Class Acts: Fighter focusing on shields!

[Klaus]

Rejoice, sword-n-boarders!

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Fighter Shield Options)

With this article the circle has come complete: with two feats you can add your shield bonus to AC and all NADs.

 

[Mort_Q]

Priceless...

Snapping Testudo Paragon Path

Both legend and conventional wisdom suggest that dwarves first developed the style of fighting that exchanged a weapon for an extra shield. Being stalwart by nature, they appreciated a tactic that might favor those who stand fast. Being stubborn by nature, they vigorously pursued something counterintuitive until they made it work.

Some fun stuff in there for Board-n-boarders too!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I think the at-will is a bit over the top, but nice for a leaderless party.

 

[DracoSuave]

Priceless...



Some fun stuff in there for Board-n-boarders too!

That just might be the best paragon path ever.

 

[Mort_Q]

The at-will is powerful at lower levels, but unlike the other class at-wills that give power bonuses to attack (usually based on the secondary stat) it doesn't scale up as you level.

Not over the top... just at the top.

That just might be the best paragon path ever.

Agreed... and with the new magic Fighting Shield... that may just be over the top.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

and it is ok. it is slightly better for yourself than the bard at-will and only for yourself... so it seems about right (and it doesn´t stack with other bonuses unlike the AC penalty)

 

[Flipguarder]

I both hate and love this at the same time.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

So let's see. You can fight with:

Unarmed
One-handed weapon and one hand empty
Dual-wielding one-handed weapons
Two-handed weapon
One-handed weapon and shield
Shield and shield

At this point I think we should just jump directly to wearing a Kukri and dual-wielding Plate armor.

 

[Skallgrim]

I was just very disappointed that the "attack" exploits were all basically "Whack 'Em With Shield". I think that a more interesting and thematic focus for sword & board wielders would have been on attacks which GUARD others, as you are choosing a guardian fighter build. I would like to have seen Encounter and Daily powers which, like some that are currently available, interrupted attacks on others, or moved you into the line of the fray, or let your allies get out of the fight.

Instead, you are just using your shield to bash people. That seems to be the only way to advertise that you have one. Blah.

I think the attacks and stances and utilities we had BEFORE this article were more interesting and thematically appropriate for shield-using fighters than these were. Not that these are bad from a number-cruncher perspective or anything, but they don't strike me as interesting way to represent a Guardian Fighter.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

I was just very disappointed that the "attack" exploits were all basically "Whack 'Em With Shield". I think that a more interesting and thematic focus for sword & board wielders would have been on attacks which GUARD others, as you are choosing a guardian fighter build.

One should be choosing the tempest build and going in with two spiked shields. That's the path to power.