Swordmages and half-orcs hit the streets!

[blargney the second]

Woah, 2xInt to AC in light armor? There's the high water mark for AC... sounds like fun!

 

[Stormtalon]

Time to deconstruct basic attack at least:

+7: +2 (level), +3 (longsword prof), +1 (enh), +1 (stat). So, that's still based on Str.

Let's look at powers.

Booming Blade is +9 vs AC. I'd expect the extra +2 is from stat bonus, so that points at Int.

Sword Burst (+6 vs Ref) has Implement instead of Weapon, so it loses the +3 longsword prof bonus. Again, points at Int.

Chilling Blow & Corrosive Ruin are also +9, as are Frost Backlash and Lingering Lightning; all-in-all, a persuasive case for Int being the primary attack stat for at least this particular Swordmage build. High Con is due to being a dwarf; looks like the character put 16 in each of Int and Con (and has put the level 4 +1 to two stats in 'em as well).

 

[OchreJelly]

this is great, thanks for this. I can already tell this will be a popular class. It even gets me thinking about some multi-class dips

 

[Mengu]

Taking a stab at deconstructing (Intelligence and Constitution seem to be key stats):

At-Will Powers:

Aegis of Shielding
Swordmage Feature
You create an arcane link between you and a foe, allowing you to instantly
respond to its attacks with a counterassault.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Teleportation
Minor Action Close burst 2
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: You mark the target. The target remains marked until you use
this power against another target. If you mark other creatures using
other powers, the target is still marked. A creature can be subject to
only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was
already in place.
If your marked target makes an attack that doesn’t include you
as a target, it takes a ---2 penalty to attack rolls. If that attack hits and the attacker is within 10 squares of you, you can use an immediate
interrupt to reduce the damage dealt by that attack to any one
creature by 6+Int points.

Booming Blade
Swordmage Attack 1
A field of sound punishes your enemy, and it becomes louder if your enemy
tries to escape.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Thunder, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Intelligence damage, and if the target is adjacent to you at the start
of its turn and moves away, it takes 1d6 + Constitution thunder damage.

Sword Burst
Swordmage Attack 1
A sweep of your sword blasts those around you with force.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Force, Implement
Standard Action Close burst 1
Target: Each enemy in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence force damage.

Encounter Powers:

Chilling Blow
Swordmage Attack 1
Your blade rips into your foe and cold pulses from the wound, enveloping
your enemy’s body in a crust of frost.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Cold, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Intelligence cold damage, and the target takes cold damage equal to your Constitution bonus each
time it attacks until the start of your next turn.

Corrosive Ruin
Swordmage Attack 3
You spin your blade in a tight circle in front of you, assailing foes with a
spray of flesh-melting acid.
Encounter ✦ Acid, Arcane, Weapon
Standard Action Close blast 3
Target: Each creature in blast
Attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d8 + Intelligence acid damage.

Dimensional Warp
Swordmage Utility 2
You reach out with arcane power, and two of your nearby allies suddenly
wink out and reappear in each other’s places.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Teleportation
Minor Action Close burst 3
Targets: You and one ally in burst or two allies in burst
Effect: Each target teleports into the other’s space. Both targets
must occupy the same size space, or the power fails.

Daily Powers:

Frost Backlash
Swordmage Attack 1
As your enemy swings for the kill, your warding suddenly turns to ice and
lashes out at your foe with the fury of winter.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Cold, Weapon
Immediate Interrupt Melee weapon
Trigger: An adjacent creature hits you
Target: The creature that hit you
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 3[W] + Intelligence cold damage.
Miss: Half damage.

Lingering Lightning
Swordmage Attack 5
Tendrils of bluish white lightning course from your blade to electrocute
your enemies.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Lightning, Weapon
Standard Action Ranged 5
Target: One, two, or three creatures
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex, one attack per target
Hit: 1[W] + Intelligence damage, and ongoing 5 lightning damage (save ends).
Miss: Half damage, and no ongoing damage

 

[Kraydak]

1)
...
3)AND there is a class feature: Swordmage Warding (INT bounus to AC, iwith one hand free; if rendered unconscious, shield fades and can be restored after a short rest)

*That* won't be in the final version (or if it is, all the other defenders just became obsolete).

I wouldn't expect the above Marking mechanic to make it into the final version either, the amount of damage mitigated is absurdly high.

 

[ryryguy]

I'm interested in the "half-elemental" features of the half-orc, can you give any details about that?

 

[Palladion]

If you have read Swordmage by Richard Baker, you can see a few of these abilities described, teleportation and magical shielding come to mind. It also includes the concept of encounter vs. daily powers. The main character sure does not act like his main ability score is Intelligence though...

 

[The Little Raven]

The main character sure does not act like his main ability score is Intelligence though...

Smart people do stupid things all the time.

 

[Dragonbait]

Smart people do stupid things all the time.

They're called player characters!

 

[Tao]

I just received the RPGA adventure "Return to the Moathouse" (by Mike Mearls), which I ´m going to DM at a local event... and there IS playable SWORDMAGE character, AND a half-orc NPC...
< Ok, the half-orc NPC is useless, as a fountain of information, as it is also a "half-elemental" creature, and don´t have no identifiable "orkish" features - but still, it means that they don´t totally give up in the half-orc race "because it implies a very bad backstory" >

...

ENJOY!

DM_from_Brazil

First of all... thank you for sharing.

Second of all... how'd you get so lucky??? I can't seem to be able to download that particular event? Are you at Origins, perhaps? Or are you just exceptionally awesome?

EDIT: NM. I just noticed the convention release date was different from the retail date.