4e - Thunderspire Labyrinth - OOC

[Niehaus]

I could be wrong but defcon hasn't responded yet to say if he's playing or not. If that's ends up being the case I'd love to throw my fighter into the mix to help out with some of the shifting issues, but it's only be 4 days he'll more than likely respond soon.

 

[EvolutionKB]

My thoughts on my at-wills: If I skip thunderwave, I would have fire shroud as an encounter. Would that be enough to keep baddies away? While not pushing it does do good damage.

I am going to take initiate of the faith, so we will have a little extra healing. Skills I am going to take are intimidate(with eladrin bonus), Arcana, religion(from IotF), nature, and history.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Yes, I am playing. Thanx for the selection! I don't often get online over the weekends, and as has been typical for the past few weeks, my attempts to post yesterday came up blank because the server wasn't working.

I'm in the process of putting Saph together, but some quick hits... I'm a blue dragonborn with lightning breath. I'm a brawny rogue (as has been said). My skills will include some of the protypical rogue, but will also be more thug-like. And as far as background starting, being the bodyguard of the wizard is fine with me.

Look for the character sheet soon!

 

[EvolutionKB]

More thoughts on my at-wills: We have three melee people(warlord, brawny rogue, and pally) Scorching burst could be replaced with cloud of daggers(maybe, I hope). Minions are not required in fights, so we shouldn't expect them in every one. With three dragonborn, we should have enough area effects to mitigate the loss of scorching burst. I will probably end up taking SB and TW, but I'll wait for some comments.

 

[Redclaw]

While we have three breath weapons, they have no range, and therefore don't fully replace SB. You can place the burst anywhere, making it much more useful in many situations. With your fey step ability the push of thunderwave seems somewhat less necessary. You can just 'port away and blast whatever was attacking you.

 

[Lord Sessadore]

More thoughts on my at-wills: We have three melee people(warlord, brawny rogue, and pally) Scorching burst could be replaced with cloud of daggers(maybe, I hope). Minions are not required in fights, so we shouldn't expect them in every one. With three dragonborn, we should have enough area effects to mitigate the loss of scorching burst. I will probably end up taking SB and TW, but I'll wait for some comments.

I would recommend taking one at-will that is single target (ie magic missile, ray of frost, or cloud of daggers) for when you want to attack that one monster that is flanked by your buddies and don't want a friendly-fire incident. I think it would probably be good to have an AOE at-will as well, for obvious reasons...

Thunderwave does sound pretty cool, but I have my doubts as to how useful it would actually be without the wizard being on the front line. I imagine it would also be hard to avoid friendly-fire with.

There's pros and cons to each approach. If you take no AOE at-wills and we get swarmed and the dragon breaths miss, we're in a bit of trouble. If you take no single target at-wills we're looking at friendly fire more often. With 3 melee'ers it would be hard to use Thunderwave usually (I imagine - as I said before, I haven't played more than a session of 4e), but it could save your bacon when that bugbear gets up in your grill. If there weren't advantages and disadvantages to each approach, we wouldn't be having this conversation In the end I'd say it's up to you.

 

[Lord Sessadore]

While we have three breath weapons, they have no range, and therefore don't fully replace SB. You can place the burst anywhere, making it much more useful in many situations. With your fey step ability the push of thunderwave seems somewhat less necessary. You can just 'port away and blast whatever was attacking you.

That's true, I completely forgot that you get fey step. And if there's someone harassing you for more than a round or two then Sargil (and Patresh, to a lesser degree) isn't doing his job very well

Edit: Though you could look at it the other way too: having fey step makes thunderwave easier to set up without blasting us three at the front.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Here is my first run through Saph. Everything should be right, but I perhaps have missed a thing or two somewhere.

EDIT: I've made all the edits/recommendations I've received thus far. I also only used a level 5 and two level 3 magic items, so I'll take the level 4 remainder in cash as well if that's okay.

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"][B]SAPHALAXIS ASTRALARICARIN[/B][/COLOR]
Dragonborn Brawny Rogue 4
[B]Alignment:[/B] Unaligned

Medium Humanoid, 6'1", 320 lbs, 22 years old
Blue scales, black eyes

[B]Languages:[/B] Common, Draconic
[B]Vision:[/B] Normal

[B]Ability Scores:[/B]
Str 16  +3  /  +5  (14 +2 racial)
Con 12  +1  /  +3  (11 +1 level)
Dex 18  +4  /  +6  (17 +1 level)
Int 10  +0  /  +2
Wis 10  +0  /  +2
Cha 14  +2  /  +4  (12 +2 racial)

[B]Initiative:[/B]  +6   [B]Action Point:[/B]  1
[B]Perception:[/B]  12   [B]Insight:[/B]      17

[B]HP:[/B]          44   [B]Surges/Day:[/B]    6
[B]Bloodied:[/B]    22   [B]Surge Value:[/B]  12

[B]AC:[/B]   19 (+2 lvl +4 Dex +3 armor)
[B]Fort:[/B] 16 (+2 lvl +3 Str +1 amulet)
[B]Ref:[/B]  19 (+2 lvl +4 Dex +1 amulet +2 class)
[B]Will:[/B] 15 (+2 lvl +2 Cha +1 amulet)

[B]Speed:[/B] 6
[B]Sneak Attack:[/B] 2d8+3

[B]Basic Attacks:[/B]
+1 duelist dagger: +10 vs AC, 1d4+4 damage
hand crossbow:      +8 vs AC, 1d6+4 damage

[u][B]At-Will Attack Exploits:[/B][/u]
[COLOR="Lime"]Piercing Strike[/COLOR] - Martial, Weapon
Standard Action; Target: One creature
Attack: +11 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d4+5 damage.

[COLOR="lime"]Riposte Strike[/COLOR] - Martial, Weapon
Standard Action; Target: One creature
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 1d4+5 damage. If target attacks you before the start of your next
turn, you make a riposte attack as an Immediate Interrupt.
Riposte: +10 vs. AC dealing 1d4+4 damage.

[u][B]Encounter Attack Exploits:[/B][/u]
[COLOR="Red"]Dragon Breath[/COLOR] - Lightning
Minor Action; Close blast 3; Targets: All creatures in area.
Attack: +7 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6+1 lightning damage

[COLOR="red"]Dazing Strike[/COLOR] - Martial, Weapon
Standard Action; Target: One creature
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 1d4+5 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

[COLOR="red"]Setup Strike[/COLOR] - Martial, Weapon
Standard Action; Target: One creature
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 2d4+5 damage, and the target grants combat advantage to you until
the end of your next turn.

[u][B]Encounter Utility Exploits:[/B][/u]
[COLOR="red"]Master Of Deceit[/COLOR] - Martial
Free Action; Personal
Trigger: You roll a Bluff check and dislike the result.
Effect: Reroll the Bluff check. You decide whether to make the reroll before
the DM announces the result.

[u][B]Daily Attack Exploits:[/B][/u]
[COLOR="DimGray"]Easy Target[/COLOR] - Martial, Weapon
Standard Action; Target: One creatures
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 2d4+5 damage, and the target is slowed and grants combat advantage
to you (save ends both).
Miss: Half damage, and the target grants combat advantage to you until 
the end of your next turn.

[B]Magic Item Powers:[/B]
[COLOR="DarkOrange"]+1 Bloodcut Leather Armor[/COLOR]
  Healing Surge: While bloodied, gain Resist 10 to all damage    
  until end of your next turn.
[COLOR="darkorange"]+1 Duelist Dagger[/COLOR]
  Critical: +1d6 on crit, or +1d8 if you have combat advantage.
  Daily: Minor Action: You have combat advantage against the next
  creature you attack with this weapon this turn. 
[COLOR="darkorange"]+1 Safewing Amulet[/COLOR]
  Effect: When falling, reduce distance by 10ft.

[B]Race and Class Features:[/B]
Dragonborn Fury  (when bloodied, gain a +1 to attack)
Draconic Heritage  (healing surge value equal to 1/4 max HP + Con mod)
Dragon Breath  (use dragon breath as an encounter power)
First Strike  (combat advantage against any enemies not yet acted)
Brutal Scoundrel  (gain bonus to Sneak Attack equal to Str mod)
Rogue Weapon Talent  (+1 to attacks with dagger)
Sneak Attack  (2d8+3 extra damage when you have combat advantage)

[B]Feats:[/B]
Backstabber  (raise sneak attack dice from 2d6 to 2d8)
Surprise Knockdown  (on a crit when you have combat advantage, knock 
opponent prone)
Toughness  (gain an extra 5 hp per tier)

[B]Skills:[/B]
Acrobatics:    +6 (+2 lvl +4 Dex)
Arcana:        +2 (+2 lvl +0 Int)
Athletics:    +10 (+2 lvl +3 Str +5 trained)
Bluff:         +9 (+2 lvl +2 Cha +5 trained)
Diplomacy:     +4 (+2 lvl +2 Cha)
Dungeoneering: +2 (+2 lvl +0 Wis)
Endurance:     +3 (+2 lvl +1 Con)
Heal:          +2 (+2 lvl +0 Wis)
History:       +4 (+2 lvl +0 Int +2 racial)
Insight:       +7 (+2 lvl +0 Wis +5 trained)
Intimidate:    +6 (+2 lvl +2 Cha +2 racial)
Nature:        +2 (+2 lvl +0 Wis)
Perception:    +2 (+2 lvl +0 Wis)
Religion:      +2 (+2 lvl +0 Int)
Stealth:      +11 (+2 lvl +4 Dex +5 trained)
Streetwise:    +9 (+2 lvl +2 Cha +5 trained)
Thievery:     +11 (+2 lvl +4 Dex +5 trained)

 

[Redclaw]

Defcon, I did find one or two things on your CS:

Your initiative should be higher, as your level bonus applies.

Your basic attack with the dagger should be +10 (+3 str, +3 proficiency, +1 rogue weapon talent, +1 magic, +2 level)

Crossbow basic attack should be +8 (+4 dex, +2 proficiency, +2 level)

 

[Lord Sessadore]

Also, the riposte for Riposte Strike should be +10 (+2 level, +3 Str, +3 prof, +1 rogue weapon talent, +1 magic) vs. AC, 1d4+4 damage (+3 Str +1 magic).

Edit: I think you get +4 damage with the crossbow too. I'm away from the books right now and it's not on the DDI Compendium, but I believe you add Dex to damage with ranged basic attacks. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Off topic: I really love the format! I think I'm gonna put my finalized CS in a code block too. My programmer instincts hate how ENWorld annihilates proper whitespace