Monte Carlo versus "The Math"

[keterys]

Base Gear:
Scale Armor
Warhammer
Large Shield

Magic Items at level... (lvl + 2 as you said)
1: +1 Vicious Warhammer
2: +1 Meliorating Scale
3: +1 Collar of Recovery
4: Iron Armbands of Power (Transfer Warhammer -> Craghammer)
5: Boots of the Fencing Master
6: +2 Meliorating Plate
7: +2 Vicious Craghammer
8: +2 Collar of Recovery
9: Strikebacks
10: Belt of Vigor (Paragon)
11: +3 Meliorating Plate
12: +3 Vicious Craghammer
13: Casque of Tactics (Paragon)
14: Iron Armbands of Power (Paragon)
15: +4 Vicious Craghammer
16: +4 Meliorating Plate
17: War Ring (Paragon)
18: +4 Brooch of Vitality
19: War Ring (Paragon)
20: +5 Vicious Craghammer
21: +5 Meliorating Plate
22: Ring of Regeneration
23: +5 Brooch of Vitality
24: Solitaire (Violet)
25: +6 Vicious Craghammer
26: +6 Meliorating Plate
27: Shadow Band (Epic)
28: Iron Armbands of Power (Epic)
29: +6 Brooch of Vitality
30: Stalwart Belt (Epic)

Remember to make armors masterwork as you go. It'd be interesting to see the difference between the AC plate masterworks and resist all plate masterworks.

 

[Truename]

1: Knee Breaker

Thanks for the build. It needs to be tweaked, though, so that it doesn't have any movement-related abilities (or items). There's a benefit to those that won't be modeled by our sim, which means survivability will be reported as lower than it should be.

We also need a level 3 item for the level 1 dwarf.

Thanks, sorry to be picky.

 

[keterys]

Thanks for the build. It needs to be tweaked, though, so that it doesn't have any movement-related abilities (or items). There's a benefit to those that won't be modeled by our sim, which means survivability will be reported as lower than it should be.

I actually included a minimal amount of it because _not_ having them would boost survival farther than it should. You don't want to optimize results purely for your parameters

In the specific case of Kneebreaker, it was because it gets 10 temp (at 2nd level) from hitting with that power, not because it cared about the slow.

We also need a level 3 item for the level 1 dwarf.

Ah, I misunderstood you. Or, at least, assumed that 1st level was like 1st level usually is - no magic items, but each level thereafter gaining one.

Anyhow, I'll sweep back through now and fix things up. I'll also try to add some programming suggestions for handling a couple of the things. Like the boots of the fencing master - if you have a move action available at end of turn, shift 1 to get the +1 AC & Ref, done.

 

[Truename]

I actually included a minimal amount of it because _not_ having them would boost survival farther than it should. You don't want to optimize results purely for your parameters

Well, if the math is properly balanced, any power should be as good as another (assuming appropriate tactics). Since we're looking at how a single build scales over 30 levels, rather than comparing different builds, I think it's it's okay to choose a build that's based around the type of combat we're doing.

Although I don't want a hyper-optimized or "broken" build, I also don't want to throw away effects, either. Similarly, the build should have lots of ways to activate healing surges, since we won't have a cleric.

Ah, I misunderstood you. Or, at least, assumed that 1st level was like 1st level usually is - no magic items, but each level thereafter gaining one.

If it helps, think of it as being the middle of each level, after the dwarf has received some treasure parcels.

I also wonder if we should include consumables like healing potions.

Anyhow, I'll sweep back through now and fix things up. I'll also try to add some programming suggestions for handling a couple of the things. Like the boots of the fencing master - if you have a move action available at end of turn, shift 1 to get the +1 AC & Ref, done.

Thanks! AI suggestions will be appreciated. It will take me some time to get through the levels, though, so there's no need to work too far ahead.

Also--I need to know fighter build and (eventually) paragon path and epic destiny. Since this is based on Tank, I assume it's Battlerager Vigor / Iron Vanguard / Demigod?

 

[keterys]

Suggestions for AI/modeling things:
If out of temp hp, use an invigorating attack. It's 4+ temp even on a miss.
Any 'prone' power just make the enemy spend a move to stand up if it has one. So, good for AP CA, or against dazed enemies.
At 16th+ level, all pushes and prones add Con damage, which is why Tide of Iron gets swapped in. Could technically keep Brash the entire time since it's the same damage, just with +2 attack to both fighter + enemy.

Some of this may get tossed for easiness, but:
1st: If have Knee Breaker, open fight with it. If don't and have AP, open with Distracting Spate and AP Crushing Surge.
For levels 1-15: Otherwise - If have temp, Encounters then Brash Strike, else Crushing Surge
2nd: Could use Boundless Endurance on 1st round of 2nd fight. It only heals when bloodied but that way it actually triggers the round you're bloodied. Or use it whenever you are bloodied at the end of a round and have a minor.
Meliorating = +1 AC on 3rd & 4th fight, +2 AC on 5th fight
3rd: do Crushing Blow after Distracting
4th: +1 Con&Str, Change to Craghammer
5th: Start a combat with Rain of Steel on... very likely to overdo that combat so all kinds of possible ways to do this one, but probably use 1st fight, save knee breaker for the 2nd fight.
Fencing = If have move action at end of turn, use it to shift for +1 AC & Ref, else if minor at end of turn, use 1/enc shift for +1 AC & Ref.
6th: First hit that does at least the damage blocked, or would drop the dwarf, use unbreakable.
7th: Griffon's Wrath before Distracting
8th: +1 Con&Str
9th: Use Jackal Strike whenever you bloody the enemy - _could_ make it not bother if you've got rain of steel, tons of hp + temp, but eh. Use Strikebacks on the first hit.
10th: In theory saving second wind until using this could be good... don't have to, though. If you did, would suggest triggering neither until bloodied, then triggering this first, then second wind the next round.
11th: +1 all stats, Frontline Surge is the _last_ encounter to use. Remember the post-combat free Con hp from Enduring Warrior. Suggest ignoring Ferocious Reaction's "reduce to 0 hp" bit, but +4 defenses is good stuff
12th: Ignore Inexorable Shift until 16th, then use 1st round of every combat for free Con damage.
13th: Anvil of Doom right after Griffon's -2 AC or Crumpling Slam's prone with AP
15th: Unyielding Avalanche first round of first combat, don't bother with AP or other dailies in that combat unless desperate. It should make him near invulnerable that combat.
16th: Iron Warrior if need to make a save or if bloodied. Can now spend a healing surge with AP, which may suggest holding onto APs until have something to heal. If that's a pain to code, maybe swap improved second wind to here.
17th: Crumpling Slam as 1st attack or combined with an AP against prone target (like anvil). May be some variance on whether Con damage for push stacks with Con damage for prone, whether this is 2x or 3x Con damage.

Prolly good enough for now

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Once we have the build going, I would be interested to see how much the stance (3rd level, I think) that gives regeneration while bloodied helps him.

Quite a bit, I would think, as we have no leader - from game experience its less helpful, because the fighter just doesn't stay bloodied enough.

 

[keterys]

Yeah, the regeneration once you get both Unyielding Avalanche and Boundless Endurance could be quite a bit silly. I mean, at 16th it'll be getting 6 temp on a miss with Crushing Surge, 16 temp on a hit (or possibly 10 and 16, I don't know if stoneblood applies on misses and hits), plus 6 regen... well, monsters will have difficulty working through that. I could easily see the build being nigh invulnerable 1 on 1.

Even if the fights do take OMG forever.

 

[Truename]

Quick update on the sim: Temporary hit points are in, as is Battlerager Vigor and a Crushing Surge-specific version of Invigorating. Next up: generalized support for Invigorating (for Knee Breaker) and support for combat advantage (for Brash Strike and Distracting Spate). After that, I'll put in support for magic items and get the Vicious Warhammer in.

Even with just the one at-will, this dwarf is looking pretty intimidating. His survivability is just a few points lower than the Greatweapon and Guardian builds, and that's before encounters and dailies. I've named him Ragnarok.

Once I have all the level 1 powers done, I'll post a head-to-head comparison between Ragnarok and the other builds.

 

[keterys]

Very nice. It is funny how just taking a character shows a ton of things that need to be modeled

 

[Mengu]

Here's a quick greatweapon version of the dwarf fighter for the sake of comparison. Probably not as potent as could be, but tried for easy powers over strong powers for ease of simulation.

level 30
Dwarf, Fighter, Kensei, Demigod
Build: Great Weapon Fighter
Fighter Talents: Two-handed Weapon Talent
Kensei Focus: Kensei Focus Mordenkrad
Divine Spark: Divine Spark Strength
Divine Spark: Divine Spark Constitution
Practiced Reliability: Anvil of Doom

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 28, Con 26, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 10.


AC: 26 Fort: 36 Reflex: 26 Will: 27
HP: 215 Surges: 21 Surge Value: 61

TRAINED SKILLS
Streetwise +21, Endurance +30, Athletics +29, Religion +20

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +16, Arcana +15, Bluff +16, Diplomacy +16, Dungeoneering +19, Heal +17, History +15, Insight +17, Intimidate +16, Nature +17, Perception +17, Stealth +16, Thievery +16

FEATS
Level 1: Dwarven Weapon Training
Level 2: Disciple of Divine Wrath
Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Hammer)
Level 6: Armor Proficiency (Plate)
Level 8: Fighter Weapon Specialization
Level 10: Durable (retrained to Dwarven Durability at Level 11)
Level 11: Armor Specialization (Plate)
Level 12: Hammer Rhythm
Level 14: Marked Scourge
Level 16: Improved Second Wind
Level 18: Blood Thirst
Level 20: Reckless Attacker
Level 21: Bludgeon Mastery
Level 22: Martial Mastery
Level 24: Epic Recovery
Level 26: Triumphant Attack
Level 28: Practiced Reliability
Level 30: Durable

POWERS
Fighter at-will 1: Brash Strike
Fighter at-will 1: Reaping Strike (retrained to Crushing Surge at Level 12)
Fighter encounter 1: Distracting Spate
Fighter daily 1: Villain's Menace
Fighter utility 2: Boundless Endurance
Fighter encounter 3: Rain of Blows
Fighter daily 5: Rain of Steel
Fighter utility 6: Unbreakable
Fighter encounter 7: Griffon's Wrath
Fighter daily 9: Jackal Strike
Fighter utility 10: Mighty Surge
Fighter encounter 13: Anvil of Doom (replaces Distracting Spate)
Fighter daily 15: Unyielding Avalanche (replaces Villain's Menace)
Fighter utility 16: Iron Warrior
Fighter encounter 17: Harrying Assault (replaces Griffon's Wrath)
Fighter daily 19: Reaving Strike (replaces Rain of Steel)
Fighter utility 22: No Surrender
Fighter encounter 23: Skullcrusher (replaces Rain of Blows)
Fighter daily 25: Fighter's Resurgence (replaces Reaving Strike)
Fighter encounter 27: Skullcrusher (replaces Skullcrusher)
Fighter daily 29: Force the Battle (replaces Jackal Strike)

ITEMS
1. Quick Mordenkrad +1
2. Gauntlets of Blood (heroic tier)
3. Piecemeal Scale Armor +1
4. Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier)
5. Dwarven Drakescale Armor +2
6. Quick Mordenkrad +2
7. Cloak of the Walking Wounded +2
8. Layered Plate Armor of Durability +2
9. Belt of Blood (heroic tier)
10. Dwarven Gith Plate Armor +3
11. Quick Mordenkrad +3
12. Gauntlets of Blood (paragon tier)
13. Cloak of the Walking Wounded +3
14. Iron Armbands of Power (paragon tier)
15. Dwarven Specter Plate Armor +4
16. Quick Mordenkrad +4
17. Cloak of the Walking Wounded +4
18. Eager Hero's Tattoo (paragon tier)
19. Ring of Heroic Health (epic tier)
20. Dwarven Specter Plate Armor +5
21. Quick Mordenkrad +5
22. Gauntlets of Blood (epic tier)
23. Cloak of the Walking Wounded +5
24. Iron Armbands of Power (epic tier)
25. Dwarven God Plate Armor +6
26. Quick Mordenkrad +6
27. Ring of Free Time (epic tier)
28. Cloak of the Walking Wounded +6
29. (doesn't matter)
30. (doesn't matter)

AI:
Level 1: Open first fight with Distracting Spate, Action Point, Villain's Menace. Brash Strike from there on. Use second wind when you take damage over one surge value. Second fight, open with Distracting spate, use Quick Weapon immediately if this attack or next attack hits. Otherwise wait for next fight to use Quick Weapon while you have CA.
Level 2: Same as level 1, except start every battle with oath of enmity. If you have ever used second wind and still manage to get bloodied, after your attack if you haven't taken enemy down, use Boundless Endurance.
Level 3: Open with Oath of Enmity, Distracting Spate, Action point, Villain's Menace. Next round go with Rain of Blows. Each encounter first time an attack hits dead on or by 1 point, use piecemeal armor.
Level 5: Use Rain of Steel for second encounter. Use Dwarven armor if below half bloodied.

The AI becomes more and more complex as you level up, I can give a more detailed sequence if needed, but I tried to keep the selections simple so the AI would be relatively straight forward.