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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Llamas Notsheep" data-source="post: 5000182" data-attributes="member: 69006">I think you're right in looking at a defender with some cross-role flavor.  Controllers are always nice to have, but never really vital.That looks pretty similar to a Swordmage|warlock I'm going to be using for an upcoming short-term adventure.  We're going to be playing in paragon, which is where the build really comes into its own.  It certainly looks viable before that, though.  I'm working with fey pact in order to grab the feytouched paragon path.  Admittedly, that's mostly for the numbers game, as I'm looking at a short-term game.  Here's the setup, with two extra items added as a proof of concept:====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======Roy Tayburn, level 14Human, Swordmage|Warlock, FeytouchedHybrid Talent: Swordmage WardingSwordmage Aegis (Hybrid): Aegis of ShieldingEldritch Pact (Hybrid): Fey Pact (Hybrid)Eldritch Strike: Eldritch Strike ConstitutionHybrid Warlock: Hybrid Warlock ReflexTwofold Pact: Infernal PactFINAL ABILITY SCORESStr 13, Con 22, Dex 9, Int 20, Wis 11, Cha 13.STARTING ABILITY SCORESStr 12, Con 16, Dex 8, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12.AC: 31 Fort: 28 Reflex: 29 Will: 25HP: 100 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 25TRAINED SKILLSIntimidate +13, Bluff +13, Arcana +17, Endurance +18UNTRAINED SKILLSAcrobatics +6, Diplomacy +8, Dungeoneering +7, Heal +7, History +12, Insight +7, Nature +7, Perception +7, Religion +12, Stealth +6, Streetwise +8, Thievery +6, Athletics +8FEATSHuman: Hybrid TalentLevel 1: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword)Level 2: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)Level 4: White Lotus RiposteLevel 6: White Lotus Defense (retrained to Greater Aegis of Shielding at Level 11)Level 8: Mark of WardingLevel 10: Toughness (retrained to Starfire Womb at Level 12)Level 11: Twofold PactLevel 12: Greater Swordmage WardingLevel 14: Double AegisFeat User Choice: Focused Expertise (Bastard sword)POWERSBonus At-Will Power: Eyes of the VestigeHybrid Swordmage at-will 1: Sword BurstHybrid Warlock at-will 1: Eldritch StrikeHybrid encounter 1: Chains of LevistusHybrid daily 1: Armor of AgathysHybrid utility 2: Dimensional WarpHybrid encounter 3: Dimensional VortexHybrid daily 5: Swordmage Shielding FireHybrid utility 6: Fey SwitchHybrid encounter 7: Rejuvenating StrikeHybrid daily 9: Glamor BladeHybrid utility 10: Etheral SidestepHybrid encounter 13: Seed of Fire (replaces Rejuvenating Strike)ITEMSCloak of Translocation +3, Circlet of Indomitability (heroic tier), Escape Tattoo (heroic tier), Blackleaf Gloves (heroic tier), Belt of Breaching (paragon tier), Planestrider Boots (paragon tier), Eladrin Ring of Passage (paragon tier), Blade of the Eldritch Knight Bastard sword +3, Magic Drowmesh +3, Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier)====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======The basic concept, which I'm sure your character shares, is twofold:1) Prevent the baddies from hurting your friends.  Aegis of Shielding is 5 + con mod damage reduction in heroic, and bumps up to 15 + con mod in paragon with Greater Aegis of Shielding.  I'm looking forward to saying, over and over again, "actually, he gets to make that attack with a -3 to hit and -21 damage."  Marking 2 enemies at a time (paragon) ups the ante a bit further.2) Punish the baddies when they come after you, instead.  As you've obviously noted, Hellfire Inferno is great - if they come after you, 1d6 + con mod if they hit you.  Tack on White Lotus Riposte to add int mod when they come after you.  If you curse your mark, you're doing extra curse damage as well.My plan with the paragon path is to take advantage of the Feytouched L11 feature Slashing Wake, which does int mod damage to all adjacent enemies any time you teleport away.  Ethereal Sidestep, the L10 at-will teleport 1, gives you a freebie (and neutralizes restrains, grabs, immobilizes, etc.).  That gets dramatically stepped up over the course of paragon with minor teleports at-will (eldritch panoply set), random other free or encounter teleports from items and powers, and planestrider boots (turn any teleport into 2 separate teleports totaling the same distance).Granted, I haven't tried the character out yet, but I'm excited to take it out for a spin.  Hopefully you'll enjoy it, too!  It's definitely conceptually sound as a defender with some solid damage output and decent control... I'll be able to offer some more insight later in the week, no doubt <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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