No THF striker?

[Destil]

Because I'm still not sick of making PCs

... they always end up as elves, though ...

Kratos, Elf Pit Fighter 16
Str 19 Dex 19 Con 13 Int 12 Wis 17 Cha 9
Speed 9
AC: 30 Fort: 25 Refl: 26 Will: 24
HP: 118, Bloodied 59, Surge 29 (10/day)

Flaming Spiked Chain +19vs.AC, 2d4+10, reach
At Will
Reaping Strike, Cleave, Sure Strike

Encounter
Chains of Sorrow (f13) - 6d4+10 and the target takes a -4 (dex) penalty to all all defenses until next turn
All Bets Are Off (pf11) - 4d4+10 damage, second attack vs. reflex to damage and daze
Hawk's Talon (r7) - +22 (+str +wis) vs. AC 4d4+9, ignores cover and concealment.
Sweeping Blow (f3) - +21 (+1 1/2 str) vs. AC, 2d4+9, burst 1
Elven Accuracy - Reroll an attack
Hunter's Quarry - +2d6

Daily
Serpent Dance Strike (f15) - 2d4+10, and knock prone, can hit up to three times against up to three targets, shift before each attack
Attacks on the Run (r9) - Move your speed and make two 6d4+10 attacks at any point.
Dizzying Blow (f5) - 6d4+10 and immobilized

Utility
Surprise Step (w16), encounter - Reaction to an adjacent enemy moving away from you. You shift into their space and gain combat advantage
Deadly Payback (pf12), daily - Reaction to melee damage, gain +2 to attack and damage for one turn against that enemy
Expeditious Stride (r10), encounter - +4 speed and shift an extra square turn until next turn (minor)
Into the Frey (f10)(encounter) - Shift 3 as long as you end adjacent to an enemy (minor)
Battle Awareness (f5), daily - +10 to Initiative
No Opening (f2), encounter - Negate combat advantage for one attack

Feats
Weapon Focus [Flail] - +2 damage
Exotic Weapon Prof [Spiked Chain]
Ranger Multiclass (4)
Sweeping Flail - +2 to attacks with flail vs. foes with shields
Fleet Footed - +1 speed
Powerful Charge - +2 damage on a charge
Power Attack - -2 to hit, +6 damage
Devastating Critical - +1d10 on a crit

Other
Dirty Fighting - +3 (Wis) damage with weapons
Armor Optimization - +1 AC in armor
Extra Damage Action - +8 (1/2 level) damage when spending an action point
Combat Challenge
Combat Superiority - +3 (wis) bonus to opportunity attacks, stops movement
Fighter Weapon Talent - +1 to attacks with two-handed weapons
Shift into difficult terrain

Gear
Darkhide Armor +4
Flaming Spiked Chain +3
Amulet of False Life +3
Boots of Striding

Some of your powers (your two ranger ones, in fact) can even be used with a bow instead. Skimp on Dex and Con a bit more for 18 Str or as a dragonborn for really excellent attack bonuses, there's a lot of synergy there...

In fact fighter weapon talent and the +3 prof bonus most likely add back in a lot of the damage that quarry gives in most fights that don't drag out forever.

There are a few options here that let/force you to get adjacent. I don't think that's a problem at all thematically, as you're usually hitting more than one opponent. Choking up on the chain and going wild with it.

 

[Xorn]

A fighter has abilities that drastically augment the defender role.

You're defender is the guy up front as at the primary attack target. The fighter and paladin just happen to have tools to make that happen.

When I watch the dwarf fighter rolling 2d6+5 damage with his maul, via Cleave and Reaping Strike, then doing it again to anything trying to get around him--I tend to look at him as a striker in defender's clothing.

I'd say for a chain fighter you're looking for a fighter with solid Dex, to boost attacks like Chains of Sorrow... 3[W]+Str, target has -2 Def till the end of your next turn. If you're wielding a flail (includes spiked chain) Def penalty is equal to Dex mod. That's a level 13 power--so there's the potential to strip away like 6 Def or so? Nice.

Serpent Dance Strike screams for use with a spiked chain (up to 4 attacks, shifting between attacks, inflicting 2[W] + prone per target your size or down).

I'd say the Kensei path fighter would be pretty handy.

 

[jaelis]

Cool, thanks for the ideas!

 

[Aria Silverhands]

I believe that someone has ruled in his own game that something like a quarterstaff can count as both weapons for a two-weapon power. I don't see why a spiked chain (which is a retarded weapon, by the way) couldn't also apply. It's a superior weapon, so you'd have to spend a feat to get it, keeping it from being to unbalanced.

http://www.ariagames.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=21

Double Weapon (Weapon Trait)

This is a new trait applied to a small number of weapons that allow them to be used by rangers with their two weapon exploits. When used as a double weapon, treat it as if the character was wielding two different melee weapons in all regards. This means the character does not gain any two-handed bonuses from feats or other traits like versatility. In addition, the character cannot benefit from a weapon with the reach trait. Finally, the cost to enchant the weapon is doubled or the character can choose to enchant only one half of the weapon. For the sake of simplicity, the weapon uses the same base die for damage regardless of which end is used.

Simple Melee Weapons
One-Handed
Spear

Two-Handed
Quarterstaff

Military Melee Weapons
Two-Handed
Glaive
Halberd
Longspear

 

[Greatwyrm]

Yeah I agree with this, but I doubt that sacred hamburger is on the menu

We saw quite a few cows dead on release day. I'm not counting out anything.

 

[Cabral]

There are many ranger powers which do not require two weapons. Only one at will, tho, so you'll have to dabble in ranged attacks. But the at will is one you seem to want, a mobile attack.

And your DM could always remove the "you must be wielding two melee weapons" requirement from ranger powers for you.

Actually, if your DM will allow it. Convert up the Oriental Adventures (non-spiked?) chain.

It was snifty. You could interchange between using it as a Two-hander with reach (IIRC) or a twin-weapon.

 

[Starbuck_II]

There are many ranger powers which do not require two weapons. Only one at will, tho, so you'll have to dabble in ranged attacks. But the at will is one you seem to want, a mobile attack.

And your DM could always remove the "you must be wielding two melee weapons" requirement from ranger powers for you.

You know, Careful Attack has no reason to require 2 weapons. I have absolutely no ideas why they forced that requirement...

 

[bardolph]

One of my favorite character concepts is the lightly armored, highly mobile spiked-chain fighter. There were several nice ways to do this in 3.5, but as far as I see, it just doesn't work at all in 4e... in fact, you can't seem to make a striker using a two-handed weapon of any sort.

Is there an easy fix I'm not seeing? You could houserule a spike chain to count as a light blade, but then there are more than a few rogue powers that pretty much assume you're attacking an adjacent foe.

You have a few options:

Probably the best is to make a Ranger, and convince your DM to count the chain as "two weapons" for purposes of using your powers.

Another option is to make a Ranger using RAW, try to pick powers that allow you to be wielding one weapon whenever you can, and have some throwing hammers on-hand as a backup (in case you have powers that require ranged). This build can also multiclass into Fighter, and use power-swap feats to pick up good melee attacks from the fighter list (anywhere the Ranger list falls short).

You can also make a Fighter, and play it like a Striker. You could then multiclass into Ranger to pick up Hunter's Quarry, and cherry-pick powers from the Ranger list. I think this is your best RAW option.

 

[bardolph]

You know, Careful Attack has no reason to require 2 weapons. I have absolutely no ideas why they forced that requirement...

I think the assumption is that you're feinting with one weapon and attacking with the other.