Fighter Slayer preview

[doctorhook]

Wonder how a swordmage controller would work.

Myself, I'm curious about a Warlord controller, though my Eladrin TacLord/Spiral Tactician is damn near such a thing already.

 

[ggroy]

If they're going to be mixing and matching between striker/defender/controller/leader for the 4E Essentials class builds, wonder if some of the 4E non-Essentials classes will end up having approximate counterparts in the new 4E Essentials builds, such as the warlord, warden, etc ...

 

[Stalker0]

As for the role thing as has already been mentioned the fighter has often been called a defender/striker anyway.


I don't know if its a misprint, but the unfettered strike says -2 to attack rolls with WEAPON POWERS and +4 to BASIC ATTACKS.

So if I'm charging, no -2, just a +4 to damage right?


I will say this guy actually looks like a very strong ranged attacker.

20 dex 1st level striker with a great bow is doing 1d12 + 10 with a +1 attack bonus. Even a ranger has to respect that!

 

[JohnSnow]

As for the role thing as has already been mentioned the fighter has often been called a defender/striker anyway.


I don't know if its a misprint, but the unfettered strike says -2 to attack rolls with WEAPON POWERS and +4 to BASIC ATTACKS.

So if I'm charging, no -2, just a +4 to damage right?


I will say this guy actually looks like a very strong ranged attacker.

20 dex 1st level striker with a great bow is doing 1d12 + 10 with a +1 attack bonus. Even a ranger has to respect that!

As was pointed out to me on the WotC boards after I made this same observation, melee (and ranged) basic attack ARE "weapon powers" in 4e.

I understand the thought process though, believe me

But yeah, it does make a pretty cool archer. And you missed something.

For one, nowhere is "Unfettered Fury" limited to melee basic attacks. So your 20 dex first level striker with a great bow is doing 1d12 + 14 with a +6 (!) attack bonus.

+14 = +5 (dex) + 5 (heroic slayer) + 4 (UF)
+6 = +5 (dex) +1 (weapon talent) + 2 (WP greatbow) - 2 (UF)

Alternatively, w/o a stance, it's 1d12 +10 to damage with a +8 attack bonus.

 

[TerraDave]

its the EZBarbarian, or archer, for that player that just wants to smack stuff.

So this can appeal to both New Old and Old Old players. Not to drag the other thread into it.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I had assumed that the slayer would be a replacement for the decidedly 'secondary striker role' Greatweapon Fighter build, so the striker role isn't a shock. Apparently, it's an alternative to both the Greatweapon and the Battlerager builds, and can be a pretty good archer into the bargain.

As with the Knight, Melee Training could be used to make it's secondary stat into it's primary, meaning only one stat need be maximized.

It's awefully tough for a striker, having Barbarian level hps and better AC out of the box than most barbarians. A Melee Training (DEX) take on it could have very good AC in hide, too.


The Essentials martial classes are seriously re-imagining the place of the basic attack in the system. I suspect there'll have to be a lot of nerfing and/or re-balancing of feats/powers/etc that relate to basic attacks in the massive October errata.


The Essentials classes are also definitely bluring the line between 'build' and 'class.' Where the Warpriest and Mage are clearly just builds of Cleric and Wizard, the Knight and Thief might as well be different classes from the Fighter and Rogue, and the Slayer being a different role makes it very much distinct from the Fighter, and from the Knight, for that matter.

 

[Baumi]

I like that Slayer! 8D

But what I find strange is that we finally have a heavy Armor Striker, but with Dex as Secondary so he doesn't need the Armor.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I believe, we miss following:

"This time out, let’s take a look at the second new fighter build—the slayer. Note that I’m only showing a little bit of the 1st-level slayer. Check out Heroes of the Fallen Lands for the complete class build when it debuts in September."

Maybe it has a defender mechanic, but it is forgotten in the list (not that i would mind).

-2, +4 damage is not that bad actually. As long as your job is only doing damage, this trade can be good (especially if fighting against a brute)

Oh, did you note, that a slayer can´t use shields, so going TWF instead of a two handed weapon seems also possible. Otherwise weapon talent could as well be +1 to attacks with 2-handed weapons.

And I miss something that makes strength useful to the slayer, lets see if he will get something, (I wouldn´t mind that much, if he doesn´t)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I like that Slayer! 8D

But what I find strange is that we finally have a heavy Armor Striker, but with Dex as Secondary so he doesn't need the Armor.

Scale and heavy blade require dexterity. Scale alone is a very very good armor. No armor check penalty. Also with scale armor, you are not forced to have maxed out dex and you can even go for the 20 Strength build.

 

[Aegeri]

Wonder how a swordmage controller would work.

Defenders are already a kind of controller in 4E to be honest. They just have a somewhat different approach to another controller, which often can't take the return attacks the way a defender can.