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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Veep" data-source="post: 6707817" data-attributes="member: 6793297">Basic class features and proficienciesHit points and surges: Defender standard already puts you top of the heap, and then Constitution-primary seals the deal. Weapon proficiencies: Scale, heavy shield, and military melee isn't as good as it gets but it's more than enough.  Simple ranged is unfortunate, but then you can't use ranged weapons effectively at all anyway.Skills: Only three, and a very boring list.Defending-related class featuresThe battlemind has three key features related to marking:Battlemind's Demand: Out of the box, you get an encounter-long generic mark on up to two targets at once, handed out in burst 3.  Handing out marks is something the battlemind does very well.Blurred Step: In principle, this means that you'll end up adjacent to the enemy even after he shifts.  In practice, at higher levels special move actions of enemies will make it harder to keep up unless you invest in a few very specific upgrades.  In addition, the fact that you don't actually prevent the enemy moving means it can be difficult to manage more than one enemy using Blurred Step.Mind Spike: Hard to rate fairly.  It has a subtle effect, discouraging DMs from using their most damaging attacks (unless, of course, you're using MM1 monsters, where Mind Spike is basically irrelevant). Where Mind Spike really suffers compared to most other mark punishment is that improving it requires investment that does not benefit any other aspect of your character.  While this might not seem a very optimistic overview, the battlemind has in his power list many options to supplement and even outright replace all of these features.  Much of the defender capability of the class rests on power selection, rather than the class features.Psionic Study Options Battle Resilience: Damage resistance is always nice, and this is the only option with a Wisdom rider. However, the fact that free actions resolve as reactions mean that you might never actually benefit from this resistance.  To boot, the feat support isn't amazing, and this doesn't bring anything quite so obvious to the table as the other three options.Persistent Harrier: A free attack is never bad, and more importantly this lets you get stuck in among enemies as quickly as possible.  However, what really sets this option apart is the fact that it has no secondary stat rider, and that it's required to open up the incredible value Harrying Step feat.Speed of Thought: Early positioning is valuable, and this is only option for Psionic Study which still works in a surprise round.  There is some argument as to whether Speed of Thought will provoke opportunity attacks (for reference, I believe it does), so check with your DM before you get a nasty surprise.Wild Focus: An early mark and disrupting the enemy's positioning: great stuff.  Of the four options, however, this is the one that suffers most from surprise rounds, as it is guaranteed to be lost.  If you want to specialise in forced movement, though, the feat support means this is probably your top option. Ability ScoresStrength:  Feat prerequisites mean you will almost certainly want some points in here.  (Starting 10-14 post-racial.)Constitution: Your primary ability score.  What else is there to say? (Starting 18-20 post-racial.)Dexterity: While it's listed as a secondary stat for the Harrier, in reality nothing except one paragon path has a Dexterity rider.  However, Dexterity is always useful, and the number of powers without riders mean that it is possible to build a Dex-secondary build. (Starting 10-14 post-racial, or 14-16 post-racial for a secondary.)Intelligence: Your designated dump stat.  (Starting 8-10 post-racial.)Wisdom: This is the secondary that as a rule deals with damage resistance and most Aspect powers.  (Starting 10-16 post-racial.)Charisma:  This is the secondary stat that deals with forced movement and attack roll debuffs.  (Starting 10-16 post-racial.)</blockquote>

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