(I have a ton of edits to do a number of builds including this one. As soon as this semester ends mid-December, I promise to get updated builds in here and respond to everyone's generous feedback and discussion. Thanks for your patience!)
Sir Marks-a-Lot, Githyanki Fighter/Wizard MC/Paragon MC/Eternal Seeker
At level 1, Sir Marks-a-Lot is a fully functional tempest fighter. At level 11, he imposes an at-will -7 to attack on every enemy in a range 10 burst 1. By level 30, he has a whole arsenal of penalty-inducing goodness (including a level 26 penalty-to-hit nova of -22 with Maze of Mirrors, Draconic Majesty, and Screaming Armor).
Goals of This Build 1. Thoroughly abuse Githyanki Silver + Psychic Lock + Mark of Warding + Chilling Cloud (and other powers that impose penalties to hit) 2. Provide yet another example of successful paragon multiclassing
Feedback Needed 1. Am I breaking RAW? 2. Any other power/gear/feat suggestions for eeking out better penalties to hit?
PENALTY-INDUCING POWERS
Chilling Cloud, at-will, range 10, burst 2 (levels 11-30) Imposes -7 to hit = -2 Chilling Cloud effect, -2 mark, -1 Mark of Warding, -2 Psychic Lock
Maze of Mirrors, encounter, range 10, burst 1 (levels 3-30) Imposes -13 to hit = -8 Maze of Mirrors effect, -2 mark, -1 mark of warding, -2 psychic lock
Illusory Wall, daily, wall 8 within 20 squares (levels 12-30) Imposes -10 to hit = -5 enemies cannot see past the wall, -2 mark, -1 mark of warding, -2 psychic lock. Note: Illusory Wall's attacks are free whenever an enemy moves adjacent to the wall.
Prismatic Burst, encounter, range 20, burst 2 (levels 13-30) Imposes -10 to hit = -2 mark, -1 Mark of Warding, -2 psychic lock, -5 blind Prismatic Burst effect
Blinding Smash, encounter, melee 1 target (level 3 & 13-22) Imposes -10 to hit = -2 mark, -1 Mark of Warding, -2 psychic lock, -5 blind Blinding Smash effect
Illusory Ambush, encounter, range 10, 1 target (levels 1-30) Imposes -7 to hit = -2 Illusory Ambush effect, -2 mark, -1 Mark of Warding, -2 Psychic Lock
Chill Claws, encounter, range 10, 2 targets (levels 11-12) Imposes -7 to hit = -2 Chill Claws effect, -2 mark, -1 mark of warding, -2 psychic lock
Draconic Majesty, encounter, close burst 3 (levels 26-30, Seeker's Lore Sorcerer power) Imposes -7 to hit, stacks with all other penalties to hit
Screaming Armor, encounter, 1 target in 5 squares (levels 2-30) Imposes -2 to hit, stacks with all other penalties to hit
Other Synergies
Chain Lighting targets every enemy within 20 squares (imposes a -5 to hit). The round after you've marked everything within 20 squares, hit something with Snowy Grasp. Result: all marked enemies are slowed.
Legion's Hold (and to a smaller extent Prismatic Spray) marks and stuns gobs of enemies. Stun = can't attack = the ultimate penalty to hit.
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== Sir Marks-a-Lot, level 30 Githyanki, Fighter, Paragon Multiclassing, Eternal Seeker Build: Tempest Fighter Fighter Talents: Tempest Technique Arcane Implement Proficiency: Arcane Implement Proficiency (heavy blade group) Arcane Admixture Damage Type: Arcane Admixture Thunder Arcane Implement Mastery: Staff of Defense Seeking Destiny: This is not My Fate Background: Born Under a Bad Sign
FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 24, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 26, Wis 14, Cha 10.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 16, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Think you're on to something. Ever since I saw Ironpoet's 'Feystorm' build per community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... I've thought that fighter-base paragon-multiclassing to wizard achieved one of the most unexpected (but refreshing) synergies that makes paragon-multiclassing totally worth it. Nice compilation of penalty-stacking! Being able to mark with every attack combined with large area-burst/blast attacks and piling on more penalties is bound to make monsters (and the many DM's running them) cringe. Expect to become monster magnet #1 if you're playing with a regular gaming group. Again, great compilation!
Very nice ! Another good feat for all your blasts/burst might be enlarge spell, which would increase the mark radius even more. If you go Half-Elf instead of Human, you could also add Sword Burst to the mix (which would cover the 7x7 squares surrounding you, and targets enemies only).
Hmm, any thoughts on maximum penalties you could get as a third or fourth level character? (Where my character currently is.) I'm playing around a bit, and can't seem to get the two key ingredients together in one build, namely chilling cloud and combat challenge. Hybrid restricts combat challenge to fighter powers... multiclass won't get me chilling cloud more than 1/encounter... Any thoughts?
Demonic, I don't think it's possible for a Fighter to mark with Chilling Cloud before lvl 11. Even then, he'll have to either be a half-elf or Paragon Multi-class.
Demonic, I don't think it's possible for a Fighter to mark with Chilling Cloud before lvl 11. Even then, he'll have to either be a half-elf or Paragon Multi-class.
Right, I agree. I was wondering if there was another way of (1) multi-marking; (2) with an at-will that gives penalties to attack.
As far as I can tell, going through the compendium... no. Multimarking comes from either combat challenge, divine sanction, or that warden feature that marks everyone adjacent. And the at-wills we want are either seeker, wizard, or psion. And there's really no way of transplanting those at-wills over to the multimarkers, or multimarking over to those controllers; even hybrid is careful not to give away multimarking.
Very nice ! Another good feat for all your blasts/burst might be enlarge spell, which would increase the mark radius even more. If you go Half-Elf instead of Human, you could also add Sword Burst to the mix (which would cover the 7x7 squares surrounding you, and targets enemies only).
Definitely agree with the Enlarge Spell suggestion. Note that it won't work with Chilling Cloud since it does static damage.
Couple more suggestions. You CAN use a light shield in your off-hand (gaining +1 Ref and +1 AC) while holding the Defensive Staff in your off-hand and still benefit from it's properties... Since the shield is non-magical, it would stack with Bracelet of the Radiant Storm.
You might as well pick up Siberys Shard of the Mage for a damage boost, although I realize damage isn't your objective.
If you had a means to crit more often (such as switching to Eladrin race with more Dex/Wiz focus than Con and taking Wizard Implement Expertise and Eladrin Sword Wizardry instead of Arcane Implement (heavy blade group)) you could try for the Grim Promise feat (enemies hit by your critical hit attack at -2 until EoNT). Not sure it's worth the feat cost though.
With more of a Dex focus, you could swap out Armor Specialization (Hide) for Shield Specialization (granting a net +1 Ref) too.
And if you use a shield, Distracting Shield feat for your Combat Challenge attacks might make some sense (impose -2 to enemy's attacks hit by your Combat Challenge MBA) but it is highly situational.
Since you'll likely be a monster magnet (and monsters can avoid -3 to hit marking penalties by targeting you) you might also consider the voidsoul genasi race. For one round every encounter you'd be completely untouchable. Genasi have optimal fighter-wizard stats too.
If you went voidsoul genasi, you could also punish attackers who target your weakest defense (Will) by taking the Empty Mind feat feat (dealing 15 psychic damage whenever your Will defense is targeted or you're dealt psychic damage), which kinda fits a psychic lock-out theme. Genasi also unlocks the Versatile Resistance feat, which combined with Akanul Regional background could grant you resist 10 fire, resist 10 cold, and resist 10 thunder (in addition to your resist 15 psychic if voidsoul).
This could free up some of your resist element item selections. You might consider getting a Periapt of Cascading Health to replace the neck-slot. It automatically removes one [negative] condition affecting you every encounter (no saving throw required)... considering that epic foes dish out the worst status effects.
A potent level 22 utility (especially for Str-maximized genasi) is the sorcerer's 'Platinum Scales,' which you could potentially get twice with Eternal Seeker (as the level 26 utility too). This could give you up to +8(!) to all your (already optimized) defenses for two encounters per day.
Regarding your wizard At-Will. I'm not so sure Chilling Cloud is the best option... although for your build's stated goals it probably is.
My concerns with CC are: (1) in many cases monsters can simply leave the area burst before attacking to avoid the additional -2 hit penalty (ideally, you should stay one square deep within the area so they are still penalized if they try to go after you with a melee non-reach attack... 'course this could be good if you want to get adjacent for Combat Challenge bennies); (2) this attacks the strongest overall monster defense (Fort) so you're less likely to get Psychic Lock penalty; and (3) it can not be 'enlarged' via ES feat. Winged Horde in comparison attacks the weakest overall defense (Will) so Psychic Lock is more likely to activate, and it could be enlarged to burst 3 (if thunder-admixtured).
So in some cases monsters may more readily be able to attack you with no penalty to hit (after being missed with CC and moving out of the burst 2 area) rather than receive a -2 hit penalty to attack you after being hit with Winged Horde (burst 3).
I'm thinking of using this build on a tiefling with the Birth - On Another Plane background. I like how it plays out, not relying on damage output to carve a niche in the party but rather making enemies miss more often. I don't have access to the Character Builder presently, it's on my Windows install and I'm on my Linux install right now, but I noticed it uses some powers from the magazines, could this work as well with material just from the hardcovers? My GM won't allow anything from the magazines save the Dragon Magazine Annual hardcover.
Nice build! I've been playing around with the basic concept of maximizing attack debuffs on several different characters, and there are a lot of options out there. I'd say that this beats them all by a substantial margin, though. Great mix of marking and debuffs. I would second the Winged Horde, alternative, though. More damage, larger area, and if you optimize your defenses, the -2 is still going to be pretty effective. And -5 against allies is still pretty brutal.
One great combo I've used in practice is a Paladin/Hospitaler throwing around loads of marks. He uses the Gith sword/psychic lock combo and a handful of blinding powers (including one close burst 3 blind, which is awesome). Enfeebling Strike is, of course, the at-will staple. The same -7... but against one target only He's got a whopping 36 AC at level 14, 3 above the avenger (who's still allowed to use leather by house rule). The paladin's got the added fun of automatic punishment against challenged enemies, hospitaler healing to allies that get attacked by the mark, and even some autodamage when they attack you.
For encounter-crushing effectiveness, though, the mass-mark, mass-debuff approach you worked up here is absolutely fantastic. Bravo!
I played a character who got the -7 on his marks a little bit differently. Start with a 1/2 Elf Fighter and MC to Paladin. You can get Mark of Warding, Group Defenses (untyped +1defense is functionally a -1 to hit), Psychic Lock, Power of Madness, and Versatile Master/visions of Blood. Total is a -7 to hit others and a -3 to hit me.
Riffing off others in this thread, if you take the original, base it as a Fighter, MC wizard, and then take windrise ports for Paladin MC and Group Defenses to increase the base penalty to -8.
Using a Silver Sword for Psychic Lock/Mark of Warding/Group Defenses, Power of Madness and Enfeebling Strike will give you a -9 against a single target. Both of these functionalities also open up your PP, which must be able to provide an additional suite of penalties although I cant think of anything at the moment.
He's got a whopping 36 AC at level 14, 3 above the avenger (who's still allowed to use leather by house rule). The paladin's got the added fun of automatic punishment against challenged enemies, hospitaler healing to allies that get attacked by the mark, and even some autodamage when they attack you.
Llamas convinced me
