WotC seems to be under the impression that Warlocks are defenders, and they keep giving them feats and stuff that would make most defenders salivate. And they do. I mean this build to accomplish two things: 1. Demonstrate that warlocks can now be workable second defenders. 2. Create a core module to make defender|defenderlock hybrids into beastly defenders.
The Defenderlock
The first key of the build is the feat Protective Hex, which gives cursed enemies a -2 to attack our allies. The second key of the build is the various defensive bonuses we get from warlock, including Warding Curse, Armor of Dark Majesty and shadow walk. Sage of Ages boosts that further. The third key of the build is the variety of debuffs we can get through warlock, as a debuff-controller. The last key is to pick up a true mark. In this case, we MC paladin for an encounter-long mark and grab Defending Dabbler to mark with our Blazing Starfall dilettante. We can now hit a large number of targets with a mini-mark in our curse, mark the BBEG with DC, and area mark with Blazing Starfall. We don't have a true mark punishment, but the sheer number of penalties we can lay down will give us some stick, and at greater range than primary defenders. A variation would focus on beefing the DC even more with a Bradaman's weapon and Contagious Challenge, letting us mark even more.
Added a new variant of the build, credit to Auspex7 for initiating the shift. The new Defenderlock is now a conlock, Con/Int build. Defenses are still deceiving, against cursed targets with Trick of Knowledge we are at 51/48/50/47 defenses. Much more reliable, no? Also swapped out the psychic weapon and Mind-numbing curse for a radiant weapon and Curse of the Blind Stars, with other goodies. Now we can forgo our curse damage on encounters and dailies to blind our opponents, and we gain 8 temp hp every time we hit with...anything.
The huge problem with your build is your AC sucks and given what you are doing (controller/defender role), you are going to be targeted by sharp pointy objects.
I think this build works a lot better as a hybrid (I'd go with Paladin|Warlock) especially since you can get a couple of very nice Paragon Paladin feats that synergize very well with your build (such as contagious challenge).
The huge problem with your build is your AC sucks and given what you are doing (controller/defender role), you are going to be targeted by sharp pointy objects.
I think this build works a lot better as a hybrid (I'd go with Paladin|Warlock) especially since you can get a couple of very nice Paragon Paladin feats that synergize very well with your build (such as contagious challenge).
-Polaris
Hmm? Oh, right, the defenses. With Armor of Dark Majesty, Warding Curse, Shadow Walk and Trick of Knowledge(which we get most of the time), our defenses are really more like
46ac/50f/49r/51w That'll drop a bit against area attacks or enemies that ignore concealment.
As for hybrid, hang around a bit, I'll post the link in here
I don't remember the build, but I played in an LFR group that actually had a very decent Conlock as a tank. He just kept generating THP from something and he just wouldn't die. Reminded me a lot of a BRV fighter. Obviously less sticky, but as a concept I think it works pretty well.
I don't remember the build, but I played in an LFR group that actually had a very decent Conlock as a tank. He just kept generating THP from something and he just wouldn't die. Reminded me a lot of a BRV fighter. Obviously less sticky, but as a concept I think it works pretty well.
Hexhammers have been around for quite a while, and they do indeed work out pretty well. This isn't quite a hexhammer variant, but does use some of the same stuff.
The huge problem with your build is your AC sucks and given what you are doing (controller/defender role), you are going to be targeted by sharp pointy objects.
I think this build works a lot better as a hybrid (I'd go with Paladin|Warlock) especially since you can get a couple of very nice Paragon Paladin feats that synergize very well with your build (such as contagious challenge).
-Polaris
Hmm? Oh, right, the defenses. With Armor of Dark Majesty, Warding Curse, Shadow Walk and Trick of Knowledge(which we get most of the time), our defenses are really more like
46ac/50f/49r/51w That'll drop a bit against area attacks or enemies that ignore concealment.
As for hybrid, hang around a bit, I'll post the link in here
I was playing around with a Swordmage|Warlock concept myself earlier so that posting was useful and I thank you for it.
However, I think it still suffers from fairly low defenses and your Full Warlock on this thread definately does. He has after all modifiers (many of which you admit won't count against attacks that ignore concealment which many will) an AC of only 46 at level 30.
That doesn't cut it as a defender (however, the hybrid defenses do cut it). At level 30, monsters will have at least +30 to hit just from monster level alone, and a quick glance at the high level monsters scaled up indicate a to-hit more like +35 or +36 or so which means even AFTER all the positive adjustments you still get hit half the time (or more) and you don't have the defender hit points to go with it.
It's a neat idea, but again IMHO better as half a hybrid.
Defenses are only half the problem, however. The other half is that many of the best Warlock powers (that you'd want as a defender-lock or controller-lock) are charisma powers while the key ones are based on Constitution.
This is why after trying to build both, I think the Paladin|Warlock is a better overall hybrid than the Swordmage|Warlock.
The huge problem with your build is your AC sucks and given what you are doing (controller/defender role), you are going to be targeted by sharp pointy objects.
I think this build works a lot better as a hybrid (I'd go with Paladin|Warlock) especially since you can get a couple of very nice Paragon Paladin feats that synergize very well with your build (such as contagious challenge).
-Polaris
Hmm? Oh, right, the defenses. With Armor of Dark Majesty, Warding Curse, Shadow Walk and Trick of Knowledge(which we get most of the time), our defenses are really more like
46ac/50f/49r/51w That'll drop a bit against area attacks or enemies that ignore concealment.
As for hybrid, hang around a bit, I'll post the link in here
I was playing around with a Swordmage|Warlock concept myself earlier so that posting was useful and I thank you for it.
However, I think it still suffers from fairly low defenses and your Full Warlock on this thread definately does. He has after all modifiers (many of which you admit won't count against attacks that ignore concealment which many will) an AC of only 46 at level 30.
That doesn't cut it as a defender (however, the hybrid defenses do cut it). At level 30, monsters will have at least +30 to hit just from monster level alone, and a quick glance at the high level monsters scaled up indicate a to-hit more like +35 or +36 or so which means even AFTER all the positive adjustments you still get hit half the time (or more) and you don't have the defender hit points to go with it.
It's a neat idea, but again IMHO better as half a hybrid.
Defenses are only half the problem, however. The other half is that many of the best Warlock powers (that you'd want as a defender-lock or controller-lock) are charisma powers while the key ones are based on Constitution.
This is why after trying to build both, I think the Paladin|Warlock is a better overall hybrid than the Swordmage|Warlock.
-Polaris
This build is splitlock, and can take cha or con powers. Also, the warlock build is an off-tank, with loads of thp. It also is a ranged defender, so it shouldn't be starting off in the middle of things. Durability is not going to be an issue with this build.
I actually play a Dwarven Hexhammer in LFR that's more of a Defender/Controller. In addition to Protective Hex I also have Hammer Shock which Rattles for an addtional -2 penalty to hit. You have to MC into a class that gives Intimidate but it has been worth it so far.
Here is a lvl 30 build of the 5th lvl Hexhammer I am currently playing in LFR. It's a hybrid with Warden to get the defenses and the forms. He is really hard to hit on AC, Fort and Ref, but laughable on Will. Forgeborn more or less eliminates the risks of elemental damage. Reserve Maneuver lets him use strictly Warlock encounter powers, thus ignoring his low Str. Let me know what you think:
FEATS Level 1: Hybrid Talent Level 2: Dwarven Weapon Training Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Hammer) Level 6: Forgeborn Heritage Level 8: Iron Hide Resilience Level 10: Rune-Scribed Soul Level 11: Reserve Maneuver Level 12: Protective Hex Level 14: Paragon Defenses (retrained to Robust Defenses at Level 21) Level 16: Armor Specialization (Hide) (retrained to Second Skin at Level 22) Level 18: Stone Step Spirits Level 20: Dwarven Durability Level 21: Warding Curse Level 22: Earthstrength Might Level 24: Student of the Athanaeum Level 26: Epic Fortitude Level 28: Epic Reflexes Level 30: Superior Initiative
POWERS Hybrid at-will 1: Eldritch Strike Hybrid at-will 1: Warden's Lunge Reserve Maneuver: Fortune Binding (retrained to Sea Tyrant's Fury at Level 17) Hybrid encounter 1: Chains of Levistus Hybrid daily 1: Form of Mountain's Thunder Hybrid utility 2: Ethereal Stride Hybrid encounter 3: Breath of Chaos Hybrid daily 5: Tyrannical Threat Hybrid utility 6: Bear's Endurance Hybrid encounter 7: Howl of Doom Hybrid daily 9: Form of the Stone Sentinel Hybrid utility 10: Spiritual Rejuvenation Hybrid encounter 13: Soul Flaying (replaces Chains of Levistus) Hybrid daily 15: Form of the Avalanche Unleashed (replaces Form of Mountain's Thunder) Hybrid utility 16: Vile Resonance Hybrid encounter 17: Warden's Lure (replaces Breath of Chaos) Hybrid daily 19: Void Star (replaces Tyrannical Threat) Hybrid utility 22: Eagle's Wings Hybrid encounter 23: Arrow of Arcane Light (replaces Howl of Doom) Hybrid daily 25: Form of the Shifting Ancestor (replaces Form of the Stone Sentinel) Hybrid encounter 27: Shattering of the Sword (replaces Soul Flaying) Hybrid daily 29: Form of the Starmetal Warrior (replaces Form of the Avalanche Unleashed)
ITEMS Adventurer's Kit, Heavy Shield, Amulet of Protection +6, Pact Hammer Craghammer +6, Magic Elderhide Armor +6 ====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
