Blackguard Design & Development is up.

[Argyle King]

Seeing as how the only good thing I could find about the power was based upon a misunderstanding of the rules, I have to agree that the Blackguard at-will is less than desirable.

 

[Jhaelen]

You also appear confused because the Blackguard isn't a defender - it's actually a striker (Much like how the slayer is a striker build of the fighter, not that fighters can't adequately pull off a secondary striker role anyway).

I'm not confused - I simply didn't know, not having looked at the previews. I was just reading this thread (and if it was mentioned in this thread, I must have overlooked it - my bad).

Now 2 of these are what I think are situational - in the same category as this power. Would you rather have a poor at-will that basically might let you get CA - easily got in a wide variety of ways - or would you rather at-wills like the above that are useful in a wide variety of situations?

I would rather have _one_ at-will that is useful in a wide variety of situations and one that is more specific.
If I'd take this particular power would depend on my build.

But in general, yes, I'd totally take a power that requires me to hit for it to have any effect. Judging by your presentation I'd have to guess you consider 'Magic Missile' to be the most powerful at-will power ever devised, right?

All 4 of the above are paladin at-wills, so I didn't need to go far to easily show you four much better powers.

Ahem. You didn't show anything 'easily' nor 'clearly', 'obviously', or whatever!
A few sentences above you even admit that two of them are (at least!) exactly as situationally useful as the new Blackguard power!

Sorry, but I still don't agree with your assessment at all, e.g. I'd probably never take Valiant Strike with any character (except maybe a weird hybrid).

Your other examples are good at-wills - but are they also good at-wills for (as you pointed out) a striker?
(Well, okay Vengeful strike _is_ a good one I might choose)

But please: Stop comparing apples to oranges: A power + a feat is not the same as a power! And please note that not everyone feels they 'must' take the 'must-take' feats identified by some CO nut (disclaimer: no, I don't feel all CO board posters are nut [...just most of them ]).

So, no, you clearly did not easily convince me of the obvious suckitude of the new Blackguard at-will power

 

[Dice4Hire]

Seeing as how the only good thing I could find about the power was based upon a misunderstanding of the rules, I have to agree that the Blackguard at-will is less than desirable.

It took me years to get over the house rules I learned when I learned 1E.

 

[MrMyth]

Yes and on all attacks without needing to hit - that's sort of the inherent point. If you need CA, you can get it all the time and without needing to rely on hitting with a power. Instead you can have CA + Good At-Will (or just flat out start with an encounter power, why bother with the at-will anyway when you're easily generating CA) without any issue. Especially when you can combine that with a charge, getting an additional bonus if needed.

Cunning Stalker being a good feat doesn't make this a bad power. Feats are valuable. Often, honestly, more so than a second At-Will, especially early on.

If you hit. If you need CA in the first place, having to rely on an unreliable power instead of an entirely reliable and simple feat is just being silly.

This isn't a power to use when you need CA. It is a power to use when you already have it, and will want it next round.

That is what is really nice about this - it is useful for the changing dynamics of combat in a way that other options are not. You roll in with Wintertouched and set up CA on an enemy, planning to destroy them next round - but an ally finishes them off first. Or an enemy is suddenly threatening your healer. You engage an enemy and plan next round to either take advantage of Cunning Stalker or shift into flanking if an ally is nearby - but instead, you find yourself with two monsters next to you. Or immobilized. Or dazed.

Being able to say that next round, yes, I'll have combat advantage no matter who I am attacking or where I need to be... that has value.

Is Valiant Strike a good power? A better power? Probably - untyped attack bonuses are strong!

But something like this is perfectly viable, given this is a class where CA is important. Assuming you have another at-will that can be your bread and butter, having access to this for when it looks useful could be worthwhile.

No, I actually do get that it's just completely irrelevant. It doesn't change the fact you actually have to *hit* something in the first place. Then you gain CA - against all targets minding (effectively). But this doesn't really help when you want CA on the first attack - which is why there are numerous far superior options (that can then maintain CA all day long easier).

You make a big deal out of this needing to hit. It certainly would be stronger as an effect, but... most at-wills aren't of use unless they hit. That is hardly some inherent flaw that makes this worthy of condemnation.

 

[gyor]

Anyone getting some cool ideas for some builds yet? I noticed that the Vryloka racial power grant temps which if a bg of Domination could be burned for extra damage.
A multiclass bg bard could gain a bound demon familiar that grants temps.

 

[WalterKovacs]

I don't understand what the minor action ability of the Utility actually does.

My servant answers a question... ok, well, what exactly does that do?

"Hey, Bob, do you think think the princess is wearing underwear?"
"I don't know, ask your servant."
"He says he can only tell us if you promise not to use your magic sword power today."

In general, most of these level 4 utilities, and things like them, are sort of free rituals.

As such, the questions would be similar to some of the divination rituals that involve asking questions of gods, or the spirits, etc ... in this case asking it of a fiend. So, depending on the roll, he tries to answer it to the best of his abilties, etc. Basically a means of the player getting some sort of info out of the DM. Basically "Essential Rituals". Basically, by giving a PC a ritual they can use once per day for free, instead of being able to use it whenever, but it costs money each time ... you'll actually see people making an excuse to use it. [For example, my invoker would often convince the party to use finger of fate whenever they reached a fork in the road].

 

[Incenjucar]

My invoker often suggests that the party Talk to the Hand.

 

[gyor]

I don't understand what the minor action ability of the Utility actually does.

My servant answers a question... ok, well, what exactly does that do?

"Hey, Bob, do you think think the princess is wearing underwear?"
"I don't know, ask your servant."
"He says he can only tell us if you promise not to use your magic sword power today."

In this case it maybe more fun to check for you self! Seriously one cool thing is it is not just yes or no questions you can ask. So you could ask for an endepth description of her said panties in detail. Or what are the exact words written in the original demonicon. The sacrifice of power only increases the odds of success by making the little bugger more powerful.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

My invoker often suggests that the party Talk to the Hand.

You mean invoke the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate?

 

[gyor]

If they do opt for fiendish mounts then then hellcats, dracoliches, purple dragons, and babaliths could be cool mounts.