Swordmage: Isn't it a little bit unbalanced?

[Prestidigitalis]

1) Shielding Swordmages were sideways-nerfed by the new monster damage rules. They still block a lot, but it's not 90%-100% of the damage anymore.

Can you elaborate on that? I will be playing my level 12 Shielding Swordmage on Sunday for the first time in a while, and I have no idea what you are talking about. Is it just that monster damage levels were increased?

3) SERIOUSLY terrible. Mine compensated by focusing on a bevy of ally-friendly close bursts. (Sword Burst + Arcane Admixture Thunder + Resounding Thunder = a pretty big deal.) He also had the Wildfire Genasi thing going for more, plus added that big close Thunder burst, Ensnaring Bolts, etc.

Still, his damage was pretty pathetic and he ended up feeling like he was nothing more than an ineffectual damage sponge.

Destructive Wizardry helps, given how often you can hit two enemies. But I know what you mean -- I have been debating starting a thread on how to amp up damage on Sword Burst.

Incidentally, I've also been toying with ideas about what an Essentials Swordmage might look like. My main concept is to make Sword Burst the standard attack (kind of like other Essentials classes use MBA/RBA) and then have stances that modify it. Because as is, I have a VERY hard time coming up with Encounter and Daily powers that I ever actually want to use in combat.

 

[Obryn]

Can you elaborate on that? I will be playing my level 12 Shielding Swordmage on Sunday for the first time in a while, and I have no idea what you are talking about. Is it just that monster damage levels were increased?

Yep. New monsters deal higher damage, in general. So your Swordmage is no longer as likely to block damage altogether.

When I started using MM3 monster guidelines, I noticed a sizable difference.

Destructive Wizardry helps, given how often you can hit two enemies. But I know what you mean -- I have been debating starting a thread on how to amp up damage on Sword Burst.

Incidentally, I've also been toying with ideas about what an Essentials Swordmage might look like. My main concept is to make Sword Burst the standard attack (kind of like other Essentials classes use MBA/RBA) and then have stances that modify it. Because as is, I have a VERY hard time coming up with Encounter and Daily powers that I ever actually want to use in combat.

They have some nice ones; I'd concentrate on the ally-friendly bursts and blasts like Thundering Vortex and the like.

Sword Burst is pretty awesome, but it will only ever do massive damage by virtue of hitting a lot of enemies at once and spreading that damage out.

-O

 

[Dragon Sin-Camealot]

Hey, everyone.

I haven't been playing DnD for long but in every game that's huge like this, the creators have to come out with a sub-class.

A Swordmage and a Paladin are essentially a fighter-like character. They trade damage for other powers. A Rogue deals tons of damages but loses defenses imo.

If we trail off into the subjective then play the character for what it is. If it doesn't work out try something else.

There is need of a different argument. But that's outside the scope of this one character. I'm new to the forum, not to gaming though.

 

[Joshua Randall]

If we trail off into the subjective then play the character for what it is. [...] There is need of a different argument.

One that makes sense?

Seriously, dude, what are you talking about?

 

[Prestidigitalis]

One that makes sense?

Seriously, dude, what are you talking about?

Now, be nice -- new to ENWorld and may not be native English speaker.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

They have some nice ones; I'd concentrate on the ally-friendly bursts and blasts like Thundering Vortex and the like.

Hmmm, not sure we will ever make it to level 17. And we don't use Dragon material, so I just don't see too many options that do much more than Sword Burst does.

 

[Herschel]

Sitting at level 15 I look at my Assualt Swordmage and he does okay damage. Dimensional Vortex is a great damage addition against multiple foes, although situational. There's nothing like taking a baddy's crit and ropping it on to one of his allies, especially a Frost Giant's (which yes, ahas happened). I have striikebacks and a barbarian multiclass (to get a decent perception and) Curtain of Steel as well as a +2 damage bonus. It's not striker damage, but it's enough to make them respect my mark.

My Fort, Reflex and AC rock, but my Will can be hit. And I can't take care of more than a couple of baddies at a time. Numbers and swarms are hard on him as a defender.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

Actually, by level 6, a Swordmage should use Decree to keep two marked every encounter.

It is a pretty good power, especially when used in "encounter mode", but the one thing that Swordmages do NOT lack is good utility powers. There is a lot of competition.

 

[Shin Okada]

I'll try to invent new ways to hit him . .. but I am sure he found some ways to improve also his other defenses.

I think you don't need to. At least you don't need to pursue it much.

To reduce the damage, a Shielding Swordmage should use an immediate interrupt action. Thus, he can use it only once/round. So, if you have 2+ monsters who are serious threat, you can always let monsters just ignore mark and attack much squishy PCs. The first hit may be reduced it's damage. But the second and the later hits in a round will cause full damage. -2 to attack? Accept it. That is expected penalty as almost all the parties have some defender(s).

And a Swordmage is not particularly good at marking multiple opponents at a time nor good at punishing multiple opponents/round. For monsters, ignoring a swordmage is not as problematic as, say, ignoring a Charisma-Din sprinkling Divine Sanctions.

 

[Droogie128]

Swordmages almost never have a poor fort, as str and con are both secondary stats for them. Swordmages generally seem to have the most well rounded defenses in my experience.