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ajkkjjk52
2011-01-25, 02:54 AM
Hi Playground,

I'm joining a 16th lvl 4e game next week. I've played 4e once before, but it was years ago (right when it came out) and we were 4th level and I only played a few sessions before life intervened.

Anyway, I'm looking to play a Kobold Battlemind going into the Zephyr Blade paragon path. I know that Kobold is a pretty lousy race for a battlemind, but I'm a firm believer that character concept trumps optimization every time, and this is my concept.

That said, I'm really not familiar with 4e, so I'd like some help building this character; what feats to take, how to allocate my stats, what gear to buy, that sort of thing. I'm not looking for cheese or max-optimization, just a good solid build that won't make me look like a total newb.

This is my current build, but I'm looking for advice on how to improve it.
Str 12 Con 21 Dex 14 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 16

Feats: (showing level attained and with what phb they are from (if not 1)
1 Defensive Mobility
2 Ritual Caster
4 Quick Draw
6 Weapon Expertise (HBlade) [2]
8 Headsman's Chop [3]
10 Spring Step [3]
11 Combat Anticipation
12 Agile Opportunist [2]
14 Paragon Defenses [2]
16 Gritty Determination [3]

Gear:
+4 Psychokinetic Scimitar
+3 Chaosweave Wyvernscale
Flaring Heavy Shield
Boots of Eagerness
Gauntlets of Brilliance
Ring of Mental Power
22800gp left for neck and belt and wonderous


Much thanks,
ajkkjjk52

MeeposFire
2011-01-25, 03:11 AM
Kobolds are sweet let nobody tell you otherwise. Minor action shifts are great.

Be sure to see the update to the battlemind as it improves blurred step. Makes a big difference.

Make sure you take the melee training feat. It is a huge part of being a defender as melee basic attacks are very important, especially with battleminds.

I would also point out that rapiers were changed to martial weapons so that is a choice for more accuracy and their is a lot of good light blade support. Right now you do have some nice feats for a heavy blade so that is fine too.

Lightning rush is a great power really consider taking it.

I would replace combat anticipation with some other feat as it is almost 100% redundant with paragon defenses (both are feat bonuses). I would also replace paragon defenses with improved defenses from heroes of forgotten lands (it does the same exact thing except it gives a scaling bonus by tier +1 at heroic and +2 at paragon).

Replacing weapon expertise with heavy blade expertise from heroes of forgotten lands if you can since it does the same thing but it gives a bonus by tier and it gives you a +2 bonus to all defenses on opportunity attacks or master at arms which is expertise for all weapons and an ability to switch weapons as a minor action (sheath and draw for a minor action).

I am also not as much of a fan of defensive mobility, and gritty determination. I like skill power to give you an additional utility like the one that lets you stand as a minor action and melee training.

Here is a link to a battlemind handbook. It has some good info and I hope it all helps.

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/22464381/Enders_Game_-_the_Battlemind_Handbook

ajkkjjk52
2011-01-25, 09:54 AM
Ooh, there's a handbook. Thanks!

MeeposFire
2011-01-28, 12:03 AM
No problem, need more help just ask though non-monk psionic classes are not my forte.

Mando Knight
2011-01-28, 01:45 AM
Unless you're the only character with a ritual skill trained and have a good idea as to what rituals you want, it generally isn't a good idea to grab the Ritual Caster feat, especially if you've got low modifiers on both of the ritual skill stats (Int and Wis). Where were you going with it?


More importantly, your stats are all wrong. All of them. (Unless you rolled stats) You get +1 to two stats at levels 4, 8, and 14, and +1 to all stats at level 11. Secondly, Wis, though a possible dump stat for a Charisma Battlemind, should not be dumped before Int or Dex (generally not Str thanks to you carrying heavy stuff) on such a character, as it then gives you a bit more flexibility with power choices.

Assuming standard point-buy, I'd recommend the following:
{table=head]Stat|Initial|Race|Level|Final|Modifier
Str|10|0|+1|11|+0
Con|16|+2|+4|22|+6
Dex|11|+2|+1|14|+2
Int|10|0|+1|11|+0
Wis|11|0|+1|12|+1
Cha|16|0|+4|20|+5[/table]
Of these, you can easily switch around your points in Str, Dex, Int, and Wis to your liking, if you keep in mind that by normal point-buy rules in 4e, you can only drop one to 8 before level-up modifiers.

Next, skills. You only get three of them. I recommend at least Athletics, since it governs jumping, climbing, swimming, and so much more. You've got high Charisma, so choose at least one out of Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate. Now you've got one skill left. Endurance can be useful at times, especially for an armored warrior. Arcana is good for magic-y things, but you'll be overshadowed if you've got a Psion or any Arcane class with you (except for possibly Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Bards, but even then, they'll usually find a way to boost the score, since two of the three are stuck knowing the skill). Insight is good if you're going to be the party Face, and meshes well with Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate. Heal is mostly useless if you've got a Leader, as they should generally have it trained or will make it useless.

Feat-wise, you don't need Defensive Mobility. At all. You're a Defender, and you've got a minor action shift. You're hard to hit, and if you're provoking Opportunity Attacks, I'd try to figure out what you're doing wrong.

Headsman's Chop is only good if your enemies are on the ground frequently. Otherwise, I recommend Weapon Focus instead, since it gives you +2 damage to all attacks rather than +5 damage to some attacks.

Gritty Determination is a touch weak, but vastly improved by the fact that you're Con-primary, meaning you get the most out of the Temp HP.

Meepos covered a lot of my other observations already.

ajkkjjk52
2011-01-29, 07:30 AM
[...] and +1 to all stats at level 11. [...]

Somehow I missed that part. Thanks for pointing it out.

GoodbyeSoberDay
2011-01-29, 08:02 AM
If it matters as far as advice goes, the rest of the party consists of a Cunning Bard (new to 4e), a Feylock (new to 4e), and a RAAAEEEEGblood barbarian (me, not new but not an expert by any means). There's usually one or fewer combats per day.

The bard and 'lock use targeted debuffs and a smidgeon of zone stuff while my barbarian runs/slides around cuttin' things up. Sometimes when the cunning slide triggers, I like to imagine my barbarian trying and failing to moonwalk while flailing his sword around, inadvertently killing his foes. As you can see this game has a very serious tone.

Fox Box Socks
2011-01-29, 09:33 AM
Blurred Speed and Melee Training are must-haves. Ask your DM if you can take Mark of Warding, because that one's rather important as well.

Also, damage is not your job, so you should really be using a short sword and a heavy shield. Your job is to draw fire and not get hit, so the +2 to AC and Ref is huge. If you absolutely have to increase your damage, pick up Weapon Proficency: Rapier.

tcrudisi
2011-01-29, 11:13 AM
+1 to what Mando said.

Also, I will second, third, fourth, ad infinitum about Lightning Rush. It's not a great power, it is THE power for a Battlemind. I cannot express how awesome this power really is.

As an immediate interrupt, you move and attack a target which is attacking your allies. Want to make it even more fun? Use it on a monster who is doing a ranged attack. Oh look, you just interrupted (your action takes place before theirs) the enemies ranged attack. Oh, look! They are doing a ranged attack while you are adjacent to them? That's a free opportunity attack. That one power allows you to attack an enemy twice for daring to attack an ally instead of you. It's... brilliant.

Just don't forget to always augment 2 on it. Losing your next turn isn't fun.

NMBLNG
2011-01-29, 11:37 AM
From my experience with Battleminds:

You are one of the toughest classes in the game. CON primary stat on a defender is pretty awesome. And you have good armor proficiency as well.

You are a fast defender. You have a lot of abilities that can move you around, and if you take the feat Armor Specialisation: Scale, you can reduce your speed penalty.

Building a non-n00b Battlemind isn't much different that other defenders. 1)Get things to hit you, 2)Be able to take the hit, 3)When things don't hit you, lay down the pwnage.

I'd try to pick up 1 or 2 feats that improve your Blurred Step and Mind Spike, and make sure your defences are adequate. More advice later when I find my Battlemind's character sheet.

Mando Knight
2011-01-29, 02:07 PM
Also, damage is not your job, so you should really be using a short sword and a heavy shield. Your job is to draw fire and not get hit, so the +2 to AC and Ref is huge. If you absolutely have to increase your damage, pick up Weapon Proficency: Rapier.

1.) Yes, the heavy shield is almost necessary, especially for a Defender class that has both Ref stats as dumps.
2.) Scimitar isn't a Versatile weapon, so a kobold can wield it one-handed like everyone else.
3.) Rapiers are now Military weapons, so a Battlemind gets proficiency in them for free.

Fox Box Socks
2011-01-29, 02:15 PM
Sorry, I haven't leafed through HotFl that much.

Still, I'd pick Rapier over Scimitar. That +1 to hit is just plain better than High Crit.

Mando Knight
2011-01-29, 02:24 PM
Sorry, I haven't leafed through HotFl that much.

Still, I'd pick Rapier over Scimitar. That +1 to hit is just plain better than High Crit.

On the other hand, if the party can knock enemies prone all the time, then Headsman's Chop makes the Scimitar the better weapon. (+5 damage + CA > +1 to-hit)

Fox Box Socks
2011-01-29, 02:57 PM
True. If there was a Monk or a Warden in the party I would say go with Scimitar for the obvious synergy. It depends on how often the Barbarian is knocking people over.

Also, I'm not a big fan of Psychokinetic. I've found Farbond Spellblade (from AV2) to be generally more nifty as far as weapons go.

GoodbyeSoberDay
2011-01-29, 03:26 PM
I do have Oak Hammer Rage, but more often than not I'm using Thunderfury for the delicious extra chances to get ridiculous criticals*. Since we usually only do one combat I tend to burn OHR for the rage strike in tough fights, but I'd be willing to mainly use OHR (which is more hilarious) and burn TFR if it's a big deal for group synergy.

No one else has Essentials-era materials, but that just means some sharing is in order... looks in the direction of a particular kobold battlemind.

*or as some call them, attacks