Swordmage 4e Your Experiences?

[Obryn]

As a DM, I hate that the swordmage can nerf opponents taht much. I also hate it whan the SM in my group marks an enemy and then gets to teleport next to him and hit him when he attacks someone else. It completely negates my ability to have the monsters also control the battlefield. Hate, hate, hate the class ability that allows that.

Honestly, I root for my players. And if the Swordmage weren't so effective at this, he wouldn't have much of a shtick. But yes, this is a heck of a nerf for something that doesn't even take an attack roll. Still, I don't consider it overpowered in context.

Also, the bad guys can still do other non-damaging status effects.

@ Obryn: Serpentskin hide is awesome - my swordmage has a suit of it too. I definitely agree that the more mobility a swordmage has, the better off he his. Make your mark chase you, provoking OAs, or leave him to attack someone else and use your aegis. Win/win!

Yep, exactly! That's why he picked up Windsoul as a second manifestation. (He could have picked Watersoul, but we already had one and he wanted to be different.)

-O

 

[Zaukrie]

Agreed. But just the other day the swordmage was trapped under a net. He marked a target, and got the nice free teleport out from under the trap when the target attacked someone else, nerfing the trap quite effectively. This is also going to reduce the ability of creatures to use pits or other terrain to control the battle field.

It's not about rooting for or against them, it's about challenging them and their tactical and RPing abilities. They seem to have the most fun when things aren't easy.

 

[Engilbrand]

I'm in a group which is basically 2 Swordmages (one mine), a Rogue, and a Ranger. I think that's it. There's a lot of power overlap between Swordmages, but there are a lot of other differences.
I love the Swordmage. My current one is a level 7(?) "Shadowsoul Genasi" Swordmage (I took the Dhampyr feat for a Windsoul and reflavored some things). It's a blast. Especially because of my descriptions, the DM, and even the other players, are constantly going, "You can do THAT, too!?" It's awesome. In terms of damage, I'm pretty weak, but I've been able to put a fairly major damper on enemy plans.

 

[Obryn]

Agreed. But just the other day the swordmage was trapped under a net. He marked a target, and got the nice free teleport out from under the trap when the target attacked someone else, nerfing the trap quite effectively. This is also going to reduce the ability of creatures to use pits or other terrain to control the battle field.

It's not about rooting for or against them, it's about challenging them and their tactical and RPing abilities. They seem to have the most fun when things aren't easy.

I think this is a great illustration of good tactics in response to a challenging situation. The swordmage used his powers to get out of a trap - it's clever and exactly what he should be doing, imho.

Creatures can still use terrain to control the battlefield - but more against the other PCs. Swordmages are insanely mobile, and assault swordmages are even moreso.

In other words, I just think that's the class operating in its niche.

-O

 

[Wik]

I think this is a great illustration of good tactics in response to a challenging situation. The swordmage used his powers to get out of a trap - it's clever and exactly what he should be doing, imho.

Creatures can still use terrain to control the battlefield - but more against the other PCs. Swordmages are insanely mobile, and assault swordmages are even moreso.

In other words, I just think that's the class operating in its niche.

-O

Agreed, here. God, there are characters in my group that can momentarily annoy me as the GM (The cleric has done it a few times with his 'summons', and the warlord seems to do it every friggin' session)... but then, I remember that it isn't my goal to win, and when they use their powers creatively, things get awesome.

I never really thought of the SM as a low-damage, mobile defender... but upon looking at it once more, I can't see how I missed it. Looks like it'd be a fun class to play.

 

[renau1g]

I'm currently playing a stormsoul genasi Defending Swordmage and am quite enjoying it, I'm only level 2 right now, but Swordburst is much fun, as well as the thundering blade. While I'm not as sticky as the Fighter in our party, I find that preventing 8 damage from my marked target is enough to draw them to me . I've definitely confounded the DM some times after his Lurker attacked our ranged-ranger. I love the burst marking. Also, my high INT allows me to wear leather armour and have a 19AC, our Fighter only has 20, and I get to move further.

 

[Obryn]

I'm currently playing a stormsoul genasi Defending Swordmage and am quite enjoying it, I'm only level 2 right now, but Swordburst is much fun, as well as the thundering blade. While I'm not as sticky as the Fighter in our party, I find that preventing 8 damage from my marked target is enough to draw them to me . I've definitely confounded the DM some times after his Lurker attacked our ranged-ranger. I love the burst marking. Also, my high INT allows me to wear leather armour and have a 19AC, our Fighter only has 20, and I get to move further.

Swordmages have excellent at-wills. Greenflame is like Cleave + Awesome, and Lightning Lure is basically a damaging lasso. I wasn't a fan of swordburst - it's more situational imho than the others. Thundering Blade is pretty awesome, though.

And yeah, as a DM, the -8 damage per attack means that it's useless attacking anyone but the swordmage. And his 27 AC means I will seldom hit him. Which is great - I mean, that's what defenders are supposed to do, and the swordmage is awesome at that.

OTOH, as soon as the swordmage gets knocked out once, the gig is up. Also, creatures that attack more than once can get past the immediate action.

I never really thought of the SM as a low-damage, mobile defender... but upon looking at it once more, I can't see how I missed it. Looks like it'd be a fun class to play.

Ditto. It took me a while to figure that one out, too - even after seeing it in play. It also took my player a while - he told me the other week that he finally "gets" the class.

I remember all the OMG! BROKN! worries right after the preview came out - but I'm happy to say that it seems to work very, very well at what it does. It's very well-balanced by the fact that - while it clears out minions - it really doesn't do much damage most of the time.

-O

 

[Drakhar]

I notice that when everyone was complaining about the Paladin being able to mark and run, and it being un paladin like/un defendery, that WoTC then took that idea and turned it into it's own class, as the swordmage suddenly becomes way more effective when he starts marking someone and then moving to the other side of the room behind all his buddies.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I'm playing a 9th level swordmage and the most surprising thing is how little damage he does.

Other than that, it's quite fun pushing and pulling people around the battlefield.

 

[fba827]

Yeah, kind of what TarionzCousin said --

Just be aware that single-target damage output for a swordmage is going to be low.
They do have several powers that let them hit multiple targets at once for low damage (so good on minions and what not).