Tactical Warlord - Human or Eladrin?

[vhailor]

Human Tactical Warlord Level 1

STR    18    +4        Max HP    25     Healing Surges   8
CON    13    +1        Bloodied  12     Value            7
DEX    11    +0        AC        18
INT    16    +3        FORT        16    
WIS     8    -1        REF        16    
CHA    10    +0        WILL        12

Equipment: Longsword, Hide, Heavy Shield
Feats: Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Tactical Assault

At-Will
------------------
Commander's Strike
Wolf Pact Tactics    
Viper's Strike       (which will sacrifice in case I choose to multiclass)

Encounter
----------------------------
1  Warlord's Favor    

Daily
---------------------------------------------
1  Lead the Attack

Utility (Take at 2 level)
--------------------------------------------
1  Knights Move

Questions:
1.What do you suggest: STR 18 + INT 16 OR STR 16 + INT 18?
If I go for INT=18, an alternative is Eladrin: STR 16 +CON 11 +DEX 15 +INT 18 +WIS 10 +CHA 8
With Hide Armor + Heavy Shield I'd have AC 19, FORT 14, REF 16, WILL 12
In this built I'd go for:Heavy Shield Proficiency, Eladrin Soldier, Heavy Blade Opportunity, Heavy Blade Mastery
What I like about this built is that low STR isn't really that important since one at-will causes an ally to attack, and Wolf Pact Tactics give you the beefit before you roll(You could flank the enemy). After seeing it writen I guess I'll with the Eladrin.

2.I still don't know if I should go for Heavy Blade Opportunity and/or Shield Specialization, which would require to start with at least 13 DEX. I'd be forced to start with DEX 13 + INT 15, and spend an extra +1 to DEX, given to 4th or 8th level.

3.About the feats, I was thinking to start with:
Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Action Surge (to increase the chanses that a daily or encounter will hit), Tactical Assault, Weapon Proficiency: bastard sword OR Weapon Proficiency: Spiked Chain(if I choose to take heavy armor and drop the Shield), Toughness.
Should I start with 14 CON, so I can choose Armor Specialization(Hide)?

4.Can someone add the +2 given from a race, to an attribute with value 8, or do I have to raise it first to 10?

5.I'm thinking that, until I raise Intelligence to 18 (at 8 level), I could go for chainmail (it gives the same AC as hide + INT), taking Dwarven Armor. When I change to Hide I'd go for Elven Battle Armor.

I would appreciate any comment or suggestion about the build or the questions above.

 

[deleteme123456]

In response to #4: there's no reason you can't but it's REALLY bad to do so. On the point-buy system, you really hope to be using your +2 on a stat that's AT LEAST 14 to get the most benefit out of it, because it costs more to buy from 14 to 16 than from 8 to 10. I can't think of a case where you couldn't find a different stat to put your 8 in and at least get a free 12 out of the deal, if it was really really that bad.

 

[vhailor]

Because the Dragonborn is the only race that gives bonus to Strength, it can be picked by someone who wants to built a fighter or another class based on Strength.

I asked because, if my memory serves me well, in the PHB says you have to buy the ability up to 10 before you can boost it.

Does anyone knows if other races ate coming out? (officially)

 

[Lamoni]

I asked because, if my memory serves me well, in the PHB says you have to buy the ability up to 10 before you can boost it.

When performing point buy, you must buy the ability up to 10 before boosting it further. After you are done with point buy, you apply the racial modifiers (even if it is an 8 after point buy).

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Does anyone knows if other races ate coming out? (officially)

Lots. Each new campaign setting will have some (Forgotten Realms just came out and has Drow and Genasi), and we have Dragon articles expanding Gnoll and Warforged to full PHB style writeups. And when the PHBII comes out we'll have another half-dozen or so races (which are all but officially confirmed as Devas, Gnomes, Goliaths, Half-orcs and Shifters).

Genasi that I mentioned before make ideal Tactical warlords, if you're looking for an alternative: they get +2 Str and +2 Int.


Things to note: Heavy armor (as suggested in question #3) isn;t really much better than light armor, since your high Int will keep your AC up.

The only way I'd recommend a higher Int than Str to start otu with is if you can get an 18 in Int, as some Warlord powers trigger off of 1/2 your Int mod. So the break point is when you go from a +3 mod to a +4 mod. If you're dropping Int to 17 to take Dex or Con up a point or two, you might as well drop Int a little more. But in general you want a higher Str than Int, as all your attacks use Str to hit. You can sometimes get away with using Commander's strike (less often than some people seem to think in my experience), but your Encounter and Daily powers will often be wasted on a miss.

 

[Stalker0]

Things to note: Heavy armor (as suggested in question #3) isn;t really much better than light armor, since your high Int will keep your AC up.

Heavy Armor got a little better if you use Adventurer's Vault. The new masterwork armors in there give a bump to heavy armor's AC once you hit +2 armors now.

 

[Zsig]

Providing you start with Int 18 and get yourself Scale Proficiency, the AC eventually evens out with Hide.

IMO, heavy armors are better for Warlords mostly due to the abilities they can have (ie. Tactician's Armor). Even with lower AC it's a good trade off.

In terms of race, I'd probably go with Eladrin as the Fey Step screams "tactical" all over it.

But yeah, you should take a look at the Genasi.

 

[Gort]

For race, I'd probably go human, as having a bonus to strength is really handy for warlords. I'm kinda glad there isn't a +2 str +2 int race in a way, it means there isn't one massively clear choice for this build (as dragonborn are for the inspiring warlord).

 

[Zsig]

For race, I'd probably go human, as having a bonus to strength is really handy for warlords. I'm kinda glad there isn't a +2 str +2 int race in a way, it means there isn't one massively clear choice for this build (as dragonborn are for the inspiring warlord).

Genasi have +2 Str / +2 Int

 

[blargney the second]

Viper's Strike is awesome against all the shifty little buggers like kobolds, goblins, etc. I retrained to get it last level, and much prefer it to Wolf Pack Tactics. It's a fantastic way to help your fighter buddy mark extra creatures or pin them down. Win-win.

As for race, genasi all the way for taclords. You definitely want that 18 Int at first level, but being able to get 18 Str would be quite nice as well, which genasi let you do.
-blarg