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<blockquote data-quote="Nifft" data-source="post: 4260878" data-attributes="member: 6562"><p>Okay, let's see what we can do with a staff dwarf:</p><p></p><p><strong>Stocken MacThunderpole</strong>, Dwarf Wizard 1</p><p>Str: 14</p><p>Con: 16 (14 +2 racial)</p><p>Dex: 10</p><p>Int: 16</p><p>Wis: 15 (13 +2 racial)</p><p>Cha: 8</p><p></p><p>Powers:</p><p>* Thunderwave (Close blast 3, Int vs. Fort, push back Wis squares)</p><p>* Cloud of Daggers (1 square for 1 round, Int vs. Reflex on initial target, Wis damage to those who later pass through)</p><p></p><p>Feat: Toughness</p><p>HP: 31</p><p></p><p>- - -</p><p>Low AC (14), but not terrible for an unarmored dude. We'll fix that next level.</p><p></p><p>Level 2 feat: Leather armor proficiency (AC 17, including 2nd level bonus).</p><p>Level 2 power: Shield (+4 AC and Reflex as an interrupt).</p><p>- - -</p><p>Level 3's attack power will be either Color Spray or Fire Shroud. The latter is nice because it's a big burst that ignores allies.</p><p>- - -</p><p>Level 4 gives us a +1 to Int and Wisdom, and a new feat: Hide armor proficiency. So we've gained another +2 AC this level (+2 for half level, +3 for mundane hide armor). Now our AC is 10 +3 Int +3 armor +2 level +1 staff = 19. That's comparable to a 4th level Fighter or Cleric in Chainmail.</p><p>- - -</p><p>Level 6 feat: Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)? +1 damage, it's nice, whatever. Alternately, one of the spell weapon bonus feats: Dark Fury and Burning Blizzard are both available. If you find you're taking too much damage in combat, Durable (+2 healing surges) is nice, and if you're fighting big critters, Dodge Giants is available. Finally, Expanded Spellbook is great if you don't already have all the spells you want.</p><p>- - -</p><p>Level 8 feat: See level 6. Also, +1 Int (18 total) and +1 Con (17 total).</p><p>- - -</p><p>Level 10 feat: See level 6. At level 10, though, you get access to a phenomenal Utility power: Blur. You just plain can't be targeted by foes more than 5 squares away from you.</p><p>- - -</p><p>Level 11: Paragon time! Your first feat is Dwarven Durability (+2 healing surges, and each surge cures +4 hit points).</p><p></p><p>Later feats: Armor specialization (hide), Solid Sound, Devastating Critical, and Resounding Thunder would be my picks, but a case could be made for Improved Second Wind or Fleet Footed, too.</p><p>- - -</p><p>Paragon Paths: There are a couple you could take. Battle Mage is nice, Blood Mage is fine, or you could take the (useless) Fighter multi-class feat and go into Kensei.</p><p></p><p></p><p>It's very possible to build a highly defensive Wizard of the Spiral Tower, but that involves some strategy shifts over the course of your career. Basically, you'd go:</p><p></p><p>Levels 1-4: Staff Wizard, get armor proficiency (as above)</p><p>Levels 6-10: Longsword proficiency, Light shield proficiency, Heavy shield proficiency, and don't actually use any of them yet.</p><p>Level 11: Reduce your beloved staff to residuum and pick up a nice Longsword & Shield. Take Armor Specialization (hide), then Dwarven Durability, then catch up on your missing Heroic tier feats: Expanded Spellbook for sure, then possibly Powerful Charge, Durable, Defensive Mobility, Dodge Giants, Burning Blizzard, etc. Consider taking the Ranger multi-class feat if your group has trouble with solo monsters or if boss fights are particularly tough.</p><p>- - -</p><p></p><p>Finally, a sneaky option: take Longsword proficiency, go into Spiral Tower, but keep using your good old staff. You'll save two feats on Shield specialization, and you'll actually qualify for the Epic level Bludgeon Mastery feat (4e's version of Improved Critical for staves), while it would have been impossible for you to qualify for Heavy Blade Mastery.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>That's what I've figured out so far on building a valid blocker & smacker who can also lay down some Arcane smack of his own. There are tons of great Close attack spells (including your at-will Thunderwave), so you don't have to worry about being mobbed -- not for long anyway. He relies only on Str, Con, and Int, with some benefit granted by Wis. This means he can actually keep Strength up while always putting points in Int.</p><p></p><p>You could do something similar with an Eladrin (10 levels of longsword in one hand, staff in the other), but he'd focus on Dexterity in place of Strength. He'd get +1 attack & damage on his Wizard powers, but his melee damage would be pitiful until 11th level, and he'd be far less durable.</p><p></p><p>Cheers, -- N</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nifft, post: 4260878, member: 6562"] Okay, let's see what we can do with a staff dwarf: [b]Stocken MacThunderpole[/b], Dwarf Wizard 1 Str: 14 Con: 16 (14 +2 racial) Dex: 10 Int: 16 Wis: 15 (13 +2 racial) Cha: 8 Powers: * Thunderwave (Close blast 3, Int vs. Fort, push back Wis squares) * Cloud of Daggers (1 square for 1 round, Int vs. Reflex on initial target, Wis damage to those who later pass through) Feat: Toughness HP: 31 - - - Low AC (14), but not terrible for an unarmored dude. We'll fix that next level. Level 2 feat: Leather armor proficiency (AC 17, including 2nd level bonus). Level 2 power: Shield (+4 AC and Reflex as an interrupt). - - - Level 3's attack power will be either Color Spray or Fire Shroud. The latter is nice because it's a big burst that ignores allies. - - - Level 4 gives us a +1 to Int and Wisdom, and a new feat: Hide armor proficiency. So we've gained another +2 AC this level (+2 for half level, +3 for mundane hide armor). Now our AC is 10 +3 Int +3 armor +2 level +1 staff = 19. That's comparable to a 4th level Fighter or Cleric in Chainmail. - - - Level 6 feat: Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)? +1 damage, it's nice, whatever. Alternately, one of the spell weapon bonus feats: Dark Fury and Burning Blizzard are both available. If you find you're taking too much damage in combat, Durable (+2 healing surges) is nice, and if you're fighting big critters, Dodge Giants is available. Finally, Expanded Spellbook is great if you don't already have all the spells you want. - - - Level 8 feat: See level 6. Also, +1 Int (18 total) and +1 Con (17 total). - - - Level 10 feat: See level 6. At level 10, though, you get access to a phenomenal Utility power: Blur. You just plain can't be targeted by foes more than 5 squares away from you. - - - Level 11: Paragon time! Your first feat is Dwarven Durability (+2 healing surges, and each surge cures +4 hit points). Later feats: Armor specialization (hide), Solid Sound, Devastating Critical, and Resounding Thunder would be my picks, but a case could be made for Improved Second Wind or Fleet Footed, too. - - - Paragon Paths: There are a couple you could take. Battle Mage is nice, Blood Mage is fine, or you could take the (useless) Fighter multi-class feat and go into Kensei. It's very possible to build a highly defensive Wizard of the Spiral Tower, but that involves some strategy shifts over the course of your career. Basically, you'd go: Levels 1-4: Staff Wizard, get armor proficiency (as above) Levels 6-10: Longsword proficiency, Light shield proficiency, Heavy shield proficiency, and don't actually use any of them yet. Level 11: Reduce your beloved staff to residuum and pick up a nice Longsword & Shield. Take Armor Specialization (hide), then Dwarven Durability, then catch up on your missing Heroic tier feats: Expanded Spellbook for sure, then possibly Powerful Charge, Durable, Defensive Mobility, Dodge Giants, Burning Blizzard, etc. Consider taking the Ranger multi-class feat if your group has trouble with solo monsters or if boss fights are particularly tough. - - - Finally, a sneaky option: take Longsword proficiency, go into Spiral Tower, but keep using your good old staff. You'll save two feats on Shield specialization, and you'll actually qualify for the Epic level Bludgeon Mastery feat (4e's version of Improved Critical for staves), while it would have been impossible for you to qualify for Heavy Blade Mastery. * * * That's what I've figured out so far on building a valid blocker & smacker who can also lay down some Arcane smack of his own. There are tons of great Close attack spells (including your at-will Thunderwave), so you don't have to worry about being mobbed -- not for long anyway. He relies only on Str, Con, and Int, with some benefit granted by Wis. This means he can actually keep Strength up while always putting points in Int. You could do something similar with an Eladrin (10 levels of longsword in one hand, staff in the other), but he'd focus on Dexterity in place of Strength. He'd get +1 attack & damage on his Wizard powers, but his melee damage would be pitiful until 11th level, and he'd be far less durable. Cheers, -- N [/QUOTE]
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