Winning Races: Half-Elves

[Nifft]

Which means a Half-Elf Sorcerer can take something like Scorching Burst, switch it to CHA, and then take the Enlarge Spell feat, granting him massive bursts with massive damage.

That's solidly meh: Scorching Burst is usually worse than Blazing Starfall.

IMHO the cool ones to snag for a Sorcerer are Bard melee attacks or (if changing from Int -> Cha) a Swordmage enemy-only attack like Swordburst, which figures heavily in some CharOp builds.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Mengu]

Depends on how are your Con, Wis or Cha.

No it doesn't. Effortless Dilettante is the feat that lets you use it on a charge and with opportunity attacks, and has nothing to do with Con/Wis/Cha.

That's solidly meh: Scorching Burst is usually worse than Blazing Starfall.

Ah, but the trick is, it still all works with Blazing Star Fall and every other sorcerer power you have because feats like Enlarge Spell or Destructive Wizardry work perfectly well on any arcane power. Granted Scorching Burst was likely not a good example, something like Winged Horde would give you a more versatile tool.

 

[Klaus]

No it doesn't. Effortless Dilettante is the feat that lets you use it on a charge and with opportunity attacks, and has nothing to do with Con/Wis/Cha.



Ah, but the trick is, it still all works with Blazing Star Fall and every other sorcerer power you have because feats like Enlarge Spell or Destructive Wizardry work perfectly well on any arcane power. Granted Scorching Burst was likely not a good example, something like Winged Horde would give you a more versatile tool.

No, but a Dilettante power has to come from a different class, so a half-elf rogue using Effortless Dilettante will have to get powers from either Monk or Assassin.

Hmmm... maybe one of those "slide" at-wills from the Monk could be useful on a charge?

 

[Mengu]

No, but a Dilettante power has to come from a different class, so a half-elf rogue using Effortless Dilettante will have to get powers from either Monk or Assassin.

Hmmm... maybe one of those "slide" at-wills from the Monk could be useful on a charge?

The brutal scoundrel rogue in question should have high enough strength that twin strike is a perfectly viab... brok... potent option. Not to mention it can be used with dex if you just want to throw your dagger with distant advantage.

 

[Turtlejay]

Oooh, or the Assassin at-will that does +1 damage for every creature next to the target. . .

Jay

 

[TAKERU]

Half-elves inherits the charm and presence elves don't have, and aren't as able as humans to free choice of parameters.

You see, I think its pretty OK to give a break on them. For so much time, Half-elves were only good as Star-Pact Warlocks. And to provide bonuses for everyone else except for themselves. Then the Bard came, and finally there were something suited exactly for them. But still too much "helping others" than solid benefit for themselves. Versatile Master was a bless, but unavailable for the entire first third of the game. And then, Charisma and Constitution are not good for majority of classes. They need to work as hard and will never be as good as other races better suited for their classes. Or even their own. Half-elves will never be as skilled as a melee martial character, since they cannot favor racially atributes as humans do. They would even be a step back in so many choices, this new article is just a fix for them.

Maybe a ranger cannot charge with Twin Strike (even half-elven rangers), but he do can improve their chance to hit as a dilettante can not. There are subtle drawbacks taken with half-elves, no feat till now will remediate.

So I really think these feats are fair and square.

T

 

[Istar]

The brutal scoundrel rogue in question should have high enough strength that twin strike is a perfectly viab... brok... potent option. Not to mention it can be used with dex if you just want to throw your dagger with distant advantage.

Never quite got how "Throw and Stab" worked.

But with this new half elf feat, can you effectively do a Throw "Ranged Attack" such as a Thrown Dagger, then do a charge attack ending in a Mellee Basic.

One of these new feats now changes this Melee Basic attack into an at-will, does that mean you can throw and stab again ?

 

[Klaus]

The brutal scoundrel rogue in question should have high enough strength that twin strike is a perfectly viab... brok... potent option. Not to mention it can be used with dex if you just want to throw your dagger with distant advantage.

Twin Strike for a rogue is solidly "meh", because the big damage from a rogue comes from Sneak Attack, the rogue has to use two weapons (say, two short swords unless he's willing to dump two feats into getting Warrior of the Wild and EWP to dual-wield rapiers) and the attack/damage will be based on Strength (because what's the benefit of using a ranged Twin Strike at the end of a charge? You'd be opening yourself for an OA).

Best to use Five Storms (Monk At-Will): charge, then do a close burst 1 attack, Dex vs. Ref, 1d8+Dex damage?

This, in fact, is a superior choice for half-elf sorcerers, bards, Chaladins, Clerics, Avengers, Invokers, Druids, Shaman and feylocks, since they can take Five Storms as a dilletante power, change it to Wis, Cha or Con and use it as an Melee Basic Attack. Even Battlerager half-elves can get good mileage out of this: A close burst 1 attack triggered by Combat Superiority!

 

[Turtlejay]

Half-elves inherits the charm and presence elves don't have, and aren't as able as humans to free choice of parameters.

You see, I think its pretty OK to give a break on them. For so much time, Half-elves were only good as Star-Pact Warlocks. And to provide bonuses for everyone else except for themselves. Then the Bard came, and finally there were something suited exactly for them. But still too much "helping others" than solid benefit for themselves. Versatile Master was a bless, but unavailable for the entire first third of the game. And then, Charisma and Constitution are not good for majority of classes. They need to work as hard and will never be as good as other races better suited for their classes. Or even their own. Half-elves will never be as skilled as a melee martial character, since they cannot favor racially atributes as humans do. They would even be a step back in so many choices, this new article is just a fix for them.

Maybe a ranger cannot charge with Twin Strike (even half-elven rangers), but he do can improve their chance to hit as a dilettante can not. There are subtle drawbacks taken with half-elves, no feat till now will remediate.

So I really think these feats are fair and square.

T

I think you are vastly undervaluing half elves.

The fact that many, many of the most broken combos are built from their racial power should be a clue that they are far from the red headed stepchild of 3.5 and prior.

Cha is a great stat to have a bonus to, that makes them great Paladins (Defender) Bards (Leader) and Sorcerers (Strikers). Con bonuses are never a bad thing, and their ability to take human feats means they can take things like Action Surge.

I understand the need to 'share the love' with these racial articles, but half elves were sitting pretty already.

Jay

 

[Mengu]

Never quite got how "Throw and Stab" worked.

But with this new half elf feat, can you effectively do a Throw "Ranged Attack" such as a Thrown Dagger, then do a charge attack ending in a Mellee Basic.

One of these new feats now changes this Melee Basic attack into an at-will, does that mean you can throw and stab again ?

Throw and Stab is ranged attack, not a melee attack. So no.

Twin Strike for a rogue is solidly "meh", because the big damage from a rogue comes from Sneak Attack, the rogue has to use two weapons (say, two short swords unless he's willing to dump two feats into getting Warrior of the Wild and EWP to dual-wield rapiers) and the attack/damage will be based on Strength (because what's the benefit of using a ranged Twin Strike at the end of a charge? You'd be opening yourself for an OA).

It's a daggermaster. So they are using two daggers. Twin Strike is far superior to anything else that can be dilettante. I'll refer you back to Istar's original question, since you seem to have missed it.

Anything in there for a Half Elf Rogue Daggermaster using Twin Strike ?
A Brutal Rogue that is.

Brutal rogue will have good strength, so using twin strike in melee at the end of a charge is not a problem.

Best to use Five Storms (Monk At-Will): charge, then do a close burst 1 attack, Dex vs. Ref, 1d8+Dex damage?

Doesn't work. Five Storms is not a melee attack.