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Hey, so as some of you may have seen I posted a couple of paragon paths on here last week or so. They are the Dune Witch and Bloodhound, and can be found using teh 4e class compendium here on the forums. Anyway, I came up with a fun character idea for a fighter I hope to play once 4e is released. I then decided that I would make a fitting paragon path for the concept, and here it is:

Brute Soldier (Paragon Path)
“What you perceive as savage, I’ve honed to an unstoppable technique.”

Prerequisites: Fighter or Warlord

There is a method to your seemingly careless and barbaric form of attack. With the careful positioning of your body, appearing to be the callous disregard of strategy and the locations of your foes, you bear down on enemies not only with your blade but as well with your size and strength. Not only are you capable of dealing out massive stores of punishment with your blows, but you have the ability to withstand even grievous wounds in the thick of battle.



Path Features:

Overbearing Action (11th level): At the end of a turn in which you use an action point, all adjacent foes take damage equal to your strength modifier.

Brute Charge (11th level): Your strength modifier is doubled if you charge and until the end of your turn for the purposes of damage, but not attack or other strength-based rolls (damage dealt by Overbearing Action benefits from this ability).

Deflective Savagery (16th level): +2 to AC and reflex defense while wielding a two-handed weapon (this does not include a versatile weapon wielded as a two-handed weapon).

Path Powers:

Tossing Blow Brute Soldier Attack 11
With a forward heft of your body and an upward swing of your weapon, you send a foe hurtling into another.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee
Target: One enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 2[W]+strength modifier damage, push 3, knock prone, and if the target is pushed into another creature’s square that creature is also knocked prone.

Glutton for Punishment Brute Soldier Utility 12
You take on a battle stance that proves beyond a doubt, once the going gets tough, you get tougher.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction
Personal
Trigger: When you become bloodied you may activate this power.
Effect: Until the end of your next turn you may substitute your Fortitude defense in place of your AC or Reflex defense for incoming attacks. If you do so, you apply your armor bonus to your Fortitude Defense (This includes the armor bonus provided from Deflective Savagery).
Sustain Minor: You may spend a minor action each round to sustain this power until the end of the encounter (5 minutes max).

Battering Offensive Brute Soldier Attack 20
Thrusting into melee, you shove foes back with your mighty strength.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Minor Action
Close Burst 1
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6+strength modifier damage, push 1 or knocked prone, and target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Miss: Half damage, push 1, and target is not dazed.

Glutton for Punishment Brute Soldier Utility 12
Once the going gets tough, you get tougher.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Minor Action
Personal
Effect: Until the end of your next turn attacks that target AC or reflex defense must role again if they hit you, and the second attack must defeat your fortitude defense.
Sustain Move: You may spend a move action each round to sustain this power until the end of the encounter or for five minutes.
Special: You must be bloodied to activate this power.

This is borked with a capital BORKED.

Lets see how this works?...

Glutton for Punishment Brute Soldier Utility 12
You take on a battle stance that proves beyond a doubt, once the going gets tough, you get tougher.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction
Personal
Trigger: When you become bloodied you may activate this power.
Effect: Until the end of your next turn you may substitute your Fortitude defense in place of your AC or Reflex defense for incoming attacks. If you do so, you apply your armor bonus to your Fortitude Defense.
Sustain Minor: You may spend a minor action each round to sustain this power until the end of the encounter (5 minutes max).

Sticks_Arq_Stones wrote:

I agree with both of your comments on Glutton for Punishment and have implemented Steveman's suggested change. However, I added a note which made clear that Deflective Savagery would also add to your fort defense in this case. However, I don't know that I agree with Leichenreiter on opening up the path more. A paladin wouldn't implement this sort of fighting style if you ask me. On second thought, a Paladin of a more savage god--or one of Kord or other strength god--might go well with Brute Soldier. I'll think about it. Thank you for your input =).

But a Dwarven or Dragonborn Warlord with high Con score might.

Exactly, as proven when a dev (I wanna say WotC_Miko, but I'm probably wrong) mentioned that her Paladin took a single Cleric multiclass feat to qualify for the Warpriest paragon path.

I might agree with Ranger, but I am still wary of paladin. I think a paladin able paragon path should deal with prayers, and these fit as martial powers.The paladin could also multiclass in so there is still the possibility of the wild paladin. My thinking is this: a paladin could fit the role of kensai, but kensai is fighter only. However, a paladin could go into the class if s/he so chose (using multiclassing obviously).