Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="MwaO" data-source="post: 6703456" data-attributes="member: 12749">LeadersArdentSummary: Lots to potentially like in terms of powers, but stats, melee weapon focus, and hybrid feat benefits make this one hard to mix.Stats: Con/Cha is pretty much required. Secondary stats are very important to Ardent and you can't ignore them. Cha is nice, but Con doesn't have a lot of support. Cha/Wis has almost no support at all due to most other hybrid Cha/Wis classes ignoring Wisdom, even if their non-hybrid version doesn't do that.Class Features: Standard Leader qualities.Weapon: A bit problematic. Con/Cha means your 2nd class is probably using an implement or ranged weapon of some kind. And Ardent doesn't exactly give you the best armor choices.At-Wills: Solid at-wills and eventually gets 2. Ire Strike is very flexible, even if you don't have the correct stats.Hybrid Feat benefits: Nothing to see here. Too situational and/or why are you spending your hybrid feat on Chainmail when you have Con as a secondary stat?Interesting Builds: Ardent|Paladin. Ardent|Bard. Ardent|Battlemind, just as PHB3 says. Ardent|Psion where you mainly ignore Ardent and are human could be useful, too.ArtificerSummary: Strong, but has weapon/implement and stat issues. Its main strength is that it works very well with classes that share the same stats.Stats: Int+Wis or Con. Secondary stats are reasonably strong here and that's not helpful.Class Features: Standard Leader qualities. The ability to distribute healing surges is awesome, but that's all you get...Weapon/Implement: Normally would rate a blue, but here it limits choice - go ranged weapon and there isn't a great Wis or Con class to pair up with. Go melee and then lose flanks. Go implement and lose Magic Weapon. Go weapon and implement and need to support. The Moonbow Dedicate feat is a very decent way to resolve this, but then you lose Superior Implement options.At-Wills: Very nice. This would be sky blue except weapon/implement issues.Hybrid Feat benefits: Both are quite good. Issue will be not spending the feat on the other side.Interesting Builds: Artificer|Int-classes.Warning: Most Artificer Hybrids will want Wis or ConBard Summary: Strong except for at-wills - combine with a class that has the at-will(s) you want.Stats: Cha. Int or Con can be nice, but not required. Mixes with almost everything due to this. In addition, if you have a good MBA, the Skald choices can be very good, especially the encounter choices.Class Features: Extra skill and Skill Versatility add a lot. Majestic Word is very, very good.Weapon/Implement: Works very well with others.At-Wills: Decent at-wills, but a little bit behind the times. I'd strongly advise looking at either Human, Half-Elf, and/or a Psionic class for additional at-will options.Hybrid Feat benefits: Bardic Virtue is a solid use of a feat. I'd only go for Cunning, though as otherwise, there are likely armor issues.Interesting Builds: Bard|Ranger. Very, very strong - Bard has sky blue immediate interrupt ranged weapon powers, Ranger has Twin Strike. Lots of skills, healing, and damage. Strikers in general tend to work well, Defenders go for mobility(saving the heal for themselves so they can heal and slide 1)ClericSummary: Big upgrade via Cleric's new option of Battle Lore. Edging close to Gold if you want an upgrade on your primary class and just poach the Cleric options.Stats: Str or Wis. Much easier to start with a 20 Str or Wis now due to phenomenal AC.Class Features: Strong healer enabler. +2 to hit has potential ability to be exploited as well.Implement/Weapon: the usual benefits from Holy SymbolAt-Wills: A touch on the stale side. Heroes of Forgotten Lands improves things somewhat, but they're still situational.Hybrid Feat benefits:Very situational.Interesting Builds: Cleric|Invoker is one of the most natural builds - you can be human for the extra Invoker at-will...and pick up a solid AC. Cleric|Fighter to use two-handed weapons. Melee Cleric|Ranger for a 'heal thyself' Str/Wis build that regularly gets +2 to hit and great AC.RunepriestSummary: Sky blue if mixing with a Str/Con Defender. Serene Runepriest is sky blue also for the mixing of AC via Wis and temp hit points.Stats: Str/Con or Str/Wis have lots of melee support and work with the class features.Class Features: Standard Leader qualities+striker-style damage buff+Scale and Light Shield. What's not to like?Weapon: Not much to see here. This should receive an upgrade from the other side in any case.At-Wills: Solid at-willsHybrid Feat benefits: Probably ought to be red, but maybe?Interesting Builds: Runepriest|Fighter - they attack you, you should turn into a striker the next round. They don't attack you, you again turn into a striker by getting to attack them.Sentinels(Druids):Summary: At worst, this is Druid Dailies/Utilities+Animal Companion. There are at least a couple of options where the character could reasonably be assumed to boost their overall attack almost all the time due to U6s. The major issue for them is a DM deciding that they shouldn't get them. As long as they do, and they should, ignore regular Druids.Stats: Wisdom mostly.Class Features: Standard Leader qualities+Animal Companion is solid too.Implement/Weapon: Decent implement/weapon choice.At-Wills: Very solid, particularly Magic StoneHybrid Feat benefits: Likely spending this on an AC, though Con for AC could be very workable for some dip-based buildsInteresting Builds: Sentinel|Cleric - one slotless implement and a fix for the AC problem. Ranger|Sentinel. Striker+Control+Leader. Con Warlock with 20 Con/16 Wis for a base of 17 AC.Warning: Hybrid Sentinels only get the Animal Companion and skill bonus - no +1 to hit with some weapons or d12s from StaffsShamanSummary: While it might seem a bit weaker than other choices, Spirit Companion is amazing for supporting your Defender when you're a hybrid - unlike a typical Shaman, you're not as dependent on where it is. A party of 5 hybrid Shamans would be really funny to watch in action - capable of doing other things, yet also able to wall people off.Stats: Wis is important, other stats less so due to the lack of the Spirit Boon.Class Features: Standard Leader qualities.Implement: Decent, nothing to see here. Totems don't have a lot of support, so you're likely using the other one.At-Wills: Again, would like some additional choices. Nothing really pops out as amazing.Hybrid Feat benefits: Very nice hybrid feat benefit with the Spirit Companion, but if you're not taking that hybrid feat, you shouldn't be in Shaman. Taking the hybrid feat, though, means dinging AC badly if you're trying to mix in Defender.Interesting Builds: Shaman|Controller is very, very strong - you're generally sacrificing a touch of controller by hybriding, yet by gaining the Spirit Companion, you usually end up with a lot more control. Shaman|Ranger with an Alfsair Spear would sacrifice a bit of damage, but would add control. A party composed of at least 2 Shamans can really cause havoc.WarlordSummary: Wow. Uber-flexible addition to almost anything.Stats: Int, Wis, Cha, or Str+any of those. Or heck, just Str. Phenomenal.Class Features: Standard Leader qualities+Combat Leader.Weapon: Generally not a big deal.At-Wills: Solid at-wills. Can go human for a selection in combo with their other class.Hybrid Feat benefits: Not much to see here - given most parties use Commanding Presence around 3 times per encounter, only getting to use it once isn't quite so hot and feat supporting something that you can use once per encounter is expensive. Something else is probably more valuable.Interesting Builds: All over the place. It really does work with anything.</blockquote>

Verification