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Power Source and Role: Why you do what you do You are the Primal Defender, which means you have been chosen by nature as her protector. Among the defender classes, warden is the most pure defender among the group. You're tough, your defenses are good and can spike even higher. Battlefield...

A Rock and A Hard Place: A Warden Handbook See this here mountain? This is my mountain. All upon it is mine: the trees, the stones, the snow. Everything that makes up this mountain is under my grasp. The mountain belongs to me, and I to it. You have no place here. But now that you’ve arrived...

How to Play a Swordmage What is a defender (story-wise)? A defender is the line that stands between the enemies and his allies. He takes the majority of the attacks (or at least more than his "fair share") and keeps on going when any of his allies would be unconscious or dead. What is a...

Equipment A short note before the equipment ratings: This guide was written before item rarity ever existed. Although item rarity has affected how magic items in 4E work, I'm going to keep going with the assumption that players have at least some control over common and uncommon magic items...

Recommended Feats Class Feats Heroic Tier Aegis Accuracy (D382) - Aegis Accuracy is strictly inferior to Retributive Shield for shielding swordmages. It's also a conditional attack bonus (and a small one), so this would only be taken after the swordmage has already taken Versatile Expertise...

Powers - Epic Tier Level 22, Utility Borrowed Ascension (AP) - You gain a sustainable hovering flight with good speed. Around this level, you should be getting access to Zephyr Boots which give you much of the benefit of this power without requiring you to use up your minor action each turn...

Powers - Paragon Tier Level 13, Encounter Acid Burst Blade (FRPG) - This power is an upgraded Greenflame Blade. That said, the damage dealt to enemies adjacent to the target is rolled, meaning that your damage bonuses (including enhancement bonus) apply to it. It's obviously better for...

Powers - Heroic Tier Level 1, At-Will Arcane Lance (D405) - You're better off using a glaive and taking Frigid Blade - that does more damage and doesn't require you to ride a mount (which can't follow when you teleport). Booming Blade (FRPG) - This power does solid damage on a hit, and it...

Builds In all of my builds, I will begin by leaving out any magic items that are not required for the build to function and assume that the campaign is using inherent bonuses to compensate. Please note that these builds are not fully optimized. Most of them will have a few feats which can...

Baseline Mechanics HP, Surges, and Proficiencies Hit Points - 15 + Con score at 1st level; 6 at each level thereafter. This is the standard amount for a defender, and two of the three swordmage builds use Constitution as their secondary ability. Healing Surges - 8 + Con modifier. While this...

Masters of Blade Magic This Handbook uses the following system for ratings: Red: This is either completely worse than another choice, or is just plain ineffective. Purple: This has its uses for certain builds, but there are probably better options. Black: Taking this will not hurt you, though...

Executing the Crusade: Tactics I. Threat Level vs. Survivability. As a defender, you always want to present enemies with two bad choices. Balacing the equation between threat level and survivability is how you accomplish this, and is, hands-down, the No. 1 priority of any defender. When one...

Advanced Purification: Combos These are some of the key tricks that Paladins can do. Most of them can either be done at-will or per encounter. Many of these have been hinted at throughout this guide, but here is where you get to see them all come together. Heroic Tier Lv. 1 One Hit, One...

Equipped for the Crusade: Items Just remember that your top priority in every 5-level interval should be to keep your armor, weapon (and implement if you use one) and neck item up to date. Plan it right and you'll still have plenty of room for other nice things. Armor Lv. 2+ Dwarven (PHB)...

When Faith Is Not Enough: Multiclassing General Power Source Options Arcane classes Key feats Heroic Tier Arcane Implement Proficiency (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...

Rising in the Faith: Paragon Paths 4e Paladins have a tradition of powerful paragon paths, even going back to the days when the base class wasn't so hot. Champion of Order, Hospitaler, Son of Mercy and Morninglord are the most famous (some would dare say cheap), followed by slightly less...

Fortifying the Faith: Feats 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 blue or sky blue). Traps among those will be noted. This saves space, plus since feats have become a more...

Champion's Prayers: Epic Tier Powers Lv. 22 Utility Shared Valor is the jewel of this level. Shared Sacrifice is also a good option if you're not led by a Cleric. Holy Wings can be good for a few levels until you can afford at-will flight items. Class Powers Angelic Rescue (PHB): This one...

Knight's Prayers: Paragon Tier Powers Lv. 13 Encounter Straladins who felt left out at Lv. 1, rejoice, because you can take Castigating Strike. Of course, so can every other Paladin out there. That power pretty much rules this level, although some Straladins might make the case for Zealous...

Squire's Prayers: Heroic Tier Powers Lv. 1 Encounter For Chaladins, the discussion begins and ends with Valorous Smite. Straladins have a little more freedom of choice. Heedless Fury will kill a lot of things in the first few levels of play, but you will want to replace it in the later half...