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7 months ago ::
Nov 05, 2012 - 7:55PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Sep 26, 2009
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So a friend of mine asked for help with his ardent, He says he feels squishy and like he can't ever hit anything. He based it of the Sir slides a lot build for those familiar with it. Anyway please give any helpful input and thanks a lot.
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Quinkana, level 12
Dragonborn, Ardent, Stygian Adept
Build: Impetuous Ardent
Ardent Mantle Option: Mantle of Impulsiveness
Dragonborn Racial Power Option: Dragon Breath
Dragon Breath Key Ability: Dragon Breath Constitution
Dragon Breath Damage Type: Dragon Breath Acid
Inherent Bonuses
Ostracized (+2 to Intimidate)
Theme: Noble Adept
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 19, DEX 9, INT 11, WIS 12, CHA 23
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 14, DEX 8, INT 10, WIS 11, CHA 18
AC: 25 Fort: 25 Ref: 21 Will: 27
HP: 86 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 25
TRAINED SKILLS
Diplomacy +17, Endurance +14, Heal +12, Intimidate +21
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Arcana +6, Athletics +5, Bluff +12, Dungeoneering +7, History +8, Insight +7, Nature +7, Perception +8, Religion +6, Stealth +4, Streetwise +12, Thievery +4
POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Noble Adept Feature: Adept's Insight
Dragonborn Racial Power: Dragon Breath
Ardent Feature: Ardent Eruption
Ardent Feature: Ardent Surge
Ardent Attack 1: Demoralizing Strike
Ardent Attack 1: Energizing Strike
Ardent Attack 1: Adrenaline Strike
Ardent Attack 5: Specter of Doubt
Ardent Utility 6: Evade Attack
Ardent Attack 7: Mindlink Strike
Ardent Attack 9: Passage of Swords
Ardent Utility 10: Tower of Iron Will
Stygian Adept Attack 11: Stygian Strike
Stygian Adept Utility 12: Haunting Shadows
FEATS
Level 1: Deft Eruption
Level 2: Wind of Sympathy
Level 4: Hafted Defense
Level 6: Weapon Expertise (Polearm)
Level 8: Polearm Flanker
Level 10: Improved Defenses
Level 11: Mantle of Caution
Level 12: Bolstering Mantle
ITEMS
Shadow-Shroud Chainmail +1 x1
Ornament of Alertness +1 x1
Barrage Bracers x1
Belt of the Flanker's Bane x1
Staggering Halberd +2 x1
Gloves of the Healer (paragon tier) x1
====== End ======
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7 months ago ::
Nov 05, 2012 - 7:59PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Nov 16, 2010
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It doesn't look like there is much more you can do to improve the +hit. You might drop hafted defense for greatspear proficiency.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 05, 2012 - 8:45PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Mar 31, 2010
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I played an Ardent some time ago for another campaign and sadly didn't keep the build so I can't remember the specific name but there was a Paragon Path that said something like 'whenever you spend a healing surge, recover half the hit points and gain a +2 bonus to your attack rolls until EoNT.'
I see he's going Stygian, but if that isn't a make or break for the build, you might have him look around.
/I also don't know if the PP was racial so that may be an issue.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 12:01AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Sep 26, 2009
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It doesn't look like there is much more you can do to improve the +hit. You might drop hafted defense for greatspear proficiency.
Well part of his problem right now aside from hitting is that He's more or less a front liner that has a very low defence. I think he'd like a way to boost it if possbile. I tried to think of a way to fudge his starting values with out taking form his main 2 so that he could get scale but couldn't figure it out.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 1:24AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Mar 19, 2010
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As far a squishiness goes, your friend's armor should be +2 at minimum at this level and very likely +3. That's 4 ac they are currently missing. The neck should also be +2 or +3 for an additional +2 to NADs. The halberd is +2 and next level you will be equal in level to a +3 with the same enchantment so it's not unlikely that you will upgrade it soon and that should help to hit bonus. Most of what I see lacking is that the character's items are about 7 levels too low and they fell behind the math curve.
You could consider dropping the starting 18 in Cha for a 16 before racial mods and that will give you points to put into str for Draconic Arrogance and dex to shore up reflex a bit. Upgrade to Greatspear to make up the loss of hit bonus.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 2:53AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Dec 22, 2010
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MC Cleric for BCL for scale and a +2 floating shield bonus to AC. And then use the greatspear.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 7:01AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Feb 26, 2011
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I prefer Talaric Strategist
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 8:05AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jun 14, 2009
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I also prefer Talaric Strategist.
Enemy moves next to you to attack. Interrupt, spend action point, hit enemy with Passage of Swords. Enemy gets smacked several times and loses turn. Laugh at enemy.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 8:13AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Feb 26, 2011
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You should also be using Mindlink or Forward Thinking Cut every turn, making the IA Encounter power very nice. The features are solid too.
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7 months ago ::
Nov 06, 2012 - 8:43AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Jun 14, 2009
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FTC/Mindlink assumes your party has good MBA's (and if that's the case and you're shooting for optimization, you might want to scrap the ardent and go look at zelink's warlord guide.)
Demo Strike can be pretty solid as an alternate spam attack. You aren't giving out free attacks, but assuming your power points hold up, you can apply some massive debuffs to defenses, which can turn misses into hits, and you can apply them to multiple targets.
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