[4e] Paragon Paths for Dwarves

[mikeejimbo]

Dwarven Defender

Prerequisite: Dwarf

You are a stalwart defender, the paragon of defensive dwarves. Never abandoning your post, you are a veritable granite wall in the path of your enemies. Your mission is to protect your allies at all costs.

Defensive Action (11th Level): Whenever you spend an action point to take another action, you and all allies within 5 squares gain a +2 to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
Defensive Stance (11th Level): As long as your move action takes you no more than 2 squares, you gain a +2 to AC until the end of your next turn and if you would be forced to move, you may further reduce the number of squares you would be moved by your Constitution modifier.
Stonecarved (16th Level): As long as you don't move or attack on your turn, you gain Resist 5 to all damage.

Dwarven Defender Exploits:

Sweeping Strike ; Dwarven Defender Attack 11
Challenging all enemies around you, you turn in a wide circle, attacking each one and daring them to strike back, despite the fact that you will be severely outnumbered.
Encounter * Martial, Weapon
Standard Action ; Close Burst 1
Target: All enemies in burst
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] damage, target is marked until the end of your next turn
Miss: Target is marked until the end of your next turn
Increase damage to 2[W] at 21st level

Defensive Maneuvers ; Dwarven Defender Utility 12
Calling out for an ally to get behind you, you step in front of them to protect them from the onslaught.
Encounter * Martial
Minor Action
Effect: Switch places with one adjacent, willing ally.
Special: This power may be used as an immediate interrupt instead, with the trigger "An adjacent ally is targeted by an attack." You become the new target.

Defensive Strike ; Dwarven Defender Attack 20
You attack with an eye to the defensive, cautiously interposing your weapon between you and the enemy and gritting yourself for any other attack that may occur.
Daily * Martial, Weapon
Standard Action ; Melee Weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Strength, and you gain a +5 power bonus to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
Miss: No damage, and you gain a +5 power bonus to all defenses until the end of your next turn.

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Too powerful? Not powerful enough? Make suggestions either way

[DiscipleofBob]

Stonecarved is very, very broken. Consider some sort of condition on which you get the Resist 5 all.

Sweeping Strike and Defensive Manuevers are both good, but they are way too powerful to be At-Wills. Encounter powers at the least.

Otherwise, I like it.

[mikeejimbo]

Hmm, I must be over-estimating the amount of damage dealt at 16th level, then. Actually, I should probably make that to only physical damage anyway.

Either way, I did give it conditional access. And changed the powers to encounter.

[mikeejimbo]

Runesmith

Prerequisite: Dwarf, Wizard

Combining your racial language with your magic, you have learned to prepare your spells as runes, usually inscribed on tablets of stone, but if you so desire you can draw them on your weapons, armor, or even tattoo them onto your skin. When the spell is used, the rune glows and then disappears.

Runic Action (11th Level): You may spend an action point to regain the use of one encounter power you have already used, instead of gaining another action.
Heavily Armored Mage (11th Level): You may add your Intelligence modifier to your AC even when wearing heavy armor.
Rune Implement (16th Level): You inscribe a rune representing your chosen implement into a weapon, piece of armor or other item. You choose any item you own - this item counts as either an orb, staff, or wand and you may use the orb, staff or wand powers as long as you possess the item on your person. Additionally you may add the item's enhancement bonus whenever you use an implement power.

Runesmith Spells:

Rune of Pain ; Runesmith Attack 11
Raising up a specially prepared rune, all who see it writhe in agony!
Encounter * Arcane, Implement
Standard Action ; Area: Close Burst 2
Target: All creatures in blast
Attack: Intelligence vs. Will
Hit: 1d8 psychic damage, target is stunned (save ends)
Miss: Half damage, no stun

Runes of Warding ; Runesmith Utility 12
Placing or inscribing a magical rune on the ground protects an area against enemy intrusion.
Daily * Arcane, Implement
Standard Action ; Area: Wall 8 within 1
Effect: You place a warding rune on the ground, which extends protection out in a manner you dictate (up to the confines of the 'wall' area). It does not prevent line of sight. Allies may pass through it unharmed, but enemies who attempt to pass through receive an Intelligence vs. Will attack, which, if it hits, disallows them from entering that square. If it misses, they enter the square and take 1d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage. Enemies starting their turn on one of the squares also take 1d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage. The runes persist until the end of your next turn, or until destroyed. The rune exists only on one of the squares of the wall and you must designate which. This square can be attacked and has 20 hit points. Any enemy attacking the square also takes 1d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage.
Sustain Standard: The Rune, if not destroyed, persists.

Symbol of Insanity ; Runesmith Attack 20
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. Ia Ia Cthulhu fhtagn!
Daily * Arcane, Implement
Standard Action ; Area: Close Burst 3
Target: All creatures in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Will
Hit: 2d8 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, target is Stunned (save ends)
Miss: Half damage, target is Dazed (save ends)

[Spiryt]

All very nice, but any chance to make some interesting Runemage stuff that isn't combat related? You know in legends runes had many magical powers.

Whole 4ed looks a bit too combat oriented too me.

[mikeejimbo]

Hmm, well with the way the pattern for Paragon Paths goes, it needs an attack at 11, a utility at 12 and another attack at 20. No path that I've seen strays from this. (In addition to having two 11th level class features, one of which is related to action points, and a 16th level class feature.)

In general though, 4E is very combat-oriented. All the Paragon paths are, at least.

Also, the Battlesmith
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Battlesmith

Prerequisite: Dwarf

Forging the weapons you use in war yourself grants you a special bond with your chosen weapon. It becomes like unto a companion itself, and begins to take on magical properties.
Magical Smithing (11th Level): You may smith any weapon with which you are proficient. The materials to craft it cost 9000 gold. This weapon becomes your chosen weapon, and it is considered a magical weapon with a +3 Enhancement Bonus. At level 16, you may upgrade it for 36,000 gold, and it becomes +4 Enhancement bonus. At level 21 you may upgrade it to +5 for 180,000 gold and at level 26 you may upgrade it to +6 bonus for 1,000,000 gold.
Chosen Action (11th Level): Whenever you use an action point to take another attack with your chosen weapon, you gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls.
Unbreakable (16th Level): If your chosen weapon breaks, it reforms at the start of your next turn.

Battlesmith Exploits:

Way of the Forge ; Battlesmith Attack 11
[I]You are at one with your weapon, so much so that you intuitively know how to strike better with it./I]
Encounter * Martial, Weapon
Standard Action ; Melee or Ranged Weapon
Special: You must be wielding your chosen weapon.
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier + Wisdom modifier damage
Miss: Half damage

Never Disarmed ; Battlesmith Utility 12
The magic and bond you have with your weapon means that it is never out of your reach.
At-Will (Special) * Martial
Minor Action
Effect: If you are not wielding your chosen weapon, it teleports to your hands and you are now wielding your chosen weapon.
Special: You may use this a number of times per encounter equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Living Weapon ; Battlesmith Attack 20
Though it is made of steel, your weapon seems to take on its own lifelike qualities.
Daily * Martial (kind of), Weapon
Standard Action ; Ranged 5 or Ranged weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier damage
Effect: The weapon flies out on its own and makes an attack against an enemy. If it is a ranged weapon, its ammunition also flies out with it, and its range increases to 5 + the range of the weapon. It ends in a square up to 5 squares away, either adjacent to the target (if it is a melee weapon) or within range of it with line of sight (if it is a ranged weapon). If it is a thrown weapon, it strikes the target and then comes back to the designated square. You can then move the weapon a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier as a move action.
Sustain Minor: The weapon makes another attack and you can move the weapon a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier as a move action.

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If the last attack seems powerful, consider that it is really only slightly more powerful than Spectral Weapon. Additionally, the 16th level class feature and the 12th level utility are only very conditionally useful. (I'm not even aware of any rules to disarm or break weapons)

Also note that the costs for the item should probably be less if the character is making them themselves, but I'm not sure I know the total costs involved in the rituals to enchant items.