|
12 months ago ::
Jul 17, 2012 - 7:07AM
#51
|
Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2007
|
Armisael, will you please share your thoughts on hybrid warden/barbarian builds? I have toyed around with these in the character builder, but I have never been able to come with a reasonable AC without the BCL swap. Are there any other AC tricks you like? Stacking up both a guardian form and a rage is very apparent; do you think it works in reality? If so, which do you like?
Rage+Form+Boiling Cloud. The best possible setup, straight up, as it is the only one that will let you stack all three dailies in one fight.
As for your other question, hybrid Warden's Armored Might and use an Elven Chain Shirt. Works like a charm, though I like BCL better.
Mountain Cleave Rule: You can have any sort of fun, including broken, silly fun, so long as I get to have that fun too (e. g., if you can warp reality with your spells, I can cleave mountains with my blade).
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 18, 2012 - 6:05PM
#52
|
Date Joined:
Mar 12, 2010
|
Armisael, will you please share your thoughts on hybrid warden/barbarian builds? I have toyed around with these in the character builder, but I have never been able to come with a reasonable AC without the BCL swap. Are there any other AC tricks you like? Stacking up both a guardian form and a rage is very apparent; do you think it works in reality? If so, which do you like?
Rage+Form+Boiling Cloud. The best possible setup, straight up, as it is the only one that will let you stack all three dailies in one fight.
As for your other question, hybrid Warden's Armored Might and use an Elven Chain Shirt. Works like a charm, though I like BCL better.
I keep going back and forth on the following: is it better to take Warden's Armored Might or Barbarian Armored Agility? The Barbarian option gives you Barbarian Agility (+1 AC and Ref/tier) while the Warden option gives you an AC key to Con or Wis and shields. We're not going to be using the shield as a barbarian (for Howling Strike), so that puts us comparing +1 to AC and Reflex to a key to Con or Wis. Mathematically, it is better on AC to key to a raised stat. I just keep wondering if a half orc with Dex secondary, Wis tertiary with Barbarian Agility is pretty good. What do you think about riders? Is having a good Wis or Con worth it?
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 18, 2012 - 11:05PM
#53
|
|
|
You'll probably get the highest damage out of a CON build using a hammer, but that will leave you with average AC and weak NADs. In other cases I'd go with DEX secondary, especcially if you want to play a half-orc.
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 19, 2012 - 9:50AM
#54
|
|
|
My experience with both classes has been that they could care less about the secondary-stat riders on their powers (do you even see any riders on Storm or Hurricane of Blades?), and thus Str/Dex/Barbarian Agility is the way to go because you'll net a higher AC overall. Plus you'll need the dex for Heavy Blade Mastery anyway.
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 19, 2012 - 11:01AM
#55
|
Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2007
|
My own experience is that it entirely hinges on what mastery's worth to you. WIS gives you Wildblood Speed for utterly hilarious shenanigans and covers an actually useful defense, and if you're so inclined it also turns your second wind into a weapon. So you gotta ask yourself if it's worth eating stuns and dominates until 21 in exchange for some more crits after.
Mountain Cleave Rule: You can have any sort of fun, including broken, silly fun, so long as I get to have that fun too (e. g., if you can warp reality with your spells, I can cleave mountains with my blade).
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 19, 2012 - 11:54AM
#56
|
Date Joined:
Nov 16, 2010
|
do you even see any riders on Storm or Hurricane of Blades?
Besides body parts?
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 19, 2012 - 12:35PM
#57
|
|
|
If status effects become a problem, swap the hybrid talent for Font of Life. Alternatively, you can consider a 16/14/14 preracial) array, which will get you Superior Will access by paragon, and you can reasonably afford to be 1 point behind the curve on your dex secondary since Barbarian Agility will more than compensate.
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 24, 2012 - 11:43PM
#58
|
|
|
I'm really liking your Fighter|Barbarian build. I decided to convert my Genasi "Elemental Barbarian" build to a hybrid using your power suggestions. The build uses Shocking Flame + Extra Manifestation + Double Manifestation to add on +2/4 fire and +2/4 lightning damage, in addition to the cold damage from Winter Fury. This allows the build to use Frost Cheese alongside Ring of the Radiant Storm and the Firewind Blade. Reincarnate Champion (Tiefling + Gnoll) adds Hellfire Blood and Hell's Burning Mark as well as the usual Gnoll charging shenanigans. Based on the wording of the Firewind Blade property, it seems that the 1+enhancement fire damage is a separate damage instance, and thus it would trigger the Hell's Burning Mark vulnerability again. I used Disciple of Divine Wrath for the MC since it's great for crit fishing and I don't really like using the Healer's Lore cheese. For the epic encounter nova, I use Disciple of Divine Wrath + Promise of Storm, Burn an AP, and then charge in with Hurricane of Blades (Brutal Charge), followed by Storm of Blades. Use Savage Growl on the first hit to add more damage (Hell's Burning Mark). This gives a 77% chance of at least one crit. I forgot about Superior Will, but I could drop Reserve Maneuver (Curtain of Steel) for it. Elemental Barbarian
Show
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Elemental Barabrian, level 30
Genasi, Fighter|Barbarian, Winter Fury, Reincarnate Champion
Hybrid Talent: Fighter Combat Talent
Fighter Combat Talent: Two-handed Weapon Talent (Hybrid)
Epic Vitality: Epic Vitality Strength
Elemental Manifestation: Stormsoul
Extra Manifestation: Firesoul
Firepulse: Firepulse Strength
Past Spirit: Past Spirit (Tiefling)
Past Spirit: Past Spirit (Gnoll)
Background: Auspicious Birth
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 28, Con 13, Dex 24, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 12.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 11, Dex 16, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 10.
AC: 46 Fort: 48 Reflex: 41 Will: 36
HP: 217 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 54
TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +23, Athletics +28, Endurance +22, Religion +23
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +21, Arcana +18, Bluff +18, Diplomacy +18, Dungeoneering +19, Heal +19, History +18, Insight +21, Nature +21, Perception +21, Stealth +21, Streetwise +18, Thievery +21
FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Fullblade)
Level 2: Two-Handed Weapon Expertise
Level 4: Hybrid Talent
Level 6: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade) (retrained to Lightning Soul at Level 12)
Level 8: Disciple of Divine Wrath
Level 10: Wintertouched
Level 11: Lasting Frost
Level 12: Shocking Flame
Level 14: Reserve Maneuver
Level 16: Improved Defenses
Level 18: Fighter Weapon Specialization (retrained to Heavy Blade Mastery at Level 21)
Level 20: Extra Manifestation
Level 21: Double Manifestation
Level 22: Hellfire Blood
Level 24: Fierce Charge
Level 26: Brutal Charge
Level 28: Epic Resurgence
Level 30: Hell's Burning Mark
POWERS
Hybrid at-will 1: Howling Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Cleave
Reserve Maneuver: Curtain of Steel
Hybrid encounter 1: Hack and Hew
Hybrid daily 1: Macetail's Rage
Hybrid utility 2: Savage Growl
Hybrid encounter 3: Thundering Howl
Hybrid daily 5: Bedeviling Assault
Hybrid utility 6: Battle Fury Stance
Hybrid encounter 7: Rain of Blows
Hybrid daily 9: Rage of the Death Spirit
Hybrid utility 10: Surge of Fury
Hybrid encounter 13: Storm of Blades (replaces Hack and Hew)
Hybrid daily 15: Sudden Opportunity (replaces Macetail's Rage)
Hybrid utility 16: Spur the Cycle
Hybrid encounter 17: Harrying Assault (replaces Rain of Blows)
Hybrid daily 19: Rock Tree Rage (replaces Rage of the Death Spirit)
Hybrid utility 22: Strength of Enduring Pain
Hybrid encounter 23: Stone-Splitting Roar (replaces Thundering Howl)
Hybrid daily 25: Strike of the Watchful Guard (replaces Bedeviling Assault)
Hybrid encounter 27: Hurricane of Blades (replaces Stone-Splitting Roar)
Hybrid daily 29: World Serpent Rage (replaces Sudden Opportunity)
ITEMS
Horned Helm (epic tier), Iron Armbands of Power (epic tier), Badge of the Berserker +3, Backlash Tattoo (heroic tier), Ring of the Radiant Storm (paragon tier), Firewind Blade Fullblade +6, Marauder's Roc Hide Armor +6, Badge of the Berserker +6, Elven Chain Shirt (epic tier), Eberron Shard of Lightning (epic tier), Diamond Cincture (epic tier), Ring of Giants (paragon tier), Battle Harness Roc Hide Armor +6, Gloves of Ice (epic tier), Spark Slippers (paragon tier), Accurate symbol of Victory +2
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
[\spoiler]
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 25, 2012 - 9:19PM
#59
|
|
|
Sick. I didn't know shocking flame worked that way. As a reincarnate tiefling, how do you feel about taking Secrets of Belial > Note of Aggression to give yourself a minor action charge?
|
|
|
|
12 months ago ::
Jul 25, 2012 - 11:05PM
#60
|
Date Joined:
Feb 26, 2011
|
I'm really liking your Fighter|Barbarian build. I decided to convert my Genasi "Elemental Barbarian" build to a hybrid using your power suggestions.
The build uses Shocking Flame + Extra Manifestation + Double Manifestation to add on +2/4 fire and +2/4 lightning damage, in addition to the cold damage from Winter Fury. This allows the build to use Frost Cheese alongside Ring of the Radiant Storm and the Firewind Blade. Reincarnate Champion (Tiefling + Gnoll) adds Hellfire Blood and Hell's Burning Mark as well as the usual Gnoll charging shenanigans.
Based on the wording of the Firewind Blade property, it seems that the 1+enhancement fire damage is a separate damage instance, and thus it would trigger the Hell's Burning Mark vulnerability again.
I used Disciple of Divine Wrath for the MC since it's great for crit fishing and I don't really like using the Healer's Lore cheese.
For the epic encounter nova, I use Disciple of Divine Wrath + Promise of Storm, Burn an AP, and then charge in with Hurricane of Blades (Brutal Charge), followed by Storm of Blades. Use Savage Growl on the first hit to add more damage (Hell's Burning Mark). This gives a 77% chance of at least one crit.
I forgot about Superior Will, but I could drop Reserve Maneuver (Curtain of Steel) for it.
So basically my build with modifications?
|
|
|
