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Feb 27, 2012 -- 10:09AM, Koval wrote:

Battlemind looks interesting but it seems to me that the general consensus is that there is a period of time during heroic where you are just meh. Maybe I'm wrong. Swordmage is a maybe, I'm liking the solidity of a knight.

Battleminds do just fine during heroic.  But they're more mobile than other defenders (and swordmages too).  I'm looking at your group and thinking you should probably go with a Fighter or Warden.  You might also look into Mommy Was An Orc's hybrid Fighter-Battlemind.

Mar 1, 2012 -- 10:45AM, Rakashamano wrote:

Maybe I'm really underestimating the importantce of a INT primary, I was going to go Dragonborn/Kulkor Arms Master and try to abuse the pushing and proning etc.... You made me rethink the INT primary situation but I'll still linger on it. Is shielding swordmage able bodied to be a  primary defender?

The eladrin frost build the guide has up looks apealing, maybe I'll check out assualt. 

INT primary just means rounding out your party with INT skills...Arcana, Religion, etc.  They're useful, but hardly necessary.  My group plays without an INT primary character.  Every now and then we wish we had someone better at the skill, but we get along fine without.

Swordmages are decent.  They don't optimize like Fighters, and they're not as tough as Wardens or Battleminds.  They don't have as many options as Paladins, to secondary leader or striker or mass mark.  The other problem is that their mark punishment only fires off when an ally is hit.  But they can be extremely fun to play.  There is some great multi-class synergy with Wizard.  Whenever we take a break from our campaign to play some kind of one off (DM can't be there or wants a week to play) my brother plays an Ensnaring Swordmage and ends up bugging the c*** out of DMs yanking monsters out of position.  Shielding Swordmage is supposed to be more effective, so will be just fine, even if it doesn't optimize the same as some of the others.