, and it has infinite room to grow. It's about as good as you can get without crossing the line into abuse.</p><p></p><p><strong>Exalted Angel (DP)</strong>: Flavorful destiny, and good overall if you like a lot of flying. However, the Lv. 24 death-triggered feature is not worth it; save-ends blinding may be good by itself normally, but NOT when it removes you from the fight.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Harbinger of Doom</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Shield of Ill Fortune is about the only remotely attractive thing in this destiny.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Indomitable Champion</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: +2 to two stats of your choice, extra hit points and extra NADs are as good a package as it gets. The utilities aren't completely earth-shattering, but they're handy when stuff happens. Another extremely solid, no-nonsense ED.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Keybearer</span> (D 372)</strong>: Traveler's Tricks is nice, as is the capstone that gives you phasing. Reality Distortion, on the other hand, kills this one. It would be pretty awesome if it weren't for the fact that it affects your allies as well as your enemies.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Legendary Sovereign</span> (MP2)</strong>: You get a +2 to Charisma to start off. If you picked the right paragon path, Sword of Kings, the capstone that lets you spam a weapon-based encounter power as long as you keep scoring at least one hit with it, will be very effective. Choose an AoE or, if you ever get one, a focus-fire multiattack. Great Captain is devastating when a crit happens, and the utility, Sword of the Sovereign, rounds it off by providing insane bonuses to attack rolls for allies' at-will and basic attacks (equal to your CHA-mod). This is Not My Fate is also a better recovery ability than Divine Recovery.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Planeshaper</span> (D 372)</strong>: Using an encounter power twice is great, as is removing an enemy from the fight for a turn on a crit. Shape Reality, the capstone, adds a whole lot of Controller to your arsenal. Can't go wrong with this one.</p><p></p><p><strong>Punisher of the Gods (D 372/DA 09)</strong>: Seems to have stabilized, but its current form, while good against one foe per encounter, is still a shadow of its former selves. Yes, that plural was intentional.</p><p></p><p>Raven Knight (D 380): Bonused to speed and going insubstantial and phasing on a charge are pretty good. The ability bonuses and the Necrotic utility aren't the best, though, but overall, you could do worse.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Revered One</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Its one redeeming feature only works with Channel Divinity, which you don't have.</p><p></p><p><strong>Saint (DP)</strong>: Great for Defender Paladins, particularly those geared toward healing, but you'll probably want to choose something more offensively oriented. Still, those sweet defense bonuses and immunity to domination do count for something.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Racial EDs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Avatar of Io (PHR<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />): Bonuses to both STR and CHA, the Blackguard's two most important stats, a fully versatile breath weapon, and the ability to fly with hover. Pretty decent, even if the capstone isn't the best.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Forgotten Realms EDs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Harper of Legend (D 367)</strong>: An extra encounter power (from the O-Paladin's arsenal or even a multiclass if applicable) and extra action points. Not bad at all. Spectral Harpist is interesting and a decent death-triggered capstone. Tymora Smiles is pretty weak, though.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Eberron EDs</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Champion of Prophecy</span> (EPG)</strong>: +2 to a physical and a mental stat of your choice, great capstone that lets you recover dailies per milestone instead of action points, and Prophetic Certainty is a solid per-encounter utility.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Dispossessed Champion</span> (EPG)</strong>: Solid utility power (resist 10 to nearby allies), but the rest is pretty mediocre.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Mourning Savior</span> (EPG)</strong>: Very setting specific here, but the benefits in that respect are huge. Memory of Cyre is a great save-ends debuff whenever you use an action point. And speaking of action points, the capstone Cyran Vengeance opens up some nice abuse with those. Awesome.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Sublime Flame</span> (EPG)</strong>: You can't say no to an extra daily per day for worshiping the Silver Flame. The rest is pretty solid, too.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Originally posted by Litigation:</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><u>Tainted Further: Multiclassing</u></strong></p><p></span></p><p></p><p>A note: If you see powers corresponding to fixed utility and daily levels for the Blackguards, it's OK. Power swapping at those levels is apparently still legal, as it's not the same as retraining.</p><p></p><p>Generally, your power-swapping will be for the intent to improve your nova capabilities. Most of the attack powers mentioned as ripe for the plucking will be powers that serve this vital part of the Striker role. Most of the paragon paths and epic destinies that are mentioned will be those that significantly contribute to your damage output as well. Tieflings who take Secrets of Belial may also want to look in this section.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><u>General Power Source Options</u></p><p><u></u></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Arcane classes<u></u></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u></u></strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Key feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><u>Heroic Tier</u></p><p><u></u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Arcane Implement Proficiency</span> (AP): This feat has a newfound purpose in a post-Essentials world, giving you the ability to use your sword for all your implement attacks. That's a huge asset. And since most of you are too dumb to enter Swordmage multiclassing (not that it's your best option, anyway), you take this.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">White Lotus Enervation</span> (D 374): -1 debuff to a defense targeted by an arcane at-will. Pretty neat bonus to your favorite arcane at-will if you got one, including an Arcana Virtuous Strike.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">White Lotus Hindrance</span> (D 374): Hit them with your Arcana Virtuous Strike or Eldritch Strike, and you create difficult terrain in all squares next to you. Not bad in itself, but the bigger prize lies in Paragon Tier.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">White Lotus Riposte</span> (D 374): The automatic damage from this feat when an enemy you hit with an Arcana Virtuous Strike or Eldritch Strike decides to attack you is nothing to sneeze at. It also opens up something even better in Paragon Tier.</p><p></p><p><u>Paragon Tier</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Arcane Admixture</span> (AP): Add another type of damage keyword to an Arcane power, which opens up a whole new world of feat synergies. Best spent on an at-will, making this most useful for Half-Elves with Eldritch Strike.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">White Lotus Master Hindrance</span> (D 374): This is why you took Hindrance. Now when you hit with an arcane at-will, you create the difficult terrain around all your allies as well, making them more difficult for melee enemies to approach. And it also makes flanks VERY easy to maintain, since enemies won't be able to shift into any difficult terrain surrounding you and your partners.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">White Lotus Master Riposte</span> (D 374)</strong>: Repeating an arcane at-will (including an Arcana Virtuous Strike) as an immediate action when an enemy attacks you is an awesome thing to have for a Striker.</p><p></p><p><u>Epic Tier</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Quickened Spellcasting</span> (AP): Half-Elves with Eldritch Strike get a minor-action use of their at-will per encounter, allowing for a decent mini-nova on that turn, at the very least.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key epic destinies</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Sage of Ages (AP): <span style="color: #00ccff">Keeper's Prescience</span> at Lv. 24 is incredible, basically allowing you to cover for a possible d20 failure every turn. That one makes for one of the best Seeking Destiny capstones for an Eternal Seeker there is. You won't likely make good use of this destiny's other key benefit, the utility, though.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Divine classes (others)</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feat</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Divine Channeler (DP)</strong>: Requires WIS 13 and training in Religion. This gives you the Channel Divinity class feature and a power from the class you chose to enter with this feat. You can only use it once a day, but of more importance is that this can open up Avatar EDs for you, and a couple of those are pretty good.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key Avatar epic destinies (require Divine Channeler)</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Avatar of Storm</span> (DP)</strong>: Geared toward those with the Storm domain or a Lightning Weapon. Requires Storm Sacrifice, and you get +2 bonuses to STR and CON, both important Blackguard stats. Stormhand is pretty nice, giving you the benefits of both Lightning and Thunder with all such attacks, and the capstone gives you flight. Solid and flavorful.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Avatar of War</span> (DP)</strong>: Requires Path of War. +2 to STR and CHA, the Blackguard's two most important stats, is a great start. Master of the Battlefield at Lv. 21 means you never give up combat advantage. And the utility, Rouse Conflict, adds some party enabling to your arsenal with a devastating minor-action nova trigger. The Lv. 24 feature related to the Path of War divinity power is only going to see play once per day, though, but the rest of this ED is so solid that it's still worth consideration.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Martial classes<u></u></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u></u></strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Key feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Heroic Tier</u></strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Resilience of Stone</span> (MP2): For Dwarves to use their second wind as an immediate interrupt. Good deal.</p><p></p><p><u>Paragon Tier</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Deft Blade</span> (MP2): One of the many reasons light blades are a shockingly good choice for a Blackguard. Nailing Reflex with an MBA (or even an RBA of you throw a dagger, for example) is awesome.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Hammer Shock</span> (MP2): Give your melee basic attacks with a hammer the Rattling keyword. Must be trained in Intimidate. Good one for hammer-users.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Impaling Spear</span> (MP2)</strong> : Nail Reflex with an MBA from a spear. Practically a must if you're using anything from the Spear group (*cough*Gouge*hack*).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Lashing Flail</span> (MP2)</strong> : A slide on a flail MBA is a great thing to have, especially for things like Deadly Draw and (if you MC-ed Fighter) Hindering Shield.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Paragon Tier, Goliath</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Avalanche Reaver</span> (MP2)</strong> : Woo, a push-and-follow effect whenever you charge. Opens up a lot of the forced movement exploits you know and love.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Epic Tier</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Epic Recovery</span> (MP)</strong>: CON 19 required. If you have that and have a minor-action or less second wind, you definitely want this one.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Martial Mastery</span> (MP)</strong>: If you're multiclassing with something Martial, odds are good it might be for a paragon path with a multiattacking Lv. 11 encounter power so you can get a nova. If that's the case, consider this <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>mandatory</strong></span> (and unless you're a Sohei, a higher priority than Divine Mastery, in fact).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Martial Resolve</span> (MP)</strong>: Saves at both the start and end of your turns against some of the more debilitating conditions, including some Superior Will doesn't cover. Very nice. Must have WIS 15.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Epic Tier, Dwarf</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Stoneheart Warrior</span> (MP)</strong>: Must have CON 17. Makes your second wind a free action, which is awesome.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key epic destinies</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Adamantine Soldier</span> (MP): Damage resistance and ignoring speed and check penalties in plate are the highlights of this solid destiny. Must multiclass into Fighter or Warlord.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Primal classes<u><u></u></u></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><u><u></u></u></strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Key feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><u><u>Heroic Tier</u></u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Longtooth Spirit Shifter </span>(PrP, Longtooth Shifter): Extra regen on your Longtooth Shifting power? Awesome.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Reckless Charge </span>(PrP): An extra +1 to charge attacks. Great, considering charging is still the way to go for most of you in DPR terms. Who cares about the -2 to AC?</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key epic destinies</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Reincarnate Champion </span>(PrP): Well, well, well, this one's a lot of fun. Accessing nice things like Fey Step, Elven Accuracy and Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes no matter what race you are is lovely indeed.<span style="color: #0000ff"> </span></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><u>Specific Classes</u></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Avenger</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>The entry feats are the most attractive part of this multiclassing option, giving you some attack rerolls.</p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Disciple of Divine Wrath </span>(PHB2)</strong>: Trains Religion, and this Oath of Enmity last for two rounds' worth of attacks. Requires WIS 13.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Hero of Faith</span> (DP)</strong>: You probably won't have thee WIS 15 to qualify, and aside from that it's inferior to Disciple of Divine Wrath.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Barbarian</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>An excellent choice for extra damage output. Some of the Rages are well worth swiping with Adept Power and greatly help your DPR for a fight, if not your outright nova potential.</p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Berserker's Fury</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Training in any one of the Barbarian's class skills (go for Perception or Athletics). Also gives you a daily free action damage buff that lasts a whole encounter. Requires STR 13 and CON 13, easily done.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Rampant Fury</span> (PHB2)</strong>: A Half-Elf with Howling Strike would do very well to pick this one up for the extra attack on a crit. Note that it's not compatible with Dread Smite at the moment, though.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Lv. 15 Daily</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Thunderfury Rage</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Punish attacks against you with an immediate reaction. Excellent.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 29 Daily</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">World Serpent Rage</span> (PHB2)</strong>: 7[W] activation attack that you can charge with, and afterwards you get to punish shifts with free-action MBAs left and right, or if the enemy decides to man up and face you, you deal a substantial amount of extra damage. Awesome.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key paragon paths</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Winter Fury</span> (PrP)</strong>: The ability to go full Permafrost regardless of weapon is very nice, as are the various chances the other features and powers grant to immobilize foes next to you.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Bard</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>A surprisingly grand option for you. Opens up the nifty White Lotus line, since Bard is Arcane, and some of the utility powers here are a big boost to your nova potential, believe it or not.</p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Bardic Dilletante</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Training in any skill on the Bard's extensive list (go for Perception). Also comes with a daily use of Majestic Word; you won't be using it too often, but it's there. Requires CHA 13.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Bardic Ritualist</span> (AP)</strong>: You just won't be smart enough for it.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Lv. 16 Utility</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Haste</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Trade a minor for a standard once per day, which is good to have for that big nova.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 22 Utility</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Climactic Chord</span> (AP)</strong>: This daily is a minor-action party nova trigger that's perfect with your high Charisma. Who cares if the nova isn't all on you? A nova is a nova, and this power is great for bringing the pain by however many allies' hands it's done.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Note of Aggression</span> (AP)</strong>: Minor-action trigger of a free-action MBA or a charge for either you or an ally every encounter is great to have. Too bad if you use it for yourself, Dread Smite is off-limits for your turn, but an extra attack is more damaging than that still.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key class feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Epic Tier</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Multiclass Mastery</span> (AP)</strong>: Grants you the benefits of two multiclass feats. Note that this does NOT allow you to take entry feats for more than one class. Only a real Bard can do that. What this does allow is getting the benefits of two power swap feats for the price of one, so if you currently have more than one power swap feat, you can retrain one of them out for something else.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Fighter</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Quite possibly the best overall MC option for Blackguards. You get literally just about everything here. Some important Blackguard build concepts even <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>demand</strong></span> that you enter this MC (namely if you're using polearms, a gouge or a shield). One particular entry feat is incredible all by itself. Some of the PPs are some of your best options, period, some of the utilities make for awesome DPR boosts, and finally several of the daily powers here can give you serious ammo for a nova. You can never go wrong taking this MC. </p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Battle Awareness</span> (MP)</strong>: The per-encounter immediate interrupt attack punishes a shift or any instance when the enemy attack someone other than you. Combine with sources of retaliation strikes (the Fury Vice's Grim Blackguard encounter power is one out of the box, and there are several others outside the box), and you'll be in business for a little guaranteed spike damage one round out of every fight. You also get training in any Fighter skill. Without question the Fighter entry feat of choice, as long as you can afford the STR 13 and WIS 13.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Student of the Sword</span> (PHB)</strong>: The original. And pretty inadequate these days, but if you can't afford the WIS for Battle Awareness, this is about your only other recourse. If you ever do get up to WIS 13, promptly retrain this for Battle Awareness.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wrathful Warrior (MP2)</strong>: Can be useful for Domination, since it doesn't matter how many THPs you have to activate your extra damage, as long as you have at least 1. Requires STR 13 or CON 13. I'd probably still retrain it for Battle Awareness as soon as I qualify, though.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key class feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><u>Heroic Tier</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Polearm Momentum</span> (MP): If you have ways of getting a 2-square slide on all your polearm attacks (start with Eldritch Strike or Mark of Storm and enhance your forced movement with items from there), then you get to knock prone as you please, which is awesome. Especially if you're taking Kulkor Arms Master. DEX 15 and WIS 15 required, but the returns on that investment can be gargantuan.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Surprising Charge</span> (MP): I simply would never make a Gouge-wielding Blackguard (or Gouge-wielding anything, for that matter) without it. That extra 1[W] damage on a charge against a CA-wielding foe is huge. It's also a necessity if you're using light blades. DEX 17 required.</p><p></p><p><u>Paragon Tier</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Hindering Shield</span> (MP): A slow effect until the start of your next turn whenever your attack deals forced movement is great. Eldritch Strike, Lashing Flail, Mark of Storm and Avalanche Reaver all work. If you're using a hammer, you can even get an at-will daze via this feat and another one in Epic. This feat's only weakness is that since the slowing lasts until the start of your next turn, it's not an avenue toward exploiting World Serpent's Grasp and Kulkor Arms Master.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Striking Resurgence</span> (MP2): Makes second wind usage on yourself a much better thing to do for the 95% of you who can only do it as a standard action. Dwarves and Questing Knights have no use for it.</p><p></p><p><u>Epic Tier</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Overwhelming Impact</span> (MP2): Can potentially give you at-will dazing if you use a hammer. That alone makes this feat amazing. The most common ways for you to get to this are Hindering Shield + Eldritch Strike, Mark of Storm or Avalanche Reaver.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Lv. 5 Daily</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Bedeviling Assault</span> (MP)</strong>: Tagging on free-action MBAs for the rest of the encounter whenever your allies hit the target of this is positively nasty. Those MBAs are automatically made with CA, too, so your class' extra damage mechanic will kick in every time here.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 19 Daily</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Devastation's Wake</span> (PHB)</strong>: Double-taps on everyone in a close burst 1 around you? Yeah, that's really good.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 22 Utility</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Martial Supremacy</span> (D 382)</strong>: A per-encounter stance that lets you reroll your MBA attack rolls is a huge boost to your DPR and ensures that everything will die quickly.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 29 Daily</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Catastrophic Flurry</span> (MP)</strong>: Three attacks of focus fire, with extra damage tacked on if multiple ones hit. Plus each attack deals half-damage on miss. Great one for a nova.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key paragon paths</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Dreadnought</span> (MP)</strong>: A double-attacking encounter power straight out of the box in Inexorable Advance, an increase in your maximum HPs and a ton of damage resistance sources all make for a premier choice for Blackguards of all stripes.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Gladiator Champion</span> (DSCS)</strong>: The Dark Sun theme isn't required if you MC Fighter, so you're good to go in any setting for this awesome PP that enhances your hard control greatly. Especially its Lv. 16 feature, which prohibits enemies from shifting away from you, outright. That can be extremely useful for your purposes if you have sources of retaliation attacks.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Kensei </span>(PHB): +1 to attack and +4 to damage with your chosen weapon is a great no-nonsense boost for your overall damage output. The powers aren't so hot, but that's why Reserve Maneuver exists.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Shock Trooper</span> (MP)</strong>: Requires dual-wielding shortswords for the best use from this PP, but that triple-attacking encounter power alone is an eye-popper. If you're using light blades you're going to have at least some DEX for the Quicker Death feature to add some damage. The extra die size on shortswords is also nice. Makes for a great choice on an unorthodox brand of Blackguard.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Ranger</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Some solid entry feats, including one that lets you dual-wield one-handed weapons straight up. Since this class is the king of novas, it's no surprise that there are some real beauties here for daily powers, even if many of them require dual-wielding. The one that doesn't deserves special recognition.</p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Two-Blade Warrior (MP)</strong>: If you dual-wield, you'll want this one if your <strong><span style="color: Blue">DEX is high enough (13)</span></strong>. Also trains a Ranger skill (go Perception).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Warrior of the Wild</span> (PHB)</strong>: Training in a Ranger skill (go Perception), and a Hunter's Quarry that can last two rounds. Go with this one if you don't dual-wield, or don't have the DEX to qualify for Two-Blade Warrior.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><u>Lv. 9 Daily, All</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Attacks on the Run</span> (PHB)</strong>: Two-attack focus-fire flurry, and you don't have to dual-wield for it. Plus you get full movement for free with it. Beautiful.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 15 Daily, Dual-Wield</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Blade Cascade</span> (PHB)</strong>: Needs no introduction. Just make sure you're set up for nigh-guaranteed success before using it.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 19 Daily, Dual-Wield</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Cruel Cage of Steel</span> (PHB)</strong>: 3 attacks with a +2 bonus each to hit and can inflict a cocktail of status effects. If you just can't be bothered to wait and maneuver for proper Blade Cascade setup, you might prefer this one as your Adept Power, instead.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Sorcerer</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>One entry feat is pretty good, and you might see some utilities you like. A good choice for taking advantage of Arcane feats down the road.</p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Arcane Prodigy</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Just plain inferior to Soul of Sorcery.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Soul of Sorcery</span> (AP)</strong>: The preferred entry feat. Permanent resistance 5 to an element is a solid perk. Need STR 13 and CHA 13.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Warlord</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>You have a lot to love here if you want to expand your Leader capabilities, including some great utilities. You're going to focus far more on the enabling aspect of the Leader task than any other. You're all about damage, and again, a nova's a nova regardless of whether it's all on you, or whether you get your allies in on the act. Also, one entry feat in particular is quite amazing.</p><p></p><p><strong>Entry feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Bravura Leader (MP2): Typically, you should instead go with Resourceful Leader, which gives allies a damage bonus almost as good as this one, but doesn't make the ally give up combat advantage for it. Of course, you could always take this along with Resourceful Leader, and they do stack ...</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Resourceful Leader</span> (MP2): The Warlord multiclass feat to rule them all. Requires either CHA 13 or INT 13. Skill training from the Warlord list, plus an ally that spends an action point either gets a nice damage bonus if he hits with his attack, or a solid amount of THPs if he misses. Like the other Warlord MC feats from Martial Power 2, these benefits aren't limited to once per encounter. Simply impressive.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><u>Lv. 1 Daily</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Lamb to the Slaughter</span> (D 381): A beatdown power. Awesome if your party is melee-heavy.</p><p></p><p><u>Lv. 10 Utility</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Instant Planning</span> (MP): Likely, you'll want to use this when your allies are in position to tee off on one enemy. A high Charisma will grant a huge power bonus to the whole party's attack rolls to set up certain mayhem that round.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 15 Daily</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">War Master's Assault</span> (MP)</strong>: A high CHA with this power leads to a near-certain full-party beatdown of an unfortunate foe.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Lv. 22 Utility</u></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Rush of Battle</span> (MP)</strong>: Minor-action basic attacks for all your allies for a round a day. Fun, fun times.</p><p></p><p><u>Lv. 25 Daily</u></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Relentless Assault</span> (PHB): Warlords love it, and you will, too. The important part of this happens hit or miss; a full-party beatdown once per any given round if anyone scores a crit. True story: Before errata the beatdown happened on every single crit.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Key epic destinies</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Warmaster</span> (MP): An awesome Leader destiny that grants extra party actions with your action points, and the capstone lets you spend as many as you want. Spring the Trap is the ultimate beatdown utility.</p><p>[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MonkLover, post: 6742624, member: 82105"] [b]Originally posted by Litigation:[/b] [SIZE=6][CENTER][b][u]Aides for the Tainted: Utility Powers[/u][/b][/CENTER] [/SIZE] Remember that your Lv. 2 and Lv. 22 utilities are fixed. [Size=4][b][u]Lv. 2 Utility (at Lv. 6)[/u][/b][/size] Although you don't have a free selection from this list at Lv. 2, you do at Lv. 6. Bless Weapon and Virtue are just as great at Lv. 6 (and even beyond) as they are at Lv. 2. [b]Call of Challenge[/b] is also very good if you're looking to shoulder more of the Defender burden. [b]Class Powers[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Red]Astral Speech[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: You're a killer, not a talker. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Bless Weapon[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: If you're building around forcing Radiant vulnerability, this daily encounter-long buff is downright amazing with its expanded crit range and extra hitting and damage. [b][COLOR=Blue]Call of Challenge[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This minor-action mass-Sanction is great if you're looking to steal the show as a Defender for one round every encounter. [b][COLOR=#800080]Divine Counter[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: A rather odd self-defense and Defender utility. Half the damage and impose DS as a per-encounter immediate interrupt for an enemy attacking one of your NADs. Doesn't exactly get a Striker excited. [COLOR=#800080]Kord's Strength[/COLOR] (D 383): Per-encounter boost to an Athletics or Endurance check in combat, followed by +2 power bonus to melee damage and Sanctioning enemies on your attacks for a round. Not wholly terrible, but you're not going to roll one of those skills every combat. Situational. [b][COLOR=Red]Martyr's Blessing[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: There's simply much better options out there if you're looking to play Defender. [b][COLOR=#800080]Restore Vitality[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: A minor-action surgeless heal, using your healing surge value at all times, at melee range, with a saving throw attached. Decent healing spell, but you're about the killing, not the healing. [b][COLOR=Red]Sacred Circle[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: A butt of jokes since Day One. Think of just about everything wrong that a daily utility power can possibly do. That's this abortion in a nutshell. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Touch of Grace [/COLOR](DP)[/b]: Definitely not for you. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Virtue[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: You can expect to burn through at least one healing surge every encounter. Might as well use this encounter utility to trade your healing surge in for your surge value's worth of THPs. Domination Blackguards buy a large reservoir of THPs they can trade in for their damage, and Fury Blackguards can pop this when bloodied and buy a safe round or two of their extra damage. Easily a top choice for you. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][u]Lv. 6 Utility[/u][/b][/size] Before you commit to picking your first free utility from the Lv. 2 list, you'll want to note some of the goods here, as the actual Lv. 6 list is no slouch in its own right. Such goods include an amazing damage buff to you and your allies in [b]Wrath of the Gods[/b], and a very strong defense utility in [b]Shield of Discipline[/b]. One skill power involving Religion, [b]Deliverance of Faith[/b], is also very much worth mentioning, especially if you're a Domination Blackguard. [b]Class Powers[/b] [sblock] [b]Aspect of Domination (HoS)[/b]: This daily Shadow utility lets you push your CHA-mod with all your at-will attacks for the whole fight. Some might be able to take advantage of that. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Aspect of Ferocity[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: An extra 1[W] on all your attacks when you're next to anyone who is bloodied (ally or enemy) is pretty good. Note that this daily is pure Shadow. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Bond of Protection[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: Single-ally protection spell. Definitely not on your radar. [b][COLOR=Red]Divine Bodyguard[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Even actual Defender Paladins think this one sucks. [b]Fear Not (DP)[/b]: Per-encounter, grant an adjacent ally a saving throw which gets a bonus if it's a fear effect. You can use this on yourself, too, so this one isn't bad. [COLOR=#ff0000]Flare of Divine Vengeance[/COLOR] (PHBH): No way in the hells is this one-round attack buff and surge use worth a daily. Not at all. [COLOR=#ff0000]Fury of the Battle God[/COLOR] (D 383): The only way this power is ever going to be worthwhile is if you miss most of your targets with an AoE encounter or daily power. Translation: Picking this is planning for failure and being a failure. Seriously, go back to the Lv. 2 arsenal and take Call of Challenge if you want mass Sanctioning. If you already had that one, well, pick something else. [b][COLOR=#800080]One Heart, One Mind[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Flavorful, but doesn't help you kill. [b][COLOR=Blue]Pure Devotion[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: A +4 power bonus to Fortitude and Will per encounter as an immediate interrupt if an enemy attacks you. I have nothing against the occasional self-defense power. They help you live longer and stay more fit to kill. So a pretty good choice. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Shield of Discipline[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: An excellent encounter power for survivability. Pop this at the start of a turn when you've been under an enemy's focused efforts and cut their DPR against you down for that round. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Shield the Virtuous[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Another single-ally protection spell, and another option that can only be considered a waste for one of your role. [b]Valiant Rush (DP)[/b]: Double your speed on a move action one round per encounter. You might actually value this one more than your Defender counterparts. [COLOR=#800080]Winter's Fated Stance[/COLOR] (D 381): This stance is certainly good against enemies that deal Cold and Necrotic damage. But unless you're fighting those enemies every day, this isn't the wisest choice. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Wrath of the Gods[/COLOR] (PHB/E:HFK)[/b]: Hoo-wee, encounter-long CHA power bonus to your damage AND your allies' damage with this daily? So not only do you kill better, but your allies do, too. Great fun. It's only weakness is that it's a close burst 1, but if you plan it right this shouldn't be much of an issue. It used to be even sexier, but even now, it's great. [/sblock] [b]Class Skill Powers[/b] [sblock] [u]Religion[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Deliverance of Faith[/COLOR] (D 385): Hello, Virtue, good to see you again. Having that power twice is a great thing in your case. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][u]Lv. 10 Utility[/u][/b][/size] Pretty lackluster list for the most part as relates to the Striker mentality, but there are some pearls in the slop. You can steal from the Cavalier and take [b]Spirit of the Virtuous Charger[/b]. If you're a Human, [b]Winter's Arrival[/b] is also worth considering for the extra mobility and targeting capacity. Failing that, there are still some beauties at Lv. 2 and Lv. 6 you may have had to leave behind before. [b]Class Powers[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Beacon of Nobility[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: I'm sure you, as a Striker, have better uses for your minor actions that handing out THPs to an ally. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Beacon of Penance[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: You need your hit points too much to bother transferring them to others. You need to live to kill. [b][COLOR=Purple]Benediction[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Actually a solid dual-purpose per-encounter utility that rewards an ally who hits with either a use of a healing surge or potentially some extra damage. But, again, not really suitable for your role. [b][COLOR=Blue]Cleansing Spirit[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Invoke a saving throw with a +2 bonus, either for an ally or for yourself. This one is actually a solid take. [COLOR=#800080]Deathguide's Stance[/COLOR] (D 381): This stance is similar to getting the Bard's Virtue of Valor once per day (except doling out actual healing, rather than temp HPs). Which makes it decent in 5-standard fights, but not so good against Elites and Solos. It's also useless against minions. And it doesn't really help you kill, either. [b][COLOR=#800080]Deathly Aura[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: This pure Shadow daily can pile some nice damage on enemies in the aura 1 pretty nicely (assuming they don't resist necrotic, of course), but you have to be bloodied for this to happen. I'm not sure how long you want to stay bloodied for this. [b][COLOR=#800080]Font of Healing [/COLOR](DP)[/b]: Basically an enhanced, Lay on Hands-style power healing both you and an ally. You're not a healer though. [b][COLOR=Purple]Guiding Verse[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: You probably won't have the Wisdom to make this any better, numbers-wise, than Cleansing Spirit. And this one only works on yourself. [b][COLOR=Purple]Noble Shield[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: This daily is extremely situational. It's only useful at all for AoE attacks from an enemy. [b][COLOR=Red]Righteous Indignation[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This one fails. If it affected more than one attack, or were an encounter power, it might have been worth it. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Spirit of the Virtuous Charger[/COLOR] (Lv. 8) (E:HFK)[/b]: If you like to charge a lot, this minor-action daily is a very nice pick. At later levels this power gets [COLOR=#00ccff][b]even better[/b][/COLOR], gaining a lot more general usefulness aside from merely charging. At Lv. 18 you get flight. And at Lv. 28, this power also grants its benefits to all allies within 2 squares of you. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Turn of the Dark Tide[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: This pure Shadow daily is similar to the existing Turn the Tide, but even worse, since it forces your party members to take damage in the process. Still uses up your standard action, too. Avoid it. [b][COLOR=Red]Turn the Tide[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Your standard actions are always better spent attacking. Period. [b][COLOR=Red]Vengeful Vigilance[/COLOR] (D 375)[/b]: You don't have Divine Challenge, so you'll get no use out of this one. Winter's Arrival (D 381): A [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Human with Ardent Strike[/b][/COLOR] will greatly appreciate a per-encounter teleport that will help close distance on a Sanctioned enemy who gets away. The difficult terrain you create can rob the enemy of a few movement options. [/sblock] [b]Class Skill Powers[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Endurance[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Reactive Surge[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: Immediate-reaction spending of a healing surge when you get bloodied. Pretty good to have around. [u]History[/u] [COLOR=#0000ff]Lessons of History[/COLOR] (D 385): Well, well, a reason to actually consider training History. Letting all your allies recover an encounter utility in one fight per day is quite handy. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][u]Lv. 16 Utility[/u][/b][/size] A few decent-to-great defensive powers here. [b]Divine Aegis[/b] is probably the best of the bunch overall. [b]Class Powers[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Red]Angelic Intercession[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: This daily is a fancier Martyr's Blessing. And it still sucks. [b][COLOR=#800080]Call from the Brink[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: This daily's a pretty decent recovery spell on an ally who gets KO-ed, but again, you're a Striker. Choose something that helps you kill, or at least lets you live to kill. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Death Ward[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Less useful than Call from the Brink, overall, assuming you even had an inclination to heal in the first place. You shouldn't. [b][COLOR=Red]Devotion[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Boost the whole party's Fortitude and Will by +4 power bonus, but only until the end of your next turn. As a daily power, that's barely acceptable for Defenders and Leaders, and irrelevant to you. [b][COLOR=Blue]Divine Aegis[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Daily stance giving a +2 untyped bonus to all defenses for you and anyone up to 2 squares away. Straightforward, but very effective, since it stacks with every other defense bonus out there. This one actually helps you live longer, so taking it definitely has it points. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Higher Cause[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This daily stance gives untyped save bonuses and regeneration when bloodied. Another solid power that helps you live longer to kill. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Liberation[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Again, you're a Striker. You should be using your move action for killing purposes. [b][COLOR=#800080]Pragmatic Sacrifice[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: Certainly interesting and flavorful, and Blackguard-appropriate with its selfishness, but in practice this self-death rescue daily just isn't really worth the slot. [b][COLOR=#800080]Prayer for the Valiant [/COLOR](DP)[/b]: A daily mass-saves power. Not really your thing, but a nice emergency button, I suppose. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Shadow Healing[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: This pure Shadow daily is definitely best used immediately after combat is over. Your bloodied value's worth of surgeless self-healing is very nice, no doubt, but the prohibition on spending your healing surges until after your next short rest makes this unwise to use in the heat of a battle. [COLOR=#800080]Stave off Winter[/COLOR] (D 386): Sort of an immediate-interrupt, ranged Lay on Hands-type power, followed by some situational benefits at the cost of additional healing surges. Not really worth it. [/sblock] [b]Originally posted by Litigation:[/b] [CENTER][SIZE=6][b][u]Training for the Tainted Ones: Feats[/u][/b][/SIZE][/CENTER] Note on the general, class, racial, and divine power source feats: Not all of those will be listed. Only the consequential ones (many of those will be rated [b][COLOR=Blue]blue[/COLOR][/b] or [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]sky blue[/COLOR][/b]). [COLOR=Red][b]Traps[/b][/COLOR] among those will be noted. This saves space, plus since feats have become a more precious resource thanks to simply the increasing number of them in 4e, narrowing them down to the meaningful choices is justified. As for what you should prioritize when selecting feats: [b]1. Attack accuracy.[/b] There's a reason your chance to hit is factored into your DPR figures. If you don't hit, you don't do damage, plain and simple. So look for as many things that give you bonuses to your attack rating (preferably either constant ones or huge per-encounter spikes) as you possibly can. [b]2. Damage.[/b] A very close second in priority. When you hit, you want to make sure it hurts as much as possible. It's your duty as a Striker. [b]3. Combat advantage generation.[/b] Since your class damage features rely on getting combat advantage, taking feats that make it easier for you to obtain is certainly a good idea. [b]4. Mobility. [/b]You're not a particularly mobile Striker, by default, so anything you can get to improve your mobility on the battlefield will ensure that you can nail whomever you want, whenever you want. [b]5. Defense/survivability.[/b] You don't deal damage when you're dead. You're already doing fine in this category by default, considering you're still a Paladin, but any extra support you take here certainly won't go to waste. [b]6. Power recovery.[/b] If you come upon feats that let you recover your encounter powers, take them. They can impact the battle in a big way. [b]Class/Power Source feats[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Commanding Vow[/COLOR] (D 388)[/b]: A Human with Ardent Strike will seriously want to look at this one and combine it with Deadly Draw for the constant combat advantage. [b][COLOR=Blue]Protector's Commitment[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Rather selfless flavor, but what the hell, it's a fairly commonly triggered +1 untyped bonus to attacks and stacks with the Expertise feat you're bound to take. You or an enemy next to a bloodied ally happens quite a bit (particularly the latter case, since that happens with a simple flank). [COLOR=#00ccff]Symbol of the Sonnlinor[/COLOR] (D 385): If you can justify worshipping Lawful Good Moradin to your DM somehow, this is great for axe and hammer users. Not only does it reduce multiple-item dependency in letting you use your axe or hammer as an implement, but it opens up a lot of interesting combinations for implement use. Like the classic Lasting Frost synergy. Or how about following up a close-burst implement crit with a Rending attack? Bloodiron's sure looking fine. The possibilities are endless. [b][COLOR=Blue]Virtuous Recovery[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: While your WIS won't be so high as to make you nigh-invincible with this feat, even a modifier as small as +2 can go a long way toward increasing your survivability. Works on any way you spend a surge, including second wind and utility powers like Virtue. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Hero's Poise[/COLOR] (D 388)[/b]: OK, so this feat is more geared toward a Defender Paladin's inclinations, or elsewise high-CHA Leaders who multiclass or hybrid Paladin. Still, it is what it is: A way to make your whole party laugh off save-ends status effects as long as you can make saves yourself. If a more suitable Defender or Leader doesn't have this feat, this one is highly recommended. After all, you need your allies to be in prime condition to assist you in laying down the pain. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Honored Foe[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: If you have at least a +2 WIS modifier and either you're a Human with Ardent Strike or you have a couple of mass-DS powers on hand, this one can help your survivability quite a bit. [b][COLOR=Blue]Pervasive Light[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This one is aimed at those of you who primarily like to attack with other damage types besides Radiant, but still want to take advantage of Radiant vulnerability. If you're hanging out [COLOR=#00ccff][b]with a full-fledged Radiant Mafia[/b][/COLOR], this can be an outright amazing choice, allowing you to stack the Radiant vulnerability your allies create with the extra damage or nasty tricks from your own preferred attack type (such as from Cold, Psychic or Thunder). [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Divine Mastery[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: How does regaining a use of Dread Smite when you use an action point sound? Or even a Divine encounter utility if you prefer. Whatever you need at the time. You need to to get this as early in Epic Tier as possible. (Unless you took a Fighter PP with a multi-attacking encounter power, in which case you need to take Martial Mastery, instead. If you're a Sohei, you'll still want Divine Mastery in addition.) [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Paladin's Truth[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Humans with Ardent Strike should strongly consider this. Ignoring immunities and resistances on targets you mark is incredible. Life is so much more beautiful for Blackguards when necrotic resistance ceases to be an issue. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Promise of Judgment[/COLOR] (D 388)[/b]: Humans with Ardent Strike can turn it into a guaranteed DS with this feat. A good choice. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Punishing Radiance[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Radiant vulnerability 10 (or the increasing of it by 10) until the end of your next turn on a radiant divine power's crit. Fantastic if you're going Lucifer and picked up a good Divine at-will attack (typically because you're Human). Also note the synergy with Font of Radiance. [/sblock] [b]General feats[/b] [sblock] [b]Heroic Tier[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Aggressive Advantage[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Combat advantage for your first turn of combat straight up, during what is often the most important round of combat, is certainly worthwhile. [b]NOTE[/b]: If your DEX is 15 or higher, take Superior Reflexes instead if you planned to take this. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Axe Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Gives you the necessary tier-scaling feat bonus to attack rolls with axes, and also lets you reroll those pesky 1s on a damage die. Decent extra perk, assuming you're going one-handed plus shield. [b]Blindfighting Warrior (E:HFK)[/b]: Ignoring concealment of all sorts can come in handy for melee types. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Bludgeon Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Tier-scaling feat bonus to attacks with hammers and maces, and its perk of an extra square of forced movement on an attack can be very nice with Eldrich Strike for Half-Elves or for Mark of Storm. [b]NOTE[/b]: This does not work with Ardent Strike and Commanding Vow, though, since it's the Sanction, not the attack, that slides. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Cunning Stalker[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: This feat takes care of a ton of the situations in which you couldn't gain combat advantage otherwise. Basically, this is the feat [COLOR=#ff9900][b]you take if[/b][/COLOR] you can't fully exploit the truly constant CA feats (like Deadly Draw, Wintertouched or Vicious Advantage). [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Deadly Draw[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: If you have means of sliding your enemy in any way at-will (e.g. Ardent Strike + Commanding Vow, or Mark of Storm, or Half-Elf with Eldritch Strike) this can net you constant combat advantage. Great fun. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Disciple of Freedom[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Slowing, immobilizing and restraining are pretty nasty conditions for you as a Striker. The ability to save at the start of your turn against those is a huge bonus. Plus, there's the fact that in Paragon Tier, this feat is going to have some beautiful synergy with Hero's Poise, should you take that feat. Requires CHA 13. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Disciple of Stone[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Tier-scaling THPs for you when you use a healing surge. Good one, assuming you're not already taking encounter powers that grant THPs on surge use (e.g. Virtue). Requires CON 13. [b]Disciple of Strength (E:HFL)[/b]: If your second wind is minor-action or better (Dwarf, Questing Knight) this one's good for the extra sting on your next hit. Requires STR 13. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Durable[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Two extra surges are nice to have. [COLOR=#00ccff]Echoes of Thunder[/COLOR] (PHB2): Extra tier-scaling untyped bonus to damage when you hit with Thunder powers. If you're a Human using the Storm domain on your Valiant Strike, this should be next on the radar after Weapon Focus, as it really lends potency to your preferred keyword. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Focused Mind[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: +4 feat bonus against two of the more crippling conditions, dazing and stunning. Good now, even better later, especially if you take Hero's Poise in Paragon Tier. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Heavy Armor Agility[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: If you have the STR or CON 15 to qualify, it's a very good idea for a plate-clad Striker like yourself to take this for the extra mobility and targeting capacity. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Heavy Blade Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: The tier-scaling feat bonus to attacks with heavy blades you're looking for, and the +2 bonus to defenses against OAs you get in addition can make you a little more confident about barging through other enemies to get in an ideal position, assuming you've decided to go one-handed plus shield. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Holy Symbol Expertise[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: Only CHA-based Blackguards, or anyone who takes a PP with implement powers, are likely to care, but this is the implement-based Expertise feat you take if you like your weapon-based Expertise feat's perk too much. Canceling CA against you in many situations is pretty nice, indeed. [b]Implement Focus (E:HFL)[/b]: Finally, a general tier-scaling feat bonus to implement damage. It's probably not that high a priority for you, though. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Improved Defenses[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: It's likely not a matter of if you're taking this tier-scaling feat bonus to NADs, but when. NADs tend to fall behind as your levels increase, and this feat helps corrects that. [b]Note:[/b] This feat obsoletes Paragon Defenses (PHB2) and Robust Defenses (PHB2). [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Improved Initiative[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Less urgent for you to take than it is for your Defender counterparts, but it's still nice to have if you can fit it in. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Light Blade Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Tier-scaling feat bonus to attack with light blades and an extra untyped tier-scaling bonus to damage with CA. An incredible member of the Expertise family. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Master at Arms[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Tier-scaling attack bonus for all weapons, and the additional action economy for drawing and stowing weapons is pretty nice, too. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Nimble Blade[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: If you actually happen to use light blades, this is a must-take thanks to the extra +1 to attack rolls with CA that stacks with all other bonuses. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Powerful Charge[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: +2 bonus to charge damage is nice for charge optimizing, which is one of the key avenues of boosting your DPR. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Rapid Assault[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: Now this'll do your alpha strikes a lot of favors. A very healthy, tier-scaling melee damage boost on your first round of combat. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Resilient Focus[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Flat +2 feat bonus to all saves. Certainly nice, but some of you will have better options in this department. Might actually be better than Focused Mind depending on which PP and ED you take. [COLOR=#0000ff]Skill Power[/COLOR] (PHB3): Gives you an extra skill power for the cost of this feat. If you use it to pick up the right power, this one can actually be a [COLOR=#00ccff]very good choice[/COLOR]. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Spear Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: The extra untyped tier-scaling bonus to damage when you charge stacks with Two-Handed Weapon Expertise's damage bonus in the same situation, so it's conceivable that gouge wielders might take this one in addition to Two-Handed Weapon Expertise. If you're wielding a [COLOR=#ff9900][b]one-handed spear[/b][/COLOR] as a main weapon for whatever reason, then obviously you'll take this one to get the necessary Expertise family feat bonus to attacks. [b]Superior Fortitude (E:HFL)[/b]: STR or CON 15 required, this feat bonus gives you an extra point to your Fortitude over Improved Defenses, and you gain a tier-scaling resistance to ongoing damage. Solid enough, but you're only really going to care if you took both Superior Reflexes and Superior Will (in which case you might as well take this one instead of Improved Defenses). [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Superior Reflexes[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: DEX or INT 15 required, this feat bonus gives you an extra point to your Reflexes over Improved Defenses, and on top of this you get the full benefits of Aggressive Advantage attached -- free CA your first turn of combat straight up. So this defense feat also boosts your offense when it tends to matter most, making it a great choice should you qualify. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Superior Will[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: If you don't have the CHA 15 to get this at Lv. 1, you will soon after. Your Will defense increases an extra point over what Improved Defenses gets you, but by far the most important part of this is saving against daze or stun at the start of your turn, even if a save normally wouldn't end those conditions. (If it is a save-ends condition you still get a save at the end of your turn as well.) Needless to say, this feat is one you shouldn't pass up at all, and it's only a matter of when you'll take it, not if. Being dazed and stunned rob you of the ability to do the damage you should deal by rights. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Swift Recovery[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: Tier-scaling feat bonus to your healing surge value, available to you if you trained Endurance. As far as the HP-related feats go, this one should be top priority. It has the greatest effect on your daily hit point totals, factoring in surge use, even more so than Toughness has. [b][COLOR=Blue]Toughness[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Tier-scaling increase of your maximum hit points value. This is actually not as good as Swift Recovery for your survivability over the course of a day (especially in Heroic and Paragon Tiers), but it's still worthy of your attention in case you can fit both feats in your build. In Epic Tier, the comparison between this and Swift Recovery becomes more of a wash. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Two-Handed Weapon Expertise[/COLOR] (HotF)[/b]: For Blackguards going with a two-hander, this practically cries out for something higher than gold. If you're using a two-hander, you're taking this, no ifs, ands or buts. The necessary tier-scaling feat bonus to attacks, which applies to all two-handed melee weapons, plus a tier-scaling untyped bonus to damage on a charge, a.k.a. your main avenue of DPR. [b]Two-Weapon Fighting (PHB)[/b]: Not a great feat by itself, but the reward is the feat line it opens up. Dual-wielding Blackguards are rare, but here it is in case you're one of those. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Versatile Expertise[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: There's still something to be said about the Expertise family member that grants you the necessary tier-scaling attack bonus to one weapon and one implement of your choice. Mostly, just CHA-based Blackguards will care, but if your weapon-specific Expertise feat's perk doesn't really help your build, and you plan to use implement powers, this one's waiting for you. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Vicious Advantage[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: Combat advantage against any slowed or immobilized opponent. [COLOR=#00ccff][b]Some builds[/b][/COLOR] might find a way to put this one to permanent use. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Weapon Focus[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Your feat bonus to damage, and high priority among the many damage boosts you should take. However, note that some races have their own, possibly superior, racial options for feat bonus to weapon damage. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Weapon Proficiency (one superior weapon)[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Typically, a superior weapon will give you an average of 1 extra damage over its military counterparts (and sometimes a little more) for 1[W] powers (like your at-wills and MBA in Heroic and Paragon), and, of course it makes those big [W] powers absolutely sing. Should be the first of many damage-boosting feats you take, barring a few [b]exceptions[/b] like light-blade users (Rapier is military) and those races who have superior options that often give them proficiency here on top of an extra damage perk (looking at you, Dwarves). [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Wintertouched[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: You don't need to take this at all until Paragon Tier, but once you take Lasting Frost this can grant you constant CA. Considering your class is predisposed toward the Permafrost combo, this should rank very high on your list. [/sblock] [b]Paragon Tier[/b] [sblock] Agile Opportunist (PHB2): This one depends on party composition. If your Leader is someone who has a lot of features or powers that can slide you, such as a Cunning Bard, you [COLOR=#ff9900]DEFINITELY[/COLOR] want this; they'll thank you for it. And rolling extra attacks is always fun. [b][COLOR=Blue]Armor Specialization[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Your feat bonus to AC. Most likely, you'll be picking this one for plate (CON 15 needed). [b][COLOR=Blue]Danger Sense[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Roll twice for initiative and take the better result. Good for guarding against bad initiative rolls. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Deadly Axe[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Gives your axe the high crit property if it didn't have it already. Good for the Gouge and any one-handed axe. [b][COLOR=Blue]Fleet-Footed[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Extra speed is never a bad thing, especially for the Striker role. [b][COLOR=Blue]Hammer Rhythm[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: You probably won't have the CON to put this to the best of use, but it'll still help your hammer DPR. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Heavy Blade Opportunity[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: DEX 15 needed. This one can be pretty effective with the right at-will. (Humans are the most likely to care.) Valiant Strike for a more accurate OA, Ardent Strike for a DS to discourage any attacks after the enemy moves away. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Lasting Frost[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: I'm going to stop just short of calling the lynchpin feat of the Permafrost combo "mandatory," but I will say that it's very, very, very, VERY tempting. Considering that the highly spammable Dread Smite deals cold damage, and a lot of it, and all instances of damage from that thing benefit from the vulnerability that Permafrost creates, you are practically ordained to go the Permafrost route, moreso than even other Strikers. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Light Blade Precision[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: If you happen to use light blades, this is a nice untyped bonus to damage against Large and larger foes, which become almost ubiquitous in upper Paragon on into Epic. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Repel Charge[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: A nice way to discourage enemy charges. An opportunity to get an attack out of the deal is always good. [b][COLOR=Blue]Reserve Maneuver[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Don't like your paragon path's encounter power? Trade it out for an O-Paladin encounter power after you rest. [b]Recommended encounter powers with Reserve Maneuver[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Valorous Smite[/COLOR] (Lv. 1, CHA weapon attack, DP)[/b]: If your CHA is attack-caliber, you've got yourself a mass-DS power if you want to assume more Defender responsibility. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Fortune Spurned Smite [/COLOR](Lv. 3, STR or CHA weapon attack, D 381)[/b]: With extra melee support around the enemy you hit with this, you can enable a nice beatdown of OAs. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Strength from Valor[/COLOR] (Lv. 3, STR weapon attack, DP)[/b]: Close-burst that can net you a solid amount of THPs. Good for the Domination Vice, in particular. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Winter's Edge[/COLOR] (Lv. 3, STR weapon attack, D 381)[/b]: A close-burst with the Cold keyword that slows enemies at the very worst. If you happen to have a mass-DS power on hand, you can immobilize a crowd with this, instead. [/sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Solid Sound[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: +2 untyped bonus to a NAD for a round when you hit with the Thunder or Force keyword. This one is good for those with the Storm domain or those using a Force Weapon. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Two-Weapon Opening[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: For the rare dual-wielding Blackguards in the audience, qualifying for this is why you take Two-Weapon Fighting. Getting extra attacks on crits is a beautiful thing. [b][COLOR=Blue]Uncanny Dodge[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Canceling enemy bonuses to combat advantage is nice. [b][COLOR=Blue]Vexing Flanker[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: All your allies get combat advantage against an enemy you're flanking. Pretty useful. [/sblock] [b]Epic Tier[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Axe/Bludgeon/Heavy Blade/Light Blade/Spear Mastery[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Takes a conscious effort with your ability scores to qualify for the expanded crit range from this family of feats, but it's worth it, no doubt. [b]Blind-Fight (PHB)[/b]: Thwart invisibility and concealment (but not total concealment) on adjacent creatures. Not bad. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Epic Fortitude/Reflexes/Will[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: +4 to the NAD in question. Stacks with Improved Defenses. You would do well to go for at least one of these. Can make your highest defense extremely hard to hit, a medium defense from a secondary stat in the high teens-low 20s solid, and even your lowest defense at least passable. [b][COLOR=Blue]Epic Resurgence[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Not as high priority as Divine Mastery, but still worth a look after, especially if you expanded your crit range. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Font of Radiance[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: On a radiant crit, inflict a save-ends condition that involves bright light and a healthy amount of free radiant damage per round on the enemy and its adjacent lackeys. Very nice if you're going Lucifer with your attacks. Note the synergy with Punishing Radiance, too. [COLOR=#00ccff]Long Step[/COLOR] (PHB3): Charging is one of the main ways to boost your DPR, and an extra square when you shift will ensure you can do it whenever you please. [COLOR=#0000ff]Rapid Regeneration[/COLOR] (PHB3): If you have any substantial sources of regeneration and an even appreciable CON modifier, you should look at it. [COLOR=#0000ff]Superior Initiative[/COLOR] (PHB3): If you took Improved Initiative, retrain for this higher feat bonus. [b][COLOR=Blue]Triumphant Attack[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Attack roll and defense debuff for a full encounter whenever you crit in melee. Very good. [b][COLOR=Blue]Unfettered Stride[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Ignore difficult terrain. Good if you've somehow trained yourself in Acrobatics. [/sblock][/sblock] [b]Mount feats[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Mounted Combat[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: This feat is pretty much a necessity to get the most out of your time mounted, should that apply to you somehow. (Jade Horse comes to mind.) You can get some really awesome benefits from your mount. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Holy Steed[/COLOR] (D 388)[/b]: Requires the Mounted Combat feat, but you should have that anyway if you plan on using a mount often. +2 to all your mount's defenses is obviously awesome, and extra CHA-mod bonus to all your mount's damage rolls actually makes your mount a somewhat credible damage threat. [/sblock] [b]Racial feats[/b] [sblock] [b]Dragonborn[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] Bolstering Breath (PHR:D): Your breath becomes party-friendly and gives your allies in the blast a +1 bonus to attack. Something to consider for Heroic Tier, while it can still hit something. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Draconic Challenge[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Turns your breath into a mass-DS power you covet. Excellent if you're looking to assume some Defender responsibility. [/sblock] [b]Drow[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b]Clutch of Darkness (FRPG)[/b]: If you opted for [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Darkfire[/COLOR][/b], extending the range on that is nice. However, if you opted for [b]Cloud of Darkness[/b], the burst expansion can actually be a liability almost as often as it is an asset. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Far Shadow[/COLOR] (D 385)[/b]: If you took Cloud of Darkness, you should take this feat over Clutch of Darkness. Turning your Cloud of Darkness into an area burst within 10 squares can always work out well. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Knife in the Dark[/COLOR] (D 382)[/b]: Nice and brutal, just your style. Essentially get yourself a net +3 per tier on your damage over Weapon Focus when you attack targets in your Cloud of Darkness. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b]Cloud of Poison (D 382)[/b]: 5 poison damage to enemies stuck in your Cloud of Darkness. Decent. [b]Eyedark Strike (D 373)[/b]: Blinding once per encounter at the cost of your Cloud of Darkness can be a nifty deal. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Master of Fire and Darkness[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: This feat doesn't work right thanks to it not accounting for the revision to Drow in Essentials. I'm rating it based on the likelihood that it will get errata-ed so that you get to use both Lolthtouched powers. Most DMs out there seem to have adapted that change, so this one's very good in that case. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Merciless Killer[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: Finishing bloodied enemies off becomes a snap with the +5 untyped bonus to damage. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Lolth Blessed[/COLOR] (D 382)[/b]: Recharging Lolthtouched powers with an action point? Sure, I'll take that, and so should you. [/sblock] [b]Dwarf[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Dwarven Weapon Training[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: You get proficiency in all axes and hammers, including the superior versions, and on top of that, the equivalent of Paragon Tier Weapon Focus with those weapons. Automatic pick, for sure. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Dwarven Durability[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Two extra healing surges and you get to steal the Dragonborn's healing surge value benefit. No Dwarf should ever go without this. [/sblock] [b]Genasi[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=Blue]Extra Manifestation[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: Some extra versatility never hurt. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=Blue]Shocking Flame[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: Extra fire or lightning damage on all melee attacks with the right manifestation. Solid. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Stormrider[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: Strictly better than Fleet-Footed with the right manifestations. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Double Manifestation[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: Manifest two elements at once. Yes, this is awesome. [/sblock] [b]Goliath[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Markings of the Victor[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Reroll your first attack of every encounter and take the better result. Perfect for an alpha strike. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Unyielding Stone[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: A high amount of THPs when you use Stone's Endurance, in addition to the damage resistance. Now you're even tougher to bring down. Not to mention that Domination Blackguards get some serious ammo. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Ancient Stone[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Extends your Stone's Endurance another round with a slight drop-off in power, essentially. That's still really good. [/sblock] [b]Half-Elf[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Versatile Master[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: You took Dilletante for a reason. Make that thing a true at-will. [/sblock] [b]Halfling[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Lost in the Crowd[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Plenty of things are bigger than you. A +2 untyped bonus to AC in this case is great. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b]Underfoot (PHB)[/b]: If you're trained in Acrobatics somehow, this one is worth a look for the beneficial movement option. You'll fight plenty of Large things. [/sblock] [b]Half-Orc[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Anger Unleashed[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: +2 to attack rolls until the end of your next turn after being bloodied. Pretty good. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Divine Assault[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: A serious damage buff for all an ally's attacks until your next turn when you use your racial power. Very, very nice, especially if you've got, say, a Ranger in the party. Or a leader who likes enabling extra attacks. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Thirst for Battle[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: +3 feat bonus to initiative (only 1 less than Improved Initiative) and an extra healing surge to boot make this a great feat for you in Heroic and Paragon Tier. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=Blue]Strength from Pain[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: +5 extra damage until the end of your next turn after you're bloodied is nothing to sneeze at. Especially if you have a close burst attack or, somehow, a focus-fire multi-attack ready. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Ferocious Critical[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: A huge bonus to attack and damage until the end of your next turn when you score a crit. Awesome. [/sblock] [b]Human[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Action Surge[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: +3 untyped bonus to all attacks from an action point is increadible for the Striker role. [/sblock] [b]Kalashtar[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=Blue]Clarity of Spirit[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Bastion of Mental Clarity triggers a healing surge in you or an ally. Nice. [b]Dual Mind Strength (D 385)[/b]: Strictly better than Weapon Focus if you're using a [COLOR=#00ccff][b]Githyanki Silver Sword[/b][/COLOR]. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=Blue]Quori Desperation[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: Buy yourself a round to heal and/or act when you would've been knocked out. Nice. [/sblock] [b]Minotaur[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#ff9900]Bloodied Ferocity[/COLOR] (PHB3): A free melee basic the first time you're bloodied every fight, a trigger that's pretty much always going to happen if you let it. Never pass up the opportunity for free attacks. And who cares if you give up combat advantage? [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#00ccff]Beast Within[/COLOR] (PHB3): Steal from the Dragonborn's arsenal and then some with this feat. +1 to hit and damage when you're bloodied. Great. [/sblock] [b]Revenant[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b]Chill of the Grave (D 376)[/b]: Mask the commonly resisted Necrotic damage of Dark Reaping by adding an element whose resistance isn't so common. [b]Dark Feasting (D 376)[/b]: THPs from Dark Reaping. Decent. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Death's Blessing[/COLOR] (D 376)[/b]: Become undead. You no longer need to eat, sleep or breathe, or make Endurance checks related to those things. Great one. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Death's Quickening[/COLOR] (D 376)[/b]: Take a minor action past the KO point as well as a standard action. Good. [b][COLOR=#00ccff](Race) Soul[/COLOR] (D 376)[/b]: You get a trait, or in some cases, the racial power of your past life race. That can be really huge. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Thin the Herd[/COLOR] (D 376)[/b]: Now Dark Reaping can trigger when someone, including you, gets bloodied. Good, again, if you actually plan to use Dark Reaping. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Ghostly Vitality[/COLOR] (D 376)[/b]: Whoa. Get your full complement of actions in the negative hit points range, and also gain insubstantial for more damage reduction. Consider it mandatory. Retrain Death's Quickening for this one. [/sblock] [b]Shifter[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=Blue]Beasthide Shifting[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Resist all 2 when you use your Shifting power. Nice. [/sblock] [b]Tiefling[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Bloodhunter's Flank[/COLOR] (PHR:T)[/b]: A tier-scaling untyped damage bonus when flanking a bloodied enemy for both you and any allies involved in the flanking. Great for finishing off your target. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Icy Clutch of Stygia[/COLOR] (PHR:T)[/b]: Considering your highly spammable save-ends ongoing damage E-encounter power, there's no way you're passing up this tier-scaling + CHA mod amount of free damage when the enemy saves against ongoing damage. And, happy coincidences, this zap of damage happens to be cold, which is exactly what your Dread Smite deals, which means yet another instance in which Permafrost's cheap bonus gets applied to Dread Smite. Get the picture? And finally, remember that this one is triggered on ALL successful saves against ongoing damage, so if you can mix different types of ongoing damage on a hit it can get really, really nasty. [COLOR=#00ccff]Imperious Majesty[/COLOR] (D 381): Charisma determines initiative instead of DEX. Not an urgent pick like it is for your goody-good Defender counterparts, but still awesome if you can fit it in. [COLOR=#00ccff]Wrath of the Crimson Legion[/COLOR] (D 381): The cornerstone of the [COLOR=#ff9900][b]CHA-based Tiefling Blackguard[/b][/COLOR], making their MBAs fully CHA-based, attack, damage and all. Even if you're not going that route, this is still awesome if you're looking to shoulder the Defender burden some, as this feat also replaces Infernal Wrath with Paladin's Wrath, which is a close burst 5 mass-DS power. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Dispater's Iron Discipline[/COLOR] (PHR:T)[/b]: CHA-modifier bonus to your personal saves against the three heavy hitters (daze, stun, dominate). Without question, an auto-pick. And the synergy with the Hero's Poise/Superior Will combo is absolutely delicious. [b]Mammon's Theft of Health (PHR:T)[/b]: How appropriate for your class' selfish flavor. Not a feat for everyone, but worth mentioning because Tieflings can go fully CHA-based, and incidentally one of their premier choices for a PP is Questing Knight, which grants them a [COLOR=#00ccff][b]free-action second wind[/b][/COLOR] when bloodied. Steal another surge from an ally and you can be back up close to full health just like that. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Secrets of Belial[/COLOR] (PHR:T)[/b]: Swiping a utility power from any class you don't belong to, up to the level of the power you traded, can be amazing. Note that there's nothing stopping you from trading in your fixed utilities at Lv. 2 and Lv. 22 with this feat, so if you see something at those levels you want, go for it. [/sblock] [b]Warforged[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Warforged Tactics[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: Consider immediately after the Expertise feats. An extra +1 to attack an enemy next to an ally in melee, which happens as often as flanks happen and more (read: a whole hell of a lot). [/sblock][/sblock] [b]Eberron Dragonmark feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Mark of Storm[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: Slide an enemy a square every time you hit with a Thunder or Lightning power. A Lightning Weapon or Power of the Storm is going to make this one sing, plus your class itself has some encounter and daily powers with those keywords. [/sblock] [b]Originally posted by Litigation:[/b] [CENTER][b][SIZE=6][u]Rise of the Tainted Ones: Paragon Paths[/u][/SIZE][/b][/CENTER] To be blunt, PPs are really pretty slim pickings for you. The vast majority of the O-Paladin PPs, even some of the ones that are considered amazing on your parent class, either require features you don't have or are otherwise very suboptimal in your employ. That said, you're not completely in the dark. Depending on your Vice, the default PP [b]Grim Blackguard[/b] can be a solid choice, and [b]Gray Guard[/b] can also work out fairly nicely. CHA-Blackguards tend to favor [b]Questing Knight[/b] if nothing else works out, or [b]Champion of Corellon[/b] if they worship that deity. If you're in the right setting, can do some convincing to the DM and/or set your character up right, [b]Heartwarder[/b] and [b]Morninglord[/b] are also fine choices. If all else fails, racial PPs can be a good option (particularly for Dragonborn and Humans), and there's always taking PPs from a multiclass (MC Fighter, in particular, has some great ones for you). [b]Paladin/Blackguard PPs[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Red]Astral Weapon[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Strength-based O-Paladins don't even like this one most of the time. [b][COLOR=Blue]Champion of Corellon[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: A solid option for CHA-Blackguards. (STR-Blackguards will probably spread themselves too thin.) Full movement in plate saves a feat on Heavy Armor Agility, and CHA-Blackguards are more likely to be able to get enough of a DEX investment for Superior Defense to boost their AC. The CHA-based powers are decent, too. [b][COLOR=Red]Champion of Order[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Without a consistent at-will sustainable mark like the O-Paladin's Divine Challenge, the heart and soul of this PP, Certain Justice, is of no use to you. And In Defense of Order, the other key feature, also only works with DC. A non-option for you. [b][COLOR=Red]Demonslayer[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Just feeble all around. [b][COLOR=Purple]Dragonslayer[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Dragonslayer's Challenge, the hallmark of this PP, is only really worth it with the O-Paladin's Divine Challenge. The powers are actually pretty good, but not enough to salvage it for CHA-based Blackguards. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Faithful Shield[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: One of its features requires a power you don't have (Lay on Hands), and none of the rest is relevant to your Striker role. [COLOR=#0000ff]Fortune Blessed[/COLOR] (D 384): Requires you to worship Avandra. An interesting, and pretty solid path, with its luck tokens mechanic that can boost bad rolls or even let you reroll d20s and keep your better result. The encounter power is an immediate reaction counter when an enemy attacks you and gives you a luck token for free if you don't have any. The per-encounter utlity is HUGE damage reduction, even before you add any luck token effects, and the daily is also a solid debilitator. [b][COLOR=Blue]Gray Guard[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Gray Guard Vigilance is very handy for Humans with Ardent Strike, or for those of you packing a couple mass-DS powers, if you're going to fight a lot at night or in dark places. You also get training in the all-important Perception skill. Debilitating Smite is a solid daze and slow encounter power. An encounter you didn't use the utility Relentless Justice is an encounter where Debilitating Smite hit its mark. You can't really do much with the daily power since you don't have Lay on Hands or its variants, but this is still a very solid option for you. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Grim Blackguard[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: The tailor-made Blackguard PP, with the powers and the action point feature dependent on which Vice you selected. The common features are pretty good: A flat +2 untyped bonus to saves at Lv. 11 (more against fear) and the Lv. 16 feature Dark Blessing gives you a random perk from a list of four benefits (all of them nice) when an enemy next to you drops dead. [b]Vice specifics[/b] [sblock] [b]Domination[/b]: The encounter power is an AoE that can load up that THP buffer and weakens enemies on hit, making it more a control power, albeit a fair one. The daily utility makes the party finish bloodied foes faster with the attack bonus against them. And the daily inflicts some rather hefty ongoing psychic damage that a party in the right position can keep going with no saves allowed. A decent, but not eye-popping suite, overall. [COLOR=#00ccff][b]Fury[/b][/COLOR]: This vice gets an excellent encounter power perfect for a nova round, straight out of the box. Activated with a minor action, you can punish any enemy who hits you until the end of your next turn with a dazing opportunity action attack. If you have an attack that punishes the enemy for attacking an ally instead, or for shifting away (Battle Awareness, for example), you can catch one of those enemies in a sick Catch-22 for a very good chance at an extra attack. The daily utility gives a boost to the whole party's damage in a fight involving multiple enemies. And the daily is an interesting power that can basically serve as a low-grade domination/stun effect two-thirds of the time as long as the enemy doesn't save. [/sblock] [b]Hammer of Moradin (DP)[/b]: Hammer-wielding Blackguards who (somehow) can justify worship Moradin might look at this one. Hammer Bond is a permanent +1 to attack with hammers, which is great. The powers are flavorful and decent, but not eyecatching. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Holy Conqueror [/COLOR](DP)[/b]: Requires Ardent Vow, which you don't have. [b][COLOR=Red]Hospitaler[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: You can't use it. [b][COLOR=#800080]Justiciar[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: A CHA-based Defender PP through and through, and not even quite as good as Questing Knight at that. Pass. [b][COLOR=Red]Knight of Celestia[/COLOR] (MOTP)[/b]: O-Paladins want nothing to do with this one. And you can't even use it to its fullest. That's all you need to know. [b][COLOR=Red]Knight of the Chalice[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Not impressive for O-Paladins, and since it works off Channel Divinity and marks, it's even less so for you. [b][COLOR=Blue]Questing Knight[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: A Defender PP pretty hardcore for the most part, but there is still a lot to like from this one, and it's pretty much the fallback option for all CHA-Blackguards who can't exploit anything else. The most relevant part to you comes at Lv. 16 when you get free-action second wind when bloodied, which is awesome for your survivability and action economy. The Lv. 11 bonus to Will against three of the more common anti-Will attack keywords is also pretty welcome. The encounter power, Strength of Ten, is actually an incredible mass-DS power and AoE attack that greatly expands your secondary Defender role if you want to keep it around; if not, there's always Reserve Maneuver. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Sainted General[/COLOR] (D 390)[/b]: Must multiclass (or hybrid) Warlord, but you can't put this one to any use at all, so that's moot. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Scion of Sacrifice[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Requires Ardent Vow, which you don't have. [b][COLOR=Red]Slayer of the Dead[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Overly-specialized paths are not for you. [/sblock] [b]Forgotten Realms PPs[/b] [sblock] [b]Doomguide (FRPG)[/b]: Must worship Kelemvor, and it's best if your Charisma is attack-caliber as well. It's features and powers are very effective against undead, but even when undead aren't involved, they're at least decent, and the daily power in particular, Kelemvor's Sword, is quite good. You wish more of the "specialized" paths were like this one. Not a bad choice in any case. [b]Eartheart Defender (FRPG)[/b]: For Dwarves, and while it's probably more suited for Defenders, it's not completely wasted on you. Heart of Earth is an attack bonus after using that minor-action second wind. Gain Heart is a good power to pull out when bloodied, healing you significantly. And the daily, Earthsurge, is an excellent sticky power, a good-sized zone that moves with you and slows enemies in it. [b][COLOR=Blue]Heartwarder[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: A good pick if you somehow worship Sune and have attack-caliber Charisma and an implement. The most relevant part of this PP to your purposes is Siren Voice, which is per-encounter domination right from the start of Paragon Tier. In case you're wondering what to do with it afterwards, the most ideal thing is to have the enemy charge one of its buddies through a gauntlet of your allies' OAs. True, the enemy will snap out of it afterwards, but only after he committed to his charge. The rest of the features and powers are mostly healing and Defender-oriented, but are quite fine at that. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Morninglord[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: If you can convince your DM of a valid reason to worship Lawful Good Amaunator, this PP is as awesome for you as it is for every other Divine class. Burning Radiance forcing radiant vulnerability after every single radiant attack (including those from a Radiant Weapon, or Virtuous Strike for CHA-based Humans) is really incredible. The other features and the powers sure aren't bad, either, although they are implement-based and require your highest mental stat. Still, if all else fails and you can't use the awesome AoE encounter power Pure Glow to its fullest, there's always Reserve Maneuver. [b][COLOR=#800080]Purple Dragon Knight[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: More of a Defender/Leader path, and only really an average one at that. [b][COLOR=Red]Silverstar[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: Pretty underwhelming through and through. [b][COLOR=Purple]Steelsky Liberator[/COLOR] (FRPG)[/b]: For Dragonborn, Genasi, Half-Orcs and Humans, and it's geared toward fighting dragons. It's not very good otherwise, though. [/sblock] [b]Eberron PPs[/b] [sblock] [b]Lyrandar Wind-Rider (EPG)[/b]: For those with Mark of Storm. If you have the Storm domain or a Lightning Weapon and a high Charisma, you can take advantage of what this path has to offer, which is quite a bit, actually. Storm Adept is a +1 to attack rolls with Thunder and Lightning powers, which is great. Feather's Touch can come in handy, and the CHA-based (or CON, but that's not likely for you) powers are decent control effects. Not too bad. [/sblock] [b]Racial PPs[/b] [sblock] [u][b]Dragonborn[/b][/u] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Mithral Arm[/COLOR] (D 385)[/b]: Basically the Dragonborn version of the Human's Adroit Explorer, which has simply impressive potential. The per-encounter utility is also a nice survivability boost, and the daily is also great, letting you use an encounter power twice in a fight. See the feat entry for Reserve Maneuver above for recommendations on which encounter power to swipe. [b]Scion of Arkhosia (PHB2)[/b]: If you like the idea of growing wings and flying everywhere this one's for you. The attack powers, variations of your breath, aren't anything special, though. [b][u]Dwarf[/u][/b] [b]Firstborn of Moradin (PHB2)[/b]: Decent, not great, features. The encounter power Receive the Charge is quite good, but the other powers are only average. [b][u]Goliath[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=Blue]Stoneblessed[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Unusual Reach is awesome, and the utility Summit Advantage even lets you take proper advantage of it for a round every encounter. The rest is pretty solid, too. [b][u]Half-Orc[/u][/b] [b]Bloodfury Savage (PHB2)[/b]: Savage Resilience is nice, and the powers are geared toward doing more and more damage. Not too bad, but not all that special. [b]Lightning Blitzer (D 386)[/b]: Armored Swiftness is nice to eliminate the speed penalty for heavy armor. The daily is a nice blinder, too, but the rest of it is pretty avarage. [b][u]Human[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Adroit Explorer[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: A Lv. 7 or lower O-Paladin encounter power of your choice (see the Reserve Maneuver feat entry above for recommendations), a great action point ability, start the day with two action points, and an easily triggered immediate reaction daily using your encounter power of choice. Awesome. [b][u]Warforged[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=Blue]Warforged Juggernaut[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: You might like this if you're particularly charge-oriented. The daily stance is very good, sort of a Fighter's Unyielding Avalanche with resistance to forced movement. [/sblock] [SIZE=6][CENTER][b][u]Absolute Power of the Tainted Ones: Epic Destinies[/u][/b][/CENTER] [/SIZE] NOTE: The Blackguard can't take any of the Avatar EDs from Divine Power (not without multiclassing, anyway), since those require Divinity feats (and, by extension, Channel Divinity). So those won't be listed in this section. [b]General/Blackguard EDs[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Dead God Avatar[/COLOR] (D 390)[/b]: Interesting option if worshipping a dead deity, and pretty solid all around. Immunity to charm and bonus to Wisdom and Charisma are decent, and the capstone Sacrifice to recover a daily power or encounter power is also appealing. [b]Deadly Trickster (PHB)[/b]: If you got Bluff training somehow, you might go for this. Solid features, albeit somewhat limited in use. Epic Trick is an awesome utility, though. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Demigod/Chosen[/COLOR] (PHB/FRPG/DP)[/b]: Divine Miracle, that infamous capstone, finally got toned down so that now it only recovers one encounter power in a fight. That's still pretty good, though, especially combined with all the other ways to recover encounter powers. And the +2 to two stats of your choice, a solid near-death recovery mechanic and access to some great utilities still make this one great. Just no longer overpowering. The default Demigod's Divine Regeneration is an insane regeneration spell. The Chosen variants, tied to specific deities, differ from the Demigod via the utility power. [b]Core Chosen Utility Powers[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Purple]Freedom is Life (Avandra)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: +10 to saves for the party for a turn. Rather situational. [b]Sheltering Wings (Bahamut) (DP)[/b]: Basically a Cure Serious Wounds for you and an ally. Not bad. [b][COLOR=Blue]High Arcana (Corellon)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Everyone in the party, including you, can choose +2 power bonus with implement attacks or +4 bonus to NADs at the start of every turn for the whole encounter. Very solid. [b]Note for Forgotten Realms[/b]: This is Corellon's second attempt at his Chosen power, and this version is hands-down the better one. [b][COLOR=Blue]Anthem of Progress (Erathis)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: 16-20 crits on at-will attacks for the whole party. Nice. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Even better[/COLOR][/b] if you have some crit fishermen aboard. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Unerring Foreknowledge (Ioun)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Grant allies extra standard actions, using your minor action, every round until you've cycled through all your allies. Very, very nice. [b][COLOR=Blue]Test of Strength (Kord)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Work on your DPR and you can do some special things with this one. [b][COLOR=Purple]Wild Surge (Melora)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: 18-20 crits on daily attacks. Very underwhelming, especially compared to what Erathis offers. [b][COLOR=Blue]Forge of Creation (Moradin)[/COLOR] (FRPG/DP)[/b]: You and any allies who hit in the next round restore second winds, a healing surge and a daily item power. Solid. [b]Note for Forgotten Realms[/b]: The FRPG and DP versions of this power are identical. [b][COLOR=Purple]Celestial Balance (Pelor)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Pretty underwhelming. [b]Death is Nigh (Raven Queen) (DP)[/b]: +2 untyped bonus to attacks if someone has failed a death save in the encounter. Not a bad one to keep around. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Horns of the Moon (Sehanine)[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Buff any ally's attack and strip any enemy's defenses every turn for the whole encounter. This one is awesome. [/sblock] [b]Forgotten Realms Chosen Utility Powers (FRPG)[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=blue]Renewing Dawn (Amaunator)[/COLOR][/b]: Fairly hefty free radiant damage against a nearby foe when you or an ally use a healing surge in any way. Turns things you wouldn't even dream of (Virtue, etc.) into damage dealers. Sustain this effect with minor actions. If you worship Amaunator, odds are you're a Morninglord, and this utility can really help take advantage of the vulnerability that paragon path creates. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Horn of Life (Chauntea)[/COLOR][/b]: Healing surge trigger, followed by 20 regeneration on the ally who needs it most any given round. The regeneration switches targets based on need at the start of your turns. A fantastic party heal. [b][COLOR=Purple]True Death (Kelemvor)[/COLOR][/b]: Anti-undead power, so it's situational. Good for that type of fight, at least. [b][COLOR=Purple]Supreme Knowledge (Oghma)[/COLOR][/b]: You're likely not good enough at knowledge skills to use this effectively. [b][COLOR=Red]Waxing Fortune (Selune)[/COLOR][/b]: The chance of the situation that would make the bonus to attacks actually worth a damn happening is slim to none. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Divine Regeneration (Silvanus)[/COLOR][/b]: Well, this looks familiar. No complaints, though, obviously. [b][COLOR=Blue]Sune's Censure (Sune)[/COLOR][/b]: Spread vulnerabilities from one enemy to another. This one can even make normally temporary vulnerabilities last the whole encounter. Or, if all else fails, force vulnerability 5 all. This one's nice. [b][COLOR=Blue]Tempus's Glare (Tempus)[/COLOR][/b]: This one can really mess with a Challenged or Sanctioned enemy. [b][COLOR=Red]Battle Judgment (Torm)[/COLOR][/b]: Unless you killed a foe with a high-damage single-hit daily, this one's not going to heal much more, if not less, than a healing surge. Just awful. [/sblock] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Destined Scion[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: +2 to two stats of your choice, an extra +1 to attack rolls on top of that (perfect for a Striker) and a +2 untyped bonus to saves. A excellent, no-nonsense ED. The utilities won't dazzle you, but they're handy. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Eternal Seeker [/COLOR](PHB)[/b]: This one has come a long way, and it has infinite room to grow. It's about as good as you can get without crossing the line into abuse. [b]Exalted Angel (DP)[/b]: Flavorful destiny, and good overall if you like a lot of flying. However, the Lv. 24 death-triggered feature is not worth it; save-ends blinding may be good by itself normally, but NOT when it removes you from the fight. [b][COLOR=Purple]Harbinger of Doom[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Shield of Ill Fortune is about the only remotely attractive thing in this destiny. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Indomitable Champion[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: +2 to two stats of your choice, extra hit points and extra NADs are as good a package as it gets. The utilities aren't completely earth-shattering, but they're handy when stuff happens. Another extremely solid, no-nonsense ED. [b][COLOR=Purple]Keybearer[/COLOR] (D 372)[/b]: Traveler's Tricks is nice, as is the capstone that gives you phasing. Reality Distortion, on the other hand, kills this one. It would be pretty awesome if it weren't for the fact that it affects your allies as well as your enemies. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Legendary Sovereign[/COLOR] (MP2)[/b]: You get a +2 to Charisma to start off. If you picked the right paragon path, Sword of Kings, the capstone that lets you spam a weapon-based encounter power as long as you keep scoring at least one hit with it, will be very effective. Choose an AoE or, if you ever get one, a focus-fire multiattack. Great Captain is devastating when a crit happens, and the utility, Sword of the Sovereign, rounds it off by providing insane bonuses to attack rolls for allies' at-will and basic attacks (equal to your CHA-mod). This is Not My Fate is also a better recovery ability than Divine Recovery. [b][COLOR=Blue]Planeshaper[/COLOR] (D 372)[/b]: Using an encounter power twice is great, as is removing an enemy from the fight for a turn on a crit. Shape Reality, the capstone, adds a whole lot of Controller to your arsenal. Can't go wrong with this one. [b]Punisher of the Gods (D 372/DA 09)[/b]: Seems to have stabilized, but its current form, while good against one foe per encounter, is still a shadow of its former selves. Yes, that plural was intentional. Raven Knight (D 380): Bonused to speed and going insubstantial and phasing on a charge are pretty good. The ability bonuses and the Necrotic utility aren't the best, though, but overall, you could do worse. [b][COLOR=Red]Revered One[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Its one redeeming feature only works with Channel Divinity, which you don't have. [b]Saint (DP)[/b]: Great for Defender Paladins, particularly those geared toward healing, but you'll probably want to choose something more offensively oriented. Still, those sweet defense bonuses and immunity to domination do count for something. [/sblock] [b]Racial EDs[/b] [sblock] Avatar of Io (PHR:D): Bonuses to both STR and CHA, the Blackguard's two most important stats, a fully versatile breath weapon, and the ability to fly with hover. Pretty decent, even if the capstone isn't the best. [/sblock] [b]Forgotten Realms EDs[/b] [sblock] [b]Harper of Legend (D 367)[/b]: An extra encounter power (from the O-Paladin's arsenal or even a multiclass if applicable) and extra action points. Not bad at all. Spectral Harpist is interesting and a decent death-triggered capstone. Tymora Smiles is pretty weak, though. [/sblock] [b]Eberron EDs[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Champion of Prophecy[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: +2 to a physical and a mental stat of your choice, great capstone that lets you recover dailies per milestone instead of action points, and Prophetic Certainty is a solid per-encounter utility. [b][COLOR=Purple]Dispossessed Champion[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: Solid utility power (resist 10 to nearby allies), but the rest is pretty mediocre. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Mourning Savior[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: Very setting specific here, but the benefits in that respect are huge. Memory of Cyre is a great save-ends debuff whenever you use an action point. And speaking of action points, the capstone Cyran Vengeance opens up some nice abuse with those. Awesome. [b][COLOR=Blue]Sublime Flame[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: You can't say no to an extra daily per day for worshiping the Silver Flame. The rest is pretty solid, too. [/sblock] [b]Originally posted by Litigation:[/b] [SIZE=6][CENTER][b][u]Tainted Further: Multiclassing[/u][/b][/CENTER] [/SIZE] A note: If you see powers corresponding to fixed utility and daily levels for the Blackguards, it's OK. Power swapping at those levels is apparently still legal, as it's not the same as retraining. Generally, your power-swapping will be for the intent to improve your nova capabilities. Most of the attack powers mentioned as ripe for the plucking will be powers that serve this vital part of the Striker role. Most of the paragon paths and epic destinies that are mentioned will be those that significantly contribute to your damage output as well. Tieflings who take Secrets of Belial may also want to look in this section. [u]General Power Source Options [/u] [Size=4][b]Arcane classes[u] [/u][/b][/size] [b]Key feats[/b] [sblock] [u]Heroic Tier [/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Arcane Implement Proficiency[/COLOR] (AP): This feat has a newfound purpose in a post-Essentials world, giving you the ability to use your sword for all your implement attacks. That's a huge asset. And since most of you are too dumb to enter Swordmage multiclassing (not that it's your best option, anyway), you take this. [COLOR=#0000ff]White Lotus Enervation[/COLOR] (D 374): -1 debuff to a defense targeted by an arcane at-will. Pretty neat bonus to your favorite arcane at-will if you got one, including an Arcana Virtuous Strike. [COLOR=#0000ff]White Lotus Hindrance[/COLOR] (D 374): Hit them with your Arcana Virtuous Strike or Eldritch Strike, and you create difficult terrain in all squares next to you. Not bad in itself, but the bigger prize lies in Paragon Tier. [COLOR=#0000ff]White Lotus Riposte[/COLOR] (D 374): The automatic damage from this feat when an enemy you hit with an Arcana Virtuous Strike or Eldritch Strike decides to attack you is nothing to sneeze at. It also opens up something even better in Paragon Tier. [u]Paragon Tier[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Arcane Admixture[/COLOR] (AP): Add another type of damage keyword to an Arcane power, which opens up a whole new world of feat synergies. Best spent on an at-will, making this most useful for Half-Elves with Eldritch Strike. [COLOR=#00ccff]White Lotus Master Hindrance[/COLOR] (D 374): This is why you took Hindrance. Now when you hit with an arcane at-will, you create the difficult terrain around all your allies as well, making them more difficult for melee enemies to approach. And it also makes flanks VERY easy to maintain, since enemies won't be able to shift into any difficult terrain surrounding you and your partners. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]White Lotus Master Riposte[/COLOR] (D 374)[/b]: Repeating an arcane at-will (including an Arcana Virtuous Strike) as an immediate action when an enemy attacks you is an awesome thing to have for a Striker. [u]Epic Tier[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Quickened Spellcasting[/COLOR] (AP): Half-Elves with Eldritch Strike get a minor-action use of their at-will per encounter, allowing for a decent mini-nova on that turn, at the very least. [/sblock] [b]Key epic destinies[/b] [sblock] Sage of Ages (AP): [COLOR=#00ccff]Keeper's Prescience[/COLOR] at Lv. 24 is incredible, basically allowing you to cover for a possible d20 failure every turn. That one makes for one of the best Seeking Destiny capstones for an Eternal Seeker there is. You won't likely make good use of this destiny's other key benefit, the utility, though. [/sblock] [Size=4][b]Divine classes (others)[/b][/size] [b]Entry feat[/b] [sblock] [b]Divine Channeler (DP)[/b]: Requires WIS 13 and training in Religion. This gives you the Channel Divinity class feature and a power from the class you chose to enter with this feat. You can only use it once a day, but of more importance is that this can open up Avatar EDs for you, and a couple of those are pretty good. [/sblock] [b]Key Avatar epic destinies (require Divine Channeler)[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Avatar of Storm[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Geared toward those with the Storm domain or a Lightning Weapon. Requires Storm Sacrifice, and you get +2 bonuses to STR and CON, both important Blackguard stats. Stormhand is pretty nice, giving you the benefits of both Lightning and Thunder with all such attacks, and the capstone gives you flight. Solid and flavorful. [b][COLOR=Blue]Avatar of War[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Requires Path of War. +2 to STR and CHA, the Blackguard's two most important stats, is a great start. Master of the Battlefield at Lv. 21 means you never give up combat advantage. And the utility, Rouse Conflict, adds some party enabling to your arsenal with a devastating minor-action nova trigger. The Lv. 24 feature related to the Path of War divinity power is only going to see play once per day, though, but the rest of this ED is so solid that it's still worth consideration. [/sblock] [Size=4][b]Martial classes[u] [/u][/b][/size] [b]Key feats[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Heroic Tier[/u][/b] [COLOR=#0000ff]Resilience of Stone[/COLOR] (MP2): For Dwarves to use their second wind as an immediate interrupt. Good deal. [u]Paragon Tier[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Deft Blade[/COLOR] (MP2): One of the many reasons light blades are a shockingly good choice for a Blackguard. Nailing Reflex with an MBA (or even an RBA of you throw a dagger, for example) is awesome. [COLOR=#0000ff]Hammer Shock[/COLOR] (MP2): Give your melee basic attacks with a hammer the Rattling keyword. Must be trained in Intimidate. Good one for hammer-users. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Impaling Spear[/COLOR] (MP2)[/b] : Nail Reflex with an MBA from a spear. Practically a must if you're using anything from the Spear group (*cough*Gouge*hack*). [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Lashing Flail[/COLOR] (MP2)[/b] : A slide on a flail MBA is a great thing to have, especially for things like Deadly Draw and (if you MC-ed Fighter) Hindering Shield. [b][u]Paragon Tier, Goliath[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Avalanche Reaver[/COLOR] (MP2)[/b] : Woo, a push-and-follow effect whenever you charge. Opens up a lot of the forced movement exploits you know and love. [b][u]Epic Tier[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Epic Recovery[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: CON 19 required. If you have that and have a minor-action or less second wind, you definitely want this one. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Martial Mastery[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: If you're multiclassing with something Martial, odds are good it might be for a paragon path with a multiattacking Lv. 11 encounter power so you can get a nova. If that's the case, consider this [COLOR=#ff9900][b]mandatory[/b][/COLOR] (and unless you're a Sohei, a higher priority than Divine Mastery, in fact). [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Martial Resolve[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: Saves at both the start and end of your turns against some of the more debilitating conditions, including some Superior Will doesn't cover. Very nice. Must have WIS 15. [b][u]Epic Tier, Dwarf[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Stoneheart Warrior[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: Must have CON 17. Makes your second wind a free action, which is awesome. [/sblock] [b]Key epic destinies[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#0000ff]Adamantine Soldier[/COLOR] (MP): Damage resistance and ignoring speed and check penalties in plate are the highlights of this solid destiny. Must multiclass into Fighter or Warlord. [/sblock] [Size=4][b]Primal classes[u][u] [/u][/u][/b][/size] [b]Key feats[/b] [sblock] [u][u]Heroic Tier[/u][/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Longtooth Spirit Shifter [/COLOR](PrP, Longtooth Shifter): Extra regen on your Longtooth Shifting power? Awesome. [COLOR=#00ccff]Reckless Charge [/COLOR](PrP): An extra +1 to charge attacks. Great, considering charging is still the way to go for most of you in DPR terms. Who cares about the -2 to AC? [/sblock] [b]Key epic destinies[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#00ccff]Reincarnate Champion [/COLOR](PrP): Well, well, well, this one's a lot of fun. Accessing nice things like Fey Step, Elven Accuracy and Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes no matter what race you are is lovely indeed.[COLOR=#0000ff] [/COLOR] [/sblock] [u]Specific Classes[/u] [Size=4][b][COLOR=#0000ff]Avenger[/COLOR][/b][/size] The entry feats are the most attractive part of this multiclassing option, giving you some attack rerolls. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Disciple of Divine Wrath [/COLOR](PHB2)[/b]: Trains Religion, and this Oath of Enmity last for two rounds' worth of attacks. Requires WIS 13. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Hero of Faith[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: You probably won't have thee WIS 15 to qualify, and aside from that it's inferior to Disciple of Divine Wrath. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Barbarian[/COLOR][/b][/size] An excellent choice for extra damage output. Some of the Rages are well worth swiping with Adept Power and greatly help your DPR for a fight, if not your outright nova potential. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Berserker's Fury[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Training in any one of the Barbarian's class skills (go for Perception or Athletics). Also gives you a daily free action damage buff that lasts a whole encounter. Requires STR 13 and CON 13, easily done. [/sblock] [b]Key feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Rampant Fury[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: A Half-Elf with Howling Strike would do very well to pick this one up for the extra attack on a crit. Note that it's not compatible with Dread Smite at the moment, though. [/sblock] [b]Key powers[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Lv. 15 Daily[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Thunderfury Rage[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Punish attacks against you with an immediate reaction. Excellent. [b][u]Lv. 29 Daily[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]World Serpent Rage[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: 7[W] activation attack that you can charge with, and afterwards you get to punish shifts with free-action MBAs left and right, or if the enemy decides to man up and face you, you deal a substantial amount of extra damage. Awesome. [/sblock] [b]Key paragon paths[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Winter Fury[/COLOR] (PrP)[/b]: The ability to go full Permafrost regardless of weapon is very nice, as are the various chances the other features and powers grant to immobilize foes next to you. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Bard[/COLOR][/b][/size] A surprisingly grand option for you. Opens up the nifty White Lotus line, since Bard is Arcane, and some of the utility powers here are a big boost to your nova potential, believe it or not. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Blue]Bardic Dilletante[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Training in any skill on the Bard's extensive list (go for Perception). Also comes with a daily use of Majestic Word; you won't be using it too often, but it's there. Requires CHA 13. [b][COLOR=Red]Bardic Ritualist[/COLOR] (AP)[/b]: You just won't be smart enough for it. [/sblock] [b]Key powers[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Lv. 16 Utility[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=Blue]Haste[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Trade a minor for a standard once per day, which is good to have for that big nova. [b][u]Lv. 22 Utility[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Climactic Chord[/COLOR] (AP)[/b]: This daily is a minor-action party nova trigger that's perfect with your high Charisma. Who cares if the nova isn't all on you? A nova is a nova, and this power is great for bringing the pain by however many allies' hands it's done. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Note of Aggression[/COLOR] (AP)[/b]: Minor-action trigger of a free-action MBA or a charge for either you or an ally every encounter is great to have. Too bad if you use it for yourself, Dread Smite is off-limits for your turn, but an extra attack is more damaging than that still. [/sblock] [b]Key class feats[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Epic Tier[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=Blue]Multiclass Mastery[/COLOR] (AP)[/b]: Grants you the benefits of two multiclass feats. Note that this does NOT allow you to take entry feats for more than one class. Only a real Bard can do that. What this does allow is getting the benefits of two power swap feats for the price of one, so if you currently have more than one power swap feat, you can retrain one of them out for something else. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Fighter[/COLOR][/b][/size] Quite possibly the best overall MC option for Blackguards. You get literally just about everything here. Some important Blackguard build concepts even [COLOR=#ff9900][b]demand[/b][/COLOR] that you enter this MC (namely if you're using polearms, a gouge or a shield). One particular entry feat is incredible all by itself. Some of the PPs are some of your best options, period, some of the utilities make for awesome DPR boosts, and finally several of the daily powers here can give you serious ammo for a nova. You can never go wrong taking this MC. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Battle Awareness[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: The per-encounter immediate interrupt attack punishes a shift or any instance when the enemy attack someone other than you. Combine with sources of retaliation strikes (the Fury Vice's Grim Blackguard encounter power is one out of the box, and there are several others outside the box), and you'll be in business for a little guaranteed spike damage one round out of every fight. You also get training in any Fighter skill. Without question the Fighter entry feat of choice, as long as you can afford the STR 13 and WIS 13. [b][COLOR=Purple]Student of the Sword[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: The original. And pretty inadequate these days, but if you can't afford the WIS for Battle Awareness, this is about your only other recourse. If you ever do get up to WIS 13, promptly retrain this for Battle Awareness. [b]Wrathful Warrior (MP2)[/b]: Can be useful for Domination, since it doesn't matter how many THPs you have to activate your extra damage, as long as you have at least 1. Requires STR 13 or CON 13. I'd probably still retrain it for Battle Awareness as soon as I qualify, though. [/sblock] [b]Key class feats[/b] [sblock] [u]Heroic Tier[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Polearm Momentum[/COLOR] (MP): If you have ways of getting a 2-square slide on all your polearm attacks (start with Eldritch Strike or Mark of Storm and enhance your forced movement with items from there), then you get to knock prone as you please, which is awesome. Especially if you're taking Kulkor Arms Master. DEX 15 and WIS 15 required, but the returns on that investment can be gargantuan. [COLOR=#ff9900]Surprising Charge[/COLOR] (MP): I simply would never make a Gouge-wielding Blackguard (or Gouge-wielding anything, for that matter) without it. That extra 1[W] damage on a charge against a CA-wielding foe is huge. It's also a necessity if you're using light blades. DEX 17 required. [u]Paragon Tier[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Hindering Shield[/COLOR] (MP): A slow effect until the start of your next turn whenever your attack deals forced movement is great. Eldritch Strike, Lashing Flail, Mark of Storm and Avalanche Reaver all work. If you're using a hammer, you can even get an at-will daze via this feat and another one in Epic. This feat's only weakness is that since the slowing lasts until the start of your next turn, it's not an avenue toward exploiting World Serpent's Grasp and Kulkor Arms Master. [COLOR=#0000ff]Striking Resurgence[/COLOR] (MP2): Makes second wind usage on yourself a much better thing to do for the 95% of you who can only do it as a standard action. Dwarves and Questing Knights have no use for it. [u]Epic Tier[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Overwhelming Impact[/COLOR] (MP2): Can potentially give you at-will dazing if you use a hammer. That alone makes this feat amazing. The most common ways for you to get to this are Hindering Shield + Eldritch Strike, Mark of Storm or Avalanche Reaver. [/sblock] [b]Key powers[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Lv. 5 Daily[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Bedeviling Assault[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: Tagging on free-action MBAs for the rest of the encounter whenever your allies hit the target of this is positively nasty. Those MBAs are automatically made with CA, too, so your class' extra damage mechanic will kick in every time here. [b][u]Lv. 19 Daily[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Devastation's Wake[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Double-taps on everyone in a close burst 1 around you? Yeah, that's really good. [b][u]Lv. 22 Utility[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Martial Supremacy[/COLOR] (D 382)[/b]: A per-encounter stance that lets you reroll your MBA attack rolls is a huge boost to your DPR and ensures that everything will die quickly. [b][u]Lv. 29 Daily[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Catastrophic Flurry[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: Three attacks of focus fire, with extra damage tacked on if multiple ones hit. Plus each attack deals half-damage on miss. Great one for a nova. [/sblock] [b]Key paragon paths[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Dreadnought[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: A double-attacking encounter power straight out of the box in Inexorable Advance, an increase in your maximum HPs and a ton of damage resistance sources all make for a premier choice for Blackguards of all stripes. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Gladiator Champion[/COLOR] (DSCS)[/b]: The Dark Sun theme isn't required if you MC Fighter, so you're good to go in any setting for this awesome PP that enhances your hard control greatly. Especially its Lv. 16 feature, which prohibits enemies from shifting away from you, outright. That can be extremely useful for your purposes if you have sources of retaliation attacks. [COLOR=#00ccff]Kensei [/COLOR](PHB): +1 to attack and +4 to damage with your chosen weapon is a great no-nonsense boost for your overall damage output. The powers aren't so hot, but that's why Reserve Maneuver exists. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Shock Trooper[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: Requires dual-wielding shortswords for the best use from this PP, but that triple-attacking encounter power alone is an eye-popper. If you're using light blades you're going to have at least some DEX for the Quicker Death feature to add some damage. The extra die size on shortswords is also nice. Makes for a great choice on an unorthodox brand of Blackguard. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Ranger[/COLOR][/b][/size] Some solid entry feats, including one that lets you dual-wield one-handed weapons straight up. Since this class is the king of novas, it's no surprise that there are some real beauties here for daily powers, even if many of them require dual-wielding. The one that doesn't deserves special recognition. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] [b]Two-Blade Warrior (MP)[/b]: If you dual-wield, you'll want this one if your [b][COLOR=Blue]DEX is high enough (13)[/COLOR][/b]. Also trains a Ranger skill (go Perception). [b][COLOR=Blue]Warrior of the Wild[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Training in a Ranger skill (go Perception), and a Hunter's Quarry that can last two rounds. Go with this one if you don't dual-wield, or don't have the DEX to qualify for Two-Blade Warrior. [/sblock] [b]Key powers[/b] [sblock] [b][u]Lv. 9 Daily, All[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Attacks on the Run[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Two-attack focus-fire flurry, and you don't have to dual-wield for it. Plus you get full movement for free with it. Beautiful. [b][u]Lv. 15 Daily, Dual-Wield[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Blade Cascade[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Needs no introduction. Just make sure you're set up for nigh-guaranteed success before using it. [b][u]Lv. 19 Daily, Dual-Wield[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Cruel Cage of Steel[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: 3 attacks with a +2 bonus each to hit and can inflict a cocktail of status effects. If you just can't be bothered to wait and maneuver for proper Blade Cascade setup, you might prefer this one as your Adept Power, instead. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][COLOR=#0000ff]Sorcerer[/COLOR][/b][/size] One entry feat is pretty good, and you might see some utilities you like. A good choice for taking advantage of Arcane feats down the road. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=Red]Arcane Prodigy[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Just plain inferior to Soul of Sorcery. [b][COLOR=Blue]Soul of Sorcery[/COLOR] (AP)[/b]: The preferred entry feat. Permanent resistance 5 to an element is a solid perk. Need STR 13 and CHA 13. [/sblock] [Size=4][b][/b][/size] [Size=4][b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Warlord[/COLOR][/b][/size] You have a lot to love here if you want to expand your Leader capabilities, including some great utilities. You're going to focus far more on the enabling aspect of the Leader task than any other. You're all about damage, and again, a nova's a nova regardless of whether it's all on you, or whether you get your allies in on the act. Also, one entry feat in particular is quite amazing. [b]Entry feats[/b] [sblock] Bravura Leader (MP2): Typically, you should instead go with Resourceful Leader, which gives allies a damage bonus almost as good as this one, but doesn't make the ally give up combat advantage for it. Of course, you could always take this along with Resourceful Leader, and they do stack ... [COLOR=#00ccff]Resourceful Leader[/COLOR] (MP2): The Warlord multiclass feat to rule them all. Requires either CHA 13 or INT 13. Skill training from the Warlord list, plus an ally that spends an action point either gets a nice damage bonus if he hits with his attack, or a solid amount of THPs if he misses. Like the other Warlord MC feats from Martial Power 2, these benefits aren't limited to once per encounter. Simply impressive. [/sblock] [b]Key powers[/b] [sblock] [u]Lv. 1 Daily[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Lamb to the Slaughter[/COLOR] (D 381): A beatdown power. Awesome if your party is melee-heavy. [u]Lv. 10 Utility[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Instant Planning[/COLOR] (MP): Likely, you'll want to use this when your allies are in position to tee off on one enemy. A high Charisma will grant a huge power bonus to the whole party's attack rolls to set up certain mayhem that round. [b][u]Lv. 15 Daily[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]War Master's Assault[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: A high CHA with this power leads to a near-certain full-party beatdown of an unfortunate foe. [b][u]Lv. 22 Utility[/u][/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Rush of Battle[/COLOR] (MP)[/b]: Minor-action basic attacks for all your allies for a round a day. Fun, fun times. [u]Lv. 25 Daily[/u] [COLOR=#00ccff]Relentless Assault[/COLOR] (PHB): Warlords love it, and you will, too. The important part of this happens hit or miss; a full-party beatdown once per any given round if anyone scores a crit. True story: Before errata the beatdown happened on every single crit. [/sblock] [b]Key epic destinies[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#00ccff]Warmaster[/COLOR] (MP): An awesome Leader destiny that grants extra party actions with your action points, and the capstone lets you spend as many as you want. Spring the Trap is the ultimate beatdown utility. [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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Tainted Faith: The Blackguard's Guide
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