half elf swordmage mc wizard build optimization

[viceroy]

I'm trying to cook a Controller flavoured Swordmage. I was thinking of multiclassing into a Wizard, who is a Controller. Would that work? Which powers synergize well with a Swordmage? I'm kind of new to the 4th Edition, so I could really use your help. I've read in guides online that Swordmage/Wizard works and is supposed to be good, but I couldn't find a single sample build. I'd be very grateful for any help.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[Markn]

The Hybrid Swordmage/Hybrid Wizard will work much better. It will let you use your swordmage implements with your wizard spells.

Many of the wizard utility powers work awesome with the swordmage - such as stoneskin, blur.

 

[mneme]

Multiclassing into wizard pretty much always works for Int-primary classes -- wizard powers tend to be quite strong for their level, so the power swap feats are a good investment. Actually, in some ways, hybriding into wizard is even stronger for a swordmage -- you don't lose any proficiencies (beyond Leather, which you can replace with a feat), you get the ability to use swordmage implements for wizard spells, your mark works more or less unchanged, you save a lot of power swap feats, and (once you spend a feat to get swordsmage warding) what you lose from swordmage is the ability to move your mark around and a few hit points.

Regardless, you want to think about stat pairs. I'd pretty much always build it as con/int unless I was going with a genasi (for elemental empowerment); look to mostly attack with wizard spells (Which tend to be more potent, overall) and use swordmage spells when in close or to enforce your mark/buff yourself. For wizard dailies, look to summons, as they work great with good overall defenses (which you want as a swordmage) and are really contorlly/defendy.

Re half-elf; I'm not seeing the love. Obviously, you want to go shielding (you'd want to anyway), as the charisma boost doesn't help you at all swordmage-side and not much as a wizard. But half-elves don't have an Int boost, and have no relevant feats to arcane classes, and no weapon feats. The only thing I can think to do with them is using the diletante power to pick up Magic Weapon (artificer), a Battlemage at-will (con based, very defendery; actually, a half-elf battlemage would be fun, as battlemages are con/cha), or Eldritch Strike (con based, gives you a basic attack using Con as an encounter power, upgradable at paragon to at-will (letting you retrain out of melee training).

There are other threads that talk about swordmage wizards. You can find them on google (site:enworld.org), but:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4th-edition-rules/237479-swordmage-implement-wizard-powers.html

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4th-edition-rules/273386-swordmage-wizard-summoner-doable.html

 

[Spatula]

Well, there are two options available to you:

Multiclassing: play a swordmage (ensnaring swordmage from AP looks the most controller-y) and take feats to gain wizard spells. This is very costly feat-wise and won't give you that many controller-style tricks.

First you need a feat like Arcane Initiate (PHB). That allows you to use wizard implements (wand, staff, orb, tome) with wizard spells, and allows you to cast a wizard at-will spell 1/encounter.

But now, you need a sword for your swordmage spells, and a wizard implement for any wizard spells you have. This interferes with the Swordmage Warding ability and requires you to have multiple weapons, so you'll want the Arcane Implement Proficiency (AP) feat. That will allow you to use your sword for all of your spells.

Then to get any wizard spells beyond the one at-will, you need the Novice, Acolyte, and Adept Power multiclass feats (PHB). And for all of that, you end up with one wizard at-will (usable 1/encounter), one wizard encounter spell, one wizard daily spell, and one wizard utility spell.

Hybrid: PHB3 and Dragon magazine have introduced rules for characters that are 1/2 of one class and 1/2 of another. A hybrid swordmage/wizard doesn't have all the swordmage or all the wizard class abilities, but has an even split of powers and can use one weapon to cast all of its spells without any feats. This is probably the way to go for what you want.

Here's an example hybrid:
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 10
Human, Swordmage|Wizard
Swordmage Aegis (Hybrid): Aegis of Ensnarement
Hybrid Talent: Swordmage Warding

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 11, Int 20, Wis 13, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 14, Dex 11, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 10.


AC: 28 Fort: 21 Reflex: 24 Will: 21
HP: 78 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 19

TRAINED SKILLS
History +15, Endurance +13, Athletics +11, Arcana +15

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Bluff +5, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +6, Heal +6, Insight +6, Intimidate +5, Nature +6, Perception +6, Religion +10, Stealth +5, Streetwise +5, Thievery +5

FEATS
Human: Hybrid Talent
Level 1: Armor Proficiency (Leather)
Level 2: Intelligent Blademaster
Level 4: Grasping Ensnarement
Level 6: Toughness
Level 8: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
Level 10: Focused Expertise (Longsword)

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Thunderwave
Hybrid at-will 1: Booming Blade
Hybrid at-will 1: Scorching Burst
Hybrid encounter 1: Burning Hands
Hybrid daily 1: Flaming Sphere
Hybrid utility 2: Price of Ensnarement
Hybrid encounter 3: Shadow Snake Lunge
Hybrid daily 5: Elemental Foible
Hybrid utility 6: Dimension Door
Hybrid encounter 7: Winter's Wrath
Hybrid daily 9: Wall of Fire
Hybrid utility 10: Mass Resistance

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Challenge-Seeking Longsword +3, Cape of the Mountebank +2, Circlet of Arcane Extension (heroic tier), Boots of Jaunting (heroic tier), Gauntlets of Arcane Might (heroic tier), Warded Vambraces (heroic tier), Longsword of Arcane Bonds +2, Summoned Drowmesh +3, Crossbow
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

edit: whoops, missed the bit about being a half-elf!

 

[interwyrm]

If you play a swordmage/wizard, you pretty much need to pick up "enlarge spell", and then at paragon arcane admixture(thunder) for sword burst, resounding thunder, and mark of storms.

At-will close burst 3 that slides enemies on a hit? Yes please.

 

[mkill]

I'm trying to cook a Controller flavoured Swordmage. I was thinking of multiclassing into a Wizard, who is a Controller. Would that work? Which powers synergize well with a Swordmage? I'm kind of new to the 4th Edition, so I could really use your help. I've read in guides online that Swordmage/Wizard works and is supposed to be good, but I couldn't find a single sample build.

Guys, hold it. The OP said he's new to 4th edition.

Viceroy, before just copy some build from the net, take your time to learn the game from the ground up. If you learned the D&D ropes from 3rd edition, there is a very important change: If you want to have a powerful character in 3rd edition, the build counts. In 4th edition, your tactical skill with the build counts.

Build the character yourself. Choose powers that look useful to you. Choose powers where you understand what it does right away. There are a lot of powers that kind of look good but are difficult to pull off without exactly the right combination in exactly the right combat situations.

And:

Don't build against role.

Understand the difference first: Defenders stand in the front, attract enemy attacks and hinder attacks against allies. Controllers stand in the back and rain chaos on the enemy. Choose what you want. You can't be at the front and at the back at the same time. Roles are either-or.

If you want a controller, play a straight wizard. Play an Eladrin and take Arcane Implement Proficiency with heavy blades if you like the look of it.

Play a Swordmage if you want to play a defender. Optimize for being a defender. Yes, there are useful Wizard powers that can help a Swordmage, but learn how to play a swordmage first, then take the next step. As a Swordmage, you'll get a lot of fancy stuff on your own without filching other classes for powers. Concentrate on your defenses and a strong mark first. Cover the basics.

I've seen builds where people tried to take one class and optimize it for another role. Some manage to take, say, a Swordmage, and make a mediocre controller. Still, that character would be a lot more useful, and a lot more fun to play if he was a straight defender.

 

[Turtlejay]

Still, you can mix roles and make an effective hybrid. Warlocks have (unofficially) Controller as a secondary role, and a player in my game plays a very effective 100% controller that is hybrid wizard/warlock.

Swordmages have some control available natively, so using the most controllery parts of that class, with the best parts of the wizard class, you could make a viable controller.

mkill's other point is good, though. Build your character yourself, so that you understand what has gone into it and what it can do. If you aren't comfortable with hybrids, multiclassing works fine. The 1st rule of D&D is to have fun, not 'win', so that should be your goal.

Jay

 

[Dice4Hire]

Guys, hold it. The OP said he's new to 4th edition.

Viceroy, before just copy some build from the net, take your time to learn the game from the ground up.

Be especially sure not to copy the builds from the text printouts of the DDI character builder as all the numbers you need are NOT there.

 

[jbear]

If you are thinking of going Half-Elf (which gives you no boost to Int) you may as well go Human, which although only boosts one stat, boost the stat of your choice. And at the same time train you in an extra skill, give you an extra at will power (absolutely awesome!!!!! especially for a hybrid or even a multiclass character) and +1 to your 3 Non Ac Defenses. It's probably superior than what your encounter Dilettante power is likely to offer you.

The best Swordmage is the Shielding Swordmage, especially for the Hybrid Swordmage Wizard. All you have to do is get in close enough to mark one of the melee enemies and then retreat away (no more than 10... but that should be far enough!) and unleash your Wizard powers on foes at a distance. If they can't get to you you'll be interrupting 1/round to stop 8 dmg on one of your allies. Preventing damage is even better than healing as it doesn't cost anyone any healing surges! Your leader will love you and so will your allies! not to mention the -2 to Atqs you will be inflicting on that enemy. Swordmages are not meant to be up in your face defenders.

Plus you're going to want to get some White Lotus Feats. White Lotus Risposte triggers off both your Wizard and Swordmage at will powers. Anyone you hit with an arcane at will power that attacks you next turn receives your INT modifier damage. So imagine you mark your target, move away and bombard him from a distance with our at will. If you position yourself well he will have to cause an Opportunity Attack to come after you. And then he's going to take extra damage when he does. If he doesn't you are going to take 8 off the damage he inflicts... if he manages to hit with the -2 ATQ penalty. Win/Win ... for you!

Here's a build to think about:

Human Wizard/Swordmage Hybrid (shielding swordmage)

STR 11 CON 16 DEX 10 INT 18 WIS 13 CAR 8
HP 28 (or 30 if you take Thay background and use INT instead of CON ...FRealms)
AC 19 FORT 14 REF 15 WILL 14
Trained Skills Arcana +9 Endurance +8 Athletics +5 Religion +9

Feats
Lvl1 Armor Prof: Leather
Human: Hybrid Talent: Swordmage Warding
Lvl 2 White Lotus Risposte
Lvl 4 Enlarge Spell

Powers
At Will:
Sword burst
Winged Horde (although this may have now been nerfed?) or Scorching Burst or even maybe Chilling Cloud (with your mark you are inflicting a -4 penalty to attack if they dont attack you!!!)
Phantom Bolt (Slide is a nice controller effect especially if your DM uses interesting terrain)

Encounter
Lvl1 Grasping Shadows
Lvl3 Dimensional Vortex (interrupt attack on your ally, teleport your enemy next to another enemy and the attack is resolved against him instead!!!! Awesome!!!!)

Daily
Lvl1 Flaming Sphere (Sit back and let the ball roll... oh but get someone marked first!)
Lvl 5 Swordmage SHielding Fire (Awesome!!! 2 opponents under your shielding Aegis!!! and the damge you reduce is dealt to the attacker!!! WoW!)

Utility
lvl2 Mystical Debris (At will minor action control power? Why not!!!)

This is a pretty solid and awesomely fun build! You don't even need to be in melee combat to do your stuff... and you can do a lot of stuff!!!! Sword burst means you still function if you get trapped there and your AC is decent so you should last long enough to move away. But you want to move in, mark, and get away. Also remember you get cantrips as well, so while your out of combat skills are fairly limited... with imagination and creative use of cantrips you can be part of everything going on outside of combat!

 

[renau1g]

AC should likely be a point higher as he'd have a set of magic armor by then at least if you're building aboev 1st level.

I might suggest shield as a utility power though, the benefits might be a bit better than the Debris (which I also like)