Shielding Swordmage/Infernal Warlock: is this crazy?

[Herschel]

I'm looking at rolling up/out a new level 5 character for LFR as my only H2 character is about to hit H3 and the majority of people still have H2s to play so I came up with a character I haven't seen played yet. In our area LFR is active and we tend to have flavorful characters that aren't just op-cheese but I'm not sue how this one will work. The idea is this:

Stormsoul Genasi Shielding Swordmage/Infernal Pact Warlock, Primal Guardian theme, Vilhon Wilds Background.

At-wills: Booming Blade (Thunder damage) and Hellish Rebuke (retribution damage).
Two stances: Host of Shields (S U2) and the level 5 Daily Guardian Stance.

Feats: Hybrid Talent - Swordmage Warding, White Lotus Riposte and maybe Promise of the Daughter or something cool.

The idea: Off-defender who can primary if needed. Mark & kite the enemy and forcing bad choices or either coming after really hard to hit me and taking damage or getting your attacks and damage nerfed.

Th more "striker" idea would be Assault with Eldritch Strike but I'm looking at trying a different approach. Is this too much of a gimmick to actually work?

 

[kerbarian]

I've played a very similar character in LFR, and it was a lot of fun, but action economy is an issue. Many turns you want to move, mark, curse, and attack, and you can't manage all four. I found Channeling Shield and Dimensional Vortex to be great ways to defend during the first couple rounds, when it can be tricky to get a mark up.

Also, if you're focusing on Warlock attacks rather than Swordmage weapon attacks, Superior Implement Training (Incendiary Dagger) is great. It's +1 attack and +2 damage for Hellish Rebuke and many other Warlock powers. If you're using a lot of weapon attacks, though, you're stuck with the d4 of a dagger.

I also went with Shielding, since I had high Con but a mediocre melee basic attack. Eventually monster damage will outscale you, but in early heroic a mark that reduces damage by 10 is amazing.

 

[Herschel]

Yeah, I was thinking Dimensional Vortex and Gurdian Theme for early rounds except my basic attack still sucks at this point.

 

[kerbarian]

Yeah, I was thinking Dimensional Vortex and Gurdian Theme for early rounds except my basic attack still sucks at this point.

You don't need a good basic attack for Dimensional Vortex -- it negates a hit on your ally and then the enemy makes its attack against (presumably) another enemy. You negate a hit and generate an extra attack, all without spending a standard action.

 

[Herschel]

Oh yeah, my 17th-level Assault Swordmage still has it because it's so useful but the Guardian Theme's intro interrupt power is a basic attack. That way I could keep Dimensional Vortex in my pocket for a bit looking to pawn off a crit.