Recent content by robgmsft

Piercing strike is better for DPS Attacking vs reflex is no joke. Having run a bunch of numerical simulations, here's the keys to DPS as a rogue, in rough order of importance: 1. 20 DEX, 14 STR, Brute Rogue 2. Sneak Attack as often as possible 3. Piercing Strike 4. Backstabber Feat 5. Rapier...

Why not borrow a system from MMO guilds? Here's how it works - every player keeps track of a loot score, start everyone at zero with a small randomized tie-breaker amount added on. Let's say you have 4 players. When a magic item is found, the player with the highest loot score gets first dibs...

Thikket, I completely agree. Working well with the Warlord in my party to achieve flanking will end up being more important than the individual skill choices. I'm also very curious how Eladrin's teleport will work out in game. Even trying to figure out the dps here, I had to make a lot of...

FWIW in 3rd edition it was trivial to come up with min/max builds that did 5x or 10x what a naive build would dish out. In 4E it's MUCH tighter. Note that feat choices give you +1 expected damage a round if they're great, this is VERY different from the half-orc power-attacking barbarians of...

I see, you're showing dagger+focus vs rapier. I still show rapier pulling ahead. If you just do shortsword vs dagger, dagger lags, and rapier still beats out shortsword + weapon focus vs rapier. Here's the weapons compared (Piercing strike only, dagger and shortswd get focus to keep them on...

oops, left that out - 17 AC, 14 ref also, he's a brawny rogue, so gets +str to sneak attack Here's the raw output from the spreadsheet on the first couple of columns comparing piercing strike and sly flourish. Both have shortswords, both have 20 DEX, SF guy uses 14 CHA, PS guy uses 14 STR PS...

OK, just spent the morning playing with spreadsheets (yes, I'm a giant dork, thank you) and looking at expected per round damage for a rogue who fights 10 rounds with 5 flanking. I ignored per encounter abilities (although as you get more of them they become more relevant) and focused on...

A little analysis... OK, just spent the morning playing with spreadsheets (yes, I'm a giant dork, thank you) and looking at expected per round damage for a rogue who fights 10 rounds with 5 flanking. I ignored per encounter abilities (although as you get more of them they become more relevant)...

Talisker Mark II OK, with Phil500's suggestion and Zaru's bug-fix, here's Talisker Mk II, ringing in at a very respectable 136 and change for a PHB-only striker: Talisker Mk II, Eladrin Brawny Rogue: (STR14, DEX20), Short Sword, Warrior of the Wild, Piercing Strike, Torturous Strike. Piercing...

Backstabber. ...the rogue took backstabber (ups it to +2d8) Hmmm, hadn't realized that hunter's quarry lasts all encounter. That would add +1d6 to everything, which would be better, yes. Nice catch. Meanwhile, here's Oban, Human Fighter coming in at a very decent 108 points: 20 STR +5 +1...

probably... ...though if you have a dex of 20, your str drops to 14 tops, which reduces your damage from Torturous Strike and Sneak Attack. It also hurts my other at-will power 'riposte strike' which relies on Str that I get to use once my warlord and I set up flank. This is basically a...

Mongo has an AC of 17 and Fort/Ref/Will of 14 Mongo is flanked half the time Mongo auto-saves after two auto-fails (for calculating the effect of continuing powers) Mongo has 120 hit points You are 1st level and have one encounter of 10 rounds in the ring with Mongo, can you kill him? No daily...

Can our cleric rest 5 minutes, add +1d6 to two party member's healing surge, rinse and repeat?

Awesome! Thanks, this is fantastic! :D

Perhaps my first 4E character should be 'Monopoli Daag' Hmm, I guess I play DND to: 1. Hang out with my friends once a week, eating and drinking good food. 2. Take part in an interactive storytelling session. 3. Play an interesting game. I think 4E will improve #3 for me, #2 will benefit from...