Swordmage: Help grasping the concept, please

[Garthanos]

If you're not a striker and don't do credible damage, why do they honor your mark?

If anything it sounds like a a Terry Funk gimmick. If the brute is smart enough, he'll invoke your mark to get you away fromt he artillery.

He was referring to a shielding swordmage who doesnt go anywhere to block the marked one.

 

[Herschel]

It doesn't matter if he triggers my mark and I'm in the backfield, I'm not required to make the jump. It's just there in case I need to get out and back in healing range/whatever. The damage is credible, just not striker-level, and against the back line squishies it doesn't need to be.

If I'm shielding, I'm happy letting him trigger my mark. I'm also off bashing squishies and his damage is crap.

 

[Obryn]

If you're not a striker and don't do credible damage, why do they honor your mark?

I dunno. Why would they honor the Fighter's mark?

Same answer to both: It's out-of-turn damage you'd rather avoid. Assault Swordmages' MBA damage is comparable to (and with a feat or two, like Elemental Assault superior to) a Fighter's.

Swordmages' low overall damage stems from the low damage of their Encounter and Daily powers, not from their MBAs or At-Wills.

-O