Genasi Warden/Swordmage? need advice

[Wepwawet]

So, some time ago I built a Genasi Barbarian who comes from a desert and manifests Firesoul and Earthsoul.
In this campaign there's me, a Shadar-Kai Rogue, a Shifter Beastmaster Ranger and a Bard. Last session the Bard missed and we almost had a TPK. That's when I noticed we're all strikers! (seriously..)

The DM let's me rework it into a defender, as long as I don't change his background and I keep the character as similiar as possible.
So now, I have a Genasi Warden. It's the same character, it just changes his fighting style.

The stats are the same as the Barbarian's:
Str: 18, Con: 16, Dex: 8, Int: 14, Wis: 12, Cha: 10
The Dex and Int are for role-playing reasons, and to take advantage of the Genasi intellect (Reflex basically, and more points to Wis)
The first feat is Extra Manifestation (RP)

I was thinking of MC into barbarian to get some extra damage 1/day (also he used to be one).
But with 14 Int, why not Swordmage MC? 1/day I get a nice bonus to AC, which I need, since I hate using shields. Even more if I use a one-handed weapon..

BTW, I love atypical builds

Could you give some advice?
Is Blade Initiate that useful?
Is it useful to use a versatile on-handed sword because of the +3 to AC?
If I use a polearm (melee control) is a +1 to AC good enough to take this feat?
Which Swordmage utility powers could be useful for a Warden?

 

[Herschel]

A 14 INT simply isn't all that great for the Swordmage MC. All you get for teh feat is the 1/day AC boost and a power that likely won't hit anything if you use it. With your stats I'd probably just go Fighter. If you can modify his stats a bit, go 16/16 STR/INT (18/18 after Racial Mods) and go Fighter (Tempest Technique) with a Swordmage multiclass maybe. The Spiked Chain gets treated as a light blade (daggers) IIRC from the feat.

Either that or Hybrid fighter/swordmage with that build. You'll borrow from Con a little but your defenses will be generally higher than the barbarian's. Dual Strike and Lightning Lure would be a lot of fun for at-wills and Dragon's Teeth is a fun Daily.

The only thing is Dual Manifestation, Hybrid Talent and Spiked Chain are your first three proficiencies.

 

[jabberwocky]

Multiclassing to Genasi is fine, as long as you remember to only take stance-type powers if you want to do multi-class power swaps. Blade Initiate is okay, though if you were looking to use a versatile weapon for possible one-handed use, you might as well have a heavy shield anyways. That way you ahve a +2 defense all day, and an additional +1 when you activate the swordmage warding (which means that your AC that encounter will eb as good as if you had gotten the +3). So I would suggest bastard sword and heavy shield.

 

[Wepwawet]

Yeah, the only power I'll swap is a utility power. There are some nice teleportations or stances.

Bastard sword has to be the best weapon, but shields... I just don't like them.
I'll rethink my position if I die two times in the same session (with 16 AC it's too probable, right? )