[4e] The Bard is Dead. Long Live the...

[LibraryOgre]

So, my bard got stoned last night. Literally. Got a hit from a medusa, failed two saves in a row. The sexual harassment of our Deva shaman is at an end, unless there's a "Remove Affliction" scroll somewhere in the dungeon (and, even then, I think our Deva may conspire to have it destroyed1).

So, I'm starting over. Our current party is a Human Warden, a something-or-other Druid (I think shifter), an Eladrin Wizard, an Elven Avenger, and the aforementioned Deva Shaman. Thus, we're looking at wanting another Leader or a defender/leader mix. Since we're in the Pyramid of Shadows, I figure I've got two good options.

1) A warforged Strength cleric. Probably with a battlefist and component armor.
2) Someone who's a little bit crazy... maybe another shaman, since I haven't played one, and speaking to things that aren't there would be great for him, having spent a few centuries alone.

Any suggestions on what to play? Builds you've wanted to try that fill our leader/defender role?

1 By way of example, his penultimate round, I counted off his movement as "One, pat the deva on the butt as a free action, two, three, four, five." It was a "pat of opportunity" or, in 4th edition lingo, "opportunity pat."

[Gralamin]

Since we're in the Pyramid of Shadows,

Oh no, not that adventure. I swear its a lot more horrible then the concept suggests.

I figure I've got two good options.

1) A warforged Strength cleric. Probably with a battlefist and component armor.

The only way to get a Battlefist currently is self-forged, but otherwise this is a good plan.

2) Someone who's a little bit crazy... maybe another shaman, since I haven't played one, and speaking to things that aren't there would be great for him, having spent a few centuries alone.

Shamans are fun.


You have a fair amount of melee, so playing a Warlord wouldn't be terrible, but it might be too much like your bard.

[LibraryOgre]

The reason I'm not going Warlord is that my other character in this game (we have several story threads) is a Warlord.

[alchemyprime]

If you have access to Dragon, go with a Hybrid Shaman/Cleric. Makes for a fun bit.

"Who do you worship? The spirits or the Gods?"

"Um... um... SACRED FLAME!" *runs off*

[Charity]

I figure you guys could just as soon use another striker, how about a crazy ass Barbarian or something akin?

[Starsinger]

In the striker vein, vestige pact warlocks can give you the whole "entities that aren't quite there" thing you liked about shaman, as a warlock you're a fairly competent striker, with delicious controller (debuffs and conditions) and leader (buffs) highlights.

[Charity]

The shouty Barbarian is quite leadery... though I would also like to see how a vestige warlock plays out, our hellock acts as a giant punchbag in our leaderless party, helps out my paladin no end... but is somewhat lacking in the striker qualities to be honest.

[LibraryOgre]

We're in talks. I'm currently making a Warforged Cleric of Erathis (working name: Optimus Prime), who had been trying to guide Kravakos into building something with his new empire, and wound up stuck in the pyramid. He's been exposed to the Far Realms, though, so he's a little bit... odd.

[Totally Guy]

How about another Bard? But with as many mechanical differences as possible from the last!

If I remember your other thread he'd got all multiclass feats and about to hit paragon. How about a single committed multiclass?

I'm just making sure you don't discount the bard on grounds that you've been there done that. They can do many interesting things.

[Hal]

Personally, I like my human "lazer"-cleric. Doesn't have that "defender" feel that you seem to be going for, but his healing is phenomenal.

[Kylarra]

[Alcoholic] Artificer headed towards self-forged.

[Hzurr]

Oh no, not that adventure. I swear its a lot more horrible then the concept suggests.

It's actually gone pretty well. The head of Vyrellis has gotten pretty entertaining, with the party continually making either bowling or juggling comments whenever she gets snooty.

Just info for people making suggestions: The Party is on Level 2 of the pyramid, and just starting to get into the section where the Far Realm has screwed things up. 2/3 gates of Agony have been opened.

As far as what the party needs, healing would be pretty useful. Another frontline/damage person would also be handy. Between the Druid and the Wizard, this party has the best controlling I've ever seen, and the damage output from the druid and warden are pretty sweet. (The Avenger has been...disappointing, to say the least). The Shaman has almost exclusively ranged, so she's handling that well.

[NPCMook]

Warforged Tempest Fighter|Cleric?

[Starsinger]

We're in talks. I'm currently making a Warforged Cleric of Erathis (working name: Optimus Prime), who had been trying to guide Kravakos into building something with his new empire, and wound up stuck in the pyramid. He's been exposed to the Far Realms, though, so he's a little bit... odd.

Well if you're a strength cleric, remember that Wisdom makes a much better secondary ability score for you than Charisma. It pumps your heals, and if you keep it within a modifier or two of your strength, makes Angelic Avenger (I think that's the cleric PP from PHB) a really tasty choice, what with Astral Wave being close burst 8 and likely to hit if your wisdom is good enough.

[LibraryOgre]

Well if you're a strength cleric, remember that Wisdom makes a much better secondary ability score for you than Charisma. It pumps your heals, and if you keep it within a modifier or two of your strength, makes Angelic Avenger (I think that's the cleric PP from PHB) a really tasty choice, what with Astral Wave being close burst 8 and likely to hit if your wisdom is good enough.

Currently, I've got a 22 strength, a 15 Con, and a 15 wisdom; everything else is 10, with an 8 Charisma. I've taken a multiclass fighter feat (Battle Awareness), a couple feats into armor, the Battle Healer feat (whenever I use a healing power on someone else, I get my Strength Bonus in HP), and Creation Secret (essentially, make a save when you use a item daily power. Succeed, and you didn't use an item daily power).

And I will add, the player of the Avenger has a talent for making characters that don't quite work as well as they should.

[Starsinger]

Do you need power recommendations too? Off the top of my head, Word of Vigor is nothing but wonderful. Level 10 encounter utility, it's a close burst 1 slightly weaker version of Healing Word on all allies in the burst.

Edit: I... don't know what level you are, but one way or another that information is sure to help you.

[LibraryOgre]

The rest of the party is a few XP away from level 9; I'm going to be starting at level 9, just to avoid having to make a new character.

I am running into an issue, however, that perhaps the Playground can help me with. I gave Optimus a Battlefist (+2 Force Battlefist, actually), but the Character Builder isn't calculating the +3 proficiency bonus that the description says it has. I also can't find a Battlefist proficiency, thinking that may be the issue. Since I don't have the Eberron Player's Guide, what am I missing here?

[Shadow_Elf]

The rest of the party is a few XP away from level 9; I'm going to be starting at level 9, just to avoid having to make a new character.

I am running into an issue, however, that perhaps the Playground can help me with. I gave Optimus a Battlefist (+2 Force Battlefist, actually), but the Character Builder isn't calculating the +3 proficiency bonus that the description says it has. I also can't find a Battlefist proficiency, thinking that may be the issue. Since I don't have the Eberron Player's Guide, what am I missing here?

Only Self-Forged (the Paragon Path) can have battlefists. And only non-warforged can be self-forged. So you can't have a battlefist, barring DM fiat.

[LibraryOgre]

Ah-hah! That would explain it. Got some changes to make, then.

[LibraryOgre]

Bah. Tons of rewriting to do. I either misunderstood, or selectively ignored, a number of equipment rules.

[Hzurr]

Oh good. I'm glad someone had the answer to the battlefist question, because that one was really stumping me. *Sigh* Time to go answer my own question in the "Questions by RAW" thread...

[LibraryOgre]

Oh good. I'm glad someone had the answer to the battlefist question, because that one was really stumping me. *Sigh* Time to go answer my own question in the "Questions by RAW" thread...

You think you're getting off the hook THAT easily? HAH! I say, HAH!

;-)

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124378

[Hzurr]

*shakes fist in the air*

Damn you!!!!!!

[LibraryOgre]

*shakes fist in the air*

Damn you!!!!!!

Given me and our gaming group, I find this statement to be absolutely hilarious. ;-)

[LibraryOgre]

The bard abides. We learned that touching his lips with the medusa's blood would break the curse (our Druid insisted that the Deva had to apply it with her lips), and thus the sexual harassment of the Deva Shaman continues.

Too bad. I was kinda looking forward to playing Optimus Prime, the crazy warforged cleric of Erathis.

[Mando Knight]

The bard abides. We learned that touching his lips with the medusa's blood would break the curse (our Druid insisted that the Deva had to apply it with her lips), and thus the sexual harassment of the Deva Shaman continues.

What? The Deva didn't want medusa-blood lipstick?

[LibraryOgre]

What? The Deva didn't want medusa-blood lipstick?

I spent most of the evening curtailing the worst of my sordid imagination for statements to the Deva. Her player is adorable when she blushes, and her fiancee encourages the sexual harassment (he is, in fact, the one who insisted that she had to apply it with her lips... in character, though not at the table).

[Hzurr]

Hehe...when the person who can make the heal check to revive the bard isn't the same person who can make the nature check to know how to heal the bard, entertaining things happen.

[Sipex]

Heh heh, yeah, I was going to suggest the medusa lipstick thing but it looks like you figured it out :)

[Mando Knight]

Her player is adorable when she blushes, and her fiancee encourages the sexual harassment.

Bad deal for her, then.