Bracers of Mighty Striking: Near Useless?

[Zurai]

These bracers might be near useless for a fighter. But for casters (ie Wizard, Warlock), their melee attacks are almost always basic attacks, so the +2 almost always applies. A warlock with a pact blade is a good example... but so is a warlock with a warhammer.

A fighter will make far, far, far more melee basic attacks in their career than a wizard AND a warlock put together.

 

[toxicspirit]

Unless the have fox cunning, group with a warlord, or have any other abilities that grant basic attacks. Just because you don't see a use doesn't make them useless.

I did not actually state that they were worthless. Merely that they seem so for an Archer-Ranger. I haven't had a chance to go over all the rules with a fine tooth comb, and it was an honest assessment of my opinion on the subject at hand.

I also wasn't aware that Warlords granted bonus basic ranged attacks. Out of interest, other than Fox's Cunning (in my opinion not the best first level Ranger Power, and certainly not on my short list), what else in the game grants extra basic ranged attacks?

 

[Zurai]

There's only one Warlord power that explicitly grants a ranged basic attack (and then only on a miss), but there are quite a few that grant either melee or ranged basic attacks. I'd say half a dozen or so?

 

[toxicspirit]

I understand that there are a number of things that grant a basic melee attack, but so far I just can't find much in the way of things that give an extra basic ranged attack.

 

[Zurai]

Like I said, there's a number of Warlord powers that grant either melee or ranged basic attacks. As in, "And one ally in range can make a basic attack". Any time it doesn't specify melee vs ranged, you can choose - thus, melee or ranged.

 

[toxicspirit]

Ah, sorry. I misunderstood you at first. Thanks.

 

[Zurai]

No problem. It is a little confusing, so I didn't mind clarifying

 

[Bagpuss]

The fighter in my group is commonly finds himself facing a guy that he has no desire to Tide of Iron, and there's nothing to Cleave. Sounds like a great time to hit harder with a basic attack.

Except if he took Tide of Iron as an At-Will, isn't the shield needed for that power taking up the bracer slot?

 

[Danceofmasks]

Item slots are a limitation on the number of magic items you can use.
Nonmagical shield is cool.

 

[Mirtek]

A fighter will make far, far, far more melee basic attacks in their career than a wizard AND a warlock put together.

Of course it still sucks being a human, having an extra at will and then whenever you have to choice going for basic attack instead of at will (even makes the heavy blade opportunity feat and one of the sword master paragon path powers quite useless)

The bonus should really go to standard action attacks to be a nice compensation not having +2 AC/Ref and the magic shield power (maybe reducing them to +1/+2/+3 to not make them an overcompensation).