When Everyone is Super: a Miniguide to Classless Damage Boosts by Svenj

[MwaO]

When Everyone is Super:
a Miniguide to Classless Damage Boosts

Goal of this guide: to list the best ways for any character to improve his or her damage, regardless of class.

Link to Original Thread: This is a link to the original thread in the Wayback Time Machine if you want to access commentary.

What this guide is: it's a list of ways you can improve your damage significantly across all tiers of play. It will focus on well-supported options for any build to increase their damage, whether they use melee weapons, ranged weapons or implements. Some options will be limited by certain requirements, like race.

It's also a community-driven effort. I've read a lot these past few years, but don't know half the possibilities out there. So I welcome opinions on what's good and what's not.

What this guide is not: this is not a class guide. We have more than enough of those. If you want ways to boost your damage that are specific to your class, read the appropriate handbook. So with some exceptions, this guide will not list options that require you to be a certain class.

This guide will also not focus on accuracy. Although working on your accuracy is generally the best way to increase your damage (since misses deal no damage), the options for that are well known, less diverse and appropriately rated in the class guides. Combos that increase your damage on the other hand, require you to combine a lot of pieces into a working whole, which class guides by their nature don't show you how to do.

Lastly, this guide is not exhaustive. It will not list ways to increase your damage that depend on being bloodied, if you're exactly 2 squares away from your target and whether it's Tuesday. Suggestions are welcome though, and if they're good enough they will be listed under Miscellaneous.

This guide does not include rare items (with the exception of the epic level Ioun Stones). There are some niche rare items that convert damage or give a boost under certain circumstances, but those would clutter up the guide. If you want to see them, search the thread for "rare" to see what other posters suggested.

A word of thanks to:

All Char Op regulars for their encyclopedic knowledge of these game elements, how to combine them and their willingness to share it. Shoulders of giants, etc.
Dielzen for cataloguing all the damage types.
Anyone who posts to make this guide better.

This handbook will use the following system for ratings:

Gold - Required to make something work, or so incredibly good you can't not take this.
Sky Blue - High damage bonus, a rare type or untyped damage boost, works for nearly every build.
Blue - Good damage bonus, works for a lot of builds, might come with prerequisites.
Black - Okay damage bonus, but competes with better options or is difficult to use effectively.
Purple - Only useful for niche builds.
Red - Garbage, or completely overshadowed by another option.


This handbook uses the following sourcesAP - Arcane Power
AV - Adventurer's Vault
AV2 - Adventurer's Vault 2
DRXXX - Dragon Magazine, issue XXX
DiP - Divine Power
DSCS - Dark Sun Campaign Setting
DUXXX - Dungeon Magazine, issue XXX
EPG - Eberron Player's Guide
FRPG - Forgotten Realms Player's Guide
HotFL - Heroes of Fallen Lands
HotFK - Heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms
HotFW - Heroes of the Feywild
HotEC - Heroes of the Elemental Chaos
HoS - Heroes of Shadow
MME - Mordenkainen's Magnificent Emporium
MOTP - Manual of the Planes
MP - Martial Power
MP2- Martial Power 2
NWCS - Neverwinter Campaign Setting
PHB - Player's Handbook
PHB2 - Player's Handbook 2
PHB3 - Player's Handbook 3
PHH1 - Player's Handbook Heroes: Series 1
PHR - Player's Handbook Races: Dragonborn
PHR:T - Player's Handbook Races: Tiefling
PrP - Primal Power
PsP - Psionic Power

 

[MwaO]

Something for everyone: generic options


Regardless of class, race, weapon or elemental preference, these are the options that every single build has access to. It’s strongly recommended you take a look at these, even if you’re not spending any other resources into increasing your damage.

Some of the bonus damage from these options is typed. Be careful not to take other options that give you bonus damage of the same type. Example: Weapon Focus and Dwarven Weapon Training both give you a feat bonus to damage. The latter bonus is higher, so if you take DWT, don’t take Weapon Focus.

The listed options are all available at heroic tier (Claw Gloves only at level 10 for non-druids), except for the Ioun Stones, which are also rare.
Heroic

Feats
Weapon Focus: heroic feat, PHB, HotFL, HotFK.
Add a +1/2/3 feat bonus to all the damage rolls of one weapon type. Simple way to add a little damage to your weapon attacks. Take this if you can't add an element type to your weapon damage, but still want a small damage boost.

Implement Focus: heroic feat, HotFL, HotFK.
Add a +1/2/3 feat bonus to all the damage rolls of one implement type. Simple way to add a little damage to your implement attacks. Take this when you can't turn your implement damage into one of the supported element types (a problem for some implement users), or just plain don't do elemental damage (Monks can suffer from this).

Themes
Fey Beast Tamer: theme, HotFW.
This theme gives you a young owlbear fey beast companion with a very juice aura: all the owlbear's allies get a +2 power bonus to damage rolls against enemies adjacent to it. At level 5, the enemies also grant combat advantage to you. Especially ranged weapon characters profit from this bonus, since there aren't a lot of other good themes for them. Be aware that this doesn't stack with power bonuses from your partymembers, like the Artificer's Magic Weapon power.

Items
Iron Armbands of Power: arms slot item, level 6/16/26, AV.
Add a +2/4/6 item bonus to all melee damage rolls, whether it's a weapon, implement or untyped attack. It's in a slot that generally doesn't have a lot of competition and gives a type of bonus that's not easily found elsewhere (and a substantial one at that), so it's no wonder even high-op melee builds use these. Take it when you can get it.

Bracers of Archery: arms slot item, level 6/16/26, AV.
Add a +2/4/6 item bonus to all damage rolls with a bow or a crossbow. It's in a slot that generally doesn't have a lot of competition and gives a type of bonus that's not easily found elsewhere (and a substantial one at that), so it's no wonder even high-op (cross)bow builds use these. Take it when you can get it.

Bracers of Mighty Striking: arms slot item, level 2/12/22, PHB, HotFL.
Add a +2/4/6 item bonus to the damage roll of your melee basic attack. Less widely applicable than Iron Armbands of Power, but common and available 4 levels earlier.

Bracers of the Perfect Shot: arms slot item, level 3/13/23, PHB.
Add a +2/4/6 item bonus to the damage roll of your ranged basic attack. Less widely applicable than Bracers of Archery, but common and available 3 levels earlier.

Staff of Ruin: staff, level 3+, AV.
Add an item bonus to all damage rolls from attacks made with this staff. The bonus is equal to the staff’s enhancement bonus. Weapon users should stick to Iron Armbands of Power for their item bonus, but implement users can make very good use of this. Takes up your implement slot though, so you can't use your implement to change your damage types.

Goblin Totem: any weapon, level 2+, FRPG.
Your attacks with this weapon against a creature larger than you have an item bonus to damage rolls equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus. It's a cheap item bonus that saves you your arms slot (no need for Iron Armbands of Power or the like). It works with implement attacks too, if you can use them through this weapon. Best for small or smaller races, obviously.

Siberys Shard of the Mage: dragonshard augment, level 3+, EPG.
Add a +1/3/5 untyped damage bonus to all implement attacks rolls using the augmented weapon. You can augment a weapon with a dragonshard to increase its damage. Be aware that this only boosts damage from implement attacks, so you should be able to use a weapon as your implement. Common ways of accomplishing this is by using a staff (like the Staff of Ruin) or finding a way to use a weapon as an implement (multiclass Swordmage, Arcane Implement Proficiency).

Claw Gloves: hands slot item, level 4, requires beast form (druid, weretheme), AV2.
Add 1d10 extra damage to all melee attacks against targets granting combat advantage to you while you're in beast form. This used to be restricted to druids until the werethemes (Werebear, Wererat, Werewolf) were printed in DR410. Those let you be in a hybrid beast form if you're level 10 or higher, which means you can use all your class and item powers while still being in beast form. Because the latter is also the requirement for Claw Gloves, you get a pretty nice damage boost from it.

Ioun Stone of Agility, Allure, Insight, Intellect, Might and Vigor: head slot item, level 21, rare, MME
The Ioun Stones give you a +5 item bonus to damage if you attack with the right stat (str,con,dex,int,wis,cha). They are rare and don't give you as much extra damage as the epic-level arms slot items or Staff of Ruin, but it's still a big bonus in a rarely-used item slot. If your DM hands these out, don't hesitate to take them.

 

[MwaO]

Bull in a China Shop: charge optimization

These are the options for maximizing the damage of your melee basic attack (MBA) through charging. It is very well supported, to the point where it can be the best use of your standard action, turn after turn.

This part is meant for classes that mainly use their MBA or have powers they can substitute for their MBA when charging (like the Barbarian). It is also the best option for increasing your damage output at heroic tier, since nearly all of the listed options are available at heroic.

If you want to boost your charge damage at paragon and epic tier, I suggest you look at elemental options first, then come back here to see if you have any room left.

Heroic Charge Optimization:
Feats
Spear Expertise: heroic feat, HotFL, HotFK // Two-Handed Weapon Expertise: heroic feat, HotFW.
An untyped +1/2/3 bonus to charge attacks made with a spear or a two-handed weapon, respectively. Expertise feats are already mandatory for the accuracy bonus, and getting a damage bonus to your charge attacks is just gravy.

Surprising Charge: heroic feat, requires fighter or rogue and dex 17, MP.
When you hit a target granting combat advantage to you with a charge using a light blade or spear, you deal 1[W] extra damage. A high entry barrier, but it’s certainly worth it if you use a weapon with a high [W] like a Gouge or a Greatspear. Don’t bother with this if you’re a dagger-wielding rogue.

Items
Gouge: superior weapon, two-handed axe/spear, DSCS // Greatspear: superior weapon, two-handed polearm/spear, AV.
The two default weapons for any charger. Both are spears with a high [W], so you yield maximum profit from Surprising Charge. Gouge wins out over Greatspear despite the +2 proficiency because of the difference in damage dice: 2d6 brutal 1 is more devastating than 1d10. Being an axe also helps, since dwarfs and muls get proficiency and a feat bonus to damage with them at the cost of only 1 feat (Dwarven Weapon Training).

Mordenkrad: superior weapon, two-handed hammer, AV.
Mordenkrad is the alternative for characters that won't use Surprising Charge because of class or stat restrictions. The damage of an Avalanche Mordenkrad is nothing to sneeze at, and being a dwarf or mul again takes away the need for a separate weapon proficiency feat.

Lance: military weapon, one-handed spear, requires a mount, MME.
This one-handed military spear lets you deal 1[W] extra damage (1d10) with charge attacks while mounted. Since it’s a spear you can add another bonus from Spear Expertise and 1d10 from Surprising Charge. The mount requirement limits it though (you even get a -2 attack penalty if you’re not mounted). Remember that the lance is usable by small characters who can mount a medium creature like a young owlbear (from the Fey Beast Tamer theme).

Vanguard Weapon: any melee weapon, level 3+, AV.
If you hit with a charge attack using this weapon, you deal 1d8 extra damage. This works well in heroic, but starts to lose its luster at paragon, where you should trade it for a Thundergod Weapon or another elemental weapon.

Avalanche Hammer: hammer, level 4+, AV2.
If you hit with a melee basic attack as part of a charge using this weapon, you deal 1[W] extra damage. This is generally worse than just using a Vanguard Weapon, since hammers don’t work with Surprising Charge and it’s one level higher. On the other hand, hammers tend to have high [W]s, so if you wouldn’t use Surprising Charge anyway, this becomes a good pick. The enchantment loses some luster at paragon and higher, so consider trading it for a Thundergod Weapon or other elemental weapon by then.

Bestial Armor: leather or hide armor, level 3+, AV.
This item's daily power lets you make melee basic attack with a +2 attack bonus as a free action after you hit someone with a charge attack. Free attacks are always nice, but it would be better if you also received your charge bonuses to it.

Pouncing Armor: leather or hide armor, level 4+, DR378.
You can now jump with a running start when you charge, and the daily power lets you use an at-will power instead of an MBA when you hit with a charge attack. Not spectacular, but it could be interesting for some builds.

Horned Helm: head, level 6/16/26, PHB.
Your charge attacks deal 1d6 extra damage per tier when you wear this helm. Simple, effective, scales well, and is in an item slot that has little to no competition. Wear it with pride.

Boots of the Mighty Charge: feet, level 10, DR381.
A +2 item bonus to speed when charging might let you reach your prefered target, and the daily power lets you use any at-will or encounter melee or close weapon attack power instead of an MBA when you hit with a charge attack. Multi-attacking encounter powers like Storm of Blades and Rain of Blows where you receive your charge bonuses to every attack get out of hand fast this way.

Warhorse: mount, level 3, AV, HotFL, HotFK
If you have the Mounted Combat feat and are level 3 or higher, you get a +5 untyped bonus to damage rolls on charge attacks. While the bonus is a very large, the Warhorse (like all mounts) becomes quite fragile after a couple of levels. It’s also large, expensive, and doesn’t benefit from Badge of the Berserker, so it requires some planning to make it work. Goblins and hobgoblins can increase its durability with the Goblinoid Mount Training feat (DR419).

Magebred Destrier: mount, level 5, EPG
If you have the Mounted Combat feat and are level 5 or higher, you get a +6 untyped bonus to damage rolls on charge attacks. Has the same drawbacks as the Warhorse, except it has an encounter power that lets it gain temporary HP equal to your healing surge value when you spend a surge. This goes a looong way towards keeping the mount alive.

Useful extras
Badge of the Berserker: neck, level 2+, AV2.
When you charge, your movement made as part of the charge doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. A very cheap and, in most cases, integral part of the charge kit so you don't kill yourself from opportunity attacks. There's also a common version (Lesser Badge of the Berserker, MME) that gives you +4 defense bonus against those same opportunity attacks.

Marauder's Armor: leather or hide armor, level 7+, AV2.
Get a +1/2/3 AC bonus until the end of your next turn when you charge. Pretty nice, and the daily power lets you either save or heal when you hit with a charge attack.




Paragon Charge Optimization:
Feats
Fierce Charge: gnoll, ferocious charge racial power, DR367.
When you use your ferocious charge power, you can choose to make an at-will melee attack instead of a melee basic attack. Can be good for some builds, but the reason you take this is as a prerequisite for the epic Brutal Charge feat.

Items
Thundergod Weapon: any melee, level 13+, AV.
Your melee attacks deal +1d6/2d6 thunder damage when you charge. While the damage bonus is comparable of that of a Vanguard Weapon, it also gives you access to thunder optimization. That gives you some additional damage options, although optimizing for another damage type yields similar results.

Frost Charger Bracers
Your melee attacks do a cold damage tap onto opponents adjacent to your target. This can potentially be a lot of damage if you have ways of multi-targeting opponents on a charge. Does mean giving up the easiest Item bonus to melee attacks, though.


Epic Charge Optimization:
Brutal Charge: epic feat, gnoll, ferocious charge racial power, Fierce Charge.
When you use your ferocious charge power, you can choose to make an encounter melee attack power instead of a melee basic attack. Multi-attacking encounter powers like Storm of Blades and Rain of Blows where you receive your charge bonuses to every attack get out of hand fast this way. If you're not a gnoll, the Reincarnate Champion epic destiny solves that problem.

 

[MwaO]

[h=2]Cold as Ice: cold optimization[/h]
Cold damage is the original go-to choice for classless damage optimization, and it's still a damn good one. Frost Weapon gives everyone low-level access to cold damage, and come paragon you have easy vulnerability, combat advantage and more damage boosters than you can shake a stick at.

Access to Cold Damage
Heroic:

Power of Winter: any divine class, must worship a deity of the winter domain, DiP.
When you hit an enemy with one of four at-will powers (Bond of Censure, Enfeebling Strike, Hand of Radiance, Lance of Faith) the power's damage type changes to cold and it deals an untyped 2/3/4 extra damage. A good damage bonus and accessible early on, but too bad you need to use an at-will power to turn it on.

Frost Weapon: any weapon, level 3+, PHB.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into cold damage as a free action. No catch, no caveat, no restrictions. Whether you're a weapon or implement user, if you're looking to increase your damage output with cold damage, this is your first stop.

Frozen Whetstone: consumable, level 7/17/27, AV.
If you use this consumable, one weapon of your choice deals 2 extra cold damage until the end of the encounter. Some builds use this to get around the need for a Frost Weapon or to add an additional keyword to their attacks. Expensive to use repeatedly, and because it's an uncommon item you might have trouble aquiring it on a regular basis.

Paragon:
Ring of the Djinn Slayer assassin, assassin's shroud or assassin's strike powers(MwaO)
Requires a very good MC feat if not assassin, but easy typing of damage to include Cold twice a combat if MC'd Assassin.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals cold damage, then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement. No extra damage, and the rest of the path isn't spectacular unless you've optimized your dragon breath, then it becomes a very good pick.

Malec-Keth Jannisary: paragon path, swordmage, MotP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to do 1d4 extra cold damage with all your attacks. Will take up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're int-primary and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some cold damage.

Soaring blade: paragon path, monk, trained in acrobatics, PsP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to do extra cold damage equal to your constitution modifier with melee attacks using a heavy blade. Will take up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're dex-primary (so you need both a good con and dex) and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some cold damage.

Winter Fury: paragon path, barbarian, PrP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to turn all your untyped damage into cold damage. Will take up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're str-primary, and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some cold damage.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but since it only changes untyped damage from weapon attacks and is one level higher than a Frost Weapon, you can safely skip this for something better.

Chill Wind Weapon: heavy blade, level 15+, DR368.
Functions exactly like a Frost Weapon, but is two levels higher. The only reason you could want this is if you desperately need some fire resistance. Otherwise, stick with a Frost Weapon.




Cold Damage Optimization
Heroic:
Sarifal Feywarden: theme, any fey race but drow, DR405.
Starting at level 1, you get an aura 2 for two turns that makes everyone in the aura vulnerable 5/10/15 to your cold attacks. The only drawbacks are the racial requirement (which you can get around with the right epic destiny) and the minor action activation cost.

Primordial Adept: theme, HotEC.
At level 10, you get a +2 power bonus to all damage rolls with cold powers, provided you took Solkara's Wave as your level 1 power. A nice damage bonus that's always on, but it doesn't stack with leader bonuses like the Artificer's Magic Weapon and it kicks in a little late.

Silvery Glow: feat, must worship Sehanine, DR386.
A +2/3/4 feat bonus to damage rolls of your cold and radiant powers if you worship Sehanine. Used to be the premier choice for damage boosting until Icy Heart came along. Now you only take it if you want to optimize cold damage in heroic, or if you also have some radiant powers.

Wintertouched: feat, PHB.
When attacking a creature that's vulnerable to cold damage with a cold power, you gain combat advantage for the attack. Cold vulnerability is inflicted with the paragon feat Lasting Frost, so you wait until then to pick this up. But first, consider if you actually need it, since combat advantage isn't that hard to get these days (Cunning Stalker comes to mind, and there's always flanking). This is more useful for single-target ranged attackers, who have more trouble getting combat advantage than melee characters.

Siberys Shard of Merciless Cold: dragonshard augment, level 2/12/22, EPG.
Add a +1/3/5 untyped damage bonus to all cold damage rolls using the augmented weapon. You can augment a weapon with a dragonshard to increase its damage. Cheap, slotless and scales well.

Icicle Totem: superior implement, totem, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement cold powers used through this implement. It also comes with an empowered crit feature, but that does not make up for not having an Accurate implement. Taking this also means you won't be using a Frost Weapon and can't augment it with a dragonshard. Not to mention that totems are a rarely-used implement type. Most builds look elsewhere.

Paragon:
Icy Heart: paragon feat, HotEC.
A +3/4 feat bonus to all cold damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, and it comes with a nice bonus should you ever encounter enemies that deal cold damage.

Lasting Frost: paragon feat, PHB.
The original damage combo along with Frost Weapon and Wintertouched. Once per turn, the first enemy you hit with a cold power gains vulnerable 5 cold after the attack, which lasts until the end of your next turn. This enables you to deal lots of extra damage by multi-attacking, sets up a damage boost for your next turn, and lets allies who also deal cold damage immediately join in the fun.

Gloves of Ice: hand slot, level 11/21, AV2.
A +2/+4 untyped bonus to damage with cold attacks, or the option to ignore the first 5/10 points of cold resistance the target has. A good damage boost in an item slot without a lot of competition, and the option of ignoring resistance instead will come in handy at some point.




[h=2]Blinded by the Light: radiant optimization[/h]
Radiant damage optimization exists for one reason: the Morninglord paragon path. This path adds the highest reliable, classless damage vulnerability in the game to any radiant attack. And the best part is: if even one partymember has the paragon path, everyone benefits from it. This is where the term 'radiant maffia' comes from: one Morninglord, some lightsabers, all cheese.
Another big damage boost comes the Gifts of the Queen item set.

Access to Radiant Damage
Heroic:
Sunblade: heavy blade, level 4+, AV.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into radiant damage as a free action. Only comes as a heavy blade. If that's not a problem, then weapon and implement users can both access radiant damage with this weapon.

Sun Disk of Pelor: holy symbol, level 8+, AV.
This holy symbol turns all damage dealt by it into radiant damage as a free action. Interesting for implement users that don't deal radiant damage and don't want to bother with a lightsaber.

Crusader's Weapon: hammer or mace, level 9+, AV.
Half of the damage dealt by this weapon turns into radiant damage. Very interesting, since this opens the door to multiple types of damage support (lightning and radiant for example). The weapon types are a bit unfortunate since they only come as +2 proficiency weapons, but the weapon makes up for it by also being usable as a holy symbol (which doesn't care about proficiency).

Paragon: Soulforged: paragon path, must worship Moradin, have the Moradin's Resolve Channel Divinity power, DR386.
At level 11 you can make all your attacks with a weapon deal fire and radiant damage instead of their normal types. Will take up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're wis-primary, and most importantly it competes with Morninglord. But if you already have a Morninglord in the party, then this is an okay way to gain radiant damage. Don't forget it also gives you access to fire optimization.

Astral Ascendant: paragon path, must have Vestige Pact
This is a great way to hand out some Radiant damage across the party because Curse activates every turn. Note the problem there — it requires Curse. I'm hesitant to list this in a classless guide, but it can power an entire party easily to Radiant to use with a Morninglord.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If you're part divine, you can add radiant damage via Radiant Breath…then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement. No extra damage, and the rest of the path isn't spectacular unless you've optimized your dragon breath, then it becomes a very good pick.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but since it only changes untyped damage from weapon attacks and is the same level as a Sunblade, you can skip this.

Radiant Weapon: any weapon, level 15+, AV.
The original lightsaber. Like the Sunblade, this weapon turns all damage dealt by it into radiant damage as a free action. Unlike the Sunblade, you also get an item bonus to damage equal to your enhancement bonus and it comes as any weapon. It's one level higher which is a little unfortunate, but not so bad that it should turn you away. It also frees up your arms slot for the Bracelet of the Radiant Storm, since you don't need Iron Armbands of Power or something similar for the item bonus anymore.

Crown of the Brilliant Sun: head slot, level 14, AV2.
If you damage an enemy with a lightning power, you can choose to deal radiant damage to it instead. Stormsoul Genasi can use this to turn all their Shocking Flame damage into radiant damage. But since this part of the Gifts for the Queen item set, chances are all radiant users end up wearing this anyway.

Epic:
Radiant One: epic destiny, DR366.
From level 21 on, whenever you deal damage to a target that’s granting combat advantage to you, you deal extra fire and radiant damage equal to your int-modifier. Very easy, readily accessible, and very potent if you have a high intelligence. It also lets you tap into fire optimization, which can give you another big damage boost.

Avangion: epic destiny, any arcane class, DSCS.
From level 24 on, you can choose to have all your attacks deal radiant damage in addition to any other damage types. Competitive with Radiant One because it also boosts your int, wis and/or cha, and the U26 is pretty crazy if your allies aren't dealing radiant damage. What holds it back is the fact it doesn't deal extra damage and kicks in at level 24.




Radiant Damage Optimization
Heroic:
Silvery Glow: feat, must worship Sehanine, DR386.
A +2/3/4 feat bonus to damage rolls of your cold and radiant powers if you worship Sehanine. A nice boost for heroic, but if you're not allowed to worship multiple gods, you have to drop this in paragon if you want to take the Morninglord paragon path. Of course, if another partymember took the path, you can keep on using this. Also nice to have if you sometimes use cold powers.

Solar Enemy: feat, Channel Divinity class feature, must worship a deity of the sun domain, DiP.
A minor action Channel Divinity power that gives all enemies in a close burst 2 vulnerable 5 radiant, or increases existing vulnerabilities by 5. If you can't wait for level 16 to start with radiant vulnerability, this is a reasonable alternative until then. Requires Channel Divinity though, which is hard to get for classes that don't get it naturally.

Power of the Sun: any divine class, must worship a deity of the sun domain, DiP.
When you hit an enemy with one of four at-will powers (Lance of Faith, Radiant Vengeance, Sun Strike, Virtuous Strike) it gains vulnerable 3/5/8 radiant until the end of your next turn after the attack resolves. A decent amount and accessible early on, but too bad you need to use an at-will power to turn it on. Even so, this is a good way for leaders in a radiant maffia to paint a target on an enemy's back.

Starfire Womb: feat, cha 13, warlock, DR366.
When you deal damage with a radiant or fear power, immediately roll a saving throw against a condition from which you're suffering. Not damage, but indispensible for any radiant user if you can meet the prerequisites. Combos well with Saving Grace and Hero's Poise.

Astral Symbol: superior implement, holy symbol, PHB3, MME // Defiant Rod: superior implement, rod, PHB3, MME.
When you use a radiant attack power through these implements, you gain a +2/3/4 untyped bonus to damage rolls. The damage bonus is decent, but it competes unfavorably with an Accurate implement.
The holy symbol also increases the range of your ranged and area implement attack powers by 2, and the rod gives you a +1 shield bonus to AC and Ref when you hit with it. Extra range rarely makes a difference, and rod users already gain the shield bonus from Rod Expertise, so both properties are pretty useless.

Siberys Shard of Radiance: dragonshard augment, level 2/12/22, EPG.
Add a +1/3/5 untyped damage bonus to all radiant damage rolls using the augmented weapon. You can augment a weapon with a dragonshard to increase its damage. Cheap, slotless and scales well.

Pelor's Sun Blessing: divine boon, level 3+, DMG2.
If you deal damage to a target that has vulnerability to radiant damage, you deal extra damage equal to your Wisdom or Constitution modifier. Requires some set-up with Morninglord, Solar Enemy or Power of the Sun, but can get out of hand pretty fast with a good Wis or Con and multi-attacks. The biggest strike against this item is the type. Most games don't let the players choose their own divine boons, so the odds of you ever receiving this aren't good. If you do however, love it and never let it go.

Paragon:
Morninglord: paragon path, any divine class, must worship Amaunator, FRPG.
The core of any radiant build. From level 16 on, whenever you hit with a power that has the radiant keyword, the target gains vulnerability 10 to radiant damage until the end of your next turn. This is an insane amount of vulnerability, easily accessed, and is usable by the entire party. The rest of the path also has nice synergy with the radiant vulnerability.

Gifts for the Queen: item set, level 13+, AV2.
If you hit with a radiant attack power, you gain an untyped bonus to the damage roll equal to the number of items from this set (minimum 2). There are at least 3 items that everyone can take (Crown of the Brilliant Sun, Spark Slippers and Ring of the Radiant Storm) because they're in the head, feet and ring slot. The other two (Bracelet of the Radiant Storm and Queen's Staff) are in item slots that have some competition (arms slot competes with Iron Armbands or Bracers of Archery, weapon slot competes with a lot). Fortunately, you don't have to attack with the staff to gain the benefit, so you can hold it in your off-hand if you have it free. A Radiant Weapon solves the arms slot problem.

Ring of the Radiant Storm: ring slot item, level 17, AV2.
When you hit an enemy with a radiant power and deal damage to it, you can roll the damage twice and use either result. Depending on the amount of dice you roll, this can be quite a damage boost. It's part of the Gifts of the Queen item set, so you'll probably have it anyway.

Symbol of Divine Light: holy symbol, level 17+, AV2.
The damage rolls of your radiant powers used through this symbol gain a +5 item bonus against creatures that have radiant vulnerability. Works well with Morninglord, and implement users generally have a harder time getting an item bonus to their attacks. Gives you another option besides a Radiant Weapon or a Staff of Ruin.

Epic:
Radiant Advantage: feat, cleric, DiP.
When you deal radiant damage to an enemy, that enemy grants combat advantage to you and your allies until the end of your next turn. A nice bonus, which sets up Morninglord abuse even more.

 

[MwaO]

[h=2]Fires of Hell: fire optimization[/h]
These are the options for maximizing your damage by using fire. Fire damage used to be second-rate compared to cold or radiant damage. Then the Firewind Blade came along, and at the end of the edition, fire is back on top. At least, for melee builds.

Like all elemental damage, fire damage optimization really takes off in paragon, provided you’re a genasi. At epic tier, there are multiple epic destinies that help you out regardless of race.

You should only optimize fire damage if you attack with a heavy blade and regularly stand next to your target or invest in fire-based accuracy. Otherwise, the damage is probably lower than other kinds of damage.

Fire Damage Access
Melee attackers should be looking for ways to deal fire damage that don't take up their weapon slot, so they can use a Firewind Blade.

Heroic:
Flamespeed Shifting: feat, razorclaw shifter, razorclaw shifting racial power, you have a spellscar, Student of the Plague feat, DR385.
If you're under the influence of your Razorclaw Shifting power, you can shift 2 squares as a move action (which is already pretty nice). If you do, all your attacks deal 2 extra fire damage until the end of your turn. Requires a lot of actions (minor to activate Razorclaw Shifting, move to shift), conditions (you must be bloodied first) and prerequisites (race, Student of the Plague feat). But if you have all those, then you have legitimate access to slotless fire damage in heroic for all your attacks.

Path of the Scarred: feat, human, you have a spellscar, DR385(MwaO)
Bonus fire damage to all your encounter and daily attack powers. Boosts a little with Student of the Plague, but the real strength is in having a fire at-will+fire optimization. Sorcerer, Monk, Swordmage, Wizard/Mage — think of a Pyromancer who can take all Cold, Illusion or Nethermancy spells as an example.

Blazing Arc Ki Focus: ki focus, level 3+, PHB3.
This ki focus makes all your melee attacks do fire damage instead of their normal type. In direct competition with Firewind Blade, so try to avoid this. It’s common though, so readily accessible if you can use a ki focus.

Body of Fire Ki Focus: ki focus, level 4+, MME.
All untyped damage dealt by attacks using this ki focus becomes fire damage. In direct competition with Firewind Blade and can only change untyped damage. If you're a ki focus user and make a lot of close, ranged and area attacks, this does save you the bother of finding a way to use a Flaming Weapon as your implement (and it's one level lower). But still, try to find better options if you can.

Hellfire Staff: staff, level 4+, PHR:T
Melee and close attacks with this staff deal fire damage instead of their normal type. In direct competition with Firewind Blade, and the staff is a lousy weapon for melee builds anyway. If you focus on close implement attacks, this could be an option for you.

Flaming Weapon: any weapon, level 5+, PHB.
This weapon turns all the untyped damage dealt by it into fire damage. In direct competition with Firewind Blade, can only change untyped damage, and a level 5 item to boot. Try to find better options if you can.

Flameheart Totem: totem, level 10+, AV2.
This totem adds 1d6 fire damage to all primal attacks against a target that you have combat advantage against. In direct competition with Firewind Blade, only usable on primal attacks, and a level 10 item too. Try to find better options if you can.

Paragon:
Shocking Flame: feat, genasi, FRPG.
The premier option of gaining access to fire damage at paragon tier, this feat lets you deal 2 extra fire damage with all your melee attacks when manifesting firesoul. The racial prerequisite is annoying, but int+str/con are racial bonuses that let you play just about every melee class.
The other big selling point of this feat is that you gain access to lightning optimization as well at epic tier thanks to the Double Manifestation feat, or even at paragon with the Elemental Tempest paragon path.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals fire damage, then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement. No extra damage and the rest of the path isn't spectacular unless you've optimized your dragon breath, then it becomes a very good pick.

Malec-Keth Jannisary: paragon path, swordmage, MotP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to do 1d4 extra fire damage with all your attacks. Will take up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're int-primary and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements all work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some fire damage.

Soaring blade: paragon path, monk, trained in acrobatics, PsP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to do extra fire damage equal to your constitution modifier with melee attacks using a heavy blade. Will take up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're dex-primary (so you need both a good con and dex) and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements are work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some fire damage.

Soulforged: paragon path, must worship Moradin, have the Moradin's Resolve Channel Divinity power, DR386.
At level 11 you can make all your attacks with a weapon deal fire and radiant damage instead of their normal types. Will take up your multiclass and the attacks are only any good if you're wis-primary. If these requirements are work for you, then this is an okay way to gain fire damage. Don't forget it also gives you access to radiant optimization.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but since it competes with Firewind Blade, only changes untyped damage from weapon attacks, and is only one level lower than a Flaming Weapon and a Weapon of Summer, you can safely skip this for something better.

Weapon of Summer: heavy blade, level 15+, DU160.
Damage rolls made with this weapon get a +3 item bonus, and the bonus damage is fire damage. It frees up your arm slot for 10 levels because you don’t have to wear Iron Armbands of Power anymore (both give an item bonus, but the level 26 IAoP give +6), but it still competes with Firewind Blade and is annoyingly high level. Only take this if you really want your arm slot free.

Epic:
Radiant One: epic destiny, DR366.
From level 21 on, whenever you deal damage to a target that’s granting combat advantage to you, you deal extra fire and radiant damage equal to your int-modifier. Very easy, readily accessible, and very potent if you have a high intelligence. It also lets you tap into radiant optimization, which can give you another big damage boost.

Soul of the World: epic destiny, deva, DR385 // Reincarnate Champion: epic destiny, primal class, PrP.
Both of these epic destinies let you become a member of an additional race at levels 21 and 24, which in turn gives you access to Shocking Flame by taking Extra Manifestation for firesoul. As an additional bonus, you can choose a non-drow fey race or tiefling at level 24 for access to the Sarifal Feywarden theme or the Hellfire Blood feat.




Fire Damage Optimization
Heroic:
Firewind Blade: heavy blade, level 4+, HotEC.
Whenever you hit one or more targets with a fire power using this weapon, one enemy adjacent to you takes fire damage equal to 1+the weapon’s enhancement bonus. This weapon is the heart of fire damage optimization, since without it you’re better off optimizing another damage type. When every attack deals another 2-7 points of fire damage, it adds up quickly, especially if you’re multi-attacking.

Infernal Prince: theme, illegal for LFR, DR406
Starting at level 1, you get an untyped +1 bonus to fire attack rolls that's always on. While technically not a damage boost, a higher hit chance means you’ll land those damaging attacks more often, thereby dealing more damage over time. Because it's a theme based on the Book of Vile Darkness, it's illegal for LFR.

Sarifal Feywarden: theme, any fey race but drow, DR405.
Starting at level 1, you get an aura 2 for two turns that makes everyone in the aura vulnerable 5/10/15 to your fire attacks. The only drawbacks are the racial requirement (which you can get around with the right epic destiny) and the minor action activation cost. Also remember that the extra damage from Firewind Blade doesn’t trigger the aura since it’s not your attack.

Primordial Adept: theme, HotEC.
At level 10, you get a +2 power bonus to all damage rolls with fire powers, provided you took Vezzuvu's Eruption as your level 1 power. A nice damage bonus that's always on, but it doesn't stack with leader bonuses like the Artificer's Magic Weapon and it kicks in a little late.

Hellfire Blood: feat, tiefling, PHB
An untyped +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls of fire and/or fear powers. Requires you to be a tiefling, but you can get around that restriction with the right epic destiny.

Stoking the Fire: feat, wizard, DR388.
When you hit a target with a fire attack, you gain a +2 power bonus to your next damage roll with a fire attack against that target before the end of your next turn. A nice bonus which should stack with most other bonuses. Wizard is quite the requirement, and you need to be multi-attacking to really make use of it, so it's not for everyone.

Khyber Shard of Fiery Depth: dragonshard augment, level 2/12/22, EPG.
Add a +1/3/5 untyped damage bonus to all fire damage rolls using the augmented weapon. You can augment a weapon with a dragonshard to increase its damage. Cheap, slotless and scales well.

Incendiary Dagger: superior implement, dagger, DR385, MME // Ashen Rod: superior implement, rod, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement fire powers used through this implement. You also get a +1 untyped bonus to attacks vs. Reflex, so if you choose your powers right, this accuracy bonus makes up for not having an Accurate implement. Unfortunately not available for Firewind Blade, since that doesn't come as a dagger.

Inferno Oil: alchemical item, level 5+, EPG.
If you apply Inferno Oil to your weapon or a piece of ammunition as a standard action (preferably during a short rest) and hit a target with it, you make a secondary attack with the weapon or ammunition against the target's Reflex. If you hit, the creature has vulnerable 5/10/15 fire (save ends). It's been pointed out that secondary attacks default to the same keywords as the primary attack, so you get your enhancement, expertise and other bonuses, making the second attack quite accurate. If you have the Alchemist theme, you can make a free batch of oil every short rest.

Paragon:
Fiery Blood: feat, HotEC.
A +3/4 feat bonus to all fire damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, and it comes with a nice bonus should you ever encounter enemies that deal fire damage.





[h=2]Ride the Lightning: lightning optimization[/h]
These are the options for maximizing your damage using lightning. The highlights of this damage type are twofold: the Lyrandar Wind Rider paragon path and the Gifts for the Queen item set.

Lightning damage optimization is availabe for everyone, whether you use a melee weapon, a ranged weapon or an implement (provided you can use a weapon as implement). Lightning only takes off at paragon, and requires a paragon path and high constitution and/or quite a few magic items.So don’t optimize around it if you don't have the con and the paragon path and/or play in a low-magic campaign.

Lightning Damage Access
Heroic:
Weapon of Myrdroon's Shard: spear, level 4+, DR364.
You can use a standard action to make a melee basic attack with this spear with +1 reach that deals lightning damage instead of its normal type. Unusable for chargers, and most classes use other powers. Might be interesting for Knights or Eldritch Strike users who don't charge, since it is one level lower than a Lightning Weapon.

Lightning Weapon: any weapon, level 5+, PHB.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into lightning damage. It's any weapon, so both melee and ranged characters can use this. There are two drawbacks to using it: it's level 5+, and it takes up your weapon slot. Pick it accordingly.

Forked Lightning Ki Focus: ki focus, level 9+, PsP.
This ki focus makes all your melee attacks do lightning damage instead of their normal type. A good, clean way for melee characters to turn all their damage into lightning, and one level lower than a Lightning Weapon too. Takes up your weapon slot though, and requires ki focus proficiency.

Lightning Strike Bow: longbow, shortbow, level 10+, PHB.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into lightning damage as a free action. It's no different from a lightning weapon, except that it's ranged only. There are two drawbacks to using it: it's level 10+, and it takes up your weapon slot. Pick it accordingly.

Paragon:
Shocking Flame: feat, genasi, FRPG.
The premier option of gaining access to lightning damage at paragon tier, this feat lets you deal 2 extra lightning damage with all your melee attacks when manifesting stormsoul. The racial prerequisite is annoying, but int+str/con are racial bonuses that let you play just about every melee class.
The other big selling point of this feat is that you gain access to fire optimization as well at epic tier thanks to the Double Manifestation feat, or even at paragon with the Elemental Tempest paragon path.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals lightning damage, then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement. This competes for Lyrandar Wind-Rider, so it's only good if you either can't take the path (LFR) or you've optimized your dragon breath, at which point it becomes a very good pick.

Malec-Keth Jannisary: paragon path, swordmage, MotP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to do 1d4 extra lightning damage with all your attacks. Competes with Lyrandar Wind-Rider, takes up your multiclass, the attacks are only any good if you're int-primary and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements all work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some lightning damage.

Ring of the Djinn Slayer assassin, assassin's shroud or assassin's strike powers
Requires a very good MC feat if not assassin, but easy typing of damage to include Lightning twice a combat if MC'd Assassin.

Soaring blade: paragon path, monk, trained in acrobatics, PsP.
At level 16 you gain the ability to do extra lightning damage equal to your constitution modifier with melee attacks using a heavy blade. The effect is similar to Lyrandar Wind-Rider but without the accuracy boost, and it kicks in at level 16 instead of 11. It also takes up your multiclass, and the attacks are only any good if you're dex-primary (so you need both a good con and dex). If these requirements are work for you, then this is an okay way to gain some lightning damage.

Thunderbolt Weapon: any ranged, level 13+, AV.
All damage dealt by this weapon is lightning damage. It works on implement attacks and attacks without a damage roll as well, but be aware it only comes in the ranged variety. If that works for you that's great, since it's two levels lower than a Lightning Weapon, but remember that it still takes up your weapon slot.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but since it only changes untyped damage from weapon attacks, and is only one level lower than a Lightning Weapon, it isn't very competitive.

Epic:
Soul of the World: epic destiny, deva, DR385 // Reincarnate Champion: epic destiny, primal class, PrP.
Both of these epic destinies let you become a member of an additional race at levels 21 and 24, which in turn gives you access to Shocking Flame by taking Extra Manifestation for stormsoul. As an additional bonus, you can choose a non-drow fey race at level 24 for access to the Sarifal Feywarden theme.

Avatar of Storm: epic destiny, Storm Sacrifice feat, Channel Divinity class feature, must worship a deity of the storm domain, DiP.
From level 21 on, when you deal lightning or thunder damage with a power, you deal lightning and thunder damage. If you're into one of the two types, you now get to optimize them both. The rest of the epic destiny is all right too, especially for str and con classes who get a stat bump. Requires some investment though.





Lightning Damage Optimization
Heroic:
Sarifal Feywarden: theme, any fey race but drow, DR405.
Starting at level 1, you get an aura 2 for two turns that makes everyone in the aura vulnerable 5/10/15 to your lightning attacks. The only drawbacks are the racial requirement (which you can get around with the right epic destiny) and the minor action activation cost.

Storm Talon: elemental companion, Elemental Companion feat, HotEC.
This companion has the following active benefit: aura 1, you and your allies get a +2 power bonus to lightning damage rolls against enemies in the aura. Requiring your companion to be in active mode and standing next to an enemy is a good way to get it killed quickly. Along with the two feat prerequisite (you need Born of the Elements to take Elemental Companion), this is a very expensive and somewhat unreliable option.

Eberron Shard of Lightning: dragonshard augment, level 2/12/22, EPG.
Add a +1/3/5 untyped damage bonus to all lightning damage rolls using the augmented weapon. You can augment a weapon with a dragonshard to increase its damage. Cheap, slotless and scales well.

Lancing Dagger: superior implement, dagger, DR385, MME // Rowan Wand: superior implement, wand, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement lightning powers used through this implement. You miss out on the accuracy bonus from an Accurate implement, so carefully consider if this is worth it. Lancing Dagger still gets a blue rating for being compatible with Eberron Shard of Lightning and Lightning Weapon/Spellsoul Blade.

Paragon:
Lightning Soul: feat, HotEC.
A +3/4 feat bonus to all lightning damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, and it comes with a nice bonus should you ever encounter enemies that deal lightning damage.

Lyrandar Wind-Rider: paragon path, Mark of Storm feat, EPG.
At level 11 you get a +1 untyped bonus to attack rolls and an untyped bonus to damage rolls equal to your constitution (minimum 1) with lightning and thunder attack powers. The Mark of Storm requirement is annoying if you're not allowed to take the feat (like in LFR), but if you can, this paragon path represents a huge boost to your damage if con is your primary or secondary stat.

Gifts for the Queen: item set, level 13+, AV2.
If you hit with a lightning attack power, you gain an untyped bonus to the damage roll equal to the number of items from this set (minimum 2). This item set is the key to lightning optimization, since without it you're better off optimizing another damage type (unless you can take Lyrandar Wind-Rider, then it's still worth pursuing).
There are at least 3 items that everyone can take (Crown of the Brilliant Sun, Spark Slippers and Ring of the Radiant Storm) because they're in the head, feet and ring slot. The other two (Bracelet of the Radiant Storm and Queen's Staff) are in item slots that have some competition (arms slot competes with Iron Armbands or Bracers of Archery, weapon slot competes with a lot). Fortunately, you don't have to attack with the staff to gain the benefit, so you can hold it in your off-hand if you have it free.

Ring of the Radiant Storm: ring slot item, level 17, AV2.
When you hit an enemy with a lightning power and deal damage to it, you can roll the damage twice and use either result. Depending on the amount of dice you roll, this can be quite a damage boost. It's part of the Gifts of the Queen item set, so you'll probably have it anyway.




[h=2]Thunderstruck: thunder optimization[/h]
These are the options for maximizing your damage using thunder. This damage type not only revolves around extra damage, but also around increasing the number of targets you can hit with bursts and blasts. Unsurprisingly it also mixes quite well with lightning damage, letting you combine the benefits of both damage types.

Thunder damage optimization before level 16 is only availabe to those who naturally have thunder attacks. After that it becomes available for everyone who is willing to give up their multiclass and paragon path or epic destiny. Thunder only takes off at paragon, and requires lots of bursts and blasts.

Thunder Damage Access
Heroic:
Power of the Storm: any divine class, must worship a deity of the storm domain, DiP.
When you hit an enemy with one of four at-will powers (Overwhelming Strike, Valiant Strike, Vanguard's Lightning, Righteous Brand) the power's damage type changes to thunder and it deals an untyped 2/3/4 extra damage. A good damage bonus and accessible early on, but only one of the powers works with Resounding Thunder.

Thunderfist Ki Focus: ki focus, level 4+, PsP.
This ki focus turns all damage dealt by it with melee attacks into thunder damage. Bursters, blasters and ranged implement users are out of luck here, which is a big strike against it because it doesn't work with Resounding Thunder. Ki focus proficiency can be annoying too.

Screaming Bow: bow, level 4+, AV2.
This bow turns all untyped damage dealt by it into thunder damage and deafens the target on a hit. The classes that can use this profitably are limited, especially since ranged weapon users don't get many bursts and blasts for Resounding Thunder. But good enough for those who want it, and the daily power inflicts thunder vulnerability which is always nice.

Paragon:
Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, Thundering Breath feat, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals lighting damage and you've taken the Thundering Breath feat, then you can add the lightning and thunder damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon. Notice the wording: this effect also works on blast and burst attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement, so it works with Resounding Thunder. Competes with Lyrandar Wind-Rider and requires you to be dragonborn. If these requirements work for you, then this is a good way to gain some thunder damage.

Devoted Orator: paragon path, invoker, DiP.
From level 16 on, when you use a close attack power, you can deal extra thunder damage equal to one-half your int-mod, and you can push a target you hit 1 square. The most important thing about this path is that it activates Resounding Thunder on all your close attacks. Competes with Lyrandar Wind-Rider though and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements work for you, then this is a good way to gain some thunder damage.

Malec-Keth Jannisary: paragon path, swordmage, MotP. At level 16 you gain the ability to do 1d4 extra thunder damage with all your attacks. The most important thing about this path is that it activates Resounding Thunder on all your attacks, period. Competes with Lyrandar Wind-Rider though, and the benefit doesn't kick in until level 16. If these requirements work for you, then this is a good way to gain some thunder damage.

Ring of the Djinn Slayer assassin, assassin's shroud or assassin's strike powers(MwaO)
Requires a very good MC feat if not assassin, but easy typing of damage to include Thunder twice a combat if MC'd Assassin.

Thundergod Weapon: any melee, level 13+, AV.
All melee attacks made with this weapon deal +1d6/2d6 thunder damage when you charge. If you charge regularly, then this is an interesting way to gain extra thunder damage, but it doesn't help with Resounding Thunder. Also deals quite a lot of extra damage if you crit.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but not being usable with Resounding Thunder is a big strike against it.

Epic:
Avatar of Storm: epic destiny, Storm Sacrifice feat, Channel Divinity class feature, must worship a deity of the storm domain, DiP.
From level 21 on, when you deal lightning or thunder damage with a power, you deal lightning and thunder damage. If you're into one of the two types, you now get to optimize them both. The rest of the epic destiny is all right too, especially for str and con classes who get a stat bump. Requires some investment though.




Thunder Damage Optimization
Heroic:
Sarifal Feywarden: theme, any fey race but drow, DR405.
Starting at level 1, you get an aura 2 for two turns that makes everyone in the aura vulnerable 5/10/15 to your thunder attacks. The only drawbacks are the racial requirement (which you can get around with the right epic destiny) and the minor action activation cost.

Primordial Adept: theme, HotEC.
At level 10, you get a +2 power bonus to all damage rolls with thunder powers, regardless which power you took at level 1. A nice damage bonus that's always on, but it doesn't stack with leader bonuses like the Artificer's Magic Weapon and it kicks in a little late.

Echoes of Thunder: feat, PHB2.
When you hit with any thunder attack power, you gain a +1/2/3 bonus to damage rolls until the end of your next turn. Works for everyone and on all attacks apart from the first. Best for multi-attackers, less good for blasters.

Quickbeam Staff: superior implement, staff, PHB3, MME // Resonating Dagger: superior implement, dagger, DR385, MME // Storm Totem: superior implement, totem, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement thunder powers used through these implements. You miss out on the accuracy bonus from an Accurate implement, but Storm Totem gives you the +1 bonus anyway if you attack Fortitude. The staff and dagger both add 1 square to pushes, pulls and slides, which is pretty good too.

Paragon:
Thunder's Rumble: feat, HotEC.
A +3/4 feat bonus to all thunder damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, and it comes with a nice bonus should you ever encounter enemies that deal thunder damage.

Resounding Thunder: feat, PHB.
You can add 1 to the size of any blast or burst that has the thunder keyword. This feat is the reason you optimize thunder over other damage types. More targets = more damage, more control, more everything. Increasing bursts from 9 to 25 squares (let alone 49) is nuts, therefore no thunder build can do without this.

Lyrandar Wind-Rider: paragon path, Mark of Storm feat, EPG.
At level 11 you get a +1 untyped bonus to attack rolls and an untyped bonus to damage rolls equal to your constitution (minimum 1) with lightning and thunder attack powers. The Mark of Storm requirement is annoying if you're not allowed to take the feat (like in LFR), but if you can, this paragon path represents a huge boost to your damage if con is your primary or secondary stat.

Voice of Thunder: paragon path, bard, PHB2.
From level 16 on, you get an untyped +2 damage bonus to all thunder attacks. The path also comes with a baked-in, repeatable thunder encounter attack power at 11, and the action point feature increases your burst and blast sizes even more. A good alternative for Lyrandar Wind-Rider if you already have access to thunder (otherwise, pick Malec-Keth Janissary or Devoted Orator).

Wand of Thunderous Anguish: wand, level 14+, AV2.
When you hit an enemy with a thunder power using this wand, until the end of your next turn that enemy takes thunder damage equal to this wand’s enhancement bonus whenever one of your allies hits it. So basically, your thunder attacks now also inflict vulnerable all for your allies' attacks. Your ranger friend will thank you.

 

[MwaO]

My Type: optimizing other damage types


Damage types other than cold, radiant, fire, lightning and thunder are not very well supported, at least not damage-wise. But here's what I could find.

Acid Damage
Heroic:
Ooze Master: theme, DR413.
From level 10 on, whenever you hit a creature with an acid attack power, it grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn. Nice if you have trouble getting combat advantage otherwise, and your party profits from it.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals acid damage, then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement.

Greenstone Orb: superior implement, Orb, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement acid powers used through this implement. You also get a +1 untyped bonus to attacks vs. Fortitude, so if you choose your powers right, this accuracy bonus makes up for not having an Accurate implement.

Mordant Weapon: heavy blade, light blade or spear, level 8+, P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into acid and poison damage as a free action. Be aware this is not as good as it looks, because monsters who are immune to poison damage are also immune to all non-damaging effects of the power. See the Poison entry for more info.
This weapon also comes from a questionable source, so make sure to check with your DM if you can even get it.

Staff of Acid and Flame: staff, level 10+, AV.
This staff turns all fire damage dealt by it into acid damage as a free action. And vice cersa. It's a costly item and has a pretty harsh restriction, but at least you're not doing poison damage.

Paragon:
Burning Vapors: feat, HotEC.
A +3/4 feat bonus to all acid damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, and it comes with a nice bonus should you ever encounter enemies that deal acid damage.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but since it only changes untyped damage from weapon attacks and is one level higher than a Mordant Weapon, you're usually better off with that.

Staff of Corrosion: staff, level 18+, AV.
All melee attacks made with this staff deal 1d6 extra acid damage. An interesting and not-actually-bad way to gain the acid keyword, but the staff is far from the best weapon for melee builds.




Force Damage
Heroic:
Jagged Force: shardmind, psion, PsP
You gain a +2/3/4 feat bonus to damage rolls with force powers. It has some stiff requirements, but if you're really into force damage, consider it.

Guardian Staff: superior implement, staff, PHB3, MME // Petrified Orb: superior implement, orb, PHB3, MME // Inexorable Ki Focus: superior implement, ki focus, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement force powers used through these implements. The ki focus is the only one that gives you an accuracy bonus with attacks vs Fortitude to compete with an Accurate implement, but the forceful property of the orb (+1 to pulls, pushes and slides) is also nice, since most force powers have forced movement baked in. The Guardian Staff's shield bonus to AC and Ref when hitting with a power is less good.

Diamond Wand: wand, level 4+, AV2.
When you hit an enemy with an arcane force power using this wand, the next attack that hits it deals 1/2/3 extra force damage. This basically gives enemies vulnerable 1/2/3 to your damage, and your next ally's attack. Not terrible, not terribly good either. Also means you won't be using a Petrified Orb or Inexorable Ki Focus.

Force Weapon: any weapon, level 8+, AV.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into force damage as a free action. If you really want to deal force damage with all your attacks, this is the easiest way to do it.



Necrotic Damage
Necrotic is one of the two most resisted damage types in the game. If for some reason you want to optimize around it, I suggest you find a way to add a second damage type to all your attacks. Otherwise, you might as well go stand in the corner when fighting undead.

Heroic:
Sarifal Feywarden: theme, any fey race but drow, DR405.
Starting at level 1, you get an aura 2 for two turns that makes everyone in the aura vulnerable 5/10/15 to your necrotic attacks. The only drawbacks are the racial requirement (which you can get around with the right epic destiny) and the minor action activation cost.

Deathbone Rod: superior implement, rod, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement force powers used through these implements. You also get a +1 bonus to attacks vs Will to compete with an Accurate implement.

Vampiric Weapon: heavy or light blade, level 9+, AV.
All damage dealt by this weapon is necrotic damage. In addition, when you score a critical hit you regain 1d4 HP per plus. The only heroic weapon available that turns your damage into necrotic.

Paragon:
Soul Binder: paragon path, any arcane, divine or shadow class, must worship Nerull, DR427.
The level 11 feature adds the radiant damage type to all your necrotic attacks, so at least they'll do double typed damage. If you have a Morninglord in the party, that might actually somewhat make up for this otherwise pretty bad paragon path.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals necrotic damage, then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Plagued Breath is the way to go there. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement. No extra damage, and the rest of the path isn't spectacular unless you've optimized your dragon breath.

Ineffable Secret of Death: ki focus, level 15+, DR404(MwaO)
This Ki focus with combat advantage is basically a free shard for damage, boosting up necrotic closer to everyone else. It also has a great encounter utility power and solid daily minor utility. It is especially great with additional damage taps, such as Assassin's Shroud as it is extra damage, not a bonus to damage rolls — so as an example, an Assassin using Shroud on an opponent gets to benefit from +Enhancement damage on the attack and the Shroud.

Necrotic Weapon: axe, heavy or light blade, level 13+, AV.
This weapon turns half the damage dealt by it into necrotic damage as a free action. That is interesting if you already deal typed damage, because you can start double-tapping different types of damage support. Too bad necrotic has almost none.

Death Weapon: pick or spear, level 13+, P2 Demon Queen Enclave.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into necrotic damage as a free action. Questionably source and weapon types that are hard to optimize. Other than that, exactly what you need to start dealing necrotic damage.

Spellsoul Blade: heavy or light blade, level 14+, DR414.
A curious item (but it’s Planescape, so what’d you expect?). Upon gaining this weapon, your DM chooses three damage types from acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant and thunder. Then, once per encounter you can choose one of those three, and all untyped damage dealt by weapon attacks using this weapon is of that type until your next rest. The rating of this item varies with your DM, but since it only changes untyped damage from weapon attacks and is one level higher than a Necrotic Weapon, you don't need this.

Lifebane Weapon: heavy or light blade, pick or spear, level 15+, DR376.
Like the Necrotic Weapon, this weapon turns half the damage dealt by it into necrotic damage as a free action. The other properties aren't worth the increased levels though, so stick with the level 13 weapon.



Poison Damage
Poison is the only damage type that actively makes your character worse. Why? Because, and I'm quoting the Rules Compendium here, "a creature that is immune to charm, fear, illusion, poison, or sleep is not affected by the nondamaging effects of a power that has that keyword". So when you hit a creature that's immune to poison (which is over a thousand monsters in the game!), not only don't you deal damage, your attack also doesn't have any other effect.

You don't get around this by simply adding another damage type. In fact, the only way around it is with the Venom Hand Master feat. So if you want to build your character around poison damage, know that it's going to cost you. All ratings assume you've taken that feat.

Heroic:
Venom Hand Master: feat, assassin, DR379.
Your attacks ignore poison resistance and immunity. As mentioned, this is a mandatory feat if you want to make poison damage work, both for the effects of your powers and for the number of monsters who are immune to it.

Venom Hand Killer: feat, assassin, DR379.
A +2/3/4 feat bonus to all poison damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus. The skyblue rating comes from the fact that you need to be an assassin anyway to get Venom Hand Master, so the prerequisite might as well not be there.

Power of Poison: feat, any divine class, must worship a deity of the poison domain.
When you hit an enemy with one of four at-will powers (Overwhelming Strike, Enfeebling Strike, Grasping Shards, Righteous Brand) the power's damage type changes to poison and it deals an untyped 2/3/4 extra damage. A good damage bonus and accessible early on, but too bad you need to use an at-will power to turn it on.

Skulker of Vhaeraun: theme, drow, DR413.
The level 1 minor action utility power lets you deal an additional 4/8/12 poison damage with weapon attacks against enemies that grant you combat advantage until the end of your next turn. It's somewhat like Sarifal Feywarden in that you get an scaling damage bonus, and it gives your attacks the poison keyword. At level 10, your poison attacks also give your targets a -2 attack penalty, which is gravy. Just remember the racial restriction.

Widow of Arach-Tinilith: theme, female, drow, any divine class, DR413.
From level 10 on, you can choose to deal poison damage with your divine attack powers instead of their normal damage type. This theme wins the prize for the most ridiculous (although flavorful) prerequisites. If you can deal with those and want to wield something else than a Spiderkissed or Mordant Weapon, this is the theme for you.

Staff of the Serpent: staff, level 7+, AV.
Any melee attack with this staff deals 1d6 extra poison damage. Extra damage is pretty nice, too bad it only comes as a staff, which is not an optimal weapon for melee builds. It's useful for classes that use both weapons and implements though, or Druids and Monks who make melee implement attacks.

Spiderkissed Weapon: any melee, level 7+, DR367.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into poison damage as a free action. A clean way to access poison damage for any melee build.

Mordant Weapon: heavy blade, light blade or spear, level 8+, P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into acid and poison damage as a free action. It suffers from competition with the Spiderkissed Weapon, since the additional damage type is wasted if you also take Venom Hand Master (and acid is undersupported). This weapon comes from a questionable source, so make sure to check with your DM if you can even get it.

Envenomed Ki Focus: ki focus, level 2+, HoS.
Poison damage rolls with this ki focus get an item bonus equal to the enhancement bonus of the ki focus. If you don't need a Spiderkissed or Mordant Weapon to get poison damage, this is a nice, low level way to get some extra damage and save your arms slot (since you won't be needing Iron Armbands of Power or something similar). Ki focus proficiency shouldn't be a problem, since you're an assassin anyway.

Paragon:
Master of Poisons: paragon path, rogue, MP2.
From level 11 on, your poison weapon attacks get a bonus to the damage roll equal to your int-modifier. The rest of the path is also decent, although the encounter power for some reason doesn't work with the level 11 feature since it's not a weapon attack. Where this paragon path gets a bit complicated is the rogue prerequisite. You already need to be an assassin for Venom Hand Master, so you have to hybrid if you want to use this path on a build that's something beside rogue and assassin.

Honorable Blade: paragon path, dragonborn, any martial class, PHR.
If your dragon breath deals poison damage, then you can add this damage type to all damage dealt by your melee weapon as well. Notice the wording: this effect also works on attacks that use your melee weapon as an implement.

Venom Master: feat, drow, darkfire racial power, DR382.
When you hit an enemy with your darkfire racial power, they gain vulnerable 5 poison until the end of the encounter. Giving one enemy vulnerability to your damage until the end of the fight is pretty darn good for a minor action encounter power. The racial prerequisite holds it back a bit.

Serpentine Bracers: arms slot, level 18, AV2.
While you're hidden from your target, you deal 1d8 extra poison damage on attacks against that target. Extra damage is good, and getting it on your arms slot item is even better. Being hidden can be difficult sometimes, but assassins have don't have too much difficulty with it.

Epic:
Sword of Black Ice: longsword, level 27, DU162.
At the end of epic tier, you get a weapon with a separate damage instance that deals 2d8 poison damage when you hit a target with it. A cool way to do more damage, although your attacks with this weapon don't gain the poison keyword since it's not extra damage.



Psychic Damage
Heroic:
Dual Mind Strength: feat, kalashtar, DR385.
A +3/4 feat bonus to all psychic damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, but only available to kalashtar. Fortunately, they're not a bad race for classes who do regular psychic damage.

Psychic Focus: feat, shardmind, PHB3.
A +2/3/4 feat bonus to all psychic damage rolls. An upgraded version of Weapon/Implement Focus, but only available to shardminds. Fortunately, they're not a bad race for classes that regularly do psychic damage.

Io's Roar: feat, dragonborn, dragon breath racial power, psionic class, PsP.
Any target hit by your dragon breath attack gains vulnerable 5 psychic until the end of your turn. While inflicting vulnerability as a minor action is pretty nice, the fact that it's only until the end of your current turn (and not the next) makes it somewhat limited. Having to be dragonborn doesn't help.

Mindwarp Staff: superior implement, staff, PHB3, MME // Crystal Orb: superior implement, orb, PHB3, MME // Serene Ki Focus: superior implement, ki focus, PHB3, MME.
An untyped +2/3/4 bonus to damage rolls with implement force powers used through these implements. Both the orb and the ki focus give you an accuracy bonus with attacks vs Will to compete with an Accurate implement, since that's the defense most often targeted by psychic attacks. The Mindwarp Staff's bonus to range is less good.

Githyanki Silver Weapon: heavy blade, level 9+, MotP.
This weapon turns all damage dealt by it into psychic damage as a free action. If you can't deal psychic damage naturally, this is the easiest way to do it. The daily power that lets you banish (save ends) any target you hit is also quite awesome.

Paragon:
Mindiron Weapon: bow or crossbow, level 14+, AV.
This weapon turns half the damage dealt by it into psychic damage as a free action. Very interesting, since this opens the door to multiple types of damage support. Unfortunately it's is only available as a ranged weapon, which limits its uses. The encounter power is very nice for classes that normally attack AC, since it practically lowers the target's defenses by 2 points.

Psychic Lock: paragon feat, PHB.
If you hit a target with a psychic attack, it takes a -2 penalty to its next attack roll. Not a damage boost, but any character with a psychic focus would be remiss if they didn't pick this up.

 

[MwaO]

Greatest Hits: critical hit optimization

Classless damage optimization for critical hits is inherently difficult. Some classes like the Avenger get some extra goodies to help them optimize it, but needing to roll a 20 on an attack roll is still tough. You get around this by expanding your crit range (critting on a 19, for example) and finding ways to roll more than once for your attacks.

Crit optimization is one of the areas of the game where it really pays off to plan your character all the way to epic tier. At higher tiers, the tools often come with difficult prerequisites. For example, if you divide your stats wrong at level 1 you will already be losing out in epic.

Some things to keep in mind: effective critfishing will require your multiclass; you will run into issues with action economy because you need to activate multiple things with a minor action; you need to keep track of the free action attack limit (only 1 free attack per turn); and you probably need a good melee basic attack to take the most advantage of your critical hits.

All the ratings assume a classless build. Some feats and powers are rated higher if you're a specific class (mostly Avenger). You can find those ratings in the relevant class guides.

Access to Crit Boosting
HeroicElven Accuracy: racial power, elf, PHB, HotFL.
Once per encounter, if you dislike the result of an attack roll, you get to reroll it. A good power, but you might run into the problem of elves needing to sacrifice something for a good melee basic attack (no str-bonus). Fortunately, there's always Reincarnate Champion at epic.

Ironwrought: theme, HotEC.
At level 1 you gain the Inevitable Strike encounter power, which lets you roll twice for a single melee weapon attack roll. If both attacks hit, you also deal 1d8/2d8/3d8 extra damage. At level 10 you can take the Weapon Unity daily utility power, which gives you a stance that lets you crit on a 19 with melee weapon attacks. A good theme for melee crit fishers, and one that's still useful at higher tiers.

Occultist: theme, DR420.
This otherwise very unimpressive theme has the interesting level 2 minor action encounter utility power Twisting Fortune. Until the end of your next turn, you can reroll any attack roll (or save or skill check) no less than 3 times. The cost is great however: you lose a healing surge every time you choose to reroll. Interesting for Brutal Barrage battleminds though.

Samurai: theme, DR404.
At level 1 you gain the Iaijutsu power. When you roll initiative, if your score is higher than every enemy, all your weapon attack rolls during your first turn crit on an 18 or higher. At level 10, you also choose a weapon group that deals 1d6 extra damage on a crit (2d6 at level 21). Another theme that's aimed at critfishers that use a weapon. But an increased crit range is not as good as a double roll, especially one as unreliable and short-lived as this.

Yakuza: theme, DR404.
This pretty awesome theme has the cool level 2 encounter utility power Life's Losing Hand. If you roll a natural 1, 2 or 3 on an attack roll, you can reroll the attack with a bonus equal to your cha-modifier. Not very reliable for critfishing though.

Wilder: theme, DSCS.
At level 1 you get the Psychic Surge encounter attack power, which lets you crit the target on an 18 or higher until the end of your next turn if you hit with it. The Enhanced Psychic Surge feat increases the range to 16. The reason you take this theme is to qualify for the Resurgent Wilder paragon path. As a Dark Sun theme it's illegal for LFR.

Disciple of Divine Wrath: multiclass feat, wis 13, PHB2.
You now get to use the Avenger's Oath of Enmity power once per encounter, and it lasts until the end of your next turn. More than enough time to unleash a can of whoopass on your target. Remember that it only works for melee attacks and only if you have no other enemies adjacent to you. If you have a way to get rerolls, this power lets you reroll both dice, which can get pretty crazy.

Power of Luck: feat, any divine class, must worship a deity of the luck domain, DiP.
When you use one of four at-will powers (Bond of Censure, Holy Strike, Vanguard's Lightning, Lance of Faith) you crit on a 19. This isn't very interesting for paladins and clerics, but Avengers now have a power that gets both a double roll and an increased crit range, and invokers have double crit range on an area burst. There is some potential here.

Unforgetable Cudgel: mace, level 8+, AV2.
This mace lets you crit with divine melee attack powers (weapon or implement) on a 19. It also counts as a holy symbol for divine implement powers. A much, much better way than Power of Luck for divine classes to get increased crit range, since it works on every power. As a bonus, you also daze the target on a crit.



ParagonDivine Oracle: paragon path, cleric, PHB.
If you hit with the level 11 encounter power, the next attack against the target is an automatic crit. That would be the time to use your action point. At level 16, when you make an attack roll against Will, you roll twice and take the higher result. If you miss you are dazed, so make sure you have a reroll handy.

Draeven Marauder: paragon path, fighter, DR365.
At level 11, you crit with spears on a 19. Remember that gouges are spears too!
At level 16, when you crit a bloodied enemy with a melee attack, you can make an melee basic attack against another enemy within range. Even better if your spear has reach.
The level 12 utility is also good to have in case you score a hit and your target suddenly dies on you. Then you can shift 3 squares as a free action and continue the fun somewhere else.

Resurgent Wilder: paragon path, Wilder theme, DSCS.
So much critty goodness! At level 11, when you use an action point to make an attack, until the end of your next turn attacks against targets of that attack can score a critical hit on a roll of 19–20. Also, when you crit, you can spend a healing surge.
The level 12 daily utility lets you turn one hit against a target into a crit.
At level 16, all your psionic at-will powers crit on an 18 or higher, which makes monks, psions and battleminds very happy.
The level 20 daily power lets you make a close burst 1 attack that lets everyone crit the targets at 18 or higher.

Life Singer: paragon path, bard, AP.
If you miss with an attack against Will, you can reroll it. Far less powerful than Divine Oracle, and the rest of the path also has a lot less synergy with critical hits.

Borrowed Confidence: level 16 utility power, swordmage, AP.
As a minor action encounter power, you can roll twice on all attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn. Very useful when going for that nova round with an expanded crit range, but probably requires your multiclass.

Melegaunt's Darkblade: heavy or light blade, level 12+, DU177.
This weapon scores critical hits on a 19, and deals your standard 1d6 (cold) damage per plus. Cheap, powerful and effective. I'd expect nothing less of a Prince of Shade. Too bad it only comes as a sword.

Jagged Weapon: axe, heavy or light blade, level 12+, AV.
This weapon scores critical hits on a 19. Where it falls short is in the crit damage department: instead of dealing extra d6s, it applies ongoing 10/20 damage, which is significantly worse. It does come as an axe though, so it's also available as a gouge.

Tenacious Weapon: any weapon, level 19+, AV.
The power on this weapon lets you roll twice for an attack once per encounter. Simple, clean, and effective if need an additional double roll.



EpicSage of Ages: epic destiny, arcane class, AP.
At level 24, you roll a d20 at the start of each of your turns. You can use the result of that roll in place of any one d20 roll you make before the start of your next turn.

Martial Supremacy: fighter power, level 22, DR382.
This minor action encounter stance lets you reroll any attack with basic attacks with the weapon keyword (and fighter at-wills). The stance lasts until you spend a surge.

Weapon Mastery: feat series
This feat series lets you crit on a 19 with weapon attacks using the right weapon. For example, Axe Mastery lets you crit on a 19 with all axe melee weapon attacks. The prerequisites are certain stats, and sometimes they're quite stiff, so plan your stat boosts accordingly. For the record, these are all the Mastery feats:
ShowPHB: Axe Mastery (str 21, con 17), Bludgeon Mastery (hammer, mace staff, str 19, con 19), Flail Mastery (str 19, dex 19), Heavy Blade Mastery (str 21, dex 17), Light Blade Mastery (str 17, dex 21), Pick Mastery (str 21, con 17), Spear Mastery (str 19, dex 19).

PHB2: Bow Mastery (bow, crossbow, no prerequisites).

PHB3: Unarmed Mastery (monk, Unarmed Combatant class feature).


Critical Hit Optimization
Implement Expertise: feat series.
This feat series lets you crit on a 19 with implement attacks from the right power source using the correct implement. For example, Bard Implement Expertise lets you crit on a 19 with all arcane powers using a bard implement. The prerequisites are certain stat spreads, so plan accordingly. For the record, these are all the Implement Expertise feats:
ShowArcane Power: Bard Implement Expertise (con 15, int 15, cha 21), Sorcerer Implement Expertise (str 15, dex 15, cha 21), Warlock Implement Expertise (con 17, cha 17), Wizard Implement Expertise (dex 15, int 21, wis 15).

DR378: Invoker Implement Expertise (no prerequisites), Swordmage Implement Expertise (int 21, str or con 17, works on MBA's, swordmage powers and swordmage paragon path powers).

PsP: Psion Implement Expertise (int 21, wis 15, cha 15).



Hand of Divine Guidance: feat, avenger, Oath of Enmity, DR382.
You now crit on a 19 against your Oath of Enmity target. If you don't want to invest in other ways to increase your crit range but do have an Avenger multiclass, I guess you can take this feat.

Vengeful Declaration: feat, avenger, Oath of Enmity power, DR382.
This feat lets you use Oath of Enmity as a free action instead of a minor. At this point you're going to be pretty strapped for actions, so even if you're only multiclassing for OoE, consider taking this to improve your action economy.








HeroicHarmony Blade: heavy blade, level 4+, AV2.
When you crit with this weapon, you can make make a melee basic attack with your off-hand weapon as a no action in addition to the additional crit damage. The easiest way to profit from this is to use an off-hand Harmony Blade. Single weapon users can take a Drow Long Knife, double weapon users can go with a Zulaat or Lotulis. The double weapons also work nicely with Two-Weapon Opening, and the Lotulis even comes with an encounter powerswap for a double-attack against two targets, should your base class lack it.
Be prepared to have your DM nerf the extra attack to be a free action though, making it subject to the free action attack rule.

Rending Weapon: axe, level 4+, AV.
When you crit with this weapon, you can make make a melee basic attack with this weapon against the same target as a no action in addition to the additional crit damage. Because it's an axe, you get to abuse Deadly Axe as well.
Like the Harmony Blade, be prepared to have it nerfed to a free action attack by your DM.



ParagonTwo-Weapon Opening: feat, Two-Weapon Fighting feat, PHB2.
When you are wielding two melee weapons and score a critical hit with your main weapon, you can make a melee basic attack with your off-hand weapon against the same target as a free action. Another way to generate a free action attack on a crit is a cornerstone of crit optimization, so see if you can work this in. Easiest to use with double weapons.

Deadly Axe: feat, str 17, con 13, PHB.
You treat all axes as high crit weapons. Rolling extra damage dice is cool, and axes have some of the best weapon dice in the game.

Devastating Critical: feat, PHB.
When you score a critical hit, you get to roll another d10 for damage. Not bad, but not very impressive either.

Critical Targeting: feat, DR387.
When you score a critical hit with a melee or ranged attack, the attack deals 2 extra damage and you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against the creature you hit until the end of the encounter. The bonus damage is low and chances are your target dies before you can attack it again, so don't prioritize this feat.

Glasya's Charming Words: feat, tiefling, PHR:T.
When you score a critical hit with a charm power, the target is also dominated until the end of your next turn. Very good for a Divine Oracle that either wields an Unforgetable Cudgel or uses Beguiling Strands.

Bloodiron Weapon: any weapon, level 13+, AV.
When you score a critical hit with this weapon, the target of the attack takes 1d10 damage per enhancement bonus of this weapon at the start of your next turn. Extra damage is nice, but not if it's delayed for a round (by then the target might be dead already). The competition for your weapon slot is also too big for this weapon to warrant much consideration.

Ring of Giants: ring, level 13, DR378.
You get a +2 bonus to critical hit damage per enhancement bonus of the weapon you wield. Easiest crit damage bonus ever.

War Ring: ring, level 16, AV.
When you score a critical hit, you deal one extra die of critical hit damage. Another easy, if small, damage bonus. The daily power lets you roll even more damage dice, which are maximized if you've already reached a milestone today.



EpicMartial Archetype: epic destiny, any martial class, paragon multiclassing in a martial class, MP.
Very feat-intensive to qualify for this, but the goods are there. At level 21, when you crit, you regain the use of a martial encounter attack power you have used during this encounter. Minor, free and no action powers are awesome for this, since you can immediately use them again.
At level 26, you can spend a healing surge when you crit with a martial encounter or daily power. And at level 30, as a free action you can make a melee basic attack against every adjacent enemy when you crit with a martial encounter or daily power. Just watch that free action attack limit.

Fang of the World Serpent: epic destiny, primal class, PrP.
This one is all about the level 24 feature. When you bloody an enemy or score a critical hit with a primal melee attack power, you can make two melee basic attacks as a free action. Only one of these attacks can target the creature you bloodied or scored a critical hit against. You'll be a basic attack machine, only being limited by the free action attack limit.

Punishing Radiance: feat, any divine class, DiP.
Whenever you score a critical hit with a divine radiant attack, the target and each enemy within 5 squares of it gain vulnerable 10 radiant (or existing radiant vulnerabilities increase by 10) until the end of your next turn. This is basically the entire Morninglord paragon path rolled into one crit. If your party is optimized for radiant damage, it becomes mandatory.

Epic Resurgence: feat, PHB.
The first time you score a critical hit during an encounter, you regain the use of one encounter attack power of your choice. Power recovery is awesome, and if you can recover a multi-attack or off-action power, the hits will never stop.

Enabling Shot: feat, warlord, MP2.
Whenever you score a critical hit against an enemy on a ranged attack, one ally can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as a free action. Since it doesn't specify that the attack has to be a weapon attack, blasters of all kind can take this feat and go to town with it. One problem: the ally has to be within range of the enemy, and if you're firing off random (or unfriendly) bursts, there won't always be an ally adjacent to the target. Better on multi-attacking archers and the like.

Ferocious Critical: feat, half-orc, PHB2.
Whenever you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you gain a +4 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls until the end of your next turn. Needing to be a half-orc is annoying (although there's always Reincarnate Champion), but one crit will seriously boost your damage output.

Font of Radiance: feat, PHB.
When you score a crit with a radiant power, you create a zone in a burst 1 around the target (save ends). Every enemy that ends its turn in the zone (including the target) takes 3d6 radiant damage. It's not a lot, but if you combine it with radiant vulnerability it will sometimes just be enough to put the target away.

Triumphant Attack: feat, PHB. If you score a critical hit with a melee attack, the target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls and defenses for the rest of the encounter. When you start critting an enemy at this level, it's usually not long for this world, so this feat isn't high on the list.

 

[MwaO]

[h=2]All and nothing: miscellaneous options[/h]
Here are some random things you can use to increase your damage if you meet the prerequisites.

Racial Options
Dwarven Weapon Training: heroic feat, dwarf, PHB.
You gain proficiency and a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with axes and hammers. This includes superior weapons like the Gouge, Execution Axe and Mordenkrad. Doesn't scale with tier unfortunately.

Githzerai Blade Master: heroic feat, githzerai, DR378.
You gain proficiency with all military heavy blades, as well as the bastard sword and the fullblade. Additionally, you gain a +2/3/4 feat bonus to damage rolls with these weapons.

Hobgoblin Weapon Training: heroic feat, hobgoblin, DR419.
You gain proficiency with all flails and spears, and a +2/3/4 feat bonus to the damage rolls of weapon attacks that you make using flails and spears. This includes superior weapons like the Gouge and Greatspear.

Eladrin Soldier: heroic feat, eladrin, PHB.
You gain proficiency with all spears and a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with longswords and all spears. This includes superior spears like the Gouge and the Greatspear. Doesn't scale with tier unfortunately, and Eladrin aren't the best race for optimizing spears since they don't get a strength bonus. They do a great job with longswords though.

Valenar Weapon Training: heroic feat, elf, DR385.
You gain proficiency and a +2/3/4 feat bonus to damage rolls with scimitars, double scimitars, and falchions. Not the best weapons, but it's a bigger damage boost than Weapon Focus.

Turathi Weapon Training: heroic feat, tiefling, PHR:T.
You gain proficiency and a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with the khopesh, scourge, sickle, scythe, scimitar, and falchion. The bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level. Most of these weapons aren't good, but if you're using them and you're a tiefling anyway, you might as well take this feat.

Thri-Kreen Weapon Master: heroic feat, thri-kreen, DR411.
You gain proficiency with the gythka and the chatkcha, and a +2/3/4 feat bonus to the damage rolls of weapon attacks that you make using these weapons. While the feat bonus is good, the weapons themselves aren't.

Gnome Weapon Training: heroic feat, gnome, martial class, MP2.
You gain proficiency with all simple and military hammers and picks, and a +2/3/4 feat bonus to damage rolls with hammers and picks. Not very interesting weapons, and gnomes aren't exactly a top-tier race when it comes to weapons. Even though the damage boost is bigger than Weapon Focus, you're usually better off using another weapon.

Dilettante: racial feature, half-elf, PHB, HotFK.
At 1st level, you choose a 1st-level at-will attack power from a class different from yours. You can use that power as an encounter power. When you take the paragon feat Versatile Master (PHB2), you can use it as an at-will power. The best power choices are Twin Strike (ranger, PHB) so you can multi-attack, or Eldritch Strike (warlock, PHH1) so you have a melee basic attack that's an arcane power and slides. Don't worry if these powers don't use your main stat. If you sacrifice your multiclass for the Adept Dilettante feat (DR385), you can use con, wis or cha for the attack and damage roll of your Dilettante power.

Revenant: race, DR376, HoS.
The revenant race is highly optimizable. It lets you pick racial features from every race you want while using a different stat array; you can become unkillable; you can get bonus actions; you can get more damage with several 'fighting while dying' feats. Instead of listing them all here though, I will direct you to the revenant handbook. Be warned, revenant optimization is a bit frowned upon.



Weapon Training Options
Reaper's Blade: heroic feat, must worship Nerull, DR427. You gain proficiency and a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with the sickle and the scythe. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level. In addition, you treat the scythe as having the high crit property. If you really want to use these weapons, this feat is ok. But the weapons themselves are pretty crappy as +2 proficiency weapons, and the high crit property isn't making up for it.




Arcane Options
HideBozak Draconian: racial feature, dragonborn, DR421.
You gain a +1/2/3 racial bonus to the damage rolls of your arcane attack powers. This replaces your Dragonborn Fury, so no more attack roll boost while bloodied. But arcane Dragonborn will take that trade-off, especially Sorcerers. You can double the damage bonus with the Bozak Evoker feat, but only while you're bloodied.

Dual Implement Spellcaster: heroic feat, any arcane class, dex 13, AP.
When you use an arcane attack power and you are wielding a magic implement in each hand, you can add the off-hand implement’s enhancement bonus to damage rolls. Not a lot of damage in heroic, but once you get your hands on a +3 or better implement you will start to notice the difference. Bit expensive on the upkeep, but it's not like there aren't enough good implements that you want to wield.

Arcane Admixture: paragon feat, any arcane class, AP.
If you find yourself using mostly one or two arcane at-will powers (like Eldritch Strike), you can add the acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder keyword to it with this feat. This could greatly increase your damage, depending on what optimization route you choose.

Badger: familiar, DR374.
This familiar gives you a +1/2/3 bonus to damage rolls while you're bloodied. It's a passive benefit, so if you have room for the Arcane Familiar feat and don't mind getting hurt a bit, you have an easy damage upgrade.



Dual Wielding Options
Two-Weapon Fighting: heroic feat, dex 13, PHB, HotFL ,HotFK
While wielding a melee weapon in each hand, you gain a +1 bonus to the damage rolls of weapon attacks that you make with a melee weapon. A nice, clean, untyped damage bonus that only requires you to hold a weapon in each hand.

Two-Weapon Opening: paragon feat, Two-Weapon Fighting feat, PHB2.
When you are wielding two melee weapons and score a critical hit with your main weapon, you can make a melee basic attack with your off-hand weapon against the same target as a free action. Even if you don't build around this, one or two extra attacks per day are a greatest source of extra damage.



Attacks Against Will Options
HideResplendent Gloves: hands slot, level 5/15/25, AV2.
When you hit an enemy with an attack power that targets Will, the attack deals 2/3/5 extra damage. If it’s an illusion attack, one target you hit (your choice) also grants combat advantage to you until the end of your next turn. Indispensible if you often target Will with attacks that deal damage.



Mounted Options
Lancing Gloves: hands slot, level 7, AV.
Your melee attacks deal 2 extra damage while mounted. Note that this doesn't require a damage roll, so you can boost every melee attack with it.

 

[MwaO]

One more for good luck.

EDIT: maybe I'll post something about combining ways to boost your damage, like combining elements for doubletapping support.

Combining damage types:

Cold: Frozen Whetstone (e), Honorable Blade (a), Malec-Keth Jannisary (e), Soaring Blade (e), Winter Fury (u), Spellsoul Blade (u).

Radiant: Crusader's Weapon (h), Spellsoul Blade (u), Radiant One (e), Avangion (a).

Fire: Flamespeed Shifting (e), Body of Fire Ki Focus (u), Flaming Weapon (u), Shocking Flame (e), Honorable Blade (a), Malec-Keth Jannisary (e), Soaring Blade (e), Spellsoul Blade (u), Radiant One (e).

Lightning: Shocking Flame (e), Honorable Blade (a), Malec-Keth Jannisary (e), Soaring Blade (e), Spellsoul Blade (u)

Thunder: Screaming Bow (u), Honorable Blade (a), Malec-Keth Jannisary (e), Devoted Orator (e), Thundergod Weapon (a), Spellsoul Blade (u)

 

[masteraleph]

Glad to see someone brought this over- it's an important one.

Also, I'll note that given Svenj's criteria, Ghost of the Past should probably be listed under Crit boosting. It was published after the last post in the original thread, though the thread was pretty late in terms of 4e material. If Ironwrought is on there for its power and the utility Svenj mentions, GotP should be on there for a double roll at level 1 and an additional one when action pointing, even with the risk of Dazing yourself.