What class for a "smart warrior"?

[Garthanos]

My sons Warlocks melee training uses a channeled demon that causes incredible pain the better he is able to resist that pain the better he handles the channelled demon and the stronger he can allow it to rise and the higher quality and timing of all his moves.

We are really not told "one true way" as to how to visualize how our characters powers work (melee training / basic attacks are one of them)

Melee training is apparently not presented with the flavor it could have. But for me it is nothing less than learning to exploit your best gifts in a fast instinctive way using pretty much the same methods you do with your planned moves ... A wizard is indeed wrapping his melee weapon attacks with magical power.

Einstein creative genius is very intuitive and is almost governed as much by charisma as shear intellect. (He had the help of mathematician buddies working out that element of his theories.)

 

[Klaus]

An Int-based melee warrior simply knows a staggering ammount of combat stances and maneuvers and can choose between them in a moment's notice. He fights like a grandmaster plays chess.

 

[MrMyth]

I've really come to hate the 4E concept that Einstein can kick Jackie Chan's ass in a sword fight because he is smarter than Jackie is fast (or in 4E terms, because he is smarter than Jackie is strong).

Oh, I've seen some rather compelling proof for such theories...

 

[jbear]

Do claws count for you as Melee Weapons?

If so, then why not throw the Druid into the bag. Wis based attacks, up close or stand back.

A Dwarven Swarm Druid is about as Hardy as you can get: 18 Con and 18 Wis; Take 4 dmg off every time you get hit by ranged or melee attacks in beast form, at-will blast attack that creates a zone that makes enemies grant CAdv, At will Melee Attack powers that can be used as Opportunity attacks... that's just to begin with. A pretty good option to keep in mind.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Well, figure out how you want your toon to feel.
Seriously.

Tac warlords boss everyone around, and wins by commanding troops and making sure they get advantageous bonuses.
Fighters win by blocking for your halfbacks.

Yes, sure, those builds make good use of int/wis but ... they don't feel 'brilliant' you know?

I'm gonna go with archery ranger.
They notice the most minute of details. They're everywhere and nowhere at once. They're acrobats, and they can sneak.
The crucial advice (ranger 2) power allows you to grant rerolls in perception. Or stealth. Or even insight (if you pick up training somehow, possibly via an multiclass feat).
They can disrupt attacks from range and make called shots to the leg.
If you really need hand-to-hand ability, there's always melee training (wisdom).

So ... mechanically, there are plenty of builds using mental stats.
But the archery ranger is batman.

 

[Stuntman]

I've really come to hate the 4E concept that Einstein can kick Jackie Chan's ass in a sword fight because he is smarter than Jackie is fast (or in 4E terms, because he is smarter than Jackie is strong).

In 4E terms, Einstein has no attack powers, so he would suck at combat. He'd just be an NPC with a high skill check. He may even be a minion. Jackie Chan will probably be a monk class in 4E terms. I would say in 4E terms, Jackie Chan would be able to kick Einstein's ass in a sword fight.

Next splat book, I can use my Cha to climb up a tree better or my Dex to lift up a heavier rock.

We'll, it's been a year and a half since 4E was released and I haven't seen anything like this yet.