Combining all Polearm, Pushing, Sliding, Proning, Opportunity Attack Goodies

Orcus Porkus

First Post
The objective:
A true fighter/warlord who can push (Opening Shove) OR slide (Footwork Lure) enemies at-will, knocks them prone with both attacks utilizing Polearm Momentum, enjoys Polearm Gamble (opportunity attack when enemies come adjacent) and also converts those opportunity attacks into at-will attacks by utilizing Heavy Blade Opportunity, which allows him to push or slide + prone. The circle closes.

This leads to a battlefield controlling defender/leader, who knocks enemies prone and moves them where his allies need them with CA. Sometimes pushing a target 2 squares with Opening Shove is not possible or not a good idea, so Footwork Lure comes in, which puts the target in your square and knocks it prone if it was 2 squares away before the attack.

The only way to do this (as far as I know) is to start as fighter, so you get the

Footwork Lure Fighter at-will combined with Fluttering Leaf Style feat which allows you to shift 2 squares and then slide the target to your old square and knock it prone (Polearm Momentum).

and then to do paragon multiclassing into warlord, for

Opening Shove (Warlord at-will) which pushes the target 1 square and allows an ally to attack it.

With the right items you can push the target a good number of squares (at least 2, and preferrably where it can be attacked by an ally), and knock it prone as usual. With the build below you can push +1 (opening shove) +1 (controlling weapon, which also allows to convert the push to slide once per encounter - nice!), +1 (gauntlets of the ram), +1 (Rushing Cleats) - Total: 4 squares. Future items are Ring of Ramming (level 18) and perhaps there is more I haven't seen yet.

With these two at-will options at your disposal, I think it's possible to always do something interesting in terms of battlefield control and making life really hard for monsters. On top of it, you mark the enemies left and right. A marked monster who is not adjacent is facing a tragic decision: Either he comes adjacent to attack me, which triggers the whole shabang and sends him flying, or he attacks someone else with a penalty.

The bonus on opportunity attack rolls is +4 (Wisdom), +2 (Blade Opportunist), +1 (Helm of Opportunity).
Combat Reflexes had to go for Fluttering Leaf Style. +7 on Opportunity Attacks is sweet, it results in a +26 attack roll with the controlling glaive.

Depending on your party, you can snatch some really nice healing and other leader powers along the way.

A nice action combo is:
Come and get it: Pull enemies closer, attack
Action Point: Staggering Spin, attack them again, and push them back to allies, knock them prone. All those allies can now attack the targets. All those targets are marked :)

In Level 16 you might want to take Uncanny Dodge to offset the CA from Polearm Gamble.

And yes, with Draconic Arrogance I can always deal damage when I do this... uh uh but I hate Dragonborn :(
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
(updated with optimized power selection)
Elf Fighter Warlord, level 14
Elf, Fighter, Paragon Multiclassing
Fighter Talents: Two-handed Weapon Talent

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 22, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 9, Wis 18, Cha 11.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 18, Con 11, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 10.


AC: 29 Fort: 28 Reflex: 23 Will: 24

HP: 105 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 26

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal, Endurance, Athletics, Diplomacy.

FEATS
1: Blade Opportunist
2: Combat Reflexes (retrained to Fluttering Leaf Style at Level 8)
4: Student of Battle
6: Novice Power
8: Polearm Momentum
10: Adept Power
11: Acolyte Power
12: Polearm Gamble
14: Heavy Blade Opportunity

POWERS
1, At-Will: Reaping Strike (retrained to Opening Shove at Paragon Multiclassing, level 11)
1, At-Will: Footwork Lure
1, Encounter: Passing Attack (replaced at level 13 with Scattering Swing)
The only useful level 1 encounter power
1, Daily: Villain's Menace (retrained to Lead the Attack at Adept Power)
Lead the Attack is like Villain's Menace but better, because allies get +1 on the attack roll too.
2, Utility: Pass Forward
Unbelievably good for this build. It's an at-will move action that allows you to sneak into position, for example to set up Footwork Lure, or Come and Get it with the maximum number of targets, or opening shove so the target falls prone in front of the striker, etc.
3, Encounter: Sweeping Blow
Excellent burst power with accuracy bonus
5, Daily: Hounding Longarm
Really nice. It starts with pushing the target, so with polearm momentum you knock him prone. Then you follow him around and punish him with reach until he is dead.
6, Utility: Settling the Score
Nice daily, gives you a +2 against one enemy for the encounter
7, Encounter: Come and Get It
I like to combine this power with Action Point and Scattering Swings. You can do either power first. Best combo is pushing them out with scattering wings, knock them prone, and then calling them back in, hitting them one more time.
9, Daily: Jackal Strike
I like it mostly because it's a free action.
10, Utility: Defensive Resurgence (retrained to Polearm Vault at Acolyte Power)
The only level 10 utility that doesn't suck.
11, Encounter: Lion's Roar (Paragon Multiclassing)
Damage plus healing = useful
12, Utility: Rousing Words (Paragon Multiclassing)
a healing power
13, Encounter: Scattering Swing (replaces Passing Attack)
Top Notch burst pushing power.

ITEMS
Controlling Glaive +3, Agile Wyvernscale Armor +3, Steadfast Amulet +3, Rushing Cleats (heroic tier), Gauntlets of the Ram (heroic tier), Helm of Opportunity (heroic tier), Baldric of Tactical Positioning (heroic tier), Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier), Escape Tattoo (heroic tier)

Future Feats (sorted by priority)

Armor Specialization Scale (+1 to AC and speed penalty removed)
Daunting Challenge (-3 instead of -2 attack penalty from Combat Challenge)
Wild Elf Luck (+1d4 on elven accuracy)
Elven Precision (+2 on reroll)
Opportunistic Accuracy (elven accuracy not wasted on miss with OA)
Uncanny dodge (CA +2 bonus denied)
Spear Push (+1 to push effect)
Reckless Attacker (free attack after crit)
Lightning Reflexes (+2 to Ref)
Iron Will (+2 to Will)
Combat Reflexes (+1 to OA)
Improved Initiative (+4 to initiative)
Fleet-Footed (+1 on speed)
Martial Freedom (+5 to saving throws against slowed/immobilized)
Devastating Critical (+1d10 on crit)
Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade) - +1 to damage
Lend Might (+1 on granted attacks)
 
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This is a really interesting concept, but in our game, we can't pick and choose our magic items, so relying on certain things items is not possible for us. How would this idea look if you were building without magic items in mind? Tide of Iron compares nicely with Opening shove also.

Would you use the polearm master PP for fighter or the Longarm Marshal PP with a Warlord MC feat and a greatspear? (huge att bonus)

Also I'm not sure how you got to those ability scores from where you started. I think you'd need a 13 and 12 in dex and wis (before racials) to get where you're going by 14th level.

I don't mind DB and would use 17, 12, 13, 8, 14, 10 (before racials)

So I'd have STR 23, Con 13, Dex 15, Int 9, Wis 18, Cha 13 by 14th level

The objective:
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 22, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 9, Wis 18, Cha 11.


Starting Ability Scores
Str 18, Con 11, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
 

This is a really interesting concept, but in our game, we can't pick and choose our magic items, so relying on certain things items is not possible for us. How would this idea look if you were building without magic items in mind? Tide of Iron compares nicely with Opening shove also.

Would you use the polearm master PP for fighter or the Longarm Marshal PP with a Warlord MC feat and a greatspear? (huge att bonus)

Also I'm not sure how you got to those ability scores from where you started. I think you'd need a 13 and 12 in dex and wis (before racials) to get where you're going by 14th level.

I don't mind DB and would use 17, 12, 13, 8, 14, 10 (before racials)

So I'd have STR 23, Con 13, Dex 15, Int 9, Wis 18, Cha 13 by 14th level

The thing is, all this ONLY works with the glaive, because it's the only polearm that's also a heavy blade. So you can combine Polearm momentum, gamble, and heavy blade opportunity.

So tide of iron doesn't work because you can't wield a shield together with a 2-handed reach weapon.

Without magic items it's going to be tough. You need at least something that adds 1 square to the pushing and/or sliding effect, otherwise you don't trigger polearm momentum. But you still trigger polearm gamble of course.

Ability scores work as outlined, with the general +1 on all at 11th level.
+2 dex and wis from race, Str at level 4, 8 and 12, Wis at 4 and 12, and Dex at 8.
 

Here's what I built, going Human Fighter -> Polearm Master -> Demigod (Eternal Defender is also neat, with its increase in reach).

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
level 30
Human, Fighter, Polearm Master, Demigod
Fighter Talents: Two-handed Weapon Talent
Divine Spark: Divine Spark Strength
Divine Spark: Divine Spark Wisdom

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 28, Con 13, Dex 18, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 11.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 16, Con 10, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 9.


AC: 32 Fort: 37 Reflex: 30 Will: 32
HP: 202 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 50

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal, Intimidate, Endurance, Athletics.

FEATS
1: Weapon Focus (Polearm)
1: Blade Opportunist
2: Action Surge
4: Polearm Momentum
6: Combat Reflexes
8: Martial Alacrity
10: Power Attack
11: Polearm Gamble
12: Heavy Blade Opportunity
14: Spear Push
16: Devastating Critical
18: Danger Sense
20: Uncanny Dodge
21: Heavy Blade Mastery
22: Martial Mastery
24: Reaching Whirlwind
26: Mobile Warrior
28: Martial Resolve
30: Triumphant Attack

POWERS
1, At-Will: Reaping Strike
1, At-Will: Sure Strike
1, Encounter: Lunging Strike
1, Daily: Brute Strike
1, At-Will: Cleave
2, Utility: Shrewd Repositioning
3, Encounter: Sweeping Blow
5, Daily: Hounding Longarm
6, Utility: Rock Steady
7, Encounter: Trip Up
9, Daily: Shift the Battlefield
10, Utility: Defensive Resurgence
13, Encounter: Scattering Swing (replaces Sweeping Blow)
15, Daily: Dragon's Fangs (replaces Brute Strike)
16, Utility: Regnant Shout
17, Encounter: Warrior's Challenge (replaces Lunging Strike)
19, Daily: Reaving Strike (replaces Hounding Longarm)
22, Utility: Victor's Stance
23, Encounter: Fangs of Steel (replaces Trip Up)
25, Daily: Marking Barrage (replaces Dragon's Fangs)
27, Encounter: Cruel Reaper (replaces Warrior's Challenge)
29, Daily: Avalanche of Steel (replaces Reaving Strike)

ITEMS
Scale Armor, Glaive
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======

At level 30, items would be Agile Titanscale Armor +6 and Vorpal Glaive +6.
 

Clean :)
I was thinking, Uncanny Dodge is not such a great feat for this build.
As a fighter, I want them to come back adjacent and try again. When monsters know that I grant CA, they might try to move closer again, and wooomp, another attack.
My DM plays monsters smart, but they don't have meta game knowledge... :)
 

Uncanny Dodge works well with Polearm Gamble. :D

On hindsight, I'd probably trade Polearm Momentum for Power Attack. PM only kicks in when you take Polearm Master and Spear Push (how awesome is it to push all enemies in a close burst 1 back 3 squares and knock them prone? And when you go epic with Reaching Whirlwind, you can it in a close burst 2!!!)
 

Clean :)
I was thinking, Uncanny Dodge is not such a great feat for this build.
As a fighter, I want them to come back adjacent and try again. When monsters know that I grant CA, they might try to move closer again, and wooomp, another attack.
My DM plays monsters smart, but they don't have meta game knowledge... :)

However, as a polearm wielding defender, you are already missing out on a sheild bonus, so you may not need to include combat advantage to make yourself an appealing target.
 

Uhh I think I need to point out that Blade opportunist and combat reflexes will not stack due to being two feats that govern the same thing, opportunity attack. You will only get the +2 from blade opportunist. However, for those who do not use a glaive, Combat Reflexes would be a good substitute.
 

Uhh I think I need to point out that Blade opportunist and combat reflexes will not stack due to being two feats that govern the same thing, opportunity attack. You will only get the +2 from blade opportunist. However, for those who do not use a glaive, Combat Reflexes would be a good substitute.

Blade Opportunist and Combat Reflexes provide untyped bonuses, therefore they stack to +3.
 

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