D&D 4E Cu Cuhlaines Chariot Feat and Attacking on the Run.

[Garthanos]

I first encountered Cu Chulainn as a mention in AD&D in the 2e players handbook under example fighters of history and legend many of his stories were actively about him acquiring his "feats" and how he learned them so much faster than those around him - feat a word popularized in 3e D&D. Like many of the fighters he was a demigod sort of (the ancestry was not immediate) but a some level the character very much evokes over the top martial awesome (ignoring the feat which allowed him to shift into a Daemonic form like Berserks were often attributed)

The character had an ability his chariot feat that was basically rapidly attack everything on every side of you as you moved through the battle like you were a mobile cuisinart. The story effect is he was terrifyingly able to cut huge swaths through enemy troops making it the kind of minion clearing 4e reserves for a controller archetype

So since Martial was basically excluded from having a controller so I am out of luck right? Well maybe not so much. Cuh Culain was primarily like his Ancestor (Lugh Lamhfada) a spear user who also used a few other like slings and such for ranged combat (these are the weapons of the 4e Iron Soul Monk) . I am going to build him as a Shifter to better handle his Daemonic Warp Spasm for the moment. The Monk has a controller secondary role and is probably a poor controller however it has this power

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Cu Cuhlainn, level 1
Razorclaw Shifter, Monk
Build: Iron Soul Monk
Monastic Tradition: Iron Soul
Background: Wandering Duelist (Wandering Duelist Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 13, Con 15, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 13, Con 15, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8.


AC: 17 Fort: 13 Reflex: 15 Will: 13
HP: 27 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +7, Insight +7, Acrobatics +11, Athletics +6

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Dungeoneering +2, Heal +2, History, Intimidate +2, Nature +2, Perception +2, Religion, Stealth +6, Streetwise -1, Thievery +4

FEATS
Level 1: Shifter's Agility

POWERS
Monk at-will 1: Steel Wind
Monk at-will 1: Crane's Wings
Monk encounter 1: Stinging Nettles
Monk daily 1: Spinning Leopard Maneuver

ITEMS
Monk Unarmed Strike, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Adventurer's Kit, Ki Focus, Sling, Spear
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Gáe Bolga
The Gae Bolga was both a magic spear and a Technique one had to learn...
This technique/spear as eventually always deadly in effect it could be seen as delivering an affliction which eventually resulted in Death but in some interpretations in so doing the weapon was stuck in the wound. One of the Ancient Celtic Super Surgeon types or Ritualists could probably remove the affliction ie remove the spear from the wound without killing he subject outright.

I am considering how 4e could have developed to actually support and handle Afflictions and the above comes to mind

 

[Garthanos]

coming soon a broad adjustment to my character builder so that monks and monk powers are considered martial ... To the monk the man is ever more important than his tools nevertheless many use items to help focus their discipline and bring the nigh supernatural energy of their mind, spirit and body into full clarity. I may also be using the Chi word in flavor text OR simply give the monks automatic inherent bonuses and be done with the focus item for this non-caster, not a psionic.

 

[Garthanos]

Warlord Controller does she really need a Personal Crest or maybe Heirloom as a martial focus ... like using the Bat symbolics for batman to instill fear in his enemies.

 

[Garthanos]

OR simply give the monks automatic inherent bonuses and be done with the focus item for this non-caster, not a psionic.

This will be the case additionally the Ki focus items are now going to be techniques you learn instead of objects.

 

[Garthanos]

I changed all the implement powers to have a Focus Key word ie you have to have a technique active that provides martial Focus ie one which causes you to gain martial focus due to learning it, or a weapon attuned to serve that purpose.

 

[Garthanos]

There is a feat that allows a ranger to reduce the damage of its quarry damage by 1 die and translate that into hobbling strike a slowing effect. Presumably the monk this multienemy controller sub type getting a running hamstring maneuver that allowed one to do only attribute modifier damage and which slowed the enemy (save ends beginning at the end of your next turn) would be an appropriate monk power for a monk using an appropriate weapon. Although nope that would be a controller rogue ability.

 

[Garthanos]

coming soon a broad adjustment to my character builder so that monks and monk powers are considered martial ... To the monk the man is ever more important than his tools nevertheless many use items to help focus their discipline and bring the nigh supernatural energy of their mind, spirit and body into full clarity. I may also be using the Chi word in flavor text OR simply give the monks automatic inherent bonuses and be done with the focus item for this non-caster, not a psionic.

To be clear yup I did this.

 

[Garthanos]

The file that does this Martialization is mostly kind of boring but here is an excerpt or two.

The initial class quote.
“You fight well, but I am the artist and I will show you the distinction.”

From the creating section
Your intense focus, constant training, and exceptional talent combined enable you to harness your deepest inner power which some call chi. The monk is the fundamental martial artist more aware of the nature of martial power as a source than other martial classes.

 

[Garthanos]

Or maybe I will use one of those elegant bruce Lee Quotes.

 

[Tony Vargas]

cuchulainn.jpg

I opened this thread on my phone, finally saw the image and thought "but, CuChulain wasn't blonde."