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NMBLNG
2010-06-13, 12:52 AM
Since my char-op-fu is not as strong as many here, I was hoping to get the opinions of those familiar with 4e on a few random subjects:

Mounted Combat: worth the feat?

Tattoos: Worth the money? Any in particular shine out from the others? (At mid-heroic)

I know I had more questions when I thought about starting this thread. I'll ask them as I remember them...

Meta
2010-06-13, 12:58 AM
Since my char-op-fu is not as strong as many here, I was hoping to get the opinions of those familiar with 4e on a few random subjects:

Mounted Combat: worth the feat?

Tattoos: Worth the money? Any in particular shine out from the others? (At mid-heroic)

I know I had more questions when I thought about starting this thread. I'll ask them as I remember them...


Mounted Combat isn't really worth it, unless you're dm is constantly giving you scenarios where you can use the same mount over and over again. There are some great mounted items, like the nightmare saddle or the one that gives DR but mounts usually come and go. The exception being if you have a familiar and you're using the ritual to make it large size frequently. This is really the only time id take MC.

Probably one of the most useful tattoos imo is the backlash tattoo which is quite low leveled. On the other hand, there are better ways to spend any extra gold you have and I'd recommend waiting til a higher level when the cost is insignificant rather than substantial amount it would be in heroic

Hope that helps!

Sir Homeslice
2010-06-13, 03:40 AM
1.) Very rarely.

2.) Backlash tattoo, and aside from that it'll depend on what class/build you are. Generally cannot go wrong with Backlash tattoo if you got a good basic attack.

Meta
2010-06-13, 10:24 AM
Is there an echo in here? :smalltongue:

NMBLNG
2010-06-13, 10:33 AM
Current character is a Swordmage with Intelligent Blademaster. I'll have to check and see what level the backlash is...

As for the mount, I may eventually add it as a flavor feat. I'm semi-co-DM of this campaign (continuing a campaign of mine from a previous semester, but having a new DM). So I'll see about having the mounts defences scale with the level of the campaign. And considering that the group will need to travel across the world several times, having a mount will probably be a good idea....

tcrudisi
2010-06-13, 10:36 AM
1) It depends on your build. If you are doing a charging build, for instance, then yes.

2) At mid-heroic? No. However, a tattoo is something you do want to get eventually. Basically, when the cost becomes almost inconsequential, like when you hit level 11+ or so.

Also, a lot of them will become more powerful if you stack them with other group members. That is worth keeping in mind.

Kurald Galain
2010-06-13, 10:52 AM
(1) generally not, with a few exceptions for specific builds. Not that riding a mount doesn't require the feat. It depends heavily on how often you can actually ride - if you often venture in dungeons, that means you probably can't.

(2) most of them really aren't: anything that triggers e.g. "when a non-minion crits you" is not going to reliably work for you when you need it. I find that pretty much everyone grabs the Demonskin, because it's really cheap and free resistance is decent.

Meta
2010-06-13, 11:32 AM
Current character is a Swordmage with Intelligent Blademaster. I'll have to check and see what level the backlash is...

As for the mount, I may eventually add it as a flavor feat. I'm semi-co-DM of this campaign (continuing a campaign of mine from a previous semester, but having a new DM). So I'll see about having the mounts defences scale with the level of the campaign. And considering that the group will need to travel across the world several times, having a mount will probably be a good idea....

If you're okay with the fluff, take a familiar. There are a few fun combos that can be used to give a familiar large size so you can mount one, and even give it a teleport speed. Plus the idea of riding your familiar ooze is pretty hilarious

And as one poster mentioned group tattoos, shared vengeance isn't too shabby

BobTheDog
2010-06-13, 11:39 AM
Mounted Combat can be temporarily useful, too, since feats can be retrained. If you know (say, if your DM is nice and tells the group) that you'll have access to good mounts for a while (a couple of levels worth), then it may be a good idea to grab it. After that stage of the campaign is over, you can retrain.

...

[off-topic] I just realized that you can retrain Linguist. "Sorry, guys, since yesterday I can't talk to goblins anymore." :smallbiggrin:

Anasazi
2010-06-13, 11:57 AM
When it comes to mounted combat in 4e it can depend heavily, but if you're considering picking up a mount because your crew will be traveling there and back again you should consider the fact that the entire team is in the same boat, not just yourself, and theres much better means of getting from place to place then walking. Mounted combat can work, and when it does it works well (i once built a stealth mount build that worked very well), but theres alot of setup to get any mount/combat combo to work right, as previously suggest rituals (and the like).
IF you're an assaulting swordmage, and the gm allows for the mount to teleport with you, then picking up a mount with a better basic attack than you would be quite beneficial. Better is relative, a higher +hit, a secondary effect, higher damage potential, etc could be considered better. This is one of the few combo's that I would find beneficial and worth blowing a feat on. But like the others pointed out, its relative, if you cant take your mount into combat, then that feat is useless.

Tattoo's are quite specific, they can be quite beneficial if they buff an already existing ability, or they can be quite weak. Theres also the idea of appearance, I mean, if you want to build this awesome looking hero of pure sweetness you're not gonna want a pink horse tattoo on its chest.

Good luck, hope this helped.

BobTheDog
2010-06-13, 12:47 PM
if you want to build this awesome looking hero of pure sweetness you're not gonna want a pink horse tattoo on its chest.

You can't get much sweeter than a pink horse, y'know... :smallwink:

cupkeyk
2010-06-13, 06:46 PM
Halfling beast master ranger + raptor animal companion + vistani heritage + vistani pathfinding + mounted combat + beast growth ritual = free flying mount for your arrow shooting ranger

I have noticed that a lot of cheap items are good at higher levels so I end up with more money than I need. Never considered getting a tattoo but if I had extra money, why not? (my fighter is level 11 and I only ever upgrade my armor, my weapon and my cloak, the rest of the stuff are the same few stuff I bought at lower levels).

Ozreth
2010-06-13, 06:57 PM
Halfling beast master ranger + raptor animal companion + vistani heritage + vistani pathfinding + mounted combat + beast growth ritual = free flying mount for your arrow shooting ranger


Sounds awesome!

Ranis
2010-06-13, 07:23 PM
Get your whole group/adventuring company/etc to get Teamstrike Tattoos, and have fun missing much less often.

Swordgleam
2010-06-13, 07:26 PM
What book are the tattoos in? I haven't heard of them. Are they in Dragon?

cupkeyk
2010-06-13, 07:28 PM
AV2 actually.


Oh and look at the shortbow feat that allows halfling to treat em as brutal 2.

Meta
2010-06-13, 08:17 PM
Get your whole group/adventuring company/etc to get Teamstrike Tattoos, and have fun missing much less often.

This person knows what he/she's talking about. I don't think about to-hit as much as i should (i play an avenger) and this is a great tattoo if your party has even moderate coordination

Colmarr
2010-06-13, 08:53 PM
Tattoos: Worth the money? Any in particular shine out from the others? (At mid-heroic)

The Eager Hero tattoo (lvl 10, so should be available to characters of level 6+) was quite popular with our druid and warlock.

When you take a short rest, it grants 5 temp hp plus the number of surges you have spent since your last extended rest.

TripperdeCleric
2010-06-13, 09:41 PM
no input..my bad.

cupkeyk
2010-06-13, 09:43 PM
Adventurer's vault 2. I think its in the wondrous item

BritishBill
2010-06-13, 09:56 PM
Since my char-op-fu is not as strong as many here, I was hoping to get the opinions of those familiar with 4e on a few random subjects:

Mounted Combat: worth the feat?

Tattoos: Worth the money? Any in particular shine out from the others? (At mid-heroic)

I know I had more questions when I thought about starting this thread. I'll ask them as I remember them...

For both of these questions the answers depend upon the game! If your on the ocean it might not be that useful! If their is alot of ground combat in your game being on a horse might give you an edge, and for the tatoos im not really sure, honestly ive never really used them.

cupkeyk
2010-06-15, 02:11 AM
Actually, ground combat is when mounts are least useful.

Swimming is never an optimal option. Finding means to breathe water is easy but improving your speed under water isn't, an aquatic mount is cheaper and easier.

The cheapest form of prolonged (non-overland) flight is a griffon/pegasus/hippogriff mount.

Then there is planar travel. The astral sea makes your move options suck with a astral native mount as your only option.

Question: is there any way to grant an animal companion the mount keyword?