Well, I'm sort of compressed for time, but here are the L1 and L30 snapshots of a build I've been working on:
The Taskmaster: Fighter/Gladiator Champion/Destined Scion
This build uses the following sources:AV - Adventurer's Vault
AV 2 - Adventurer's Vault 2
D XXX - Dragon Magazine, issue XXX
DSCS - Dark Sun Campaign Setting
HotFK - Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms
HotFL - Heroes of the Fallen Lands
MP - Martial Power
MP 2 - Martial Power 2
PHB - Player's Handbook
PHB 2 - Player's Handbook 2
PHB 3 - Player's Handbook 3
Level 1 Snapshot
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Race: Half-Orc (PHB 2)
Class: Fighter (PHB)
Combat Feature: Combat Superiority (PHB)
Fighter Talent: Arena Training (DSCS)
Arena Weapon 1: Triple-Headed Flail (AV)
Arena Weapon 2: Bastard Sword (PHB)
Background: Auspicious Birth (D 366)
Ability Scores, with racial adjustments:
Strength 18 (+4)
Constitution 12 (+1)
Dexterity 18 (+4)
Intelligence 8 (-1)
Wisdom 12 (+1)
Charisma 10 (+0)
HP: 38 --> 15 base, +18 Constitution, +5 Toughness
Bloodied: 19 HP or less
Healing Surges: 10 --> 9 base, +1 Constitution
Healing Surge Value: 9 HP
AC: 20 --> 10 base, +3 armor, +4 ability (Dexterity), +2 shield, +1 Arena Training
Fortitude: 16 --> 10 base, +4 ability (Strength), +2 class
Reflex: 16 --> 10 base, +4 ability (Dexterity), +2 shield
Will: 11 --> 10 base, +1 ability (Wisdom)
Initiative: +4 --> +4 ability (Dexterity)
Speed: 6 --> 6 base
Racial Powers:
Furious Assault (PHB 2)
At-Will Attack Powers:
L1 - Cleave (PHB)
L1 - Tide of Iron (PHB)
Encounter Attack Powers:
L1 - Steel Serpent Strike (PHB)
Daily Attack Powers:
L1 - Villain's Menace (PHB)
Skills:
Athletics (+6) --> +4 ability (Strength), +5 trained, -2 shield, -1 armor
Endurance (+5) --> +1 ability (Constitution), +5 trained, +2 racial, -2 shield, -1 armor
Intimidate (+7) --> +0 ability (Charisma), +5 trained, +2 racial
Feats:
L1 - Toughness (PHB)
Gear:
Heavy shield (10 gp)
Hide armor (30 gp)
Javelin (5) (5 gp each, 25 gp total)
Triple-headed flail (15 gp)
Standard adventurer's kit (15 gp)
5 gp
Discussion:
The initial ability score distribution plays an important part in this build's development. Strength and Dexterity get the lion's share of the points (9 out of 22 points each, for a 16 before racial modifiers) for different but similar reasons: Strength is the most important offensive ability for you, whereas Dexterity fulfills the same purpose on defense. Constitution and Wisdom split what's left (2 out of 22 points each, for a 12 before racial modifiers) in order to pack on some healing surges and Will defense. The Toughness feat was also included in a effort to make the build tougher.
It is a priority to take accurate weapons in order to compensate for not having access to Weapon Talent, so the Triple-Headed Flail and Bastard Sword will be chosen as our arena weapons. The Javelins will provide an emergency Ranged option (for the moment). To round it off, we will focus on defenses a little more by favoring a Heavy Shield.
As far as powers go, Cleave and Tide of Iron provide a reliable option for either splash damage or a push effect. Steel Serpent Strike provides a nice stickiness enhancer, and Villain's Menace gives the build some single-target thump.
Level 30 Snapshot
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Race: Half-Orc (PHB 2)
Class: Fighter (PHB)
Combat Feature: Combat Superiority (PHB)
Fighter Talent: Arena Training (DSCS)
Arena Weapon 1: Triple-Headed Flail (AV)
Arena Weapon 2: Bastard Sword (PHB)
Paragon Path: Gladiator Champion (DSCS)
Epic Destiny: Destined Scion (HotFK)
Background: Auspicious Birth (D 366)
Ability Scores, with racial adjustments:
Strength 28 (+9)
Constitution 14 (+2)
Dexterity 28 (+9)
Intelligence 10 (+0)
Wisdom 14 (+2)
Charisma 12 (+1)
HP: 232 --> 15 base, +28 Strength, +174 levels, +15 Toughness
Bloodied: 116 HP or less
Healing Surges: 11 --> 9 base, +2 Constitution
Healing Surge Value: 58 HP
AC: 50 --> 10 base, +5 armor, +9 ability (Dexterity), +15 levels, +6 enhancement, +3 Arena Training, +2 shield
Fortitude: 51 --> 10 base, +9 ability (Strength), +15 levels, +6 enhancement, +4 Epic Fortitude, +3 feat, +2 class, +2 item
Reflex: 51 --> 10 base, +9 ability (Dexterity), +15 levels, +6 enhancement, +4 Epic Reflexes, +3 feat, +2 item, +2 shield
Will: 44 --> 10 base, +2 ability (Wisdom), +15 levels, +6 enhancement, +4 Epic Will, +3 feat, +2 item, +2 shield
Initiative: +37 --> +9 ability (Dexterity), +15 levels, +8 feat, +5 item
Speed: 6 --> 6 base
Racial Powers:
Furious Assault (PHB 2)
At-Will Attack Powers:
L1 - Cleave (PHB)
L11 - Shield Feint (D 385)
Encounter Attack Powers:
L11 - Opening Ploy (DSCS)
L13 - Bash and Pummel (MP 2)
L23 - Warrior's Urging (PHB)
L27 - Cruel Reaper (PHB)
Daily Attack Powers:
L19 - Strike of the Watchful Guard (PHB)
L20 - Finishing Strike (DSCS)
L25 - Reaper's Stance (PHB)
L29 - Force the Battle (PHB)
Utility Powers:
L2 - Pass Forward (MP)
L6 - Kirre's Roar (DSCS)
L10 - Mighty Surge (D 379)
L12 - Fail to Disappoint (DSCS)
L16 - Tyrian Battle Stance (DSCS)
L22 - Martial Supremacy (D 382)
L26 - Divine Regeneration (PHB)
Skills:
Athletics (+26) --> +9 ability (Strength), +5 trained, +15 levels, -2 shield, -1 armor
Endurance (+21) --> +2 ability (Constitution), +5 trained, +15 levels, +2 racial, -2 shield, -1 armor
Intimidate (+23) --> +1 ability (Charisma), +5 trained, +15 levels, +2 racial
Feats:
L1 - Toughness (PHB)
L6 - Master at Arms (HotFL)
L8 - Weapon Focus (Flails)
L10 - Encouraging Shield (D 385)
L11 - Deadly Draw (PHB 3)
L11 - Lashing Flail (MP 2)
L12 - Hindering Shield (D 385)
L14 - Agile Superiority (D 378)
L16 - Ubiquitous Shield (D 385)
L20 - Improved Defenses (HotFL)
L21 - Flail Mastery (PHB)
L21 - Superior Initiative (PHB 3)
L22 - Mobile Warrior (MP)
L22 - Rapid Combat Challenge (D 387)
L24 - Martial Mastery (MP)
L26 - Epic Will (PHB 2)
L28 - Epic Fortitude (PHB 2)
L30 - Epic Reflexes (PHB 2)
Changes:
+6 HP
+1 to attacks, defenses, and checks
New Feat: Epic Reflexes (PHB 2)
Magic Items (Expected GP = 14,625,000):
L30 (3,125,000 gp): +6 Lifeblood Elderhide Armor (PHB 2)
L28 (2,125,000 gp): +6 Steadfast Amulet (AV)
L27 (1,625,000 gp): +6 Farbond Spellblade Bastard Sword (AV 2)
L27 (1,625,000 gp): +6 Staggering Triple-Headed Flail (AV)
L27 (1,625,000 gp): Shadow Band (AV)
L26 (1,125,000 gp): Iron Armbands of Power (Epic Tier) (AV)
L24 (525,000 gp): Boots of Caiphon (AV 2)
L23 (425,000 gp): Eye of Awareness (AV)
L20 (125,000 gp): Diamond Cincture (Paragon Tier) (AV 2)
L15 (25,000 gp): Ring of the Dragonborn Emperor (AV)
L10 (5,000 gp): Strikebacks (AV)
L9 (4,200 gp): Backlash Tattoo (AV)
L9 (4,200 gp): Battle Standard of the Hungry Blade (D 381)
Nonmagical: Heavy Shield (PHB)
TOTAL: 12,363,400 gp
Discussion:
This is the end; all your items have been purchased, all feats and powers have been taken. Enjoy being awesome.
Build Goal and Tactics
The goal for this build is to present a Defender that is hard to hit and even harder to get away from. To that end, this build employs the Arena Training feature combined with a shield for some rock-solid overall defenses. To ensure that enemies stick to you, this build employs a combination of heavy disincentives, such as extremely accurate Opportunity Attacks with a hefty sliding distance and a slow effect attached, as well as the ability to outright deny your opponents the ability to shift away. It also has the advantage of being a fairly mobile build pretty much out of the box.
This build plays like many front-liners; it runs up to the middle of the battlefield, yanks enemies up to it, and then holds them down. You have many tricks to mess with enemies, and should overall face little problem keeping your allies safe and holding the line. If need be, you can also move about pretty well and smack people around, so if the situation calls you to go commando, rest assured: you're very capable of that.
Questions, thoughts, or comments are welcome.
Llamas convinced me
