Can you design for/around Reach weapons?

[ZetaStriker]

Too bad that keeping enemies from reaching them is the opposite of what most Fighters are trying to do. "Yeah, that one dude never closed range with me and...hey, wait, who killed the Wizard and Warlock?"

 

[Zaruthustran]

Reading the equipment guide and many of the powers for the "upfront" classes, I found myself lacking in obvious optimal choices for a spear-wielding or glaive or halberd wielding character.

Polearm gamble seems to be a minion-slayer, and spear feats and reach in general feels like not-always-useful abilities.

Is there a build or concept that finds Polearms to be A-OK? Eladrin Tactical Warlords? Strength Clerics w/o Shield prof.?

Here's a build: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=4269960

Basically, Polearm Gamble makes polearms more useful because they give an OA. So naturally you'll want to synergize that capability with a class that optimizes OAs, like fighter and warpriest. The other OA feats (blade opportunist, combat reflexes, heavy blade opportunity) naturally follow.

The other use for Reach is that it works with any power "melee weapon" power that has "target: one creature" instead of "one adjacent creature." This allows effective participation from the back rank.

It also works great for a very small number of powers that have "target: Each enemy adjacent to the primary target and within your melee reach". See Giant's Wake and Force Retreat for two examples. In those cases, a reach weapon can dramatically increase the number of valid targets.

 

[am181d]

I misread the title of this thread. Nearly did a spit take.

(On topic: I'm really happy with the options for non-sword weapons in 4e.)