Onto a couple of powers I think need a slight rewording
Trolls Rampage regen only works while bloodied. The description here seems to suggest it works all combat - of course it does, just only effectively when bloodied. Not as good as a full regen which lets you heal up to max after the fight is over
Surprising Transposition does not target the melee attacker, who probably does have a good fort, but in fact targets the artillery or lurker who has no wish to be in combat and probably has a lower fort. Its almost like a double attack on them. One from their monster buddy and one from you on your next turn (if you time it right). The weak part is that because its ranged you may well end up eating an OA from other creatures next to you. Its still probably worth it to get that annoying ranged attacker
Thanks for the advice. I clarified Troll Rampage so it's clearer from my rating that the regeneration only happens while bloodied. I also edited Surprising Transposition and improved its rating to blue. I'm not quite sure what I read, but if you've got a good mix of monster types, you'll probably have someone to use the power against.
5. There are two other things which hold Arcane Deflection back in my mind. The first is that it uses my stance for a fight. At level 9, I've usually only got a single stance, but I'll usually take another at level 10. That would make three stances, and they can't overlap, so I have to make tough choices about whether this stance is worth it. The second is that it requires my allies to stay near me to gain its effect. This is like candy for enemies with bursts, and it also means that the effect will target me in addition to my allies, so I couldn't use my aegis even if I was otherwise able to do so. I'd need to do some math or see someone else's math that shows what chance I have of deflecting the attacks successfully, based on the attack bonuses of the enemies around the level where this becomes available.
I agree that the swordmage stance count is a potentially problematic issue, especially in an LFR scenario where 3 encounters is very typical.
My rough math on the odds of hitting at level 9 is this:
**Math snipped**
So Arcane Deflection works best when:
Lots of rolls are being made: It lets the swordmage pick which blow to swing against.
Enemies that target NAD (because it takes advantage of the Weapon vs. NAD gap plus the fact that PCs have one or more weak NADs).
When allies are clumped, preferably with non-burst attackers (artillery), but possibly because of terrain or other problems.
Marked target is targeting you and not triggering aegis.
It's possible the above are too conditional and niche for the power to be effective, but it doesn't take very many blocked blows to be equivalent to an aegis. For shielding, I figure an aegis is roughly 50% of a hit, but doesn't negate effects. The ensnaring is tough to value, but often I think 50% miss chance is better than CA + teleport.
Thank you for the analysis. It seems to line up with what I suspected. The point that it works better against NAD attacks is a good one, especially since those attacks tend to be more about the conditions than the damage. It's something of a wash to have people cluster around you - you're more likely to be able to protect one of them, but they're more likely to get hit. The other thing to note is that the math was assuming equal level attackers. Obviously, monsters of higher levels will have stronger attacks which are harder to block, and that's when you most want to use a daily.
It's still enough to improve it to black in my mind, but I've added more information on the power to make sure people are aware of the caveats. The general advice on stances will go in the strategy section when that comes, someday.
I reckon sorcerer multiclass might be worth it for an assault build. Energy resistance is ok but it also opens up access to the sorcerous vision feat and some of the decent strength based utilities like draconic majesty (ultra sticky) and platinum scales. Even dominant winds for someone going blade mastery might be worth it due to the 17/18 DEX they already have. Teleports and at will flying is great mobility. Maybe a black rating
I reckon sorcerer multiclass might be worth it for an assault build. Energy resistance is ok but it also opens up access to the sorcerous vision feat and some of the decent strength based utilities like draconic majesty (ultra sticky) and platinum scales. Even dominant winds for someone going blade mastery might be worth it due to the 17/18 DEX they already have. Teleports and at will flying is great mobility. Maybe a black rating
I thought about the sorcerer multiclass, but wasn't going to comment on it at this point. My problem with the initial feats are that one of them gives you a minor damage boost and a skill you already have, while the second gives you resist 5 to a type of energy... and that's it. It doesn't even scale, so it will be overshadowed by paragon tier.
Once you have taken one of those feats, Sorcerous Vision is a great feat for swordmages, wizards, and artificers . It's even better than taking the two skill training feats, since it gives you your primary ability modifier rather than using Wisdom. I've taken less of a look at the utilities available through sorcerer multiclassing. Swordmages already get such good utility powers that spending a feat to trade for a utility (from any class) hasn't been appealing to me.
I've taken a look at the utilities you suggested. Dominant Winds is nice, but I don't believe many swordmages would have taken enough Dexterity to get more than 3 squares of movement (and most would have less than that). It also lacks hover, so the swordmage can't shift in mid-air (risking OAs if it's near an enemy, which is likely). Dominant Winds works best for ranged attackers, who aren't trying to be close to enemies anyway.
Draconic Majesty is a strong power for locking down an area, but the bulk of its power comes from the attack penalty. I feel that Constitution provides more of an advantage to most swordmages (including most assault swordmages that don't get a racial Strength bonus), so a high Strength bonus can't be assumed. I'll have to think more about that one, and Platinum Scales, which is affected by the same issue.
I love Swordmages... I hope you keep working on this. I hope you don't mind me adding my two cents.
I really think Dance of the Sword should be dark blue. The damage is certainly terrible, but I often find that the range is really sufficient for the effect. Not being able to make opportunity attacks is also a back-door way of stopping creatures from flanking, and stopping creatures from shifting is great against things like Firebats. It's just got so many applications.
I also don't think Incendiary Sword is purple, unless you're talking about taking it over Dimensional Warp. The effect does solid damage for the tier, and provides an area burst effect for some ranged power. The 5 damage rider isn't much, but it will get things attention.
Those level 7 encounter powers are really awful aren't they. I suppose it encourages multiclassing.
Also, swordmages who multiclass into Wizard should really really consider the PP Wizard of the Spiral Tower. It's powers are extremely swordmage friendly. A Weapon attack against reflex with a follow-up weapon attack against will that dazes and recharges the power? AMAZING. The major problem is the lame class features, which are far less than other PPs. However, there's basically a bonus feat for true multiclass Wizards because you can use your longsword as a wizard powers, and while using an action point to regain a wizard power won't come up that often, I'm sure there are times it will be useful if you swap out that level 7 encounter power for a solid Wizard power.
Those level 7 encounter powers are really awful aren't they. I suppose it encourages multiclassing.
I think it makes you grateful that there are a couple good level 3 powers to choose from. Dimensional vortex and transposing lunge is a very nice combo if you are a shielding swordmage.
Yes, it's easy for enemies to destroy "minions," but every attack they spend trying to destroy those is an attack that's not against you or your party, and that helps you win. Smart use of it is the key, of course, so an AoE can't just wipe them all out and tag your party at the same time.
But really, that power has a range of 10, so you have a lot of real estate to play with in positioning your copies. And it's just so versatile. Conjure your copies near a solo monster to hem it in, forming a "cage" if you will, perhaps with a couple of melee allies nearby as well. Against multiple foes, conjure two images on opposite sides of those foes to present instant OA threats against them, like so:
XOX X O X XOX
With X being your images. There's nowhere the enemies (O) can shift and charge, or shift and ranged/area attack without drawing an OA from "you."
Lord_Ventnor's old guide rated it sky blue, and I'm inclined to agree with that. It's blue at the very least, and a great control power for the Swordmages inclined to boost their CON (Shielding, Ensnarement).
D&DN Paladin: Half-Fighter, half-Cleric, all useless. D&DN Ranger: Third-Fighter, third-Rogue, third-Druid, all useless. With one interesting concept that has its execution botched.
I am continuing through, but I've been having trouble editing my posts. I've had my browser throw up an error and crash when I'm in the middle of bolding text or changing the colors of things. That's... discouraging, to say the least. I'd also say that rating feats is harder than rating powers, just because there are so many of them. I'd appreciate any help with that, if someone has a race they know more about (at least with regard to swordmages).
I'll assume that a level 29 swordmage has a Constitution modifier of +6 at minimum for the purpose of Mirrorblade Army. It might be higher if the race has a bonus to Constitution, or if you took an appropriate epic destiny, but +6 is a good lower floor if the swordmage was focused on Constitution. Here's what happens when that swordmage uses Mirrorblade Army.
The swordmage has to move away from any enemies, or provoke OAs himself, because Mirrorblade Army is a ranged power.
Mirrorblade Army is his standard action that round, so barring action points or other shenanigans, he won't be making any attacks during his turn. I think there was all of one non-standard action, non-immediate action attack for the swordmage: Bounding Lightning at level 25, another daily.
6 duplicates are summoned within the range of 10. They can be put into flanking positions, or used to hem enemies into the terrain.
It's an enemy's turn. We'll assume the enemies don't have any auto-damage such as auras, because that obviously makes the power useless. If the enemy is only adjacent to your duplicates, then it will either move and attack, or make a ranged or area attack from where it is. Either provokes an OA. Assume that you hit 50% of the time; this does an average of 0.5 * 2[W] + Int + bonuses to that enemy.
If the enemy did have an area power (or close blast, and definitely close burst), then it's likely that it will be able to catch some of your duplicates in the area along with real people. Assume approximately the same chance for them to be hit as there was for you to be hitting with their OAs. That means that each area effect containing two conjurations will hit one of them, on average, and also probably damage some real people.
If your enemy could teleport or move with provoking OAs, then it can ignore the effect of your Mirrorblade Army. This isn't too common in the lower tiers, but by the time you get Mirrorblade Army, you're up against nasty enemies, and these sorts of movement modes are more common.
If the enemy was adjacent to you or your allies in addition to its duplicates, then it can either attack one of you with a melee attack, or it might have to provoke OAs anyway from an area or ranged power. Mirrorblade Army might give some of you CA for your OAs, but it doesn't result in more attacks.
This repeats until your next turn. Now you've got a choice. Did all the enemies move away from your Mirrorblade duplicates? If so, you've got a bunch of nearly useless duplicates. The power does not allow you to move them, so putting them in flanks actually means you cover less of the battlefield. Is it worth spending the minor action required to sustain Mirrorblade Army? If you've still got duplicates in a place to make OAs, and the enemy is taking actions which provoke OAs, then the answer might be yes. On the other hand, if you need to use the minor action for any other effects, such as your mark or another utility power, then you have to decide if you need to move that round, and you still might have to drop the sustain.
I think that the analysis above is a fair one, and it definitely shows that using Mirrorblade Army is a lot more conditional than using a regular attack power. I'm not convinced that the terrain control, increase in OAs, and potential granting of CA to allies is worth the standard to use, minor action to sustain that it requires. I'd rather take any of the other level 29 dailies before taking Mirrorblade Army.
Yes, it's easy for enemies to destroy "minions," but every attack they spend trying to destroy those is an attack that's not against you or your party, and that helps you win. Smart use of it is the key, of course, so an AoE can't just wipe them all out and tag your party at the same time.
But really, that power has a range of 10, so you have a lot of real estate to play with in positioning your copies. And it's just so versatile. Conjure your copies near a solo monster to hem it in, forming a "cage" if you will, perhaps with a couple of melee allies nearby as well. Against multiple foes, conjure two images on opposite sides of those foes to present instant OA threats against them, like so:
XOX X O X XOX
With X being your images. There's nowhere the enemies (O) can shift and charge, or shift and ranged/area attack without drawing an OA from "you."
Lord_Ventnor's old guide rated it sky blue, and I'm inclined to agree with that. It's blue at the very least, and a great control power for the Swordmages inclined to boost their CON (Shielding, Ensnarement).
I agree with the sky blue rating. Mirrorblade Army is the ultimate defender power - it completely nullifies four whole attacks (which is likely a significant portion of the encounter) and it gives you massive presence over the battlefield. Those are the two things that defenders value most - keeping themselves alive, and imposing threat. You can hardly ask for more.
I agree with the sky blue rating. Mirrorblade Army is the ultimate defender power - it completely nullifies four whole attacks (which is likely a significant portion of the encounter) and it gives you massive presence over the battlefield. Those are the two things that defenders value most - keeping themselves alive, and imposing threat. You can hardly ask for more.
It only nullifies 4 attacks, if the opponents are completely stupid. Why waste a single attack on it, when you can wipe these minions for the poor with area affect powers, that might damage even someone else too? Even worse, since it's a level 29 daily the BBEG, against whom you might want to use your L29 power, might even have an autodamageaura (more than a few solos of that level have one), an kills of your images buy just standing around, and maybe walk a bit. And this turns you big capstone daily, into a nearly completely useless power. Another problem: Hazards with area damage, or worse, autodamage. And yeah, you gain maybe OAs and a bit mobility (which isn't that much of a boon for the normally already quite mobile swordmages). But on the other hand you have spend a minor every round to sustain it. Another minus.
I think the red rating is just fine for this power. Mirrorblade army is a bad joke. Maybe there are some cornercases/builds for which this one is slightly better, but I can see no way for rating this better than purple even for those.
GordonPasha's opinions very eloquently state my own. While the power's utility has extremely high potential, it's extremely situational, and easily negated entirely. I think it definitely fits better as a Daily Utility than a Daily Attack power. Against those situations where you'll want to use your level 29 Daily Attack at the end of a campaign (Orcus, anyone?), I'd certainly rather have the 7[W] Reliable power or the ability to Stun in a burst 2.
