Here, we have a character whose aim it is to inconvenience monsters greatly. Starting at 2nd level, his thunderwave will knock monsters prone, in addition to pushing them. His wizard side is initially focused on immobilizing zones.
Eladrin swordmage|wizard, 2nd level
You could be a Deva as well and do this at 2nd level; you could be a human with a 16 INT and do it at
1st level (and have Magic Missile as well, for some really sneaky Reaper's Touch/Polearm Gamble stuff which Sithobi1 links to); or you could be a Stormsoul Genasi and do it at 4th level - taking as much advantage from Promise of Storm as anyone ever will.
STR 13
CON 10
DEX 15
INT 18
WIS 15
CHA 8
HP: 27 AC 15 Fort|Ref|Will: 12|15|15
Hybrid Aegis of Shielding, Cantrips
Skills: Acrobatics, Arcana, Endurance, Religion, Heal
Feats: Battle Awareness (heal), Polearm Momentum
At Will: Thunderwave, Booming Blade
Encounter: Grasping Shadows (a short duration zone, but a zone)
Daily: Dimensional Thunder
Utility: Shield
Weapon & Implement: Glaive
As you use your implement glaive on thunderwave, you will wisely knock your opponents back two squares, triggering polearm momentum, and leaving them prone. Towards the end of your career, you will knock them back more like 10 squares...
Progression through heroic:
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3rd level: Transposing Lunge
4th level: +1 INT, +1 WIS, Implement Mastery: heavy blades
5th level: Grasp of the Grave (mmm...they take damage when I push them into it, they are DAZED, they are knocked prone - it will take them a while to get out. The first round, they get to stand up.)
6th level: Amarthor's Step, Enlarge Spell (-2 to damage to increase the size of my blast - from the Arcane Power excerpts) - I'll take it, assuming that's really what it does
7th level: Winter's Wrath (it's a zone; extra damage from Thunderwave isn't a bad thing)
8th level: +1 INT, +1 WIS, White Lotus Riposte (INT damage to an opponent I hit with an arcane at will power if they attack me)
9th level: Ice Storm
10th level: +1 INT, +1 WIS, Leather Proficiency, Dimensional Dodge
11th level: +1 to all stats, Resounding Thunder (increase thunder blast & burst by 1) Paragon Path: Blood Mage, Encounter: Blood Pulse (yum)
Snapshot at 11th level:
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STR 14
CON 11
DEX 16
INT 21
WIS 18
CHA 9
HP: 78 AC 24 Fort|Ref|Will: 19|22|23
At Will: Thunderwave, Booming Blade
Encounter: Fey Step, Grasping Shadows, Transposing Lunge, Winter's Wrath, Blood Pulse
Daily: Dimensional Thunder, Grasp of the Grave, Wall of Fire
Utility: Dimensional Dodge, Shield, Amarthor's Step
Feats: Resounding Thunder, Polearm Momentum, Battle Awareness, Leather Proficiency, Implement Mastery (heavy blades), Enlarge Spell, White Lotus Riposte
At this point, we have an at-will blast 5 attack that pushes all opponents back 4 squares (more, with item help), knocks them prone, and gives a minor action shift if you hit someone. This combos well with Blood Pulse, I understand, because you can get them ALL the turn afterward, dealing an extra 4d6 damage to every target. You can teleport twice per combat. Grasping Shadows and Winter's Wrath give you a couple of mild encounter based zones to drop enemies into; Grasp of the Grave and Wall of Fire give you a couple of encounter-long zones to have them visit.
Paragon Progression:
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12th level: Soul Burn (utility), White Lotus Master Riposte (repeat the thunderwave attack against an enemy I hit who attacks me? Ooh...)
13th level: Frostburn to replace Grasping Shadows
14th level: +1 INT, +1 WIS; Arcane Reach (mmm)
15th level: Reaper's Challenge to replace Dimensional Thunder
16th level: Displacement; War Wizardry (-5 to hit allies in blast, half damage - just in case my allies haven't learned their lesson and worked on their thunder resistance)
17th level: Spidersilk Slash to replace Transposing Lunge
18th level: +1 INT, +1 WIS; Weapon Focus: Heavy Blades
19th level: Evard's Black Tentacles to replace Wall of Fire
20th level: Destructive Salutation; Hybrid Talent (Arcane Implement Mastery - pick orbs)
21st level: Demigod; +1 all stats, divine spark (INT & WIS), Martial Resolve, Spell Accuracy (replaces War Wizardry)
Snapshot at 21st level:
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STR 15
CON 12
DEX 17
INT 26
WIS 23
CHA 10
HP 124 AC 37 Fort|Ref|Will: 26|32|33
At Will: Thunderwave, Booming Blade
Encounter: Fey Step, Frostburn, Spidersilk Slash, Winter's Wrath, Blood Pulse
Daily: Reaper's Challenge, Grasp of the Grave, Evard's Black Tentacles, Destructive Salutation
Utility: Dimensional Dodge, Shield, Amarthor's Step, Soulburn, Displacement
Feats: Resounding Thunder, Polearm Momentum, Battle Awareness, Leather Proficiency, Implement Mastery (heavy blades), Enlarge Spell, White Lotus Riposte, White Lotus Master Riposte, Weapon Focus (heavy blades), Arcane Reach, Spell Accuracy, Martial Resolve, Hybrid Talent - Arcane Implements.
With Rushing Cleats and a Ring of Ramming, you can have some attractive push 8, knock prone at will action - in a blast 5. You can omit up to 6 allies from that blast...if an enemy is fast enough to charge you after that, you can do it to him again.
Epic Progression:
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22nd: Mass Fly, Epic Resurgence
23rd: Thunder Riposte & Crushing Titan's Fist for Winter's Wrath and Spidersilk Slash
24th: +1 INT, +1 WIS, Robust Defenses
25th: Necrotic Web for Evard's Black Tentacles
26th: Divine Regeneration, Arcane Mastery
27th: Confusion for Frostburn
28th: +1 INT, +1 STR, Implement Expertise (orb)
29th: Legion's Hold for Grasp of the Grave
30th: Divine Miracle, Epic Fortitude
But you may well be right.
