Swordmage paralysis of analysis

[jasin]

I'll be playing a swordmage in Keep on the Shadowfell (and, hopefully, the prolonged campaign that will follow), but I'm not sure how to arrange my stats.

My first thought was

Str 18
Con 13
Dex 10
Int 18
Wis 11
Cha 8

including +2 Str, +2 Int from genasi. Stat increases always go to Str and Int. But then I noticed Intelligent Blademaster (use Int instead of Str for basic attacks) and now I'm thinking

Str 12
Con 14
Dex 10
Int 20
Wis 11
Cha 8

with increases to Con and Int. That'd be -2 Fort, +1 Ref, +1 AC, +1 attack, +1 damage for a feat. A pretty good deal...

... but the 4E power selections still seem very limited to me, and multiclassing into warlord and picking up a power here and there when the swordmage list isn't all that seemed intriguing. With crap for Str, that's no longer an option.

On the other hand, the idea of a swordsman who uses smarts rather than muscle has been very interesting to me for quite some time.

On the third hand, with the way 4E encourages fast and loose narration rather than strict adherence to precise mechanical models, Str 18, Int 18 might very well be close enough for the purposes of roleplaying a cunning swordsman.

What would you do, EN World?

 

[WalterKovacs]

With the second option, you can always multiclass into wizard. Also, there are more swordmage powers in the online article.

 

[Kordeth]

Intelligent Blademaster makes 18 Str pretty much a waste for the swordmage. If you're really set on multiclassing to warlord, leave it around 14. Drop your pre-racial bonus Int to 16; unless you're going 100% pure primary attack-stat with the character, the cost of that 18 isn't worth it.

Keep in mind that the really good light/heavy blade feats require Dex, so don't dump that too much either. Are you going Assault or Shielding swordmage? For assault, I'd go with this spread (pre-racial):

Str: 14
Con: 12
Dex: 13
Int: 16
Wis: 11
Cha: 10

That ups your Str to 16 and your Int to 18, while still letting you qualify for Blade Opportunist right off and getting the later heavy blade feats not too tough. You'll be a little light on hp and surges, so maybe take Toughness at 1st level.

 

[DracoSuave]

Any discussion of swordmage attributes without deciding on its powers and focus is a waste of time. You don't need to extend your concept out to level 30 or anything, but a simple look at the powers you want, -then- deciding where you want the attributes will get you a lot more mileage from this class. It isn't as simple as 'Genasi, Int 20, Intellegent Blademaster go'.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Some powers give bonuses based on STR, they benefit greatly from having lots of strength. Ditto with CON based powers. If you don't go with either of them, maxing INT is good. Otherwise, you want to get very good in the secondary skill to make best use of the powers that benefit from them.

Depending on your weapon choice, there are associated feats that have requirements. Heavy blades need strength and dex, axes [the sword/axe hybrid weapon in Ad Vault] needs strength and con, if you go with a polearm, it has a few options at higher levels. There are a few feats for magic types, although only the damage ones early on have requirements [plus Arcane Reach].

As a genasi, your different manifestations will modify your saves as well, so it may depend on how you pick them.

In general though, there are 3 secondary stats you can go with, Str, Con or Wis [the wisdom way allows you to get a bit more out of wizard multiclassing, and you can take the paragon path that uses wisdom, plus set yourself up for polearm gamble if you go with a glaive.

In that case you could, after racial modifiers have something like:

14/12/10/18/16/8
or
14/10/12/18/16/8
or
14/10/10/18/16/10

You could also go with a bit more str, but a bit less wisdom, and have the dex left over to get spear push, and arcane reach [at epic, unless you put a point in at some point]

16/10/13/18/14/8

Heck, take a point out of str, and you can get the dex to 14, letting you qualify for all the polearm feats, arcane reach, and your str/dex will be set for heavy blade opportunity.

If you want the epic mastery feats, you need to start with 15 Dex [unless you are willing to drop points into it along the way or for demigod ...] and since you won't put a 19 into STR at the start, you have to put points in along the way/at demigod for it. Invert it for light blades.

 

[DracoSuave]

Swordmages don't get as much mileage out of weapon feats tho, so going for Mastery isn't necessarily the optimal choice.

This is why we plan our powers and our focus. Every comment such as 'You need ____ for HBO' is absolutely pointless if, for example, he goes for all the implement powers or his power choice doesn't use his feats effectively. For example, if he takes HBO, and then chooses Lightning Lure and Sword Burst as his at-wills, he's wasted his feat completely.

If he decides to sport Greenflame Blade, Flame Cyclone, Burning Blade, then Spikes of Agony, he's burning himself if he ignores Strength 'because you don't need it.' Even if it's not useful for Aegis of Assault, you -actually do other things besides your class feature.-

You might want to look at what those things -are- before deciding what attributes are.

Powers first, then attribute and feat choices to optimize those powers. That is the path to optimization for swordmages, and that's simply reality at work.