Goliath Paladin|Warden/Champion of the Order - an interesting Defender

[GPuzzle]

An interesting build, to say the least.


It is item-light, with no items necessary (although a Bradaman's Warhammer is certainly useful).

It is able to lock down 2/3 enemies every fight without necessarily being into position and still being able to knockdown a few more with positioning.

It's tough as nails, with two sources of resist all, a pair of ways to gain THP and incentives to second wind.


Race: Goliath (PHB2)
Class: Paladin|Warden (PHB, PHB2, PHB3)
Hybrid Talent: Warden Armored Might (Wildblood)
Paragon Path: Champion of the Order (PHB)
Background: Born Under a Bad Sign (D366)
Theme: Guardian (D399)
+1 Reflex, +1 Fortitude

Strength 21
Constitution 13
Dexteritry 13
Intelligence 9
Wisdom 21
Charisma 11

AC 29
Fortitude 26
Reflex 22
Will 26

Feats
L1-Hybrid Talent (PHB3)
L2-Bludgeon Expertise (HotFL)
L4-Improved Defenses (HotFL)
L6-Improved Initiative (PHB)
L8-Sudden Roots (PHB2)
L10-Battle Awareness (MP)
L11-Wildblood Speed (PHB2)
L12-Forceful Opportunist (D378)

At-Will
L1-Holy Strike (PHB)
L1-Weight of Earth (PHB2)

Encounter
L3-Strength From Valor (DP)
L7-Burst of Earth's Fury (PHB2)
L11-Certain Justice (PHB)
L13-Stormhowler's Strike (PrP)

Daily
L1-Form of Winter's Herald (PHB2)
L5-Arc of Vengeance (DP)
L9-Form of Oak Sentinel (PHB2)

Utility
L2-Virtue (DP)
L6-Treacherous Ice (PrP)
L10-Shield of Discipline (DP)
L12-None Shall Pass (PHB)

Racial
L1-Stone's Endurance (PHB2)

Theme
L1-Guardian's Counter (PHB2)

Items
+2 Battle Harness (Hide)
+3 Bradaman's Warhammer
+2 Steadfast Amulet
Iron Armbands of Power (Heroic Tier)
Strikebacks
Elven Chain Shirt (Heroic Tier)
Rushing Cleats
Heavy Shield


So, the key is to combine Wildblood Speed with In Defense Of The Order. Basically, this is a mix between the Fighter's Combat Challenge and the Battlemind's Lightning Rush. The enemy is far away and you move to near him, and then smack him in the head, pushing him away from your ally, before he can make the attack.

Combine this with the absurd lockdown of Certain Justice, and we're looking at 3 enemies that are basically disabled in the fight. Add some lockdown powers like Burst of Earth's Fury and Stormhowler's Strike or Treacherous Ice and Form of Winter's Herald and enemies have good reasons to not ignore us.

That's why we have THP generating powers (Strength from Valor, Virtue) and resistance generating powers (Stone's Endurance, Strength from Valor), and to top it off, Second Wind usage that is actually useful.

I personally like this build because of how simple yet effective it is.

[Mando Knight]

Flaw: if the Certain Justice opponent is ever separated from your In Defense of Order opponent, one of those lockdown maneuvers has to stop. In Defense of Order requires you to use Divine Challenge (which in turn requires you to continue to engage that opponent), and Certain Justice needs you to keep the mark up in order to perpetuate the lockdown.

How you're using Wildblood Speed with In Defense of Order is also a little sketchy... they're both based on the same triggering event (the enemy making an attack against your ally but not you), except that In Defense of Order requires you to already be adjacent to the opponent when looking for the trigger, so it depends entirely on your DM's interpretation of the trigger logic.

[GPuzzle]

Certain Justice: Well, actually, not. It's a bit complex, but it involves the Warden's own marking. You mark two targets with Divine Challenge and one with the Warden's generic mark+Certain Justice, and following him around. Any targets that happen to be nearby the Certain Justice'd target are probably not going to end well.

Wildblood Speed+In Defense of the Order: Interpretation is that it triggers off Wildblood Speed first, allowing you to shift adjacent, and then In Defense of the Order triggers, allowing you to attack the target. A bit of a scretch, but it depends on interpretation.

[Mando Knight]

Certain Justice: Well, actually, not. It's a bit complex, but it involves the Warden's own marking. You mark two targets with Divine Challenge and one with the Warden's generic mark+Certain Justice, and following him around. Any targets that happen to be nearby the Certain Justice'd target are probably not going to end well.

This requires that you can engage your Divine Challenge targets, still. If you don't end your turn adjacent to the targets of your Divine Challenge or attack them on your turn, Divine Challenge ends on the target.

If the enemies split, you have to choose between your targets.