Bracers of Mighty Striking

[FadedC]

These are amazing for a fighter, at least at low level. They do compete with the magic shield slot, but I think they win out at heroic level. At paragon level there are better magic shields, and using the bracers might be a harder choice.

 

[SDOgre]

I mean, have you played 4E? You know that many/most characters have at-wills that work off different stats to STR, right?

Is that supposed to be an insult?

I didn't realize that melee basic attacks are always strength based. That changes my point of view.

But it does solidify my view of combat not being nearly as streamlined as Wizards touted 4E to be. If you have to look up attack bonus and damage every attack then it adds more complexity instead of streamlining. These are things you used to be able to easily memorize.

That's what I meant.

 

[VannATLC]

Part of that streamlining is also intended to take place in information presentation.

Of course, I'm inclined to agree that the warlord, in particular, breaks the streamlining. But it is still miles in front of the 3e flip-fest, in my playing so far.

 

[NMcCoy]

You don't really need to look things up, though - at least no more than glancing at an index card sometimes. Remember that your attributes don't change in combat anymore, so you don't need to know what stat a power uses, only its bonus to attack and damage. I have an index card with a one-line summary of all my powers on one side, and Hp/Tmp/Surges and defenses on the other. And I've memorized most of my attacks anyway (though being a wizard helps with this - nearly everything depends on Int, so the attack bonus is the same). Off the top of my head I can tell you that my Thunderwave is now +7 vs. Fort/1d6+6, push 3, for example. It's a huge difference from 3.5 where I needed the PHB close at hand at all times.
YMMV, of course.

 

[Anthony Jackson]

we have a fighter in the party that marks everything he can - we provoke those things to make an oa at us, and the fighter smacks them first.

Does your DM realize that OAs are optional? Unless it's actually useful for the creature to take the OA, it shouldn't do so when marked.

 

[small pumpkin man]

Is that supposed to be an insult?

I didn't realize that melee basic attacks are always strength based. That changes my point of view.

But it does solidify my view of combat not being nearly as streamlined as Wizards touted 4E to be. If you have to look up attack bonus and damage every attack then it adds more complexity instead of streamlining. These are things you used to be able to easily memorize.

That's what I meant.

You don't have to look up attack bonuses "every attack". Martial and Arcane characters will have one, maybe two different attack bonuses they use, and most builds I've seen try to concentrate on one stat and one implement/weapon.

A Fighter will have one attack bonus, and will maybe have to lower this by one for ranged attacks because their heavy thrown weapon is less expensive. A Wizard will always use the same attack bonus (it's not like your OAs are worth anything anyway). Differences in damage exist, but they tend to be there to provide meaningful options, and almost allways take less time to look up than one iterative attack, let alone something like a high level 3.x ranger or Cleric.

Does your DM realize that OAs are optional? Unless it's actually useful for the creature to take the OA, it shouldn't do so when marked.

Yeah, but it's more fun this way .

 

[Danceofmasks]

That's why fighters rock!
Not only do they get an OA vs. something (marked by CC) that's taking an OA, they also use shield push to invalidate the original OA.
Especially with their OA hitroll bonus, it could get ugly ...

I've been looking at Iron Dragon Charge (Warlord 9), and it's seriously starting to look like potential cheese.

 

[Gloombunny]

That's why fighters rock!
Not only do they get an OA vs. something (marked by CC) that's taking an OA, they also use shield push to invalidate the original OA.
Especially with their OA hitroll bonus, it could get ugly ...

Nitpick: the basic attack granted by Combat Challenge is not an OA and does not benefit from Combat Superiority, or feats like Blade Opportunist. (It does benefit from Shield Push, because Shield Push says "attack granted by Combat Challenge" and not "opportunity attack".)

 

[Danceofmasks]

Oops, of course.
I did make separate entries for those for a reason ..

 

[FadedC]

That's why fighters rock!
Not only do they get an OA vs. something (marked by CC) that's taking an OA, they also use shield push to invalidate the original OA.
Especially with their OA hitroll bonus, it could get ugly ...

I've been looking at Iron Dragon Charge (Warlord 9), and it's seriously starting to look like potential cheese.

Hmm...I thought about taking shield push for my fighter. The potential problem I see with it is that it only really works if the person they attack is not flanking with me. But could still be really good. Distracting shield is interesting too and better against artilery that tries to get away from you.

Of course like people said the shield push attack is not an OA.