Improving my pushy fighter

[Shadeydm]

A few regular posters had offered to review and offer improvements for my Spear (trident) and Shield Fighter.

His favored attack is Tide of Iron which through feat support allows him to push opponents 15' and knock them prone. It was suggested I look at other powers which might build off this concept so here he is in all his flawed glory. All suggestions are welcome not limited to power choice but feat choice as well.

Thanks guys!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Marcus of Rekkenmark, level 12
Human, Fighter (Weaponmaster), Kensei
Build: Guardian Fighter
Fighter Option: Combat Superiority
Fighter Talents Option: One-handed Weapon Talent
Kensei Focus Option: Kensei Focus Trident
Human Power Selection Option: Heroic Effort
Deneith Bodyguard (Perception class skill)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 21, CON 12, DEX 16, INT 9, WIS 17, CHA 11

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 16, CON 11, DEX 15, INT 8, WIS 14, CHA 10


AC: 28 Fort: 28 Ref: 26 Will: 24
HP: 93 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 23

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +14, Endurance +12, Heal +14, Perception +14

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +7, Arcana +5, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +9, History +5, Insight +9, Intimidate +6, Nature +9, Religion +5, Stealth +7, Streetwise +6, Thievery +7

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Human Racial Power: Heroic Effort
Fighter Attack: Combat Challenge
Fighter Attack 1: Tide of Iron
Fighter Attack 1: Footwork Lure
Fighter Attack 1: Hack and Hew
Fighter Attack 1: Tempest Dance
Fighter Utility 2: Pass Forward
Fighter Attack 3: Rain of Blows
Fighter Attack 5: Rain of Steel
Fighter Utility 6: Daring Shout
Fighter Attack 7: Come and Get It
Fighter Attack 9: Thicket of Blades
Endurance Utility 10: Reactive Surge
Kensei Attack 11: Masterstroke
Kensei Utility 12: Ultimate Parry

FEATS
Level 1: Mark of Sentinel
Level 1: Shield Push
Level 2: Weapon Expertise (Spear)
Level 4: Battering Shield
Level 6: Swift Spear
Level 8: Polearm Momentum
Level 10: Mobile Challenge
Level 11: Impaling Spear
Level 12: Improved Defenses

ITEMS
Trident
Heavy Shield x1
Adventurer's Kit
Dwarven Drakescale Armor +2 x1
Rushing Cleats x1
Steadfast Amulet +2 x1
Casque of Tactics (heroic tier) x1
Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier) x1
Inescapable Trident +2 x1
====== End ======

 

[FourWinds]

Buff charisma and train diplomacy?...oh, i misinterpreted the title...

 

[Ferghis]

Personally, I consider Mark of Warding one of the more powerful feats in the game. If dragonmarks are available, I would take that, for a fighter, instead of Mark of the Sentinel.

The value of Shield Push, Swift Spear, Mark of the Sentinel and Mobile Challenge depend a LOT on how often the DM draws OAs. I have one DM that does so every now and then (perhaps once every other session), and another DM that does so once in a blue moon. In both my cases, I wouldn't sink two feats into it. If you think your DM will regularly trigger your Combat Challenge, go for it. Personally, I think DMs should trigger it as often as they reasonably can, but, hey, gameplay varies.

Personally, I feel that most defenders have to choose to split many of their feats between defensive feats (Focused Discipline, all the Superior [defense] or their less powerful versions and an armor or shield specialization feat) and defender feats. The more the DM violates the defender's mark or draws OAs, the more I focus on the latter. Superior Will, in particular, is great for defenders. The less, the more I focus on defensive feats, since the DM is usually beating up more on my character.

Inescapable weapons have some problems in practice, at least if you're confronting more than one enemy (which is frequently the case). You often end up attacking different targets, and so the bonus never builds up. Better to go with a Weapon of Great Opportunity, if that's your game.

Another feat to consider is Weapon Focus. If you are punishing disobedient enemies, making it sting goes a long way. Initiative increasing feats are also high on the list, because winning initiative gives you not only an extra turn in many cases, but also gives you an edge in controlling the battlefied. However, when I build defenders, these are often the first two must-have feats not to be had. Feats are probably the tightest currency in the character-building game.

Otherwise, I would go with a Controlling Weapon: re-positioning your enemies is what you want to do, so invest more in that. Plus, once per encounter, turn a pull or push into a slide.

Heroic Effort is well worth while. I think that's a great choice.

At Epic, retrain your theme to Gladiator so you can take the feats Keep Them Close (marked enemies are slowed) and World Serpent's Grasp (hits on slow or immobilized targets knock them prone). Since the "hit" trigger occurs after the "attack" trigger, you mark and slow your enemies before you hit them, and then, if you hit them, they drop prone.

 

[Shadeydm]

Thanks for the advice Ferghis,

We are playing an Eberron game so Mark of the Sentinal ties directly into my characters history/background and isn't the sort of thing i can just swap out at this point. Might be interesting if i end up needing a replacement character at some point though.

Great point about how often our opponents draw OAs or combat challenge, so far not very often. However, Marcus is a house denith bodyguard so in many ways the build fits his story. Maybe I need to look at a more defensive build since typically I end up drawing the most fire (as a good defender usually does). I'm due for some magic item upgrades so I will check those weapons out.

 

[Ferghis]

However, Marcus is a house denith bodyguard so in many ways the build fits his story.

I've found that narrative and combat mechanics need only loosely fit each other. For example, it could be argued that failure to take the alertness feat makes you a poor bodyguard. But nobody would take that criticism seriously. So, I would build the most fun character I could that vaguely fits within the narrative.

 

[Neonchameleon]

A few regular posters had offered to review and offer improvements for my Spear (trident) and Shield Fighter.

His favored attack is Tide of Iron which through feat support allows him to push opponents 15' and knock them prone. It was suggested I look at other powers which might build off this concept so here he is in all his flawed glory. All suggestions are welcome not limited to power choice but feat choice as well.

Thanks guys!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Marcus of Rekkenmark, level 12
Human, Fighter (Weaponmaster), Kensei
Build: Guardian Fighter
Fighter Option: Combat Superiority
Fighter Talents Option: One-handed Weapon Talent
Kensei Focus Option: Kensei Focus Trident
Human Power Selection Option: Heroic Effort
Deneith Bodyguard (Perception class skill)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 21, CON 12, DEX 16, INT 9, WIS 17, CHA 11

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 16, CON 11, DEX 15, INT 8, WIS 14, CHA 10


AC: 28 Fort: 28 Ref: 26 Will: 24
HP: 93 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 23

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +14, Endurance +12, Heal +14, Perception +14

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +7, Arcana +5, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +9, History +5, Insight +9, Intimidate +6, Nature +9, Religion +5, Stealth +7, Streetwise +6, Thievery +7

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Human Racial Power: Heroic Effort
Fighter Attack: Combat Challenge
Fighter Attack 1: Tide of Iron
Fighter Attack 1: Footwork Lure
Fighter Attack 1: Hack and Hew
Fighter Attack 1: Tempest Dance
Fighter Utility 2: Pass Forward
Fighter Attack 3: Rain of Blows
Fighter Attack 5: Rain of Steel
Fighter Utility 6: Daring Shout
Fighter Attack 7: Come and Get It
Fighter Attack 9: Thicket of Blades
Endurance Utility 10: Reactive Surge
Kensei Attack 11: Masterstroke
Kensei Utility 12: Ultimate Parry

FEATS
Level 1: Mark of Sentinel
Level 1: Shield Push
Level 2: Weapon Expertise (Spear)
Level 4: Battering Shield
Level 6: Swift Spear
Level 8: Polearm Momentum
Level 10: Mobile Challenge
Level 11: Impaling Spear
Level 12: Improved Defenses

ITEMS
Trident
Heavy Shield x1
Adventurer's Kit
Dwarven Drakescale Armor +2 x1
Rushing Cleats x1
Steadfast Amulet +2 x1
Casque of Tactics (heroic tier) x1
Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier) x1
Inescapable Trident +2 x1
====== End ======

It doesn't look like a bad basic build to be honest. A little underequiped (you're 12th level and your highest level item is level 8 so you're a point down on to hit, damage, defences, and two on AC), but it appears to be trying to do two contradictory things.

• Throw enemies around, and knock them flat far away from you.
• Keep them close so they can't get away.

And I think this is a cause of some problems.


Your feats are mostly good selections. Almost all dedicated to throwing enemies around. My first question is how often the enemy provokes either Opportunity Attacks or your Combat Challenge. Because you have four feats out of nine dedicated to these two circumstances: Mark of Sentinel, Mobile Challenge, Swift Spear, Impaling Spear.



Verily your OAs and combat challenge rock. If you have a DM who provokes you almost every round that might be worth it. If not, they can probably go (especially as your OA stops your foe moving anyway thanks to Combat Challenge).



Weapon Expertise: Spear should be replaced either with Master at Arms or Spear Expertise. Just minor polishing. Both those feats do all Spear Expertise does and more.


Assuming you have three feats to play with from dropping Mobile Challenge, Swift Spear, and Impaling Spear, there is one obvious feat you are missing. Weapon Focus. +2 damage per attack adds up.

Your next feat should be a multiclass feat - they are all a cut above normal feats. So many good choices there. I'd go for either Student of Battle (multiclass Warlord - Insight training to make you a better bodyguard and Healing Word to allow you to keep the person you're protecting on his feet long enough to get him to safety), Defender of the Wild (another skill and Mark Everyone), or Bravo (Intimidating glower to keep the enemy back from the person you're protecting and really bring the pain to one assassin).

Your final feat - I'm going to suggest something slightly odd here to make you tougher. Drop Improved Defences. Instead take Superior Fortitude and Superior Will - you lose two points of reflex defence for a will and a fort. But in addition you gain resist 6 Ongoing (should keep you on your feet for a while) and a free save at the start of your turn against dazed and stunned.

Powers. These are a bit more of a mess I'm afraid. None of the powers you've picked are bad ones, but it looks as if you've netbooked it a little rather than seen what works for you.

Footwork Lure - do you ever use it? Your Tide of Iron rocks, and Footwork Lure is more positioning - it fundamentally does the same job without the benefit of feats and class features added to it. Cleave, Shield Feint, Vicious Offensive, or Weapon Master's Strike all do things that Tide of Iron fundamentally doesn't.

Hack and Hew/Tempest Dance. I see what you did there. Useful abilites to keep a crowd back - but they fundamentally do the same thing rather than synergise, and with higher level encounter powers Tempest Dance flags a bit. I'd seriously look at Unstoppable Advance for the daily because it synergises with everything (check with the DM - there's more than one way of reading this combination).

Rain of Blows - get weapon focus and a +3 weapon and I think your problems with this power will be over. 3 attacks at 1d8+7 damage are pushing you towards striker territory. If not, you can't go wrong with Sweeping Blow.

Rain of Steel. This I doubt you've been getting the best use of. If the enemy stay close you're a meatgrinder. But you specialise in throwing them away. It's almost working against shield push and polearm momentum. On the other hand it's an awesome power - especially if you can raise your static damage from +4 to +7. And a combat you use it will be very different from one you use Unstoppable Advance.

Daring shot. Strictly worse than Kirre's Roar. Burst 1 marking and a few temps vs burst 3 marking and resist 3 (all).

Come and Get It. Still rocks. Unfortunately it doesn't synergise with Unstoppable Advance - would be great fun if it did (Batter Up!)

Thicket of Blades - [3W], Slow to everyone in Close Burst 1. Good power but doesn't synergise with your feats - you're far more about the forced movement than damage. On you Shift the Battlefield is better - [2W], Slide 1 to everyone in Close Burst 1. Or, more accurately Close Burst 1 [2W], Slide 3, Prone. That really is Shifting the Battlefield! (And ignore the Reliable keyword on burst attacks as near meaningless - if one hits it counts as having hit so this is almost meaningless).

Reactive Surge - I see why you took it. Just be careful; you can't use both this and Combat Challenge in the same round.

 

[Shadeydm]

Great post Neo, can't XP you yet but thanks a bunch I think I'll fire up the cb and start tinkering!

 

[Neonchameleon]

Great post Neo, can't XP you yet but thanks a bunch I think I'll fire up the cb and start tinkering!

My pleasure. And tell me how well the new version works please