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Boci
2009-11-10, 08:02 PM
I'm playing a shimigami based swordmage and I just wanted to check for some general advice. I'm aegis of assault so I'm using a greatsword for the extra damage. I took Student of Sword Magic at level 6 so I might retrain that for one of the superior AV weapons.
The at will powers I took are booming blade, since I am a defender, and lightning leash (to have at least 1 implement attack). All my other powers are weapon based so that I only need to focus on that (no implement expertise, ect). I plan on taking improved warding at level 10 but I'm not sure what feat to take at level 8. Have I made any really big errors?
Finally, I planned to take the ghost blade PP since it fits my character concept. Is it a decent PP power wise?

Asbestos
2009-11-10, 08:08 PM
There is an Expertise feat that works for an item that is both a weapon and an implement. Really helps out swordmages (and monks and artificers)

Boci
2009-11-10, 08:20 PM
There is an Expertise feat that works for an item that is both a weapon and an implement. Really helps out swordmages (and monks and artificers)

As long as it isn't from dragon my DM should be fine with it.

Mando Knight
2009-11-10, 08:30 PM
As long as it isn't from dragon my DM should be fine with it.

Technically, it's from PHB3, but yeah, it's DDI-only content for now.

As for weapon choice, go with a Bastard Sword. Same damage as a Greatsword, and you get +2 AC from having your hand free.

You don't need an implement attack, either. Lightning Leash is only a ranged 3 power, so any time you need to use that is probably better served by move + charge, or the AV2 Paragon-tier enchantment Blade of the Eldritch Knight. The remaining at-wills each have their use, with Greenflame Blade being useful if you frequently fight groups of enemies.

Boci
2009-11-10, 08:39 PM
Technically, it's from PHB3, but yeah, it's DDI-only content for now.

He might allow it...


As for weapon choice, go with a Bastard Sword. Same damage as a Greatsword, and you get +2 AC from having your hand free.

Cool, I'll talk to my DM about retraining Student of Sword Magic. Any suggestions for my 8th level feat?


You don't need an implement attack, either. Lightning Leash is only a ranged 3 power, so any time you need to use that is probably better served by move + charge, or the AV2 Paragon-tier enchantment Blade of the Eldritch Knight. The remaining at-wills each have their use, with Greenflame Blade being useful if you frequently fight groups of enemies.

Lightning leash is fun though. I like having an at will power that target fort, and last encounter we were fighting in the sewers and I used it to pull enemies into adjacent squares that were drops into the sewer's corrosive acid. It a useful ability. I might retrain it when I get Blade of the Eldritch Knight, but until then I think I'll keep it.

Mando Knight
2009-11-10, 08:43 PM
Almost any feat could work. I'd look into racial feats or multiclass feats.

Mercenary Pen
2009-11-10, 08:55 PM
Possibly worth multiclass as a Taclord?

Mando Knight
2009-11-10, 09:03 PM
Ranger is also solid for Hunter's Quarry, Paladin allows for a second sticky mark, Wizard doesn't synergize with implements unless you take feats for it or go with the Spiral Tower PP, but has things like Thunderwave and Enlarge Spell, Fighter grants a bonus to attack rolls or an immediate interrupt to kill a shifting opponent 1/encounter, Barbarian grants a bit of extra damage, and Artificer is the other good Leader MC for a Swordmage...

TheEmerged
2009-11-10, 09:16 PM
You don't need an implement attack, either. Lightning Leash is only a ranged 3 power, so any time you need to use that is probably better served by move + charge, or the AV2 Paragon-tier enchantment Blade of the Eldritch Knight. The remaining at-wills each have their use, with Greenflame Blade being useful if you frequently fight groups of enemies.

The usefulness of Lightning Lure can vary depending on whether or not you have a rogue in the party. I have to say the swordmage in the party I DM has a lot of fun with it.

RE: 8th level feat. I'd need more to go on than the level of the swordmage.

a> What feats do you already have? Sounds like you already have Weapon Expertise and/or retraining to the dual one.
b> Race? Most of the races have at least one racial feat that's worth it.
c> Multiclassing? Although the MC feats aren't quite as universal now that we have a broader feat selection, they still bring quite a lot to the table. "Warrior of the Wild", the Ranger MC feat, is still the most popular in my experience (one skill from one of the broadest skill list, plus the ability to get +1d6 damage to two attacks (per errata)). Other than this, the rule of thumb is to take one from a different power source to increase the feats you can choose from (if 4e, Belkar of OotS would be wise to MC into Barbarian for some really nice synergies).

Jack_Banzai
2009-11-11, 12:14 PM
As long as it isn't from dragon my DM should be fine with it.

Just out of curiosity, what is wrong with content from Dragon? It all goes through the WotC editorial process like any book.

ashmanonar
2009-11-11, 12:26 PM
Just out of curiosity, what is wrong with content from Dragon? It all goes through the WotC editorial process like any book.

I was going to say this. This isn't like the past, where people just made crap up for Dragon (any more so than the entire design process is "making crap up".)

Dragon is more of a testbed for stuff they're working on or trying out, and a nice little bonus for the people who'll pay for DDI. Also has some awesome fluff for DMs, and some excellent monsters.

Boci
2009-11-11, 12:31 PM
Just out of curiosity, what is wrong with content from Dragon? It all goes through the WotC editorial process like any book.

Looking over class hanbooks a lot of the "best" powers are from dragon, and my DM sort of jumps to assumptions about material from the magazine due to things like reaper's touch. Ultimately I think its just because he doesn't have access to it and he is paranoid of homebrew, and I don't mind that much so I can't be bothered to argue with him on it.



RE: 8th level feat. I'd need more to go on than the level of the swordmage.

a> What feats do you already have? Sounds like you already have Weapon Expertise and/or retraining to the dual one.

I've got weapon expertise, intelligent blade master, moon elf resilience and student of the sword currently.


b> Race? Most of the races have at least one racial feat that's worth it.

I'm eldarin so I'll probably take the one that allow me a free attack after I fey step from arcane power.


c> Multiclassing?

I think I'd like to keep my swordmage pure.

TheEmerged
2009-11-11, 05:03 PM
I've got weapon expertise, intelligent blade master, moon elf resilience and student of the sword currently. I'm eldarin so I'll probably take the one that allow me a free attack after I fey step from arcane power.

That's exactly what I'd recommend for an Eladrin swordmage.


I think I'd like to keep my swordmage pure.

/humor on
You want to pass up an extra skill, +1d6 damage to two attacks per encounter, and access to another group of feats that's your decision :smallbiggrin:
/humor off

Boci
2009-11-11, 05:15 PM
That's exactly what I'd recommend for an Eladrin swordmage.

Okay.


/humor on
You want to pass up an extra skill, +1d6 damage to two attacks per encounter, and access to another group of feats that's your decision :smallbiggrin:
/humor off

There are plenty of new people in the game, so I don't think my DM would like anything too powerful.

Mando Knight
2009-11-11, 05:22 PM
There are plenty of new people in the game, so I don't think my DM would like anything too powerful.

One feat. In the PHB. Available to everyone with 13 Strength or Dexterity (except Rangers, or not-Bards that have already multiclassed). It's not cheese, it's a selection out of one of the strongest sets of feats in the game.

TheEmerged
2009-11-11, 05:38 PM
One feat. In the PHB. Available to everyone with 13 Strength or Dexterity (except Rangers, or not-Bards that have already multiclassed). It's not cheese, it's a selection out of one of the strongest sets of feats in the game.


weapon expertise, intelligent blade master, moon elf resilience and student of the sword

Actually, I just noticed -- you took Student of the Sword, the Fighter multiclass feat? Or did you mean that you took Student of Sword Maqic (the "spellbook" feat for swordmages)? If you took SotS, you're multiclassed as a fighter already, so no Ranger for you.

If you *did* mean SoSM, you might want to rethink it unless you've gotten more usage out of it than it looks.

----------------

One eladrin swordmage tactic I've seen in theory-runs is for the swordmage to put their Aegis on one target, feystep next to another target that then gets hit with a basic melee attack, and then lightning lure a third target next to the swordmage as well.

Do you have a warlord, bard, or some other class in the party that will allow you to make out-of-turn basic melee attacks? If so, you might want to get weapon training for something like a fullblade to increase you BMA damage. Emphasis on *might*, since you'd be losing +2 AC if you did this

Boci
2009-11-11, 05:43 PM
Actually, I just noticed -- you took Student of the Sword, the Fighter multiclass feat? Or did you mean that you took Student of Sword Maqic (the "spellbook" feat for swordmages)? If you took SotS, you're multiclassed as a fighter already, so no Ranger for you.

Oops, yeah I took the one that gives me a spell book.

Mando Knight
2009-11-11, 05:46 PM
If so, you might want to get weapon training for something like a fullblade to increase you BMA damage. Emphasis on *might*, since you'd be losing +2 AC if you did this

He's already using a greatsword, and thus has lost the 2 AC. Either Bastard Sword or Fullblade is the best choice for him right now.