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View Full Version : [4E D&D] Expanded Blackguard Options (PEACH)



Surrealistik
2013-05-09, 09:36 AM
I've personally always felt that the Blackguard, though capable of being built effectively (albeit exclusively with chargecheese), was dull, lacklustre and largely option deprived, with an unimpressive obligatory encounter power. My updates to the class in an attempt to amend these issues:

Primary Modifier: This is defined as the highest of your Strength and Charisma modifiers for Blackguard and Paladin class elements and features. Paladin powers added here and in Heroes of Shadow that refer to your Strength modifier instead use your Primary modifier.

Secondary Modifier: This is defined as the lowest of your Strength and Charisma modifiers for Blackguard and Paladin class elements and features. Paladin powers added here and in Heroes of Shadow that refer to your Charisma modifier instead use your Secondary modifier.

At-Wills:

You can choose any Paladin at-will attack power with a level instead of Vengeance Strike and the at-will granted by your Vice.

Scion of Vice: (feature replaces Dread Smite)

At first level you gain the Dread Smite, Soul Reaver or Dark Wave power for your encounter power.

Whenever you would gain an encounter attack power, if you already have one of these powers, you can instead gain an additional use of it per encounter up to a maximum of three uses total. A use gained in this way counts as an encounter power known. Only uses beyond the first can be retrained.

You can only learn Paladin encounter attack powers that have the cold, fear, necrotic or psychic keywords.

Your Paladin powers have the Shadow keyword and your Paladin powers and effects deal necrotic damage in addition to their other damage types unless they only deal untyped damage.

Scion of Vice Powers
Note: All effects listed in higher level versions of these powers are additive to earlier level versions. The exception is effects that are identical except for numerical values; these overlap instead. Whenever you would regain a use of Dread Smite with Avatar of Vice, you can regain a use of one of these powers instead.

Dread Smite - Paladin Feature
Your weapon is engulfed by bleak frost and roiling shadows whilst laying into your enemy, suffusing it with the withering chill of the grave.
Encounter ✦ Cold, Divine, Necrotic, Shadow
No Action - Melee weapon
Trigger: You hit an enemy with an at-will weapon attack
Target: One triggering enemy
Effect: The triggering attack gains the divine and shadow keywords, deals 4 + Secondary modifier extra damage and ongoing damage (save ends) to the target, and deals cold and necrotic damage in addition to its other types.
Level 7: 8 + Secondary modifier extra damage and ongoing damage. The target can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points while subject to this ongoing damage.
Level 17: 12 + Secondary modifier extra damage and ongoing damage. When the target saves against this ongoing damage, it takes an equal amount of damage of the same types.
Level 27: 16 + Secondary modifier extra damage and ongoing damage. Whenever the target fails a save against this ongoing damage, this ongoing damage increases by 4 + your Secondary modifier.
Special: You can only use this power once per turn.

Dark Wave - Paladin Feature
Blades of indigo force echo from the fall of your weapon.
Encounter ✦ Divine, Force, Necrotic, Shadow
No Action - Personal
Trigger: You make a non-charge basic or at-will Paladin weapon attack
Effect: The triggering attack is now a close blast 3 attack that targets enemies in the blast. That attack pushes targets hit by it Secondary modifier squares (minimum 1), gains the divine and shadow keywords and deals force and necrotic damage is addition to its other types.
Level 7: The triggering attack is now a close blast 5 attack, pushes targets hit by it 1 + Secondary modifier squares and ignores partial and superior cover.
Level 17: The triggering attack is now a close blast 7 attack, pushes targets hit by it 2 + Secondary modifier squares and deals Secondary modifier extra damage. The target is knocked prone.
Level 27: The triggering attack is now a close blast 10 attack, pushes targets hit by it 3 + Secondary modifier squares and deals Secondary modifier extra damage and ongoing damage (save ends).

Soul Reaver - Paladin Feature
As your weapon skewers your foe, it erupts with foreboding light, devouring your victim's essence.
Encounter ✦ Divine, Necrotic, Psychic, Shadow
No Action - Melee weapon
Trigger: You deal damage to an enemy with an at-will weapon attack
Target: One triggering enemy
Effect: The triggering attack gains the divine, healing and shadow keywords, deals 1[W] extra damage to the target, and deals necrotic and psychic damage in addition to its other types. If the target is living, you can spend a healing surge, make a saving throw or gain temporary hit points equal to your Secondary modifier plus half your level. If you drop a living non-minion target to 0 hit points or fewer with this attack, you gain all of these benefits. A non-construct target dropped to 0 hit points or fewer by this attack dies and can't be revived by creatures your level or lower until you die.
Level 7: 2[W] extra damage. This extra damage can't be reduced. Choose one: the target is immobilized, dazed or weakened until the end of your next turn.
Level 17: 3[W] extra damage. Choose two: the target is immobilized, dazed and/or weakened until the end of your next turn.
Level 27: 4[W] extra damage. Instead of choosing, the target is immobilized, dazed and weakened until the end of your next turn.
Special: You can only use this power once per turn.


Heedings of the Dark Path
Requirements: Blackguard, Scion of Vice feature
Benefit: You gain the Dread Smite, Soul Reaver or Dark Wave power. You can't choose a power you already have. These powers share their uses per encounter.
Special: You can take this feat up to two times.

Defender Blackguard Benefits:

The following Defender orientated features optionally replace the normal suite of benefits and features granted by the Blackguard and Vices of Domination and Fury:

Dark Menace (Defender): Whenever an enemy you are marking shifts while adjacent to you or makes an attack that doesn't include you as a target, you gain a bonus to damage rolls against it equal to your Primary + Secondary modifier until the end of your next turn.
Vice of Domination: An enemy you are marking that makes an escape attempt or stands from prone also triggers this bonus.
Vice of Fury: An enemy you are marking that bloodies or drops you or an ally to 0 or fewer hit points also triggers this bonus.

Defender Blackguard Vice of Domination Benefits:

Shackling Strike - Blackguard Attack
Eldritch violet-black chains burst from your weapon as you strike, binding your foe tightly.
At-Will ✦ Divine, Force, Necrotic, Shadow, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Primary modifier vs AC
Hit: 1[W] force and necrotic damage. You grab the target until the end of your next turn. Checks to escape this grab are made against your highest non-AC defense. This grab does not require free hands to establish or maintain.
Each Failed Escape: The target takes Primary modifier + Secondary modifier force and necrotic damage that can't be reduced.
Level 21: 2[W] damage. While grabbed by this power, the target can't teleport.

Each Failed Escape: 5 + Primary modifier + Secondary modifier force and necrotic damage that can't be reduced.
Special: When making an opportunity attack, you can use this power in place of a melee basic attack.

Mark of Tyranny - Blackguard Feature
At-Will ✦ Divine, Shadow
Minor Action - Close burst 5
Target: One enemy in the burst
Special: For the purposes of feats, features and powers, this power counts as Divine Challenge.
Effect: The target is marked until the end of your next turn. Until the mark ends, you can use the Oppressive Edict power:

Oppressive Edict - Blackguard Feature
Your foe's defiance is punished with the crushing weight of your judgment, bands of dark force wrenching it about like a marionette.
At-Will ✦ Divine, Force, Necrotic, Shadow
No Action - Personal
Trigger: An enemy subject to your Mark of Tyranny triggers your Dark Menace benefit.
Target: The triggering enemy
Effect: Once before the end of your next turn, when you hit the target with a weapon attack, you can slide the target Secondary modifier squares and knock it prone before or after that attack's effects. The target can't stand from prone until the end of the active creature's next turn unless it takes force and necrotic damage equal to half your level + your Secondary modifier. This damage can't be reduced.
Level 11: Half your level + twice your Secondary modifier force and necrotic damage.
Level 21: Half your level + three times your Secondary modifier force and necrotic damage.

Note: These replace the normal benefits provided by the Improved Shroud of Shadow and Shadow Step class features:

Improved Shroud of Shadow (Level 7 Feature): When you use Shroud of Shadow, until the end of your next turn, whenever an enemy within a close burst 1 of you stands from prone, makes an escape attempt, willingly leaves its space, or makes an attack that doesn't include you as a target, you can use Mark of Tyranny and Shackling Strike (even if you don't have this power) against it as an immediate interrupt.

At 23rd level, you can use Mark of Tyranny and Shackling Strike in this way as a free action instead.

Shadow Step (Level 23 Feature): When you use Shroud of Shadow, you can teleport a creature subject to your Mark of Tyranny power to a square adjacent to you as a free action. This teleportation doesn't require line of sight or effect.



Defender Blackguard Vice of Fury Benefits:

Raging Dervish - Blackguard Attack
You lash out in all directions, eager to savage the foe, your injuries and those of your friend and foe alike only goading you to greater violence.
At-Will ✦ Divine, Shadow, Weapon
Standard Action - Close burst 1
Target: Each enemy in the burst
Attack: Primary modifier vs AC
Hit: 1[W] + Primary modifier damage. If you are bloodied, this attack deals Secondary modifier (minimum 2) extra damage. For each bloodied ally and enemy you can sense, this attack deals +2 extra damage.
Level 21: 2[W] + Primary modifier damage. If you are bloodied, this attack deals 3 + Secondary modifier (minimum 2) extra damage. For each bloodied ally and enemy you can sense, this attack deals +2 extra damage.
Special: When making an opportunity attack, you can use this power in place of a melee basic attack.

Promise of Slaughter - Blackguard Feature
At-Will ✦ Divine, Shadow
Minor Action - Close burst 5
Target: One enemy in the burst
Special: For the purposes of feats, features and powers, this power counts as Divine Challenge.
Effect: The target is marked until the end of your next turn. Until the mark ends, you can use the Wrathful Vengeance power:

Wrathful Vengeance - Blackguard Feature
At-Will ✦ Divine, Shadow
Hatred suffuses your weapon, vengeful rancor driving your merciless assault.
No Action - Personal
Trigger: An enemy subject to your Promise of Slaughter triggers your Dark Menace benefit.
Target: The triggering enemy
Effect: Once before the end of your next turn, when you attack the target with a weapon attack, you can gain combat advantage against the target for that attack and it deals extra damage to the target equal to half your level + your Secondary modifier. If you, the target, or a triggering ally are bloodied, or you already have combat advantage against the target, increase that extra damage by your Secondary modifier.
Level 11: Half your level + twice your Secondary modifier extra damage. If you, the target, or a triggering ally are bloodied, or you already have combat advantage against the target, increase that extra damage by twice your Secondary modifier.
Level 21: Half your level + three times your Secondary modifier extra damage. If you, the target, or a triggering ally are bloodied, or you already have combat advantage against the target, increase that extra damage by three times your Secondary modifier.

Note: These replace the normal benefits provided by the Improved Shroud of Shadow and Shadow Step class features:

Improved Shroud of Shadow (Level 7 Feature): When you use Shroud of Shadow, all enemies within a close burst 2 are subject to your Promise of Slaughter power.
At 23rd level, all enemies within a close burst 5 are subject to your Promise of Slaughter power instead.

Shadow Step (Level 23 Feature): When you use Shroud of Shadow, you can teleport to a square adjacent to a creature subject to your Promise of Slaughter power as a free action. This teleportation doesn't require line of sight or effect.