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10 months ago ::
Aug 02, 2012 - 8:50PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Jul 24, 2010
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Okay, so, here's the skinny.
I'm currently playing in a group of four players, and since there were four of us, we decided we'd take the opportunity to have a party made up of one character from each role. Being the nice guy I am, I let everybody else pick what role they wanted to play first. It also helps that I'm pretty much willing to try any given class at least once.
So long story short, I get assigned the role of Defender. I make up a cavalier, we start playing, everything's going great...Until a super difficult combat encounter. Said encounter was almost a TPK, and as it was, ended up killing three of our four characters, my cavalier among them.
So the other two characters who died (our leader and controller) decided to switch roles between themselves, meaning that I'm still the defender.
Our party now consists of a human ranger, an eladrin bladesinger, a tiefling bard, and my mul fighter. But the thing is, after a couple of encounters... I just don't like the feel of the fighter class. Something about it just rubs me the wrong way. SO, with that in mind, I'm looking for other options. I'd love to hear any suggestions you guys have for interesting, fun, or unique defender builds.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 02, 2012 - 10:07PM
#2
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Date Joined:
May 19, 2011
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Hmm, well, as far Defenders go, there's different styles of Defender.
Lock em down Defender-Fighter(ponding your amrked target and mostly keeping them from doing anything but hitting you)
Follow them wherever they go Defender-Battlemind(marking them and chasing after them when they shift, when a mark is violated, you make them take as kuch damage as they dealt)
Mark and forget Defender-Paladin(marking an enemy/enemies and they automatically take damage if they violate your mark)
Defend from a distance-Swordmage(teleporting in t smack them for violating or reducing damage dealt for violating...there is a third, but it's not veery good)
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10 months ago ::
Aug 03, 2012 - 5:51AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Apr 14, 2010
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"Something that rubs you the wrong way" isn't much for us to go on, in the way of suggesting defenders you might like. I mean, the Fighter class has tons of different ways to play it, seeing how it's the best supported defender of them all. I can only tell you what I like, so here goes: Warden: practically indestructible, and can be built to do A LOT of damage (think Earthstrength Warden with Crippling Crush). Not as good at limiting enemy actions as other defenders, but I ensure you you'll be the last man standing. Swordmage: an unusual defender style: mark and move away to another target. The class has some really awesome immediate action powers and is one of the most mobile defenders there is. Brawling Fighter: pound one guy into the ground, then move on to the next one. Can also be built to do a lot of damage. And some more offbeat builds: - Paladin|Warlock hybrid- Swordmage|Warlock hybrid- Battlemind|Swordmage hybrid
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10 months ago ::
Aug 03, 2012 - 6:09AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Apr 14, 2011
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Playing a defender can require a real shift in your thinking from playing other roles. You really have to get into it to enjoy it. The first thing is to look at what your primary goal is in combat. To me, that goal is to make trying to hit the most heavily armor character the best option for as many enemies as possible. You are there to keep the other characters from getting hit, to defend them. So any time an enemy attacks you, rather than your allies, you are doing your job. Sometimes it feels like you are really getting pounded on, but once you get that when that happens you are actually winning as a team, it's all good. You also have to get that a defender is also a special kind of controller. You place conditions on you enemies to get them to do what you want, and punish them when they don't do that. The different defender classes determine how you do it, and they can all be very different. My first session playing a defender was very rough. I was totally frustrated. But afterward, I went back a focus my thinking on who my character was in the party and what I need to do for the team. After that it became very tactically satisfying. Where to position my character, which enemies to mark, how can I help set up my allies to be able to really hurt the enemies. When my focus became reducing the options and opportunity for as many enemies as possible every round, I was having a ball. Since then I have a real love for defenders. Battlemind is my favorite, followed by warden and paladin. I'd love to try out swordmage, since they work a bit different. Although, I have to note that when I don't play a defender, I will only take a controller or leader, never a striker. I particularly like sentinel druids, since I can get HP, surges, and AC like a defender and the animal companion gives me option to lock down a battlefield by filling another square and putting condition on the enemies with the aura. A sentinel with a 20 Con rivals the warden as a tank. But maybe its not the role that's bothering you, but other options for the character. One the the things I hate about defenders is the lack of options for skills. Fewer trained skills and crappy class skill lists. Many defenders can feel useles out of combat, particularly if your stats are all built toward STR and CON... particularly a fighter. You become worthless for knowledge checks and social checks, and uninvolved in skill challenges that can focus on skills when you are untrained and have low ability modifiers. Some defenders (swordmage and paladin particularly) are easier to build to get some useful skills than others. You really have to make some choices when building a defender to get one or two useful skills. Athletics and Endurance are kinda traps. Either way, think about you character as part of a team with a very specific job to do within that team. Its a dirty job and you will put yourself at great risk, but it will make life a lot easier for the rest of the party. They should be thanking you and showing you great appreciation. TjD
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10 months ago ::
Aug 03, 2012 - 8:28AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Jun 30, 2008
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I have found the most fun way to play a defender is generally to charge in at the most dangerous looking enemy or to go after the most dangerous looking group and try to attack and mark all of them. Even be willing to provoke some OAs if it will get you next to more enemies. You can take the hits the vast majority of the time. Usually I do this with a str/wis paladin or wildblood warden, but I have done it when playing an arena fighter as well.
Its refreshing to not have to worry as much about getting hit like when I am playing a leader or striker. Its not quite playing the PC in a reckless manner, but if you are willing to not worry much about your PC dieing or at least getting close to dieing then defenders can be a lot of fun.
my handbooks & builds
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10 months ago ::
Aug 03, 2012 - 6:13PM
#6
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Date Joined:
May 14, 2010
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Bladesinger?
Swordmage if you want a defender. They are pretty fun.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 04, 2012 - 10:54AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jul 24, 2010
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Thanks for all the advice guys. I think next time I need to go for a defender, I'll try a swordmage, since that seems to be the most suggested class. For right now though, as it turns out, we might have a fifth guy joining the group who loves playing tanky characters, so I might not have to be the defender anymore.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 05, 2012 - 2:09AM
#8
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I have a Cavalier|Fighter in LFR who is now level 3. He's fun to play but his defenses need some work. 
What is it that you don't like about the Fighter?
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10 months ago ::
Aug 13, 2012 - 1:50PM
#9
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Yeah, one of my players is playing a Defender, and it is a badge of honor for him to get the crap kicked out of him  His guy in general is played as a man beaten down by the world on a daily basis, but who gets up in the morning as a giant middle finger to everyone who'd like to see him stay in bed.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 16, 2012 - 2:30AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Aug 30, 2007
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One thing to keep in mind is that if you're trying different defender classes and they aren't working, maybe the defender role just isn't for you. While covering all the roles is recommended, it's not a strict requirement. If no one wants to play a defender, then your group just doesn't have a defender. You guys can still get by.
Owner and Proprietor of the House of Trolls.
God of ownership and possession.
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