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herrhauptmann
2009-11-07, 03:59 AM
My local LFR group has pretty much disintegrated (so no more dropping in to play when I've got time), I don't get along with the few people running 3.5 games in town, and my class work has lightened up enough to make it an actual possibility that I can play in a real campaign, rather than just occasional modules.
There is a local 4E group that is apparently quite heavy on roleplaying and less on the LFR recipe of 3 fights and a skill challenge. But, before I join their group I'd like to have a character with a backstory and personality I can really get into (a personal requirement to actually roleplay my character).
So I've decided that I'll rework my 3.5 chain wielding maniac into a 4E character. When I used him in 3.5 he was a tripper, and a solid backup warrior in a large party (I could hit decently easily and hard, but my feats were made more to make it easier for the frontline warriors to excel further by tripping my enemies and giving flanking bonuses).
I'm going to keep his backstory, and I'd like to keep his chosen weapon and method of combat.

So my question to the playground is this, are there any feats, classes or powers that lend themselves to this concept and work within the Heroic tier?

Sir Homeslice
2009-11-07, 04:19 AM
Str/Dex something or another class that uses str and dex. MC the spiked chain master in the Revenant article, Dragon 372 I think. MC for the powers.

That's about the size of it. It's a double weapon flail/light blade, so I can't recommend polearm cheese to you, which is technically possible if you have the original article for... something that had the Extending Weapon, but WotC in one of their finer moments deleted a useful weapon that did something interesting.

KillianHawkeye
2009-11-07, 09:55 AM
Spiked chain Tempest Fighter could be pretty interesting. Use the spiked chain Multiclassing feats from Dragon to make it a double weapon so it qualifies for Tempest Technique. One of the powers also lets you trip (technically, it just knocks them prone, but w/e). Plus, marking multiple enemies per round with a reach weapon: awesome, or totally awesome? :smallwink:

Shadow_Elf
2009-11-07, 12:58 PM
Tempest Fighter with the Chain Fighter feat from DDi that makes it a double weapon. Then take the fighter feat Dragging Flail, which knocks people prone whenever you slide them with a flail, IIRC. Then, you take all the push/pull/slide/prone powers you can get and voila, you're good to go!

Gralamin
2009-11-07, 01:27 PM
That's about the size of it. It's a double weapon flail/light blade, so I can't recommend polearm cheese to you, which is technically possible if you have the original article for... something that had the Extending Weapon, but WotC in one of their finer moments deleted a useful weapon that did something interesting.

That was KYR Defender. And Its good they deleted a weapon that invalidates numerous other weapons existence, in my opinion.

Spiked Chain training is from the Shadar-kai article, actually, but it is the feat he wants. Tempest fighter is probably also the way to go. I would add in the following Magic weapons from AV2 are useful:
Stormbiter Warblade (AV2 23)
To some extent Space-Bending Weapon (AV2 23)
Master's Blade (AV2 20)
Aftershock Weapon (AV2 15)

If Sets are allowed:
Blade of the Eldritch Knight (AV2 114)

If you need more, I can get a list of good AV weapons / Other sources for this strategy

Hal
2009-11-07, 02:27 PM
I'm not as familiar with the Spiked Chain feats as everyone else, but if your character was more about helping other frontline fighters to excel, what about a Warlord? Their entire MO is "hit with weapon, good thing happens for ally."

Sir Homeslice
2009-11-07, 02:31 PM
That was KYR Defender. And Its good they deleted a weapon that invalidates numerous other weapons existence, in my opinion.

It's a weapon enchantment, meaning you can't put other weapon enchantments on it. The best fix would to have just remove the fact that it makes the weapon count as a polearm, and just add reach.

Asbestos
2009-11-07, 04:51 PM
Tempest Fighter with the Chain Fighter feat from DDi that makes it a double weapon. Then take the fighter feat Dragging Flail, which knocks people prone whenever you slide them with a flail, IIRC. Then, you take all the push/pull/slide/prone powers you can get and voila, you're good to go!
No, no. Dragging Flail slides people that you knock prone. I'd generally advise against it because a Tempest Fighter is generally not going to be picking the powers that also happen to knock people prone.

Asbestos
2009-11-07, 04:57 PM
Beyond just straight fighter...

In 4e the Spiked Chain can be good for...
Beastmaster Rangers
Rogues
2nd line Warlords

If you're all about tripping, flanking, and setting up your enemies to fail I'd go with the Rogue. Possibly a Brutal Scoundrel or even Artful Dodger build, focus on the controllery rogue powers. Tempest Fighter is also good, as a lot of the powers that work with them slide/encourage flanking.

cupkeyk
2009-11-07, 06:32 PM
Dragging flail is still good if you have the at-will knockdown assault and maybe a staggering weapon(knocks prone on a crit). It lets you position bad guys while inconveniencing them.

however for a trip build, try considering a glaive instead. Look for the inescapable fisherman build in the wotc wiki. Basically footwork lure + pole arm momentum at heroic tier. Heavy blade opportunity and polearm gamble at paragon. trip them two squares away and has a very controller-y feel. you can achieve the same effect with knockdown strike and a spike chain in heroic with a flail but your options thin out at paragon.

Shadow_Elf
2009-11-07, 10:02 PM
Dragging flail is still good if you have the at-will knockdown assault and maybe a staggering weapon(knocks prone on a crit). It lets you position bad guys while inconveniencing them.

however for a trip build, try considering a glaive instead. Look for the inescapable fisherman build in the wotc wiki. Basically footwork lure + pole arm momentum at heroic tier. Heavy blade opportunity and polearm gamble at paragon. trip them two squares away and has a very controller-y feel. you can achieve the same effect with knockdown strike and a spike chain in heroic with a flail but your options thin out at paragon.

Staggering Weapon also adds its enhancement bonus to pushes and slides. So you take Knockdown Assault, and at-will, you are knocking them prone and sliding them 1 + enhancement bonus squares on a hit. And it can be used on a charge.

Staggering Double Spiked Chain on a Tempest Fighter, take Dual Strike and Knockdown Assault, grab Footwork Lure if you're a Human, and then grab anything that knocks prone or pushes or slides. It works very nicely in practice, and gives you some great at-will battlefield control to add to your defender arsenal.

Asbestos
2009-11-07, 10:04 PM
Personally I'm very wary of builds that restrict the character to a specific enchantment in order to become viable.

Shadow_Elf
2009-11-07, 10:50 PM
Personally I'm very wary of builds that restrict the character to a specific enchantment in order to become viable.

It is not restricted to that specific enchant, but that enchant is the most optimal option for that build.