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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 6008703" data-attributes="member: 87792">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.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Throw enemies around, and knock them flat far away from you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Keep them close so they can't get away.</li> </ul>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.</blockquote>

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