Shield Feint

[Xyrlove Woodsoul]

How comparable do you people think the new Fighter At-Will Attack Power in Dragon #385, Shield Feint, is compared to the other Fighter At-wills?

When something new is published our dm lets us "retrain" something if we want.

I have a balanced human fighter who uses a shield and bastard sword, his at-wills are, Footwork Lure, Tide of Iron, and Brash Strike. He rarely uses Brash Strike, but comes in real handy when he needs a +2 to hit. He doesn't use Footwork Lure a whole lot, but also comes in handy.

Our party members change, so I can't really base his powers off other party members, more so, just the best availiable power.

I like this Shield Feint power because it seems like it could set up an important Daily attack, that needs to hit. But I dunno.

So what do you think?

Shield Feint Fighter Attack 1
With subtle movements and misdirection, you use your shield to keep your opponent unsure about your next attack.
At-Will F Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Requirement: You must be using a shield.
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you gain a +3 power bonus to your next attack roll against the target before the end of your next turn.
Level 21: 2[W] + Strength modifier

 

[DracoSuave]

Seems amazing.

+3 to hit is no small potatoes, even if all you're doing is shield feinting.

Wow.

 

[Xyrlove Woodsoul]

Yeah, that +3 is pretty "eye-catching," and I'm leaning towards taking it. I just don't know what I want to retrain; I use ToI often, and sometimes FL comes in real handy, like I said. But Brash Strike is rated really high at the optimization site. But it will probably be the one I retrain.

 

[DracoSuave]

Yeah, that +3 is pretty "eye-catching," and I'm leaning towards taking it. I just don't know what I want to retrain; I use ToI often, and sometimes FL comes in real handy, like I said. But Brash Strike is rated really high at the optimization site. But it will probably be the one I retrain.

Brash Strike is mighty with just about any weapon a fighter'd take...

...except for the bastard sword. Taking combat advantage isn't really worth the attack bonus, when you have a more versatile power in Shield Fient.

 

[Xyrlove Woodsoul]

Yeah, I didn't get the weapon damage bonus from Brash Strike, but I liked it for when i ran into something with a higher AC than normal, almost as a, Sure Strike. Giving up the CA was tough though.

But I decided to retrain it for Shield Feint, for sure. We're playing today, so I will see how it goes right away. I think it is going to work out well.

 

[Obryn]

Definitely switch if you're using a flail or a bastard sword.

If you're using an axe or hammer, I'd personally still lean towards Brash Strike, but this is a solid option, too.

I wouldn't take both, though, unless it's a Human's third at-will. It's always nice to have some extra control.

-O

 

[KarinsDad]

I'm not a real big fan of Tide of Iron and Footwork Lure. There doesn't seem to be too many situations where a normal Shift wouldn't do nearly as well to keep both of these.

You might want to consider dropping Footwork Lure for Shield Feint. The reasoning being that the PC could alternate +x to hit +x+5 to hit every other round by combining Shield Feint and Brash Strike. Being able to nearly guarantee a hit is pretty nice and they stack.

This also allows other PCs that might normally give the Fighter a power bonus to hit to give those power bonuses to other PCs instead.


However, Shield Feint has a subtle trap if it is overused.

For example:

Round 1: Shield Feint
Round 2: Encounter power
Round 3: Shield Feint
Round 4: Encounter power
Round 5: Shield Feint
Round 6: Encounter power

vs.

Round 1: Encounter power
Round 2: Encounter power
Round 3: Encounter power
Round 4: At Will
Round 5: At Will
Round 6: At Will

In this example, using Shield Feint results in the use of 1 Encounter power by round 3 as opposed to the more typical 3 Encounter powers by round 3. Each Encounter power has the +3 bonus to hit which is very helpful, but the Encounter powers are spread out over a longer portion of time.

This means that on average, the PC will do more damage, but he will do that extra damage later in time. This means that the enemies will average more damage as well since there will be times where an Encounter power would hinder or drop an enemy where it now doesn't until later in the encounter.

Granted, not every encounter will result in the use of 3 Encounter powers on rounds 1 through 3, but Encounter powers are often used up early in an encounter if possible due to their extra umph and conditions.

Just food for though while using Shield Feint. Its use is a two edged sword.

 

[Obryn]

I'm not a real big fan of Tide of Iron and Footwork Lure. There doesn't seem to be too many situations where a normal Shift wouldn't do nearly as well to keep both of these.

Huh.

Tide of Iron is awesome if there's anything interesting going on on the battlefield. Fire, cliffs, spell effects, pretty much everything.

Footwork Lure is great for pulling enemies off your allies, and back into friendly zones.

Both are fantastic for getting your allies out of grapples.

I'd never build a Fighter without one of the two...

-O

 

[KarinsDad]

I'd never build a Fighter without one of the two...

Which is why I said it was not necessary to keep both of these.

I also happen to know of several Fighters that have neither of these. Most Fighters are not human and do not have 3 1st level At Wills. It would be foolish to have both of these every time, so a human Fighter can afford to only have one, just like a non-human Fighter.

 

[DracoSuave]

I'm not a real big fan of Tide of Iron and Footwork Lure. There doesn't seem to be too many situations where a normal Shift wouldn't do nearly as well to keep both of these.

You might want to consider dropping Footwork Lure for Shield Feint. The reasoning being that the PC could alternate +x to hit +x+5 to hit every other round by combining Shield Feint and Brash Strike. Being able to nearly guarantee a hit is pretty nice and they stack.

This also allows other PCs that might normally give the Fighter a power bonus to hit to give those power bonuses to other PCs instead.


However, Shield Feint has a subtle trap if it is overused.

For example:

Round 1: Shield Feint
Round 2: Encounter power
Round 3: Shield Feint
Round 4: Encounter power
Round 5: Shield Feint
Round 6: Encounter power

vs.

Round 1: Encounter power
Round 2: Encounter power
Round 3: Encounter power
Round 4: At Will
Round 5: At Will
Round 6: At Will

<stuff snipped>

Bullocks. He's a Sword and Board fighter (read: controller secondary), so his contribution to -damage- isn't as important as his ability to defend.

As a result, many of his encounter powers aren't -useful- on turn 1, depending on their role.

Encounter Powers are -not- burst damage powers for every role. Many times they are for other things... I'd be -upset- if a healing-based leader used his encounters in the first round!

For such a character, being able to prime your encounter powers with a perfectly good at-will in case you need to use them is nice.

AND... Shield Fient into Shield Fient isn't bad dpr either.