Polearm Warden Builds

[Larrin]

The problem with the warden without reach is that you will mark your opponents, and then they'll just shift one space away, outside the reach of your weapon, and attack your allies in spite of the mark. They suffer a -2 penalty, but that's all. After they attack you can use your mark ability to drag them back to you, but next round they'll just wander off again.

Remember, when you drag them back with your warden's Grasp ( i think thats the name) they also get hit with slow and can't shift....so they tend not to wander off...not without provoking your OA's, plus they can't wander far while slowed. I've used it on adjacent foes when they took OA's on an ally (who was running away to heal) just so they couldn't chase them when their turn came around. (Also, it never misses, unlike warden's fury which i seem to have difficulty hitting with, just luck really) Combine the slow,/can't shift with difficult terrain (say with winter's herald), and they're stuck close to you. I have a reach weapon as a back up, but i've never needed it to do my job.

reach wardens are a very good build, but not the only very good build.

 

[IanB]

Reach weapons are not really a big boost for wardens. On top of all the other things mentioned here, it also doesn't help your pull-them-closer at-will as it isn't tied to weapon reach.

Having gone through a number of builds, wardens really seem to perform best when going 1h/shield. The fact that they can generally keep more people marked than any other defender puts a real premium on the extra AC from having a shield.

 

[CubeKnight]

Reach weapons are not really a big boost for wardens. On top of all the other things mentioned here, it also doesn't help your pull-them-closer at-will as it isn't tied to weapon reach.

Having gone through a number of builds, wardens really seem to perform best when going 1h/shield. The fact that they can generally keep more people marked than any other defender puts a real premium on the extra AC from having a shield.

How about 1h/shield/reach? (See: Whip)

 

[Nail]

Whip? (Which book?)

 

[CubeKnight]

Whip? (Which book?)

It's in one of the Dragon articles, can't remember which one.

 

[Nail]

It's in one of the Dragon articles, can't remember which one.

Ah.

IOW, "useless to me". Oh well.

 

[Bagpuss]

Have you not considered a Goliath? Their Great Weapon Prowess works well with two-handed weapons, plus there Strength of Stone, racial ability is great for a Warden that doesn't have great AC due to not having a shield, you Mark everything adjacent then gain Resist 5 for two rounds. Both attributes bonus suit a Earth Warden build as well.

 

[Bagpuss]

I guess I just don't see retaliatory attacks as good enough reason to take -2 to reflex and AC

It does depend on the party. My Goliath Warden is in a party with a Half-Orc Brutal Scoundrel.

So if I can get my Warden's Fury off, they end up in a world of hurt, not just from my attack but the Rogue following up. This means they attack me instead, sure I get hit more without a shield but the Warden does have the hit points to take it.

I've been playing my Warden sometimes using a Halberd and other times Longsword and Shield. I did find using the sword and board combo, opponents would often shift away to charge or attack nearby allies, with the halberd not so much. I also found with the sword and board that by the time we rested due to other party members being out of surges I still had plenty left.

Working with the halberd I don't particularly use the reach that often, the threat of it is enough. But at least now I seem to be using my healing surges and other party members aren't being hit as often.

 

[Shin Okada]

It seems that the next party of ours will be mainly composed of PHB2 classes.

Warden (Mine)
Barbarian
Druid
Bard
Sorcerer
Another one not yet decided

So, most of the members will hit really hard and will have crappy AC I guess. If so, my main job is to let opponents attack me instead of strikers and controllers.

Also, I am not so convinced for going 1H and Shield style for a warden. Even with a shield, warden's AC will be much lower than that of plate-clad characters anyway. Critters in official modules hit plate-clad/shield wielding PCs fairly often. If so, a warden will be hit even more frequently, having a shield or not. And there are attacks vs NADs.

Regarding Goliath, I know that is a strong race. But I prefer Wisdom based warden for having better Will DEF and choice of powers. And I don't like the fluff and the look of shifter much.

 

[Flipguarder]

Also, I am not so convinced for going 1H and Shield style for a warden. Even with a shield, warden's AC will be much lower than that of plate-clad characters anyway. Critters in official modules hit plate-clad/shield wielding PCs fairly often. If so, a warden will be hit even more frequently, having a shield or not. And there are attacks vs NADs.

Thats simply not true.

My Ac on my 14th level Earthstrength Warden

+3 hide = 6
Ability (con) = 5
shield bonus = 2
Shield expertise = 1
1/2 level = 7

10+6+5+2+1+7= 31

Ac on a plate wearing guy of the using the same feats
+3 plate


+3 Plate = 11
Ability (dex) = 0
Shield bonus = 2
Shield expertise = 1
1/2 level = 7

10+11+2+1+7 = 31

A shield also gives a bonus to reflex (my bonus to ref is 3 due to shield expertise) and the class gives a bonus to fort and will.

Reach weapons also don't give you threatening reach. Honestly they do very little to help with the ability to defend from what I see. One of the abilites you have as a class feature already has reach, and every single power I took restricts their movement in one way or another, which is the real benefit to using a warden imo.

And for race I chose a Warforged. But for a wildblood warden I would put much less attention to constitution than I do as Earthstrength.

Honestly it might be slightly uncouth due to the lack of bonus in your main stat, but a dwarf has both a bonus to con, and wisdom. In addition they have the forced movement resistance and a bonus to saving throws against poison. That seems pretty synergistic with the Warden class.