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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MwaO" data-source="post: 9373527" data-attributes="member: 12749">VII. Working with your AlliesOther defender - best buddiesFew things help you be a better defender than a meat shield buddy. Two defenders can easily block a 6 square corridor. Two defenders can flank. Or one defender jumps into the fray, while the other stays back to build a front line to shield the ranged combatants.If the party lacks a second defender, you can still use many of these tactics together with a tough melee combatant like a barbarian or a warlord.The only difficulty in coordinating two defenders is marks: If you fight a single big bad guy, only one of you can put their mark on the big bad guy.Leaders - making you tougherLeaders provide you with healing, take those nasty conditions off, give you extra attacks, move you where you are needed, buff up your attacks and defenses... what's not to like? If there is any other party member you want to rely on, it's your leader.Learn what your leader can do for you, and work with him. Always communicate tactics in short words with them (don't bog down play by discussing each move for hours, but tell them what you're up to).And last but not least, watch their back, they'll appreciate it.Strikers - Your evil twin with a goatieStrikers do the opposite of you: deal as much damage and strike down as many foes as quickly as possible. If the monsters catch up to them, they're down quickly, so they will rely on you to take the hits for them. Sometimes you'll feel they steal the show, as they'll have higher kill rates and damage numbers. Don't worry, that means they do their job, and you're a professional, you can handle it.And there is no quicker way to take a big monster down than a flanking striker and defender.Controllers - Incoming AirstrikeControllers are usually pretty squishy, and it is part of your job to keep them alive. Make sure that between your controller and the monster, there is always you.But there are many ways the Controller can help you too: break up enemy defense lines so you have a charge line, clear away pesky swarms and minions, hold up enemies so you can focus on the big guy, and many many more ways.VIII. MobilityBeing mobile is not as important for you as for the striker, but you still benefit from it. Not every fight will allow for a clear front line setup where your job is to hold the line. There are several ways for a defender to gain mobility.ChargeA charge allows you to move twice your speed and attack in one turn. In many fights, it's the best thing for your to do in the first round to make sure you engage the enemy quickly. In fact, there are a number of defender builds that are specialized on charging an use it as their main tactic.Mobility through high defensesThis is somewhat counter-intuitive. A walking can like a fighter in plate and shield shouldn't be very mobile, right? On the battlefield, the main tactic monsters use to keep a character from moving is opportunity attacks. With a high-AC defender (20+level), most monsters have a chance to hit with their opportunity attacks of 25% or even less. It's fun to walk across the battlefield to where you are needed and just watch the monsters fail to stop you. A speed of 5 is faster than you think if you can move from A to B in a straight line.Drawing the enemy to youThe alternative to walking yourself, make the enemy come to you. A specialty of the Ensnaring Swordmage, but Fighter powers like Come and Get It do the job too.TeleportingThe best short-range mobility method of all. You just appear at the space you want, and there are very few ways to stop you. Even immobilized, restrained and grab don't help against a teleport. It's also a great way to get to archers who think they are safe behind a chasm.Teleports are a specialty of Eladrin, especially Fey Chargers, and Assault Swordmages.</blockquote>

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