After flipping through the PHB, I thought I would create a character to play around with the various options. I ended up creating a dwarf warrior, specialized in the poleaxe, and statted him at levels 1, 10, 20, 30 (probably with many mistakes!). Some observations:
Holy cow do the races really pigeonhole things. I was originally thinking maybe making a half-elf warrior, but really... dwarves are just so amazingly well-suited to the class. Aside from the healing surge thing, you need Con & Wis for certain weapon-related feats & powers, and the racial dwarven weapon training feat is simply too good to pass up if you want to use axes or hammers. If you want to use swords or spears, you'll make an eladrin warrior for the same reason. If you want to use something else... you’re going to be somewhat sub-optimal. EDIT: or not! There's a generic feat that doesn't stack with the racial weapon training feats, and is roughly comparable.
The half-elf ability to take elf feats is... lacking. One such feat requires the elven racial that half-elves don't get, one is +1 to two skills and an overland movement bonus, and the last one removes a ranged attack penalty when you're using the run action - which seems more than a little situational. The lone half-elf racial feat is also rather uninspiring.
You get a LOT of feats. More than you currently have a use for, it seems. I pretty much ran out of stuff that I really wanted to take towards the end of the paragon & epic tiers. The same is true of magic items, which are rather lacking in options. Also, while the DMG says you should be giving the PCs items over their level, there aren't any items over level 30 in the PHB. A little odd.
Finally, picking out a very small selection of powers from all the sexy options is tough work.
Anyway, I used the 4e standard array (16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 I think?) and the rules for equipping high level PCs from the DMG. I was always very curious about what high level 4e characters would look like, so hopefully someone else is too and typing this up wasn't a waste of time.
Ironboot, Dwarf Fighter 1
"Ye best be puttin' that sword away if ye don't want me sheathin' it down yer throat!"
Skills: Athletics +8, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +10, Intimidate +5
Feats: Dwarven Weapon Training (+2 dmg with axes & hammers)
Race: Low-light vision, cast-iron stomach, dwarven resilience, encumbered speed, stand your ground
Class: combat challenge (marking, basic attack vs shifts or non-marked attacks), combat superiority (+2 hit w/OAs, halt movement), fighter weapon talent (+1 hit 2H weapons)
Basic Attacks:
halberd: +6 hit, 1d10+5 dmg, reach
hand axe: +5 hit, 1d6+5 dmg, range 5/10
At-will Attacks:
Cleave: +6 hit, 1d10+5 dmg, 3 dmg to secondary adjacent target
Reaping Strike: +6 hit, 1d10+5 dmg; 3 dmg on miss
Encounter Powers: Steel Serpent Strike: +6 hit, 2d10+5 dmg, target slowed & cannot shift until end of your next turn
Daily Powers: Comeback Strike: +6 hit, 2d10+5 dmg, use healing surge (reliable)
Equipment: halberd, handaxes, scale armor, 25 gp
Holy cow do the races really pigeonhole things. I was originally thinking maybe making a half-elf warrior, but really... dwarves are just so amazingly well-suited to the class. Aside from the healing surge thing, you need Con & Wis for certain weapon-related feats & powers, and the racial dwarven weapon training feat is simply too good to pass up if you want to use axes or hammers. If you want to use swords or spears, you'll make an eladrin warrior for the same reason. If you want to use something else... you’re going to be somewhat sub-optimal. EDIT: or not! There's a generic feat that doesn't stack with the racial weapon training feats, and is roughly comparable.
The half-elf ability to take elf feats is... lacking. One such feat requires the elven racial that half-elves don't get, one is +1 to two skills and an overland movement bonus, and the last one removes a ranged attack penalty when you're using the run action - which seems more than a little situational. The lone half-elf racial feat is also rather uninspiring.
You get a LOT of feats. More than you currently have a use for, it seems. I pretty much ran out of stuff that I really wanted to take towards the end of the paragon & epic tiers. The same is true of magic items, which are rather lacking in options. Also, while the DMG says you should be giving the PCs items over their level, there aren't any items over level 30 in the PHB. A little odd.
Finally, picking out a very small selection of powers from all the sexy options is tough work.
Anyway, I used the 4e standard array (16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 I think?) and the rules for equipping high level PCs from the DMG. I was always very curious about what high level 4e characters would look like, so hopefully someone else is too and typing this up wasn't a waste of time.
Ironboot, Dwarf Fighter 1
"Ye best be puttin' that sword away if ye don't want me sheathin' it down yer throat!"
Code:
STR 16 +3 HP 31 bloodied 15
CON 16 +3 surge 7 per day 12
DEX 12 +1 AC 17 Fort 15, Refl 11, Will 12
INT 11 +0 Init +1 Move 5
WIS 15 +2
CHA 10 +0Feats: Dwarven Weapon Training (+2 dmg with axes & hammers)
Race: Low-light vision, cast-iron stomach, dwarven resilience, encumbered speed, stand your ground
Class: combat challenge (marking, basic attack vs shifts or non-marked attacks), combat superiority (+2 hit w/OAs, halt movement), fighter weapon talent (+1 hit 2H weapons)
Basic Attacks:
halberd: +6 hit, 1d10+5 dmg, reach hand axe: +5 hit, 1d6+5 dmg, range 5/10At-will Attacks:
Cleave: +6 hit, 1d10+5 dmg, 3 dmg to secondary adjacent target Reaping Strike: +6 hit, 1d10+5 dmg; 3 dmg on missEncounter Powers:
Steel Serpent Strike: +6 hit, 2d10+5 dmg, target slowed & cannot shift until end of your next turnDaily Powers:
Comeback Strike: +6 hit, 2d10+5 dmg, use healing surge (reliable)Equipment: halberd, handaxes, scale armor, 25 gp
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Shift the Battlefiend: +12 hit vs all within 5 feet, 2d10+11 dmg, slide target(s) 1 square; ½ dmg on miss
Secondary attack: +23 hit, 2d10+21 dmg, target prone, target immobilized until end of next turn; shift 5 squares and tertiary attack vs different target;
Tertiary attack: +24 hit, 1d10+21 dmg, target prone, target immobilized until end of next turn
